Modern Jazz Guitar Concepts: Cutting Edge Jazz Guitar Techniques With Virtuoso Jens Larsen (Play Jazz Guitar) Kindle Edition

Jens is a great instructor - for some time now, he's been devoting significant effort to producing video and written content on the topic of jazz guitar. This book is an extension of his wealth of knowledge, and the value contained inside completely dwarfs the actual price. I've spent several weeks working through the first few chapters (my pace is a little slow, to be sure), and there is still a ton more to work through and digest. I've skimmed the later chapters, and I'm very excited to get into them, as I become more comfortable with the material I've already been working on.Overall, this is the kind of book that delivers a tremendous amount of information and knowledge. It takes a bit of personal effort to apply the concepts and actually learn and improve, but that is exactly what I'm looking for when it comes to instructional material - something that motivates me to work, and helps me expand the skills I'm comfortable with. This book achieves that. I enjoy the way Jens explains things - they are very clearly explained, even if they are not easy concepts to understand at first - and I like the process of improving my own skills. This book continues to deliver on that experience, chapter after chapter.It's also worth noting (again) that Jens puts out a ton of content on YouTube and Instagram, and that fact is a sort of supplement to this book - it's been very helpful to work on a chapter of content from the book, and then shift to some of the shorter segments/topics on his YT channel, and then back to the book. I strongly encourage anyone who's interested in learning more about jazz guitar to purchase this book - you will come away with more knowledge than you started with, as well as a stronger ability to play and improvise. Thank you, Jens!

The problem with any instructional book is that they are easy to purchase but it takes time and work to retain the information. A good book anticipates the needs of the average/typical learner/student and creates lessons that help overcome these common shortcomings. Therefore, a book should also be progressive in nature that can allow quick advancement in some areas. Then, in other areas of the book, study and then the effort to apply the learning to one's playing. All that being said, I've only worked through the first part of this book but I can say that Jens Larsen, through his online site, typically does a great job of keeping the fundamentals in front of us, offering some great examples to help the learner see a scale/mode, progression, arpeggio or substitution in a way that we can move forward with it. This book seems to be some excellently distilled examples of his several years experience as a player and teacher. The part I like the most about the book - I don't have to search through the internet, pick the course of interest, downoad the pdf and then keep track of where I put it. His book has become a central part of my studies.

Jazz guitar students know Jazzbe, Matt Warner, serious web instructors in the genre. Jens Larsen repeats what all the best teachers teach, no more clearly than the current best illustrate; however, Larsen's examples are more tuneful, more melodious, more hip. The best are skinning the same animal; the difference is in the musical expression in their examples, for ear training and good taste. Watch youtube and judge for yourself.

I just recently purchased of copy of this book and have immediately started working through it. It’s clear from the first page that Jens is a very good instructor. But if you’re familiar with his YouTube channel, you already knew that. Not only does Jens provide some very useful lines for you to use in your own playing, he also explains how you can use the concepts embedded in the lines to create your own. I think to get the most out of this book, you do need to have some foundational knowledge in jazz guitar. Hence, I would say that this book is geared more towards intermediate players and beyond. For those willing to put in the time and do the assignments at the end of each chapter, I believe this book will be a valuable resource. Can’t wait for Volume 2!

The book like this has been long due. Coming from the most popular YouTube educator, it has so much to learn and apply, especially for players, who came to jazz from different styles. Moreover, it has all the concepts needed to play modern jazz styles, including jazz fusion. Well done Jens, please keep your educating journey going!!!

If you are familiar with Jens Larsen's Video Lessons on YouTube, you will not be surprised by the quality, depth and organization of this book! Jens is clearly one of the Premiere Jazz Instructors on YouTube and I was very excited to purchase this book! Jens is a very structured teacher and he starts off here with a basic C Maj Scale, then goes into Arpeggios explaining the use of Upper Structures. He then mentions Coltrane Patterns followed by Quartal Voicings and more! And that's just the first chapter! I'm a regular listener of Rick Beato and now Jens Larsen has been added to my routine! Highly Recommended and I look forward to his next book! Thanks Jens!

