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The Guitar Handbook helped me learn a bunch about guitar...after 20 years, I still pull that thing out!

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Chord Chemistry by Ted Greene is way cool. The cover looks...well, kind of hippie-ish...but I've been using this one for over 20 years too...there's a lot of learning in this little book.

Fretboard Logic is pretty cool...been working on this one for about a year...seems like there's plenty here to keep you busy for a long time.

Any of the Fredrick Noad stuff is good...

Last edited: May 06, 2008 10:38:08

thanks, I'll see if the shop has any of those.

kilometers
Ted Green has called chord chemistry "chord confusion." If you want to work on technique, I would recommend books by Fredrick Noad, like dp suggested.

If you are feeling like getting a good work out and building crazy chops, try this one: Pumping Nylon, by Scott Tennant.

Is guitar your first instrument?

It was my first and I moved along for about a year and then hit a wall I could not over come for about 9 months, after which my playing exploded. I was about 13 years old at the time. Don't fret (no pun intended), just hang in there and try not to kick over your music stand.

Wow! I'm impressed. Who is this guy?

Danny Snyder

"With great reverb comes great responsibility" - Uncle Leo

Playing keys and guitar with Combo Tezeta

Formerly a guitarist in The TomorrowMen and Meshugga Beach Party

Latest surf project - Now That's What I Call SURF

A book that I have been enjoying is Arlen Roth's Masters of the Telecaster. It is an overview of tricks and techniques of Telecaster players from the inception of the instrument. It's my go to when I am bored with practicing my bands' songs. It mostly covers blues, country and rockabilly styles.

The Exotics 1994-Current
The Chickenshack - www.wmse.org
www.thedoghouseflowers.com
www.uptownsavages.com

kilometers
Ted Green has called chord chemistry "chord confusion." If you want to work on technique, I would recommend books by Fredrick Noad, like dp suggested.

from "Guitar Teacher" website:

"...His magnum opus, Chord Chemistry, shows how Greene could see the fretboard from a multitude of angles and includes lucid explanations of chord theory and chord substitution. Both thoughtful and exhaustive, this book is recommended reading for anyone looking to secure an advanced understanding of guitar theory..."

'Chord Chemistry' is an in-depth read...and I can see why even Greene himself might call it "chord confusion"...it's totally heavy, man... but, there are a ton of interesting ideas in that book...and it's funny how, as I keep learning new musical ideas, I keep returning to Greene's book for elaboration and explanation...

Rather than books, I make a list of songs I'd like to figure out and have at it by ear. You'll learn more about the music you like than you can from a generic book.

Danny Snyder

"With great reverb comes great responsibility" - Uncle Leo

Playing keys and guitar with Combo Tezeta

Formerly a guitarist in The TomorrowMen and Meshugga Beach Party

Latest surf project - Now That's What I Call SURF

I'll second what Danny and Zanti recommended. It's different for everyone - stuff like Fretboard Logic and Richard Lloyd's Alchemical Guitarist columns may be helpful and great to some, but for me it's like trying to read a foreign language. The most helpful - and beneficial - practice method is learning songs. It's much more practical and musical than running scales or dexterity exercises.

If you think the rut is coming more from what you're playing, try learning songs from a different style or genre. When I was starting out, I'd get frustrated trying to learn songs that were way above my level, like "Journey to the Stars" or "Misirlou." Instead, I'd go learn a Ramones album.

-Warren

That was excessively violent and completely unnecessary. I loved it.

I've gone here for free videos that are emailed to you as well as chord charts and chord dictionaries that you can print. Of course he wants your $$ (who doesn't) and wants to sell you instructional dvd's but he gives away alot of freebies and takes the B.S. out of learning guitar. Beware of his sometimes "off color" remarks if you are politically correct or easily offended. He posts his free lessons on youtube. Go here www.australianguitarlessons.com

My recommendation is to try and jam with other people - especially if they are into different stuff than you. Broadening your exposure to different styles is a great way of getting out of a rut. Even learning and playing covers you wouldn't normally play is good. One of the things that made Hendrix so special was he bought aspects of the country, soul and whatever else he'd learnt from playing in a showband into his own music.

Also you can learn something from nearly everyone you play with. I have often picked something up from someone who couldn't play very much but had a certain way of doing something. Now I regularly teach guitar, It comes as no suprise to me that sometimes it's me who learns something from a student.

I also second DP's vote for the Ralph Denyer Guitar book. I got it for my birthday over 20 years ago and now I recommend it to all my pupils; there's a lot of stuff in there.

http://www.myspace.com/thepashuns

Youth and enthusiasm are no match for age and treachery.

I've got one of those TASCAM CD trainers, I love it.

Hopefully I can find some people to jam with after I move this summer. Maybe there will be some other teachers who play; at the school where I did my internship, all of the science teachers played (the sponsors for the battle of the bands and guitar club are science teachers) Who said we all have to wear lab coats and pocket protectors?