Customer Reviews
A Work of Genius 
2007-09-19
I have been active as a student at Berklee College of Music for over fifteen years. Over that time I have come to know that one of Berklee's most highly regarded teacher's is Jon Damian. His many students never fail to refer to him as a Genius and his gift as a teacher in apparent in their many successes. Finally his unique and progressive teaching approach is available to all through this wonderful book. The Guitarist's Guide to Composing and Improvising with its brilliant fresh approach to the guitar in particular and music in general reinvigorated my love and fascination with the guitar and composition. I recommend this book to all who wish to rise above the laborious trench of continually repeating the same old musical ideas and truly intend to unlock the secrets of the entire instrument and ascend from the world to craft to the universe of true art. This is definitely the most exiting guitar work I have come across since Mickey Baker's Complete Course in Jazz Guitar (from the 1950's).
A reference guide 2007-09-15
Breakthrough guide, one of the best I read/played so far. I am self studying jazz music and practice different types, read many books and instructional methods over last few years. My creativity have been taken to another level, just think differently experience new ways of practicing, be aware of tools you need to enhance your playing. This book helped me a lot to inter- connect materials I have studied in the past in a musical way. Experienced or beginners can take advantage of this book, I will use it as a reference.
Unique Book 
2006-07-17
I really tried to like this book but in the end I felt mixed. It would be so easy to take potshots at some of the suggestions in this book so I won't. But I will mention the 'Jaws Study', 'The One Note Guitar Solo', 'The Try Playing Guitar W/Your Other Hand','The Alphabet Anthem of Pick Strokes', and 'The Cycle of 4ths Study of Scale Modes'(which is not clearly enough explained I think). Is the intention for you to play Mixolydian scales over all of these secondary, tertiary, 4th,5th, 6th generation removed from the root scale, scales and why ? Wouldn't it be just as instructive to play all the modes of every scale you know from a common root ? Perhaps the answer will become apparant to me at a later time. I think making a recording of random chords for ear training is a good idea and I hope to get the time to do that,(good use for the IPOD too if you can transfer the mp3.) The musical examples are on the accompanying CD and most written in the key of C and notes on or close to the staff. In other words, you don't have to be a sight reading wiz to play them. You just need some basic reading skills. I give this book 3.5 stars but may upgrade that score at a later time. This is a unique book. I've not read one like it. It requires work on your end. Some technical rhetoric could/should have been simplified. It's almost as if it were written in a steady stream of consciousness. It may grow on me yet !
An exhaustive resource for the serious student 2005-09-02
Densely packed with exercises, concepts and clear examples of the key elements of composition. This book encourages you to reexamine the most basic elements of your playing and carefully rebuild your compositional and improvisational vocabulary from the ground up. There are tons of gimmicky ideas, which may feel stupid or pointless at first, but the goals that underly these gimmicks involve a removing guitarists from the compositional box that naturally encloses our instrument.
Pick any idea in this book, meditate on it for a few days, and watch your musical horizons expand exponentially.
Note to the music illiterate - this is a book that is largely about COMPOSING. (i.e. sharing your ideas with other literate musicians.) If you aren't serious enough about sharing your ideas in the common language of music to learn that language, well you are probably not motivated enough to use a book such as this anyway.
no!.!..the black key next to the volume button....no!! the other black key..no! where theres three!! 2005-08-25
That was my rendition of Tab for a piano. This book is awesome and I reccomend it to everyone regardless of their principle instrument. Now, for the Tab tard comment, it is true, and i agree because i was once a Tab tard myself. Imagine a poet who claims he is the greatest poet in the world, and then tells you a poem of his. Then you ask this poet to read a poem you wrote, and he says, "I cant read words". Now Jim, would you take this poet seriously? And when you cash your big fat check remind yourself that you are an (instrument) owner, not a musician. Great book!
tap your creativity with this book 2005-07-19
Unleash the creative potential of your guitar, and express your imagination through your music! This inspiring, practical and fun approach to composing and improvising will develop your sense of dynamics, articulation, rhythm, melodic direction and musical E.S.P. A truly unique collection of creative resources for the curious guitarist.
Inspirational to people with an ear and a brain 2005-05-05
This book is possibly the best book I've ever purchased regarding music. There is so much in here. Jon has sparked so many ideas for me. I haven't needed to copy anything of his. I've just attempted some of the exercises and gone off on a tangent and what'da'you know, there's a song/tune written in a way that I hadn't thought of writing in. I've used lots of books to study with over the years and too many are licks oriented. This is about concepts. Jon is stressing experimentation and gives ideas to branch from. As has been recommended, it's not only for guitarists. This is a rich source ideas for all musicians serious about composition, whether it be the composition of a new tune or just composition of a part that is uniquely you in someone else's tune.
Unless you too are a halfwit, don't be fazed by previous comments by the TAB-tards. Anyone with half a brain knows that if you learn to speak a language you will be better able to access the richness of the culture if you learn to read that language. That way you have access to the vast literature and learning that has occurred before your small existence. Imagine John Coltrane saying "this sucks, I can't read music. Can you write it out showing which buttons to press!"
Anyway, there's so much in here that I'll be using this book for years to come. Also, I love Jon's compositions... You can tell that he taught Frisell and Krantz. Either he's rubbed off on them or they've rubbed off on him. It works both ways I guess. You gotta love the contribution he's made to music through his student though. Hats off!
If you can't read music you might want to hold off... 
2005-02-23
When I bought this book, I didn't know that I would have to be able to read music fluently in order to use it. I would NOT have bought it. I am working on reading music, but in the mean time, I still want to grow as a player from the books that I buy and read. I believe that the author should have included TAB. Not only would he have reached a larger audience, but it would help players to learn how to read notation! The book does include a CD and the tracks sound nice.
Excellent book for inquisitive guitarists 2004-04-22
One of the most creative guitar books I've ever found, yet very accessible. People who were intrigued by Mick Goodrick's "The Advancing Guitarist" but found it somewhat hard to digest will really get into this book. It's a great rutbuster and I know I'll refer to it for a lifetime!
The Book to Buy... 2003-04-16
I'm lucky to have studied with Jon in the early 90s when I attended Berklee. In short, I'm still learning from the materials and ideas he transmitted in our lessons. This book has all those ideas and more. It's an incredible wealth of information.
Buy the book and save yourself lots of money OR quit your job, move to Boston, enroll in Berklee (it's like joining a priesthood of a 1000 frustrated guitar players), try to become a jazz-snob (growing a goatee will help), and maybe if you're lucky, you'll get one half-hour a week with Jon each semester. (He's one of the most sought-after teachers at Berklee.)
BE WARNED: This book is not for beginners, it's only for serious players and those that really really want to learn how to play well. If that's you, then this book is an excellent guide.
-- gabriel perry
...
PS - The CD that comes with his book is great. The examples are very musical and inspired. So much so, that I contacted Jon (his email addy is in the book) and bought his "Dedications: Faces and Places" CD.