Jens does a great job of coherently laying out some of the coolest concepts in modern jazz guitar. Everything makes sense and can be instantly applied to your playing. There are play-along tracks and recorded examples which make absorbing everything that much easier. I find myself stealing lines out of this book for whatever tunes I'm working on. Good job!

Folks,Go ahead and look up Mr. Jens Larsen on YouTube and you will find a miriad of helpful videos to walk you through the wonderful world of Jazz. Then get the "Modern Jazz Guitar Concepts" (it comes with audio for practicing the exercises) and you will find that it is like having a "Professor" next to you, leading you through every step of the way!You will be bringing your playing to a higher level. The text book is concise, clear, easy to read and like a sudden glimpse of fresh air delivers motivation and easy to understand the most exciting Jazz Guitar Concepts you could imagine.I surely gave it 5 stars when it really deserves 10 stars. Please Amazon, give Mr. Jens Larsen 10 stars.Thank you,Ronaldo LacayoCalifornia, USA

I’m an experienced guitarist interested in the last big challenge, to learn jazz. I like this book because of Jens’s clear, terse, style. Many jazz guitar books make things far too complex, it’s so easy to be put off by the amount information in them. They make the mountain too hard to climb. But this book, in conjunction with his YouTube lessons, have helped me greatly. Arguably it’s not a book for the total beginner, you need to know some basic chords, and own a looper so you can lay down the chords and practice the exercises over them.

Jens just crams in tons of really useful ideas and information. Each section has exercises to go through, to help consolidate that information. Jens is also mindful that we need fresh ideas, and ways and means to find them, to help us evolve in our creative improvisation. Jazz guitar of course has a historical perspective, a huge back catalogue to which we can all refer, but jazz also moves forwards and evolves. I am using Jen’s book to help achieve freshness and innovation within my own playing, and staying interesting. Jens is an inspirational tutor and author - thank you for this book and for sharing your knowledge.

Not the cotrrect book for me I’m afraid. I’m a traditional be bop jazz guitarist and this is aimed at contemporary jazz rock shredders.The examples are extremely unimaginative in my view.No help to me someone like me who seek the flunency and inventiveness of Joe Pass etc etc.

I've watched a lot of Jens Larsen videos, so I'm familiar with his style. This helps with the book for no other reason than to hear his voice when reading the text! But the videos do give an idea of his approach that is to get you to make music rather than just learning theory for the sake of it.And that is what you have here. I've only been through the first chapter so far, but already I feel like I'm actually playing JAZZ! I've studied a few other books and they can be very dry. I know that to play jazz properly you have to learn stacks of chords (no pun intended) and reams of scales, but Modern Jazz Guitar Concepts goes beyond that. I think you should know a few scales before tackling this book - the usual major, minor, melodic minor, and basic arpeggios - along with some idea of musical theory but it will quickly get you to making real music. Each chapter ends with an exercise to write your own stuff. You're not memorising, you're CREATING, which really is the point.This has to be the most interesting and practical guide to playing jazz that I have come across, and since it's not too thick I'll get that sense of achievement very soon ("I'm finished!") but I know the real work will only have begun.Look up Jens Larsen on YouTube, Subscribe, watch the videos and buy the book. If you want to play jazz, that is. If fun isn't your thing, other jazz books are available.

Excellent book, full of ideas though it is not for beginners! It helps to have a good knowledge of the fingerboard and some basic chord knowledge (construction and extended chords) and good technical facility. This book will take a year or two of thorough study and much playing, but the results will be well worth the effort. I am looking forward to trying out these ideas and then trying the “advanced” volume! These ideas will benefit anyone who is “stuck in a rut” or just interested in learning more, and can be used in most, if not all styles. (Amazon - plastic packaging! Really?!)