Customer Reviews

Texas Blues Guitar

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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.

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.

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!

I really like this book. I fully aggree with the author. I am getting better at playing the blues. There are some very good fill-ins which you should carefully avoid to miss. They can make wonders to your guitar-playing. I have been playing blues (and guitar) now for some 8 months, and bought approximately 20 different books. This book is exactly what I needed to get a bit more confident. Yes, it feels as Robert Calva is present and teaches when you go through this book. Strange feeling, I begin to feel as a blues-player, suddenly !!

I own about 15 to 20 different blues guitar books, but not more than 5 or 6 make my "dream team" so to speak..this is one of them. The solos in the book are not hard to play if you have an intermediate, or serious beginner level..but what I liked the most of this book, is that it has 2 rhythm guitars in each example, and both guitars are "tabed" down, including some fills every now and then, that make the music more interesting. So, in a few words, here you will find your rhythm guitar playing, along with fills, intros, turnarounds, and of course the solos, the whole "buffet" is in calva`s book. Higly recommended..and the songs played, are not just some "watered" down examples of blues guitar playing...