Rating: 
Summary: fretboard logic
Review: Get this book!! If you do nothing you are losing out on a fantastic opportunity. This is for all guitar players, I am 24, I started playing when I was 15 if I got this then I would be playing in a band by now. It is the greatest thing I have ever bought for the guitar. If you want a gift for someone who plays or is learning to play this is it! Just read the reviews!!!!! Nothingelse needs to be said! This is it!
Rating:
Summary: Great instructional text for the guitar
Review: I am writing this because the reviews listed for the book are the reason I decided to buy it, and I feel obligated to help other guitarists. The reviews about this book are correct--this is a great instructional text. This book will change the way you look at the guitar and the way you play it. I have been playing for 10 years and was fortunate enough to have a few great teachers in the past that all hinted on what this book explains in plain text. The ONLY weakness of the this book, and only a serious guitarist would call this a weakness, is the fact that there is little discussion about learning the notes on the entire fretboard--which I think is very important in order to completely know and understand the fretboard. If you used this book as a learning tool and worked through it completely, then learned all the notes on the fretboard and how they related to keys, scales, modes, etc. you would be a great guitarist and understand why this book is so good. If you are a beginner, work through this book with an teacher, and if your teacher doesn't think it is a great book, find another one (teacher, that is). If an you are an intermediate player, you can probably work through it by yourself. If you are an advanced player, you will easily be able to work through it on your own. Great book and I feel fortunate that Mr. Edwards took the time to write it.
Rating: 
Summary: Don't use just this book
Review: I bought this book along with another basic music theory book. I find parts of it to be helpful - especially the second half. But, I am not sold on it. I really think that learning the theory first is important. Applying theory to guitar is the next step. I think that you will become a better musician if you work through applications on your own or with a good teacher. That way, alternate tunings will make sense and other instruments will make sense. Once you understand the theory, patterns will emerge and it will start making sense. This book makes a decent reference during that process, but it can also slow you down. At the price, however, it's probably not a waste - you should be able to find some insight that you can use.
Rating: 
Summary: for beginners only
Review: I bought this book hoping to get some more insight into soloing and solo theory, however this book is very formulaic. The material is geared toward those who don't know music theory and don't want to learn. It takes that approach that theory is unimportant to guitar players. As a musician for over 10 years I can say that that is completely untrue.
I wouldn't reccomend this book to anyone who wants to be a serious musician. Learning your scales and the chords that they go with is like learning your multiplication tables, it is something that you just have to do.
Rating:
Summary: Aptly Titled, Unreservedly Recommended.
Review: I came to this book as a 20-something with her first guitar as a recent birthday gift. I had experience playing the piano, but nothing too impressive, got into some intermediate theory. My experience with the violin was equally unimpressive (and far more punishing for anyone in earshot). After a while of playing around, and after the fun of songbooks by my favourite artists had worn off, I wanted to get started for real. My main problem was that I was sure the guitar must make *sense* somehow--I'm no good at math or physics, but even I knew the spacing of the strings had to lead to a system. But what was it?Thank goodness I found this book before things got so infuriating I quit. I wonder for how many people that's happened. Bill Edwards presents the fretboard as something that, purposely or miraculously, makes sense. Understanding the system prevents you from getting lost or feeling that everything you do right is luck; it allows you to manipulate the guitar. I bought the Special Edition (Fretboard Logic SE), and I would definitely recommend anyone else doing the same. The first book is good, but you'll want more, and I think that on it's own its not enough. I am now on the third book, which is also very helpful. Make no mistakes, this book isn't a gimmick. You won't be a singer/songwriter by the end, you won't have a catalogue of songs, you won't speak french in 30 days, shed 90% of your body fat, lose 10 years of wrinkles and blemishes... This book just shows you how to make sense of the fretboard, and it is the most effective way I've experienced or heard of (I had two other popular guitar books, and have put up with endless stories of friends' failed guitar lessons). It will help you in leaps and bounds, but nothing can *make* you a guitar player. The book is surprisingly user-friendly, though I did have to go back and re-read things, or give it a day and try again later. I do have issues with how he presented augmented forms and some of the sevenths in Book Two (I've noticed misprints and he could've been clearer about where the point of reference--not always the barre--is located in relation to the "full forms"). Don't get too discouraged if it gets laborious or temporarily beyond you. It's a lot to absorb and understand! It does take work, but you'll be rewarded infinitely, because the guitar begins to open up instead of being a sterile tool upon which you can whip out some memorised cords or riffs. I wholeheartedly recommend this book, and maybe some songbooks so you can experience the pleasure of playing "actual songs" that you will recognise and enjoy. Before you can do anything you dream of, or anything meaningful at all, you have to understand the guitar. This helps. Now go practise.
