Best Guitar Book

thomasross20

I think I have that, or have read it. Maybe I should dig it out again.

GuyBoden

thomasross20 said:

I think I have that, or have read it. Maybe I should dig it out again.

After all these years, what I still find great about "The Advancing Guitarist" Book is that it's not about copying licks and using other player's ideas,  it just gives you the tools, then it's totally up to you to be creative with them.

stonevibe

I'm pretty sure I own both these (or did once upon a time)

Have way too many guitar books and always forget to dig them out and go read them. 

cacophony

just bought the `guitar handbook` from e-bay based on this thread. figure it`s worth a punt for 2 quid inc. postage!.

thomasross20

Let us know what you think!

TimmyO

Back in the day it was pretty much the only book!

frankus

When Timmy was 19 he got that book just so that he could say "back in the day" some time in the future

streethawk

GuyBoden said:

thomasross20 said:

I think I have that, or have read it. Maybe I should dig it out again.

After all these years, what I still find great about "The Advancing Guitarist" Book is that it's not about copying licks and using other player's ideas,  it just gives you the tools, then it's totally up to you to be creative with them.

I had a look at that but no TAB - no party. 

frankus

You are crazy! Advancing Guitarist is the best book on improvisation, experimentation and exploration written! Bar none.

Phil_aka_Pip

+1 for The Guitar Handbook.

I just put The Advancing Guitarist on my wishlist. A book with no tab? Excellent - I can't read tab

carlos

To be fair the hardest parts to grasp in the Advancing Guitarist book are the chord rows and triad rows which are all written down using letters and numbers not sheet music.

cacophony

cacophony said:

just bought the `guitar handbook` from e-bay based on this thread. figure it`s worth a punt for 2 quid inc. postage!.

well, had it for the thick end of a week now, and tbh it looks dated, which it would given that it`s an old book, but, it just covers the same ground as the thousands of online-lessons available now. spends a lot of paper on the `modes` aereolian, myxamatosis, etc etc, which i just don`t see the need to learn slavishly, and the same for scales, etc etc. so to sum up, same old same old. glad it only cost 2 quid...

thomasross20

Well, I've been playing 15 years and have checked out just about all the books and online lessons there are. Of course it covers what you can find for free online and there's no magic bullet in there or anywhere. I find it a well condensed and authoritative version of the most important material you'll ever need. Surprised at your review!

Sibelius

I found Jimmy Brunno's Book and DVD no nonsense jazz very good. You don't have to be a jazz man to get a lot out of it.

thomasross20

Might check that. I read "The Jazz Theory book" yonks ago which was decent.

Sibelius

I think there's a 'bad' copy on youtube before you buy, altho its really cheap. Think I paid £7 for the dvd, new. 

Flanging_Fred

Another +1 on the guitar handbook. It was one of my first guitar books and is still one of the best.

Another book I like a lot is David Mead's "10 minute guitar workout".   It sounds like it would be a bit dry but I find the writing style amusing and light whilst also providing a fair bit of infomation. I also think it would also make an excellent book for the beginner as it explains things very clearly and obviouusly isn't all about the author showing off how much he knows.

The idea of a quick workout for people with very little time (i.e. anyone with kids!) is very handy just to keep you ticking over.

Does David still post here? If so, good book mate!

bingefeller

There are so many books out there that it's actually a bit depressing to know that I'll never get to read them all.

however, my favourites are:

Steve Khan - Pentatonic Khancepts - excellent book from a jazz perspective but also workable from a rock point of view too.  

Barrett Tagliarino - Chord Tone Soloing - how to get the most from arpeggios and be melodic in your playing.  

Bruce Saunders - Jazz pentatonics.  Also very usable in rock playing.

Ted Greene - Chord chemistry and modern chord progressions.  Both books are packed with loads of chords, more than you'll ever need to know.  Chord chemistry is essential IMO.  

Eddie Arkin - Creative Chord Substitution for Jazz Guitar - loads of ideas for reharmonising.  

Andy Laverne - Handbook of Chord Substitutions - based for piano but lots of ideas for any instrument.  Has lots of examples too.  

Pat Metheny - Guitar Etudes - full of warm up exercises.  Again, not just for jazz players but highly recommended for any genre of player.  Most of the exercises are arpeggio based (although there are no chord names but you can work out what chord is being implied) so you get the benefit of learning arpeggios too.

 

nickp

my copy of the guitar handbook was nicked by a guy who a year later got done for murder.

glad i never asked for it back!

@bingefeller - ta for that list - I've just ordered chord tone soloing as that is where/what I'm starting to look at now

Jalapeno

stonevibe said:

Have way too many guitar books and always forget to dig them out and go read them. 

A common problem, but The Guitar Handbook IS one worth having