Customer Reviews

Art of the Shuffle

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The Art of Shuffle by Dave Rubins is the best book on the subject I have ever come across and is a sheer delight for teachers and students alike. It realistically defines an area of study and then simply and clearly delivers all that the printed page can. Where the printed page falls off, the information is then supported by a CD that is divided into individual tracks for easy-find student repetition. At first the student will use these tracks to understand what is being rhythmically and musically said then, later on, it is just good jam tracks to enjoy and keep your memory and chops together. I particularly appreciate the divided tracks (this should be an industry standard) so you can skip over the tuning section or any part you're not focussing on instead of having to listen to the whole CD in order to get to a specific section. I give this effort eleven stars ( a perfect ten...plus) and I sincerely hope this author will do it again; I'd love to have one on turnarounds and as many other aspect of the blues as any series could ever hold. This author makes the art of shuffle simply irresitable.

"Art of the shuffle" is another winner by Dave Rubin and part of the worthy collection *Inside the Blues*, published by Hal Leonard. You get great music to perform - such a book can provide hours and hours of enjoyment and learning - at a fraction of the cost of a one-hour lesson!
Art of the Shuffle is like having a course with a guitar teacher who is also a music historian! The book has substantial, out-of-the ordinary information on the history of the blues, including GREAT pictures, mostly from unsung heroes of the genre.
The lay-out of the charts is superior and it is a breeze to read the charts and the tabs. Mr. Rubin's comments on the music and his performing tips are precise. The CD recordings are professional and enjoyable and cover ample territory: from basic 12-bar Delta blues to sophisticated jazzy workouts, from jump blues to classic Chicago riffs. A student should first listen, then play at a lower tempo until he/she can play the varied shuffle rhythms along with the tracks. Additional great value of the "Art of the shuffle" CD: the tracks are perfect for practicing lead guitar as well! In fact, 2 guitarists (rhythm and solo) can build an enjoyable set-list based entirely on the material of this book.
I highly recommend this book, which is a fine choice for the advanced beginner/ intermediate guitarist who wants to play blues rhythm guitar.

This is a great book for expanding your knowledge of shuffle, swing, and boogie rhythms and of blues history. Starts off with some good old blues Jimmy-Reed type shuffles and then expands into some more challenging boogie/swing/jazzy sounding progressions. Many of the chords and progressions are meant to emulate the classic blues piano styles of the old days.
The book also has a scholarly and interesting history of the development of blues and jazz rhythms and the ragtime, dixieland and boogie woogie rhythms they developed from. Plus lots of cool pictures from the old days of big bands and original blues recordings.

As a completely self-taught guitarist, I am something of a lesson-book junkie. I am always looking for a book or lesson that will fix my weaknesses and fill in the (sizable) gaps in my knowledge. I've had this book for about a year and it has proven to be one the best I've ever had. Not just a litany of turn-arounds, or a songbook of favorite blues standards, this book teaches you the how-to of the most commonly encountered blues rhythm patterns, so you can understand and recognize different styles, practice the mechanics of them, and incorporate them into your playing. It lays down a basis for understanding the language of the blues.

If you are starting as a blues guitarist, this is a bible to memorize and internalize. You will never be stuck for a blues rhythm after this book. The book is laid out with a very rich historical overview of - (wait for it) - "The Art of the Shuffle" complete with many great photos and anecedotes. Personally, I always like to know what the time frame was for a tune or style of music. It gives me an opportunity to get the sound of my rig as close as the technology that was available back then and it also allows me to wrap my head around the time and place the music was created, which like our own lives has its own feel and experience.
The format is laid out chronologically and covers a lot styles right up to be-bop, although the book could have been fleshed out with a few more examples, hence the four stars.
Still, there is plenty to learn, especially if you take what is in the book and transpose it to different keys and styles. So even if you're an old guy like me or starting out, there's still lots to information, even if you take one thing away it's well worth the admission price and I'm sure you will get way more than one thing from Mr. Rubin's book. Good luck with your music.

... I'm sick of my other books. Great lessons and amazing historical notes and pictures.

Although this book is aimed at guitar players, the history it gives of the shuffle is magnificent, from the stiff popular music of Henry "Hot Lips" Busse to the Mississippi delta, to T-Bone Walker, Kansas City jazz, bebop, and rock and roll, and many other stops, the shuffle is fully revealed in pictures and text.

In addition, there's a play-along CD demonstrating all the styles in the book at generous length.

As a drummer, I could wish for something about drums and bass, but as it stands the book is an excellent teaching guide and encyclopedic reference.