Book Recommendations 

These are all books that anyone, regardless of level, will get something out of. They are also books that you won't soon outgrow.

Chords & Progressions for Jazz & Popular Guitar, by Arnie Berle.

The late Arnie Berle was one of the giants of traditional jazz, and this book conveys much of the insight that made him not only a great player, but a remarkable teacher as well. Practical examples and exercises take guitar players at all levels from basic theory and simple accompaniment patterns to advanced chord soloing and comping.

This is a great book for the intermediate guitarist, or for advanced players looking to move into the jazz arena. (Not for novices: only the first 29 pgs. out of 126 are beginner-level info. The learning curve gets a good deal steeper after that.) The book first walks you through basic jazz chord forms (with roots on 6th and 5th strings), then into inversions (seemingly every conceivable type!). Next, you get to deal with extensions, alterations, embellishments, and substitutions for I, II, and V chords (and, ultimately, any major, minor, or dominant). The rest of the book is fleshed out with smaller sections on triads, chord melody playing, comping, etc., which work to tie the concepts together. The format is mainly chord diagrams, indicating both fingering and note values (roots, 3rds, etc.). Works best taken in doses, working with each concept until absorbed. Used along with a study of scales/modes and their use around various chord shape, you could become a true fretboard master!

Patterns, Scales & Modes for Jazz Guitar

This is another indispensible book by Arnie Berle. A clear, practical, and systematic approach to learning how to play the great variety of scales and arpeggios that give life and expression to the musical ideas of the modern musician.

Like all of Arnie Berle's books, "Patterns, Scales, and Modes" is so well-organized and well presented that it seems almost too simple. Arnie begins by introducing you do basic scale forms, while simultanously present related arpeggios. That's something not many methods do, but it's something that a lot of jazz teachers think should be emphasized from the start. (Some, like Carol Kaye, don't even teach scales, going straight to arpeggions!) And every scale and arpeggio example is presented with excercises designed to let you hear how the examples sound in a real musical context. That's important.

As others have noted, the book is written in musical notation, not tablature, although there are also diagrams showing how scales and arpeggios lie on the fingerboard. Being able to read music is a necessity- but really, all you need to know is the basics: Names of notes on the staff, how key signatures work and so forth. You don't need to actually be able to read for guitar; Arnie teaches you that as he goes along. A sight reader would be able to progress a bit faster, of course. By the time the reader works his or her way through this book they should feel comfortable playing and improvising basic jazz lines in most any context.

Combine this with Chords & Progressions for Jazz & Popular Guitarfor a course that will keep you learning for some time.  

The Advancing Guitarist, by Mick Goodrick

This book can open your eyes and make you look at the guitar as if you were experiencing it for the first time. It's a greatbook for anyone who thinks they have nothing left to learn, or who may be in a stagnate period in their soloing. It is not, however, a book for beginners. You have to know music theory and if you're the type that has to have everything spelled out for you then you won't like it. My only regret is that I didn't find this book sooner -- Great Book!

A Guide to Chords, Scales, and Arpeggios, by Al DiMeola and Bob Aslanian

What can I possibly say that the name "Al DiMeola" doesn't speak for itself? A guide to learning the basic tools for becoming a good player and musician. Includes Al's own lesson plan system, tunes, blues patterns, jazz chord exercises, playing and practicing tips, and a complete guide to chords, scales and arpeggios.

I have tried many methods of training. Most fall short on many accounts, some less so. Although this book is terse and strangely organized (you have to flip back and forth constantly to follow the lesson plan) it is well worth doing.

I recommend this book because it provides a practical, effective way to approach the daunting mass of information that one must assimilate to play jazz guitar. Ten lesson plans are outlined, each covering chords, scales, arpeggios, reading and playing tunes. Each lesson is designed to take roughly two weeks for the diligent student (two hours of practice per day is the suggested minimum). Thus, much of the guesswork has been taken out of planning a practice routine, allowing you to use your time efficiently and progress quickly toward your goals. Unfortunately, as tends to be the case with books written by and for guitarists, the writing itself is often egregiously bad and the overall sensibility embarrassingly unprofessional. But stick with it and you can expect great improvement in your musicianship.

