The Complete Idiot's Guide to
Solos and Improvisation

Corrections and Clarifications

As happens with any printed work, a few errors slipped into the first printing of The Complete Idiot's Guide to Solos and Improvisation. Here are the mistakes or confusing passages we know about, and that should be corrected or clarified in subsequent printings: 

• Chapter 6, p. 50: In the section on half-diminished sevenths, the seventh is actually a major third above the flatted fifth.

• Chapter 7, p. 64: In the paragraph before the first example, it should say that the solo sounds more like "two-bar solo than two one-bar solos played in succession."

• Chapter 7, p. 64: In the discussion of leading tones, what I call leading tones, some music theory experts call tendency tones. I prefer the leading tone description, as these tones do indeed lead to other tones in the next chord. But if you're a stickler or have previously learned about tendency tones, use that descriptor instead.

• Chapter 8, p. 85: In the first paragraph, the C major pentatonic scale should actually be C-D-E-G-A. Also, on the same page, in the Note about John Coltrane, his variation of the minor pentatonic scale should go 1-2-flatted 3-5-6; in the key of C, that's C-D-Eb-G-A.

• Chapter 9, p. 97: In the table, the entry for diminished 7 chords, you can play the Locrian mode, which is sometimes called the diminished scale.

• Chapter 15, p. 172: Procol Harum's "Whiter Shade of Pale" organ solo was played by Matthew Fisher, not Gary Brooker.

• Glossary, p. 208: The entry for diminished chord is incorrect. A diminished chord is one with a minor third and a diminished fifth.

• Appendix B, pp. 214-216: For some reason, there are no guitar chord fingerings above the M9 chords. You can view or download the corrected chord charts as PDF files here, here, and here.

If you happen to come across any other errors or confusing sections in the book, please feel free to email me at books@molehillgroup.com. I appreciate your feedback!