Fretboard Roadmaps: The Essential Guitar Patterns That All the Pros Know and Use (Guitar Techniques) [Paperback]

Fred Sokolow (Author)

Book Description

Series: Guitar Techniques | Publication Date: September 1, 1993

The updated edition of this bestselling guitar instruction book now includes new music examples! This book will show you how to: play lead and rhythm anywhere on the fretboard, in any key; play a variety of lead guitar styles; play chords and progressions anywhere on the fretboard; expand your chord vocabulary; and learn to think musically - the way the pros do. Each chapter presents a pattern and shows how to use it, along with playing tips and guitar insights. Absolute beginners can follow the diagrams and instruction, and intermediate and advanced players can use the chapters non-sequentially to increase their understanding of the guitar.

Product Details

• Paperback: 80 pages
• Publisher: Hal Leonard Corporation; 2 edition (September 1, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0793520886
• ISBN-13: 978-0793520886
• Product Dimensions: 11.9 x 8.7 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #335,311 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #86 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Entertainment > Music > Theory, Composition & Performance > Techniques

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book made music make sense!, November 14, 2003

By 

hoser515 "hoser515" (Delaware - the tide goes down, we come up.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Fretboard Roadmaps: The Essential Guitar Patterns That All the Pros Know and Use (Guitar Techniques) (Paperback)

I have been banging my guitars around for years, and I play pretty well, but I'm like a monkey - monkey see, monkey do. I know basic chords, and I've tortuously put some lead stuff together with some tab help. But now that I've started this book, I am understanding what I'm doing; I understand how the notes work together, where to find them, and how they make up chords. Instead of just "put one finger here, and two more over there" you will understand the relationship between the major notes and it's 3rds and 5ths, etc. I'm not even halfway through the book, and I have gotten much, much more than my money's worth from this. These "roadmaps" are getting me past the "roadblocks" that have kept me from really advancing in my level of play. I'm so fired up from the doors this book has opened, I can't believe I put my guitar down long enough to type all of this.

23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars THIS IS THE BEST GUITAR BOOK EVER!, November 5, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Fretboard Roadmaps: The Essential Guitar Patterns That All the Pros Know and Use (Guitar Techniques) (Paperback)

This books stands out as a very concise reference of the most important patterns available to guitarists. These patterns are the key to improvisation and composition. Each chapter introduces a new pattern and explains... #1 why the pattern is important and useful, #2 What the pattern is in musical terms and what relationships it implicates, and #3 How to learn, practice and use it. I found every chapter to be an absolute treasure. None of the many many guitar books I've used show so much so clearly. It made learning complex guitar strategies almost effortless. I believe it would be most useful to intermediate guitar players, though any guitarist would certainly benefit from this book.

25 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book is excellent, January 1, 2003

By 

M. Moskowitz "Mike Mosk" (Fort Lauderdale, FL) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Fretboard Roadmaps: The Essential Guitar Patterns That All the Pros Know and Use (Guitar Techniques) (Paperback)

This book is truly excellent. You need to know a bit of music theory (basically A-G, sharps and flats, and that from B-C and E-F is a half step not a whole step). Once you know the absolute basics, you will be able to use this book.

This book really teaches you about chord composition, major scales, and playing chords all along the fretboard. I think it truly is a wonderful book. I'd buy it especially if you were a 2-3 out of 10 on the guitar, and only recommend it if you are 5-6. If you are 8-10, then you know what this book will teach you.

UPDATE: MARCH 2008. THIS BOOK WAS GOOD FOR THE FIRST 5-6 CHAPTERS BUT LOST ME AFTER THAT. I CAN'T COMPLAIN THAT THIS WASN'T A GOOD PURCHASE, BUT I DIDN'T GO THROUGH THE ENTIRE TEXT. I WOULD CONSIDER OTHER BOOKS IN ADDITION TO OR INSTEAD OF THIS ONE. THIS IS NOT THE HOLY GRAIL OF GUITAR BOOKS.