Texas Blues Guitar [Paperback]

Robert Calva (Composer)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 1999

Musicians Institute instructor Robert Calva covers rhythm and lead guitar in the styles of Stevie Ray Vaughan, Johnny Winter, T-Bone Walker, Freddie King and Albert Collins. He teaches: 24 common blues licks; common blues "box" positions; shuffle blues, slow blues, Latin blues & straight blues; and more. The book includes standard notation & TAB, and the CD features 34 full-band tracks.

Product Details

• Paperback: 48 pages
• Publisher: Musicians Institute Press (June 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0793599644
• ISBN-13: 978-0793599646
• Product Dimensions: 11.4 x 9.4 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #756,639 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars This book ROCKS!, March 5, 2002

By 

Reader "a_reader_999" (United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Texas Blues Guitar (Paperback)

I dig this book. It starts out with about 25 riffs in the Texas blues style. None of them are "raw beginner" type stuff. For example, they require a lot of bends, even 1-1/2 step bends, and those bends are in some pretty fast riffs. So you need a certain amount of experience under your belt, or you'll feel completely frustrated. It has made me work my fingers off.

On the other hand, if you do have at least a bit of experience, and you know your scales, your pentatonics, etc., then you learn some seriously cool riffs. Some of those riffs that you've always heard, but could never figure out on your own. I've been working on a couple in particular that, when played up to speed, are of the jaw-dropping variety. I almost can't believe that it's me playing them. Crank it up, baby!

The rest of the book is a collection of rhythms, with tab for all of the rhythm playing. These go on for six or eight choruses, so you have plenty of room to practice playing the riffs you've worked on. Then, you'll get two or more chourses of the same rhythm, with a sample tabbed solo played over it (which will incorporate some of the riffs at the start of the book). All of this is also great stuff.

Don't get me wrong. This is *not* a book to learn how to play lead. This is a book for somebody who already has a fairly good idea of what lead-playing is, who wants to learn some neat tricks. The author says that he uses the book with his students. If you were using this book with a teacher, I can see how this would be a good "from the ground up" tool to learn to play lead. But if you're just starting out, and you don't have a teacher, don't expect this book to teach you to play lead.

Anyway...this has been one of the funnest books I've gotten yet. In fact, I expect the author to reimburse me for all of the strings I've been breaking from these bends! Heh heh.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars This book is pretty good., March 13, 2006

By 

Charles Chen "SaveFerris369" (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Texas Blues Guitar (Paperback)

I have to say I did enjoy this book. Although it didn't really blow my mind in any way, it did add some more licks to my lick vocabulary and I use the ones I learned in this book quite often because they are very applicable. Not the greatest blues guitar book but it does help if you are looking to expand your guitar playing style. + the book is worth the money, I don't regret this purchase at all.

17 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A word from the author................, January 25, 2002

By 

Robert B. Calva "Tea guy" (Houston, TX USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Texas Blues Guitar (Paperback)

Okay, I know some of you will question the objectivity of the author writing a review of his own work but I intend just to give some information regarding this book.

I have used the material in this book with my students at Musicians Institute for many years now and have gotten great results. After working through this book my students are much better players and improvisors. Regardless of your level and musical background you can get allot out of this book/CD. So, if you are into blues and want a good primer on blues guitar or play other styles but just want to improve your blues playing, then this book is for you!