The last three years I’ve been trying to learn guitar. I’ve acquired a mass of learning materials. I’ve made a list of most of them and whether or not they have helped me. Most of them are about quick fixes - they either gloss over the most fundamental points of music or they assume that you know it already. Some of them simply have no visuals to further explain the lesson at hand. I’ll do my best to help you avoid the mistakes I’ve made in buying some of these and what to look out for on the others.
The Materials
Monster Guitar Method Volumes 1-5 (DVD)
Green Monster Music
John Maurice Doyle
(www.greenmonstermusic.com)
This is simply the best series hands down. It’s the closest you’re going to get to having a real instruction give you lessons. The DVDs each are broken up into about 4 week sessions. The idea is that you would watch a session per week, learn and master it and come back next week - just like you would with a real instructor. Each DVD comes with a packed booklet to accompany the lessons, and a Jam disc audio CD that has backing tracks to play guitar over. Mr. Doyle is very clear and concise and will teach you guitar and music theory in a relatively short time. He does it in the right order and almost at no time are you asking “What did he mean by that?”. Everything gets explained. He also is the only instructor out of all this that will explain rhythm and note structure. This is definitely the best out of all my material. Do yourself a favor and buy all 5 discs - you will want them. This is not a quick fix, this is teaching properly.
Fender Presents: Getting Started on the Electric Guitar (DVD)
Hal Leonard (2002)
Keith Wyatt
(www.amazon.com)
Fender Presents: Getting Started on the Accoustic Guitar (DVD)
Hal Leonard (2002)
Keith Wyatt
(www.amazon.com)
This was my first DVD. While I really like Keith Wyatt, it just went over my head. He assumed too much, talking about fifths and roots without explaining what they were. I did pick up some chords, but everything else I was left asking, “Why?”. No answers to be had. Also, it is very hard to see what strings he is pressing.
Ultimate Beginner: Blues Guitar Basics (DVD)
Alfred/Warner (2004)
Keith Wyatt
(www.amazon.com)
Again, all I got out of this was some licks and the Am Pentatonic and Blues scale - although it wasn’t explained to me why it was a Blues scale or what the heck a Pentatonic scale was - or how to use it in other keys. It was another DVD that left me with, “I kick ass in the A minor pentatonic - but what now?”.
Ultimate Beginner: Blues Guitar Basics (Book/CD)
Alfred/Warner (2004)
Keith Wyatt
(www.amazon.com)
The book gives more insight about a great many things - but I still wasn’t grasping it. They can show me what TABs and patterns to play, but without explaining WHY it works that way… well…
Ultimate Beginner: Rock Guitar Basics (DVD)
Alfred/Warner Rock Guitar Method DVD
Nick Nolan
Nick Nolan does a better job about explaining some of the notes on the fret board. He’ll teach you all about powerchords and throw in some theory and string techniques - this is probably my second pick, first being Monster Guitar Method. It still left me wanting more.
Rock Guitar Beginner and Intermediate (DVD)
Rock House Method (2005)
John McCarthy
(www.rockhousemethod.com)
This is the newest addition to my library. This is probably going to be the last - I think I have enough stuff to last me. If I don’t know guitar with all the stuff I have, I never will. I’ve watch most of the first disc. It seems to rehash a lot of the stuff I’ve already been through. It is missing a lot of chances to throw in some theory. It does come with a meaty booklet with large TAB numbers (yes!) but backing tracks must be sloppily downloaded from their website. The best part about Rock House, however, is the website. Design-wise still looks late 1990’s, but it does have a very attentive forum that you can ask questions and post stuff.
Music Theory for Guitarists (Book/CD)
Hal Leonard (2005)
Tom Kolb
(www.amazon.com)
I bought this book hoping gain additional knowledge about Guitar Theory - but something at the time didn’t click. Looking at it now, a LOT of things are apparent - but I think it was mainly the approach. It is very technical, and doesn’t contain application. As a companion to other material though, it is quite top notch and once you get the basics down, I highly recommend this book.
Total Electric Guitar/Fine Art of the Guitar (DVD)
Hot Licks (2006/2005)
Eric Johnson
(www.amazon.com)
With these two DVDs, the “Fine Art” one being sort of a sequel to the first, it is an example of watching someone with total mastery of the instrument. However, as a beginner - it’s a little too advanced. I’d rent it just to see how a genius like Eric Johnson thinks. Watching him in his world, one can only hope to be at that level sometime in the future.
Beginning Blues Guitar (DVD)
Musicians Workshop (2003)
Paul Lidel
(www.amazon.com)
I’d consider this one a sub-par instructional video. Watching it, I was too distracted by the guy’s demeanor and hair - he came off, well, goofy. The only use of visual learning is a split screen of his fretting hand, which turned out looking like he had an enlarged left hand. Skip it. This guy is not the one to be teaching me the blues.
Play Guitar: A Practical Guide (Book)
Barnes & Noble Pub (2005)
Nick Powlesland
(www.bn.com)
I picked this book and the next book up as a whim at Barnes and Noble’s bargain bin. It’s pretty good and it has LOTS of licks, lessons, and tid-bits in a thick book for only $12.
Learn to Play like the Guitar Greats (Book)
Hal Leonard (2005)
Charlotte Greig
(www.amazon.com)
Again, this book doesn’t really teach you anything about the basics of guitar - but it does offer insights about the important guitar legends, some of their licks, and their equipment. A lot of info in a thick book. Good deal for $12.
