Customer Reviews

Acoustic Masters Series: Bob Brozman's Bottleneck Blues Guitar

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I'm an intermediate player who bought 3 books to learn slide from.
This is the best of the bunch. The book covers a lot of ground but
the basics are here as well. Well spaced info and a good CD to
learn from. Other good books on blues (but not slide per se) are the Kenny Sultan series - they are not as hard as the Grossman and Mann books

I'm a metal guitarist (the real stuff, Maiden, Morbid Angel, Slayer style metal) that dabbles in jazz and fingerstyle.

I've loved Robert Johnson's country style blues forever and this book introduced me to the joys of playing slide guitar in open G in just two days! I can already play enough stuff to sound like I know what I'm doing.

Bob Brozman, in addition to being a certified ethnomusicologist and world expert on the National resonator guitar has compiled a mother lode of slide and rhythm techniques in the Country Blues style.Although at his own admission Brozman doesn't "play Robert Johnson like Robert Johnson.." in recordings or live venues he does easily teach the style of Johnson flawlessly in rhythm, phrase and slide technique. In addition he quotes and instructs from the other Country Blues giants..Charlie Patton, Willie Brown as well as including his own trademark licks. The rhythmic instruction included is essential learning for this style. Included CD is excellent in detail and example. A must have for anyone interested in this style

Bob Brozman is an expert on bottleneck blues guitar, and in his own research and playing has focused on the resonator guitar. This book finds Brozman focused on his customary DGDGBD, low open G, tuning. There is a wealth of material here, although the book is not necessarily as comprehensive pedagogically as it could be. Many of the Mel Bay and Alfred blues guitar method books seem to progress at a somewhat uneven pace. What tends to happen is that a logical, step-by-step progression is interrupted by a leap into more complicated techniques. Bob Brozman is little more evenly paced than some authors, but there are some technical leaps as one progresses through the book. What really helps is the accompanying CD, on which Brozman demonstrates the examples and provides spoken introductions and notes on the techniques. His approach on the CD tends to sound conversational enough that one gets the sense that they are in the room with a resonator bottleneck teacher. It's not as slick a recording as it could be, but that's the beauty of it, and why it feels like Brozman is talking directly to you, his student. If you are looking for a collection of acoustic blues transcriptions, this is not the place to look. Brozman does include his transcriptions and versions of some acoustic blues classics, but the main focus is on building up technique and musicality so that the player has enough tools to construct his or her own version of acoustic blues guitar pieces. Definitely a worthwhile purchase!

I have been playing for over 30 years, this is the best book on Bottleneck blues guitar. It is also alot of fun to play.

Great intro to slide guitar. I am an advanced player but have never played slide. I was able to pick up the picking styles and rhythm quickly. The control of the slide and smoothness is the hard part, but fun to learn. Interesting music information and examples that get you going on the right foot. The music audio examples on the CD are very helpful.

Watching Bob Brozman on Utube you have to be impressed at his skill on the guitar. I've played guitar for more than 30 years, slide guitar for ten years, and I play pretty well but Bob is in league all of his own. So, buy his book and learn, the obvious thing to do. However, Bob didn't really write this book; he recorded himself, explaining and playing slide and this recording is included as a CD with the book. Then he passed this recording along to some other fellows who transcribed his words and slide playing. Its a difficult thing to do, transcribe what other people are playing just by listening, and the tablatures in the book sometimes don't quite match what Bob is playing on the CD. So when Bob says 'play along with me' you can't. This is not a book for beginners. After some basic, and useful, beginners tips Bob launches straight into playing advanced slide guitar. If you are good enough to play what is in this book then there is a lot to be learned and gained from it, but I wish Bob had written it.

If you are just getting into slide this goes really quickly. Little too advanced for me but I'm working on it.

Tedious focus on exercise, with no examples from classic songs. "Boring".
Mr. Brozeman has no charisma, his analytical perspective of the Blues is alien to the classic performers of the Blues. I can't imagine a young Robert Johnson sitting down with this tome in hand and emerging as the creative innovator he did, NO WAY!
Not for the creative musician.