The Diminished Workbook
The Whole Tone Workbook
Melodic Improvisation for Guitar
Jazz Pentatonics
Jazz Pentatonics is for intermediate to advanced players wishing to expand their melodic and harmonic vocabulary. The music is in standard notation as well as tablature and audio is included in which the more difficult exercises are played at a slower as well as faster tempo. The audio was recorded with live drums, acoustic bass and guitar. All the exercises are included on the audio recording as well as play-along tracks that enable the student to play with a rhythm section. The book covers the minor 7, dominant 7, minor 7(b5) and major (b6) pentatonics and gives the student many etudes and exercises from which to draw improvisational ideas. Includes access to online audio.
'Melodic Improvising' is a systematic, detailed method to help the intermediate to advanced guitarist create melodies over harmony. Using techniques developed through his 15 years of teaching improvisation at the world-renowned Berklee College of Music, Bruce Saunders' book teaches guitarists the same techniques used by pianists and brass and woodwind players to create melodic solos; a necessary book for any guitarist wishing to play 'outside the box.' Includes access to online audio.
In a similar format to his other Mel Bay Publications, in Symmetric Solutions: The Whole Tone Workbook author Bruce Saunders uses exercises, etudes and chord progressions from jazz standards to explore the sound of the whole-tone scale, the augmented scale and drop-2, drop-3 and drop-2/4 chord voicings applicable to them. Blues, rhythm changes, Giant Steps, patterns, approach notes, "across the bar line" phrasing, examples from jazz greats such as Joe Henderson, Wes Montgomery, Mike Stern and Wayne Krantz among others. This book is full of great sounds that you can use on standard jazz progressions, vamps, funk tunes, Brazilian tunes -- whole-tone can be used just about anywhere. Includes access to online audio.
The Diminished Workbook is a comprehensive study and explanation of diminished chords and scales. It is geared toward guitarists but can be used with any concert key instrument. The book employs exercises, etudes and examples to illustrate the many different ways diminished chords can be used and is accompanied by a audio featuring a rhythm section of world-class New York musicians. Author Bruce Saunders is a Professor in the guitar department at world-renowned Berklee College of Music in Boston, is a respected member of the New York city jazz community and has many recording credits to his name, including his release on Mel Bay Records entitled 8 x 5. This is his fourth book for Mel Bay Publications. Standard notation and tablature. Includes access to online audio.
Modern Blues
Modern Blues is for intermediate to advanced players wishing to expand their melodic and harmonic vocabulary. The music is in standard notation as well as tablature and audio is included in which the more difficult exercises are played at a slower as well as faster tempo. The audio was recorded with live drums, acoustic bass and guitar. All the exercises are included on the online audio as well as many practice tracks that enable the student to play with a rhythm section. The book covers such topics as reharmonization, exotic chord/scale combinations, intervallic and triadic exercises, alternate pentatonic suggestions and exercises and many other topics. Includes access to online audio.
Bruce Saunders Quintet CD "8x5"
I absolutely hate the artwork and design for this and objected to it quite strongly when it was in production but no objections whatsoever to the music. I had a stellar group for this and it's one of my favorite recordings of myself, almost entirely because of the way my bandmates played. I think the art director should be forced to have an enormous enlarged cover of this CD on her living room wall to remind her to seek a new profession. Mel Bay isn't giving it away yet but the price is down to $2.99. Worth every penny and I will make 29¢ for each sale which is about 25¢ more than I make if you stream it. Ah, the music "business."
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