Al Di Meola: Music-Words-Pictures

I'm not 100% sure whether this particular book is still in print, but there are other books of DiMeola transcriptions that will serve as well. If you're a guitarist of more modest talent (like myself), the book won't have you playing like DiMeola, however, one can just learn SO much from analyzing specific passages from his albums. No tab here, but if you can muddle your way through standard notation, the effort will be amply rewarded.

This particular entry includes Morning Fire, Land of THe Midnight Sun, Midnight Tango, Race With Devil On Spanish Highway, Lady of Rome, Sister of Brazil, Elegant Hypsy Suite, Egyptian Danza, Casino, Al Di's Dream Theme, Dinner Music of the Gods, Electric Rendezvous, Ritmo De La Noche, and Passion, Grace & Fire

Absolutely breathtaking! 

The Guitar Style of Jerry Reed

Much like the above, this is one of those books you can learn from for a long, LONG time. If you know Jerry Reed's playing (other than "East-Bound and Down," then you know what an absolutely stunning guitarist he is.

This book contains transcriptions (with tab, this time) of Swingin' '69, Swarmin', Stumpwater, Nut Sundae, The Mad Russian (incredible tune), Jerry's Breakdown, Picky, Picky, Picky, Two-Timin', Steeplechase Lane, Funky Junk, A Major Attempt at a Minor Thing, and Seidina (First Born).

If you can find a copy, don't pass it up. 

The Guitar Handbook, by Ralph Denyer

This book is FUN! It's a book that you'll take down from your shelf over and over and over again. It contains sections on theory, of course, which are quite good (though not exhaustive), but it's way more than just a theory book. It contains information on great guitar players, info on setting up and adjusting a guitar. How wiring works, etc., etc., etc.

The instruction portion of the book covers a good amount of introductory music theory, techniques for various styles of play, and plenty of chord charts. There is enough information to satisfy the advanced students, but not so much as to intimidate new players.

This probably won't be the last guitar book any serious player will own, but it is probably the most enjoyable.

Electronic Projects for Musicians, by Craig Anderton

How to build pre-amps, tone controls, ring modulators, mixers, and many other inexpensive electronic accessories. With hundreds of clear illustrations and step-by-step instructions. I've built MANY of the projects from this book, and all were every bit as good, and in many cases way better, than similar commercial effects. I also learned an awful lot while building them--enough so that I am now able to do some rudimentary designing on my own.

This book was first published in 1975, I believe. I purchased it in the 1980s. At the time, it was the only authoritative book on the subject of building your own effects. Finding schematics and parts was, to say the least, difficult. Rackmount processors were just beginning to dominate the marketplace. Craig Anderton emphasized low noise in designing the circuits and the projects represented the state of the art, but they might be somewhat noisy by today's standards (they are still fairly quiet, though).

In this modern age, schematics, parts, and tips on building your own projects are just a mouse click away. For the amount of money it would cost to build the projects in this book, one could buy a multieffects box that is, arguably, more versatile with better fidelity.

However, EPFM is far from obsolete, especially in an era where analog effects are (thankfully) becoming all the rage again. The book might benefit from a revision that addresses the increased resources available via the internet and, if feasible, circuit design modifications which reflect any technological advancement in noise reduction.

Nonetheless, EPFM is still the standard for entering into the field of audio electronics. That is no accident. Some reviewers lament the book is not very in-depth and does little more than teach you to solder. Craig Anderton makes no secret of the fact that his objective is to whet your appetite and give you the opportunity to create some usable effects as effortlessly as possible.

He succeeds. The accompanying CD reveals that these are all wonderful sounding effects. The ring modulator is my personal favorite and the phaser sounds as good as any on the market. Be aware you will need to study further if you want to delve deeply into the field of audio electronics. This book has an entire chapter devoted to pointing you in the proper direction.

In the forward to EPFM, guitarist Joe Walsh writes "I couldn't think of a better place to begin than right where you are." Thirty years later, this statement holds true.

My only caveat is that some of the components he uses were obscure back in the day, and are probably near impossible to find now. I have redesigned several of the projects to use more contemporary chips with good results, but bear in mind that doing so requires a step beyond simple cook-book tinkering.