Howard Morgen's Solo Guitar: Guitar Book

Morgen builds his instruction around genuine jazz standards rather than exercises, so students internalize concepts through songs they actually want to play. The dual focus on both technique and the thinking process behind arrangement choices gives intermediate guitarists the tools to move from copying licks to understanding how solos are constructed.

Opening this book feels like getting a mentor's notebook. The standards create an immediate sense of musical familiarity, while Morgen's annotations and voice-leading choices show exactly how pros reshape these songs into something personal. There is clarity and respect for the learner throughout.

Intermediate guitarists with solid chord knowledge who are ready to understand the thinking behind jazz arrangements and want to move beyond playing single melodies. Studio instructors will find this especially useful for students transitioning from pop or classical guitar into jazz language.

• Study the chord substitutions in each arrangement before playing through the melody; understanding the harmonic choices under your fingers makes the solo feel intentional rather than rote.
• Use the transcribed solos as reference recordings in your head; play the melody first without looking at Morgen's voicing to develop your own voice before adopting his approach.
• Apply the transposition and reharmonization concepts to one standard you already know well, rather than learning every new song in the exact form presented.
• Dedicate your practice time to one specific technique from the book each week (voice leading, substitution type, arranging principle) rather than trying to absorb the entire method at once.

Use this as the core text for a jazz guitar elective or independent study, pairing it with listening assignments of the artists who made these standards famous. The arranging and substitution sections also serve advanced ensemble guitarists working on comping and reharmonization skills in a group context.

• Chord substitution techniques (diatonic and chromatic replacements)
• Voice leading across chord changes
• Transcription and arrangement of melody-based standards
• Reharmonization of familiar melodies
• Practice strategies for solo guitar repertoire
• Reading and adapting jazz chord symbols and progressions