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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
179 of 181 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
The author spotlights 7 important techniques (alternate picking, arpeggios, sweep picking, string skipping, legato, string bending, and rhythm guitar) one for each day of the week, and builds on each every week. So every Monday is alternate picking day, and builds on the lesson of the Monday before. It's a great idea. The author says that an intermediate player can skip to around week 17 and an advanced player can probably go to week 36. I'd say I'm lower intermediate, after some 10 years of playing both steel-string acoustic and electric. I've worked my way through the first 10 weeks of lessons in 4 or 5 days. I find some of the skills like string bending, arpeggios, legato, and rhythm to be very easy, but I've never done sweep picking and found it to be a challenge. And the string skipping is something I've never done much concentrated work on, so it's great. I'm sure that when I get up to week 17 the other skills will get more challenging for me.
JR has a good point that there's not as much guidance on technique as I'd like on a couple of things. I think he was overly critical though. There are short notes on each day's lesson about technique. One was to keep the fretting pinky in place on the G while you shift from a G to an E chord - it helped me to stop fumbling around for the E shape. Another that I have not mastered, is in sweep arpeggios, to mute each note after you play it by slightly releasing the pressure on the fretting finger. That's one that I would like more details on, because I find it hard to do, especially if I'm barring the 1st and second string with my index finger on say the 3rd fret while catching the 3rd string with my middle finger. Do I roll them off, or do I ease up on all strings between each pick?
Anyhow, I like the breakdown into small bite-size daily chunks that I can spend 10 or 15 minutes on a day, as part of my regular practice.
JR has a good point that there's not as much guidance on technique as I'd like on a couple of things. I think he was overly critical though. There are short notes on each day's lesson about technique. One was to keep the fretting pinky in place on the G while you shift from a G to an E chord - it helped me to stop fumbling around for the E shape. Another that I have not mastered, is in sweep arpeggios, to mute each note after you play it by slightly releasing the pressure on the fretting finger. That's one that I would like more details on, because I find it hard to do, especially if I'm barring the 1st and second string with my index finger on say the 3rd fret while catching the 3rd string with my middle finger. Do I roll them off, or do I ease up on all strings between each pick?
Anyhow, I like the breakdown into small bite-size daily chunks that I can spend 10 or 15 minutes on a day, as part of my regular practice.
156 of 160 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Under normal circumstances I am not one to take the time to write book reviews. This is going to be short and to the point. Disregard the reviews that do not give this book a high rating. I am a beginner and dearly wish that I had purchased this book before spending hundreds, maybe thousands, of dollars on worthless instruction books and lessons from mediocre guitar teachers.
The critics are correct in their statements that the book does not contain thorough instruction on each and every aspect, i.e. holding the pick, building speed, how to hold your mouth, etc., of playing the guitar. But, look at the price of it...... There are pages and pages of free material on the internet regarding the actual mechanics of playing. This book provides exactly what is advertised; useful exercises for "Developing, Improving, and Maintaining Guitar Technique"
If you are fortunate enough to have stumbled across this book before spending countless dollars on other worthless material and instruction, consider yourself blessed and buy this book.
The critics are correct in their statements that the book does not contain thorough instruction on each and every aspect, i.e. holding the pick, building speed, how to hold your mouth, etc., of playing the guitar. But, look at the price of it...... There are pages and pages of free material on the internet regarding the actual mechanics of playing. This book provides exactly what is advertised; useful exercises for "Developing, Improving, and Maintaining Guitar Technique"
If you are fortunate enough to have stumbled across this book before spending countless dollars on other worthless material and instruction, consider yourself blessed and buy this book.
