el> Unless you're a total beginner, or want to study the
el> theoretical ramifications of the effects of various semitone
el> frequencies on the human psyche, it's best to stay away from books. I
el> don't mean to sound anti-intellectual, but IMHO you learn more, at
el> least musically, by watching and LISTENING to others play than
el> analyzing imprints of ink on a binded mass of processed forest
el> material.
el> ...But of course you can't learn watching or listening unless you
el> have that WILLINGNESS and NEED to learn!
el> elson@westworld.com
while i agree w/the spirit of what elson is saying, there is something to
learning the basics of music theory. it always helps to know how chords
are constructed, and the nomenclature. also, one can sometimes find
transcription books, which can help one study a how previous master has
"dealt" w/chord changes, etc. admittedly, most of these books apply more
toward straight-ahead jazz, but a background in one of the sources of a/j
will only help your playing and confidence. the most important thing though
is to LISTEN.
t-bird
... [to end a solo] you take the horn out of your mouth-miles davis