Terrifying Technique for Guitar (Guitar Book) (Paperback)

~ Carl Culpepper (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

The ultimate source for building chops while improving your technical facility and overcoming physical barriers. Covers: alternate, economy, hybrid, and sweep picking; symmetrical, chromatic, and scale exercises; arpeggios, tapping, legato, and bending sequences; and more - over 200 exercises in all! The CD includes full demonstrations of the exercises.

Product Details

• Paperback: 64 pages
• Publisher: Hal Leonard Corporation (November 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0793551641
• ISBN-13: 978-0793551644
• Product Dimensions: 11.7 x 8.8 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #340,359 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars the ultimate source for building chops, January 26, 2003

By	Mivo (Woodstock, Georgia United States) - See all my reviews

i have been through numerous method and technique books and this one is by far the best. The books starts off with some good chromatic exercises. The next section contains 37 linear scalar sequences that can be applied to any style of music, especially hard rock. From there, Carl introduces some three-note-per string patterns including major 2nd, 3rds, 4ths, 5ths, and 6ths intervals. There are several indepth pentatonic sequences as well as some alternate arpeggios. Carl goes over in detail the correct way to apply sweep picking arpeggios into your musical ideas. Hybrid picking, legato, one handed arpeggios, tapping and bending are also covered in this extensive guide to building chops. There are over 200 exercises that are all on the CD that comes with the book. I recommend this book to anyone who is looking to improve their technical facility and overcome physical barriers.

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Shredder's Manual, January 30, 2003

By	"frakman" (Atlanta, GA USA) - See all my reviews

This is the book all shredders dream off. It is well written and organised with an accompanying CD that demonstrates every exercise clearly without leaving you wondering what it is supposed to sound like.

The books will teach you how to build up your chops. Starts off with basic chromatic exercises and goes on to sweep picking, tapping and various other coveted shreddign techniques. I would highly recommend it for someone who is a fairly adept guitarist who wants to take his playing to the next level.

I've also had the opportunity to take lessons with Carl and believe me, this book couldn't have been written by a more accomplished guitarist. Imagine Van halen and Malmsteen rolled into one and you start to get the picture..

Carl is also a professional transcriber and has done tons of authorised guitar transcriptions for Hal Leonard, Warner Bros. and Cherry Lane.

Well done Carl on writing the perfect solo'ists guide and thanks for all your help.
Cheers.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Technique only, April 12, 2008

By	Mr. Doom - See all my reviews

The book itself will tell you this information, and its clearly in the title-this is all about technique, theory gets the boot.If thats what your looking for then from what Ive already got out of this book I can say you will enjoy this.

The early chapters will tread some familiar ground if you know some scales and basic finger strengthening exercises.But even early on t has some interesting ideas that might make you improve your dexterity so dont skip by them. The chapter on sweep picking is one Im currently working on and has some ways of picking that seem unlike what others would teach, and work very well for making you think in a different way.

Theres also chapters on linear scale movement, chicken picken,alternate picking arpeggios, tapping,bending and legato.Thats a great variety, and if I had been at a slightly lower level of playing, would have found this to be an even greater deal.I plan on going through the whole book regardless, it simply cant hurt.Right now Im just filling in the gaps of my technique.

Problems I encounter with this book include the cd and how its tracks are arranged.There are too many exercises per track- there are hundreds of exercises crammed into 18 tracks.If you are jumping back into the book and happen to be in the middle of a chapter, its a bit annoying to scan by ten or more tracks to get to what you need. Some of the exercises arent organized well either.One pattern is sometimes broken down into three different sections, which are the same pattern just repeated on tab for one or more bars.It seems like a waste of space when it could have simply said"now, repeat this bar".But thats just me nitpicking.

If any of the above mentioned skills are something you need help in,get the book.For the price you can grab it easily, and as long as you go at a good pace I cant see you not improving.