by Barry Finnerty is an exhaustive, 160-page resource for musicians looking to internalize the core melodic building blocks of modern jazz. Often described as a "woodshed classic," this book is not just for guitarists but is written for all treble clef instruments. Core Content and Technical Focus

Instead of playing a scale from root to octave (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7), Finnerty breaks the major scale, diminished scale, and whole-tone scale into strict intervallic intervals. You will practice scales moving continuously in: Thirds (1-3, 2-4, 3-5) Fourths (1-4, 2-5, 3-6) Fifths, sixths, and sevenths Continuous Visual Mapping

It emphasizes the "skip" between notes rather than step-wise motion.

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Finnerty's book emphasizes the need for a structured and disciplined approach to jazz practice. He argues that casual, unstructured practice is often ineffective, leading to frustration and stagnation. In contrast, a serious practice routine, built on a foundation of clear goals, focused effort, and deliberate practice, can help musicians make rapid progress and achieve their goals. This approach requires a significant time commitment, as well as a willingness to challenge oneself and step outside one's comfort zone.

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This approach has earned high praise from jazz educators. Jazz pianist and author Mark Levine calls it "the best book of intervalic studies I've ever seen," and saxophonist Dave Liebman calls it "an exhaustive, yet compact guide" with an "outstanding" section on diminished scales.