69 of 72 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I've only had this book for a short time, but I really like this book and I'm a beginner. Then again I love a good challenge-when I really push myself is when I learn the most- and this is definitely packed full of lessons to keep you busy for more than a year. It's not a method book, so you already need some knowledge of the guitar. But as far as technique books go, this is top notch and well written by a guy who knows guitar (Troy Nelson was the former editor of Guitar One and now I think he's at Guitar Edge). It's a bummer when you pay good money for a book and you are bored with it in a few weeks. I think I'll be proud when I can see how I've grown as a player from the easy licks to the hard ones (when I finally get there!). No I'm not mastering one a day, but everyone has to go at their own pace. I mean, a year's worth (or more) of lessons and music for under $20?! Right on.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Tedious and rather repetitious set of exercises.
Title is absolutely adequate: 'AEROBICS' - bear this in you mind when deciding to buy this book. Lets take sport for comparison. Read more
Published 8 days ago by Regnal
An awesome way to get warmed up and also gradually improve.
I simply love this book. Not only does it allow for beginners to get their feet wet right away, but it gets progressively more difficult over time. Read more
Published 9 days ago by TW Brown, Author, Editor, and Reviewer
Definitely will improve your chops!
Very good book and work out. If you do these exercises even close to how they are described, you will improve. Read more
Published 14 days ago by G. L. Thompson
Simple, effective
I am currently deployed to Afghanistan, I ordered this on the first and received it on the fourth, which was impressive if you understand the complications of mailing something... Read more
Published 17 days ago by Otter
Guitar Aerobics
So so. Could have been layed out better. It is possible that it will improve my playing technique, if I have the patience to complete it.
Published 18 days ago by kenhollen
Not for the novice
If you have literally NEVER touched a guitar then this book isn't for you. If you have a basic knowledge of chord shapes(have you ever awkwardly strummed along to a chord chart you... Read more
Published 25 days ago by cottoncamby
A simple question
Guitar Aerobics - it sounds like a great idea - but I think it begs for an accompanying DVD? Would someone please respond to the criticism that "it's only for electric guitar. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Andrew Mcconaghy
Nice daily work-out
Nice selection of drills for daily practice. Well not the most exciting, I've seen definate improvement in my skills doing these exercises on a daily basis. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Robert Douglas
Guitar Aerobics.
Well this has to be about one of the best guitar aerobics book for Improving and Maintaining Guitar Technique. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Carlos W. Hermelijn
great book
Like all aerobic programs, it only works if you use it. Seriously, I am very happy with this purchase. Read more
Published 2 months ago by fishracing
Inside This Book
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Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs):
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arpeggio workout, picking prompt, sextuplet rhythms, octave shapes, descend strings, unwanted string noise, legato exercise, descending version, fret hand, chord stabs, descending fashion, string skips, triad arpeggios, legato slides, boogie pattern, string skipping, alternate picking, sweep picking, tab staff, extra time working, minor pentatonic scale, arpeggio pattern, picking pattern, picking directions, unison bend Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Metal Music Description, Rock Music Description, Blues Music Description, Alternate Picking Genre, Sweep Picking Genre, Rhythm Genre, Legato Genre, String Skipping Genre, String Bending Genre, Arpeggios Genre, Jazz Music Description, Country Music Description, Guitar Aerobics, Funk Music Description, Hal Leonard, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Paul Gilbert, Eddie Van Halen, Arpeggio Exercise Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
arpeggio workout, picking prompt, sextuplet rhythms, octave shapes, descend strings, unwanted string noise, legato exercise, descending version, fret hand, chord stabs, descending fashion, string skips, triad arpeggios, legato slides, boogie pattern, string skipping, alternate picking, sweep picking, tab staff, extra time working, minor pentatonic scale, arpeggio pattern, picking pattern, picking directions, unison bend Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Metal Music Description, Rock Music Description, Blues Music Description, Alternate Picking Genre, Sweep Picking Genre, Rhythm Genre, Legato Genre, String Skipping Genre, String Bending Genre, Arpeggios Genre, Jazz Music Description, Country Music Description, Guitar Aerobics, Funk Music Description, Hal Leonard, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Paul Gilbert, Eddie Van Halen, Arpeggio Exercise Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
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