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17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The best introduction to music theory I've ever read!, July 23, 2005
This review is from: The Chord Master- How to Find and Choose the Right Guitar Chords Book/CD (Softcover) (Paperback)
I found this book to contain an excellent explanation of music theory in a very effective way. I've bought several books on music theory in the past and most of them have been fairly long-winded and difficult to understand. Over the years I have picked up the basics (major and minor chords, scales, inversions etc.) but not much else. In the first 30-40 pages, this book clearly explains a lot of information on musical theory very clearly. In my opinion, this is worth the price of the book alone. I've never seen this information presented so concisely in any other book or website.
The rest of the book goes on to explain how different chord types tend to be used by certain genres and the last half of the book is dedicated to a listing of all the chord diagrams. I especially like how the chords are listed by their type (major, minor, 7th, etc.) rather than by their musical tone (A, B,C,D etc) as this makes the book a lot easier to navigate.
There is also a section of the book dedicated to illustrating the differences in the sounds of the different chord types that is aided by the accompanying CD. The music on the CD isn't really that good, but it does effectively demonstrate the variations in the sounds of the different chord types.
Compared to your standard chord dictionary, this book provides so much more information for only a few extra dollars. I'd definitely give it 5 Stars!
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15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
More than a simple chord dictionary. Quality as only Rooksby can deliver., November 11, 2006
This review is from: The Chord Master- How to Find and Choose the Right Guitar Chords Book/CD (Softcover) (Paperback)
What makes this book great is that it has song examples that use a specific chord coloration.
For example, G6 is the Beatles' "She Loves You" chord. You hear a G6, and you immediately think of that song (it's one of the most popular songs that uses such an odd chord, really).
And then you have Gaug4, which is the intro chord to Zeppelin's "Dancing Days." You hear the Gaug4 and you think... "Dancing Days!"
Those are just a couple examples on why this is so much more than a chord dictionary.
Here is how the book is sectioned:
-Chords for Beginners
-Triads (how to play simple triads all over the guitar neck, using only three strings)
-Movable Shapes (very useful section!)
-Chords for Songwriters. Here's where the book gets REALLY good. It tells you all the basic chords you can do in some of the major and minor keys. If you don't know a lot of theory, this helps you create a pop song quickly and easily. Awesome for beginners.
-Chords for Different Musical Styles. This is another GREAT section of the book. He details which chords you can use for acoustic/folk, blues/rock n roll, funk & R&B, jangle/indie rock, heavy rock & punk, soul & easy listening, and jazz. This section teaches you an INCREDIBLE amount in nine pages.
-Chords Used in Famous Songs. This is what I mentioned above-- he's got 50 different, unique chords and the songs which feature them (which instantly make you go, "hey, that's from that song."
-Chord progressions on the CD. Some basic song examples, explaining why certain chords go after or before others. Very good information.
And lastly, the second half of the book is what Rooksy calls the "Chord Matrix." It's basically your typical chord dictionary. Shows you which fingers to put on which strings/which frets. Organized by coloration (Major, Minor, inversions, Maj7, Min7, Maj7#5, etc. etc. etc.
Needless to say, this book is pretty damn comprehensive. Don't pass it up.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Best Chord Book I Own, June 25, 2008
This review is from: The Chord Master- How to Find and Choose the Right Guitar Chords Book/CD (Softcover) (Paperback)
This book nicely fills the gap between Mel Bay and Ted Green's "Chord Chemistry" - Mel is pretty basic, and Ted is way too advanced for what I do. This is also a better resource than the handheld electronic chord finders, because Rooksby explains basic theory behind the chords and some of the musical context to prefer one chord or inversion over another. This has easily become my "go to" reference for chords. Here are some of the things I really like:
1) The "Chord Q&A" section is an overview of basic guitar technique, and presents basic chord theory from a guitarist's perspective. (Most theory books are written for piano and staff notation.) Even if you never learn any more theory than this, you'll know more than a lot of guitarists I've played with.
2) The "Moveable Shapes" section shows you basic shapes for the chord families, in a number of inversions, and expands on the theory that links the chord's name to the scale notes it contains. And these are practical shapes, too - nothing that requires twisting your fingers into knots. If you play melodic lines in and out of chord shapes, this will give you some fingering options you might not have known before. It has also helped me recognize what another guitarist is doing just by watching his/her hand position.
3) The "Chords for Different Styles" section was a true revelation. I've been frustrated more than I care to think by trying to play a song, knowing I had the right chords, but still not getting the right sound and feel. This section has variations on chord forms for 8 common musical styles. Now I can play James Brown or REM and have it sound right.
4) "Chords Used In Famous Songs" has a nice collection of unusual signature chords that make the song immediately recognizable. As with the "Styles" section, if you don't play the chord right the song just doesn't sound as good. It also gives you some insight into the hallmarks of great musicians' styles. As a writer, I've recycled some of these chords into my own songs when I want a particular feel.
5) Finally, the actual Chord Matrix (dictionary) section is as well organized and thorough as anything you'll need unless you're playing really avant-garde stuff and have 6" fingers. There are certainly a ton of shapes not included, but by this point in the book you should know enough to be able to start with these shapes and modify them as needed.
I have a number of Rikki Rooksby's books, and they are all well and clearly written, and very well edited.
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