In the world of jazz education, there are "real books" for tunes, and there are "real books" for technique. For guitarists and instrumentalists looking to bridge the gap between playing scales and actually sounding like a jazz musician, Barry Finnerty’s The Serious Jazz Practice Book has achieved near-legendary status.
While a free Barry Finnerty Serious Jazz Practice Book PDF exists in the shadows of the internet, the quality is often terrible (bent staff lines, missing pages). More importantly, jazz is a language passed from master to student. Paying the master for his language is the first step toward respecting the craft. Barry Finnerty Serious Jazz Practice Book Pdf
Before we dissect the book, we must respect the author. Barry Finnerty is not a "theoretical" jazz player; he is a hired gun . His resume reads like a timeline of 80s and 90s fusion and pop royalty: In the world of jazz education, there are
to help you sound like a pro right away rather than just running scales. Audio Support More importantly, jazz is a language passed from
If you can’t play it in F# major, you don’t know it yet.
Originally published in the late 1990s (with later digital versions), this book is subtitled "An Intermediate/Advanced Practice Guide for All Instruments." Don't let the "all instruments" fool you; it is written in treble clef with heavy guitar influences, but saxophonists and pianists have adopted it for its harmonic clarity.