The Complete Contemporary Guitarist: Guitar Book & CD

This book refuses to separate theory from real playing. A guitarist working through these 396 pages learns intervals, scales, and progressions not as abstractions but as tools for blues, rock, and jazz improvisation. The combination of standard notation, TAB, chord diagrams, and an accompanying ear training CD means students develop multiple pathways to understanding the same material.

Opening this book feels like having an experienced guitarist sit down with you and explain not just the 'what' but the 'why.' The abundance of diagrams and musical examples makes complex concepts accessible without oversimplifying them.

This resource serves blues, rock, and jazz guitarists who want to understand what they're playing beyond muscle memory. Whether you're a self-taught player filling gaps in theory or a student supplementing lessons, the book's structure lets you work at your own pace while the CD provides external accountability for ear training.

• Work through the chord and scale diagrams slowly enough that your finger placement becomes automatic before you try applying them in actual songs.
• Use the ear training CD consistently for short sessions (10-15 minutes) rather than occasional long ones; your ear develops faster with frequent, focused listening.
• Cross-reference the TAB and standard notation side-by-side as you practice; this dual literacy accelerates your ability to read any guitar music you encounter.
• Complete the drills and worksheets in sequence rather than skipping ahead; the scaffolding is intentional and builds the fretboard knowledge you need for improvisation.

Assign specific chapters to private students between lessons as homework that directly reinforces what you're working on in person. For ensemble directors looking to strengthen instrumental musicianship, recommended sections can help your guitar students read more fluently and understand harmonic function.

• Reading standard notation and TAB simultaneously
• Recognizing and constructing intervals on the fretboard
• Building and applying scales to improvisation
• Understanding chord construction and voice leading
• Analyzing and replicating chord progressions by ear
• Mapping harmonic relationships across the fretboard