Rating:
Summary: If you're learning guitar, you have to have this book...
Review: I found out about this instructional book ... I learned this book was a top selling instruction book at www.amazon.com. After reading all the reviews and the Authors interview ... I was compelled to buy this book. ... This book provides the learning environment that works for me. You start by learning about the CAGED system, which I think is absolutely necessary for learning guitar chords and scales. I can honestly say that I'm a much better player and knowledgeable player because of this book and I reference it everyday to review how well I know my chord and scale names at any position along the fretboard. The book is presented in a manner for left and right brain folk. Theory and verbage on one half of the page and illustrations and pictures/finger locations on the other half of the page. This simple and effective presentation and the way in which the author progressively moves a student forward in the process of learning guitar is absolutely the best aspect of this book. I've only gone thru part I of the book, and the only negative thing I can think of about this book is this. Now that I learned chords and scales all the way up and down the fretboard, where's the songs for me to learn and apply my new found knowledge. You will not find songs to learn in this book. This book teachs how to play guitar, not play songs. The authors reasoning for this is due to the many different tastes a student has for music. This book is only intended to help prepare a student to learn songs on their own. The only other thing I would recommend w/ this book as I would w/ anything is make your learning fun and enjoyable. Supplement what you learn in this book by taking what you know and finding your favorite easy songs and/or exercises to learn to play as well. Develop yourself a practice routine that includes chords, scales, lead patterns, and modes, from this book and allow time to learn new songs/exercises (finger picking/alternate picking exercises)and/or review songs already learned. I state that this book is for beginners only because I'm a beginner myself, but others ... have rated this book as suitable for any level of play.
Rating:
Summary: Best darn guitar book around
Review: I have been "playing" guitar for about 7 years but this book taught me things I never realized. There is a whole lot of "oh wows" here in this one. I feel like now I am just starting to really play the guitar instead of playing with it. Highly recommended.
Rating: 
Summary: Don't buy this book
Review: I have been playing guitar for 20 years. This book does not follow standard music theory, deciding instead to use nonstandard terms that the author invented. This book will not help you become a better musician, and will not help you understand your finderboard. It will help you memorize some patterns that you probably won't know the name for, or the application of.
Rating:
Summary: Great book, but maybe not the best for the absolute beginner
Review: I have been playing guitar off and on for almost 20 years. I have been studying this book for a few months and I got to say I have learned a lot with this approach. However, I do not think it is the best book for the absolute beginner. It seems to me your hands should already be in pretty good shape and you have some knowledge of basic chords and scales. After that, this book will definitely take you to next level. I also bought the dvd a couple of months after buying the book and got to say that I enjoy studying it much more while studying both together. I usually read through the sections in the book to get the concepts down and then watch the corresponding video on the dvd for demonstrations and extra tips and it seems to stick much better than reading the book alone.
Rating:
Summary: The best guitar book ever published.
Review: I have been playing the guitar for two years now and thought I was making good progress until I tried to play with other experienced guitar players. I realized that I had a long way to go about mastering the guitar. Rather than really learning the guitar, I was just practicing songs and thinking real progress was being made. Promptly after my failed attempt of playing with my experienced friends, I bought this book and the light came on. I mean, it was like an explosion that lifted me to an entirely different level. I have never learned so much from any book Ive ever read - and Ive read a lot of books. All of the others are difficult to follow and assume that the reader is familiar with profound guitar theory knowledge. Edwards, on the other hand, takes all of the confusion and hones in on the most fundamental aspects of the guitar. The CAGED method is absolutely the best way to learn the guitar. If you follow this book from page one and really work on it, you will begin to notice drastic improvements and everything will begin to make sense - I mean, you will have an epiphany one day and say, "I've got it!" I have never written a review for a book until now - this is how strongly I feel about the knowledge you will take away from this book. Best guitar book ever published.
|
