Chop-Monster, Book 2: Guitar Book & 2 CDs

Berg's call-and-response methodology transforms jazz improvisation from an intimidating leap into a learnable skill by grounding students in listening and imitation before solo exploration. By Book 2, guitarists are navigating the ii-V-I progression across multiple keys, which means they're building the harmonic vocabulary that drives virtually all jazz repertoire. The inclusion of recorded examples on the two accompanying CDs makes this method work whether you have a jazz pianist on staff or not.

Playful and purposeful. The call-and-response format makes learning feel conversational rather than prescriptive; you're imitating a voice you trust, then finding your own voice in response. As the progression locks in across all three keys, the repetition builds confidence and fluency, so improvisation becomes less about thinking and more about playing.

Guitar students in jazz ensembles or private studios who have completed Book 1 and are ready to tackle the ii-V-I progression, one of the foundational harmonic movements in jazz. This method works for intermediate players (typically high school through college) who benefit from explicit listening and imitation before improvising independently.

• Internalize each recorded phrase completely before attempting your own response. The call-and-response format only works if you've absorbed the target lick, so listen multiple times and sing it mentally before playing.
• Practice the ii-V-I progression in each of the three keys (concert B-flat, E-flat, and F) as a separate skill, not as variations on the same idea. Each key requires different finger positions and presents its own rhythmic and harmonic challenges.
• Record yourself responding to the recorded calls and listen back critically. You'll catch nuances in timing, phrasing, and articulation that escape your ear in real time.
• Transpose and adapt licks you master in one key to the other two before moving to the next section. This cements the progression in your musical memory across the entire fretboard.

Integrate Book 2 into your jazz guitar curriculum as students transition from learning basic chord changes to understanding functional harmony. The recorded tracks make this an ideal independent or sectional study tool, freeing up ensemble rehearsal time for group improvisation over the same progressions. Consider pairing performances or demonstrations of student improvisations over these same ii-V-I changes into a jazz showcase or concert.

• Recognizing and internalizing the ii-V-I progression in B-flat, E-flat, and F concert keys
• Call-and-response listening and imitation as a foundation for original improvisation
• Translating melodic ideas across different key centers on the fretboard
• Phrasing and articulation in a jazz context through listening models
• Building a vocabulary of licks and melodic shapes tied to functional chord changes