Product Details

• Actors: David Grier
• Directors: Happy Traum
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, NTSC
• Language: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: Homespun
• DVD Release Date: January 1, 2006
• Run Time: 75 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B000E1OID0
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #258,068 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Three-time winner of International Bluegrass Association's Guitar Player of the Year, David Grier is a rising star in the world of the acoustic guitar. Here he analyzes his breathtaking technique and takes apart some of his signature tunes for intermediat

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars cross-picking for beginners, June 18, 2008

By 

Peter M. Pohlenz "peter p" (colorado) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Bluegrass Guitar-Building Powerful Solos (DVD)

i have several good instructional videos for guitar: tony rice, doc watson, etc., but this is my favorite. most players can't really describe what they're doing when they're playing, and they can't slow down their music at all. d. grier slows the music down while keeping the content (not an easy thing to do), and explains pull-offs, hammer-ons, slides, etc. as he plays them. there is quite a bit of variety to the music selection (both traditional tunes and some of his original music), in both 4/4 and 3/4 time. there's an excellent tablature booklet that comes with the video. this video has tunes carefully chosen to get you working on your cross-picking.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars He's an awesome picker, but not a great teacher..., February 14, 2008

By 

Darren (Colorado Springs, CO) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Bluegrass Guitar-Building Powerful Solos (DVD)

I purchased this to learn the mechanics of building more intricate guitar lines for bluegrass songs, and I've got to say that as an instructor, David falls a little short in my opinion.

Don't get me wrong, he's a PHENOMENAL picker, and truly somebody to be admired on the guitar... I've even thought about buying some of his CDs!
But, the movie opens with him jamming nicely for a minute, and you're there thinking, "I can't wait to learn from this guy," but then after the song, you're expecting this vivacious, charismatic, charming voice to come out to immediately engage you into the learning process.... But he actually seems more nervous than anything, and possibly (dare I say) a little stoned....

As he tries to explain the different methods of bluegrass soloing, he seems to only want to play his guitar, and not explain the guitar lines for you in full detail... Then he'll say, here let me SLOW THAT DOWN FOR YA..... He'll slow it down for you, but he'll play it differently the second time around...

There's a tab book that's included with the DVD, but it's folded up tightly on the inside cover, making it impossible to keep it open on a music stand for you look at it as you play...

Essentially, what I personally learned from this video, is one basic cross picking technique that's explained as "up down up down, and that's all you need to know," half of a song called "Bill Cheatham," and that bluegrass soloing is really hard to learn from David Grier if he's been smoking...

I'd look for a different video to start learning bluegrass solo mechanics... But might be right for more experienced bluegrass cross pickers/soloists, which I am NOT.... At least, not yet...

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Get it to market !, February 16, 2011

By 

Monkey Business (New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bluegrass Guitar-Building Powerful Solos (DVD)

Grier is an amazing guitarist otherwise why would I have bought this? The tab is notoriously incorrect and leaves out tons of the best stuff David plays.
If you just want to watch him play then perhaps this is a good purchase for you. If you are prepared to copy the music and uploaded to your favorite transcribing software and then go back and forth between and the DVD to see if you have the correct fingering , then by all means have at it.
However, if you really want to learn something without all this fuss, then do yourself a favor and save your money for something else.
Also, David isn't the greatest teacher. He seems high on something.
This looks like one of those deadline jobs that suffers all over the place.