Customer Reviews

The Everything Rock & Blues Guitar Book: From Chords to Scales and Licks to Tricks, All You Need to Play Like the Greats (Everything (Music))

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I just recently took up the guitar as an adult and bought about 6 different "how to" books including this one along with starting music lessons. This is the book to read if you are just getting started and would like easy to understand explanations about music theory and playing the guitar. It has tons of great tips and CD examples concentrated into one publication. Like one other reviewer, I too wish that the book was spiral bound so I could pop it up onto my music stand while reading and listening to the CD but unfortunately the world of publishing thinks more about profit (spiral bound is much more expensive to produce) than what the person buying the book needs so consequently very few music books are spiral bound. Once you have read this book AND have found yourself a great music teacher, I would highly recommend Bruce Arnold's series of workbooks also sold here on Amazon. They are a bit more expensive because they are spiral bound. I have purchased several of his books and am just beginning to work through them. One word of warning: his books require that you abandon any ideas about becoming an instant Carlos Santana that many "learn guitar in a day" books advertise and instead realize that music requires a lot of self motivation and is an everyday committment that pays off with a lifetime of enjoyment. Having said all this about Arnold's books, I want to empahsize that the "Everything" book is a great self-teaching publication and I keep coming back too it and re-reading parts and working on different chapters. It is well worth the money and still remains my favorite to just read and learn without even picking up my guitar.

I got my first guitar in 1965 and took 6 months of lessons. I've been playing off and on since then, self taught and with the help of friends. This book filled in a lot of holes in my knowledge of guitar. It's well laid out with lots of examples and exercises. It's helped me learn some music theory, blues scales and some great techniques.
After a month I went back and bought copies for my son and daughter. Now they can bypass a lot of the frustration I had.
If you really want to sharpen your skills, this is the book for you. The only thing you have to add is practice, practice, practice......

This book is EVERYTHING. I could only play licks and chords from internet tab. I couldn't create my own songs neither did I understand theory. This book starts from the basics (how to read tabs), through chords, and where they come from, to pentatonics, to major and minor, to modes, techniques... all you need to know!
I even asked a few questions via e-mail, and he replied gladly. I can after reading, studying the book, and doing the regular excercises as explained in the book, create my own solos and songs. It even helped my playing-by-ear technique. I recommend this book to one and all, from beginners to advanced!

I went out of my way to come back here to write this review. I'm not one to normally do this, but this book is FANTASTIC.
My playing as jumped by leaps.. things I read elsewhere have clicked because this author EXPLAINS WHY and HOW TO IMPLEMENT.
For example - I had seen the pentatonic scale before, but it was just a scale. This book has shown some sample (rock songs that use it) and how to use it, and 5 forms of it on the fretboard. Last night I loaded up a BB King tab (the thrill is gone) and by ear and using the pentatonic scale and what I learned from this book I was jamming with the midi tab in just a few seconds and it sounded AWESOME. There is more too -like clarifying bar chords. (they've always intimidated me) but he shows and explains that there are only 4 shapes of bar chords. His way to teaching is simplified and explains things that others assume you know. (like what a second is, a fifth is a seventh etc. Don't hesitate GET IT.I'm only to chapter 4 and there are 16 more chapters to go and for what I've learned from it so far - I would have paid several hundred dollars.

I must take a second to commend this book. The real power of this book is not so much what's in the book, but how it's represented - how Schonbrun teaches it. In reaction to the review below, most guitar players like myself struggle with modes, scales, chord origins and such - regardless of how many books I read. If you already "get" these topics, few books if any will help you as you are in the minority. The reality is that the largest group of guitar players in this world do not have a clear understanding of how the guitar works and this is where this title excels. Explanations are clear, the tone is friendly and most important of all, he helps you understand it in your own way. I have learned much from this book and I will continue to do so for a long time. I recommend it highly to anyone you wants to advance their skills on the instrument they love so much!

Whether you've been playing guitar for 30 years or 30 minutes, you will find a wealth of information here that will be a source of inspiration for years to come. Mr. Schonbrun's comprehensive approach and clear, concise explanations cover everything you'll ever need to excel on the guitar. The accompanying CD is a real bonus, which helps illustrate the numerous examples in the book, and is performed at tempos that we mere mortals can relate to. Forget about purchasing a separate book for scales, chords,modes, theory, etc: this book has it all!

Wow! I bought this book thinking I might pick up a few pointers on my playing, and maybe a few new licks, and found a comprehensive course in the art of playing the guitar. This book took me from fundimental guitar knowledge through esoteric music theory for the guitar. I was stunned with the amount of informantion that was covered in this volume; and with the understandable manner in which the material was presented.

The author unlocked secrets of guitar and music theory that have escaped me all of my music life, and he tied it together for me in a way that my music instructors over the years have been unable to do. It seems as if he has boiled an entire college degree in guitar and music theory into one, accessable volume.

You can take whatever you want from this book, from the most basic guitar instruction to the most advanced; and I suspect that you will get new things from it every time you read it. I know I will read and work with this book many times over as I continue to learn more about my playing and my instrument.

Marc's book has been a blast to read through, it starts with the basics and moves up, and is laid out very clearly with good diagrams and tips. I'm still working my way through it, but this time I've actually kept at the lessons and am now the proud owner of some good callouses. Well worth picking up as a good introductory book to guitar, or for people looking to get a good clean view at the theory behind rock performance.

If you're just getting into guitar and want an insightful tour of the instrument's popular sounds and styles, this is the book to get. Author Schonbrun introduces the reader to the concept of phrasing and inflection with hands-on exercises and demonstrations. He prepares the beginner for many of the common chord progressions the fledgling player will encounter in popular music. The author also presents enough information about gear to enable the reader to feel confident while acquiring everything they need to develop their sound.

For the advancing players he introduces the idea of alternate tunings and harmonics, ear training, and transcription along with exercises and demonstrations.

This is a great book for the beginning guitar player.
I really liked the logical progression of instruction and the very clear notes and the accompanying CD is a great help.
If you want to learn basic theory, scales, chords and technique then this is the book for you.
Follow the lessons and before you know it you'll be creating great blues and rock solos!