Tabs/books that changed your life

[Jimi75]

...talking 'bout your musical life of course. I never really learned to read music, so tabs were crucial to my progress from day one on.

Besides the hundreds of tabs that you read in magazines I think there are only a handful of tabs that really "open doors" and push your playing into new and even better heights.

Do you remember which tabs or tab books did that to you?

Here's my short list - no priorities in order:

Joe Satriani - Flying in a blue dream:
I learned how to combine long legato runs. Satch also always had bluesy references in his playing so that I could steal away the one or other bluesy lick.

Jimi Hendrix - Axis Bold As Love:
I was in Cologne with my girlfriend and saw the tab book. Had not enough money on me, but convinced her that this book is important to me. She bought it and it changed my playing in its entirety. I heard the cd back home over and over again, but couldn't really find out how Jimi played around the chords. No internet at that time. Discovering the magic that makes songs as Castles made of sand, Bold as love and Little wing was I would say the most important step in my playing.

SRV - Texas Flood:
I heard about SRV, but wasn't familiar with his music. I was in Seattle and there was this guy, entering a Guitarshop store where I was peacefully checking effects - plugging in a Strat into a Bassman, playing that hellish texas blues. Plugging out and buying the amp. All that within 5 minutes. I was shocked. When asking the guy in the shop what the heck he played, he just grabbed the tab book to Texas Flood. Bought the cd the same day and worked the shite out of this book, which led me into a long phase of several years playing in a texas blues trio.

That's it from my side.
Of course I own some other cool tab books, but listening to my playing I would say those books are the milestones.

So far :-)

How about your most influential tabs/books?

Greetz
Jimi

[Robert]

I never used Tab in my learning process. I just used my ears - copying licks and riffs off of LPs and tapes.

The book that I learned the most from was a theory book explaining modes, harmony and such. It was a Swedish book that I no longer have.

I learned the most useful stuff from the Jamey Aebersold play-along series, and the DVD that taught me the most was Scott Henderson's Jazz Rock Mastery.

[jpfeifer]

My first guitar teacher gave me a few handouts that he wrote himself, that really affected the way I looked at guitar. He used to tell me to think like a piano player and not a guitar player. What he meant by that was to not rely on the tried-and-true barre chords that most guitar players use, but to understand how to make my own chord voicings in the same way that piano players do, and to pick the right voicing for the sound you want. He gave me a big chart of all these chord forms and all of their inversions and made me learn them.

He was trying to teach me harmony and not just how to play guitar.

To this day I'm forever greatful for that because I find this really helps in understanding the guitar better. It unlocked some of the mystery behind certain guitar parts and why some work better than others.

-- Jim

[marnold]

For me it would probably be the theory parts of Doug Marks' Metal Method course. For the first time I really understood modes and how they all relate to one another. I've got one of those minds that insists on not just knowing that something works but why it works. That taught me the "why".

[sunvalleylaw]

My first guitar teacher gave me a few handouts that he wrote himself, that really affected the way I looked at guitar. He used to tell me to think like a piano player and not a guitar player. What he meant by that was to not rely on the tried-and-true barre chords that most guitar players use, but to understand how to make my own chord voicings in the same way that piano players do, and to pick the right voicing for the sound you want. He gave me a big chart of all these chord forms and all of their inversions and made me learn them.

He was trying to teach me harmony and not just how to play guitar.

To this day I'm forever greatful for that because I find this really helps in understanding the guitar better. It unlocked some of the mystery behind certain guitar parts and why some work better than others.

-- Jim

That "A Player's Guide to Chords & Harmony: Music Theory for Real-world Musicians By Jim Aikin" book ( http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&id=RNF0PuL-yfIC&dq=chords+and+harmony,+theory&printsec=frontcover&source=web&ots=DWfSa1xUFR&sig=otv0IOnZ54UftxJ79utAoJTjnnw&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=1&ct=result ) that has been discussed here does a good job of that. I was just reviewing again the Triad chapter and got a lot more out of it regarding voicings and inversions, though it is not really guitar specific. He suggests you work things out on a piano at least some of the time. I think once I get the hang of that and learn my notes on the fretboard better, I will be able to do it more quickly right on the guitar.

For me, the most monumental music book/tab so far has been the Neil Young Harvest book, followed by some sheet music for Jingle Bell Rock, Holly Jolly Christmas, and a couple of other Christmas tunes. Harvest was my first guitar book other than a Hal Leonard intro type book, and it opened my mind to 7ths and 9ths and sus this and that. The Christmas ones, because the chord progressions were so different from the blues oriented rock I was used to learning, and because when I changed the chords to barres, I learned some voicings that I did not yet know. I have not learned that much else from tab/books other than basic chords. I have a bunch of sheet music I want to get into sometime however. Just beginning. :D

[just strum]

So far there are two books that made an impact in the form of progress. One book is titled Guitar Fretboard Workbook that was recommended by Mark Wein. The other picked up at the same time as Guitar Fretboard and that is titled Texas Blues Guitar. I also have another that Mark recommended "Funk Guitar" that Mark recommended for learning to play rhythm.

I have a Hendrix book titled Experience Hendrix - The best of Jimi Hendrix that I am just starting to dabble in, but I'm no Hendrix.

[street music]

I think the books that have been the best aid to me so far are from Alfred Publishers and they are The Easy Guitar Tab versions of The Eagles, Led Zepplin, America , and I have one from Hal Leonard Easy Tab for The Beatles.
These have helped me a lot as I don't read music and they contains songs that have been favorites of mine. I haven't found another teacher to work with so right now I'm trying to progress on my own.

[Ch0jin]

I dont have any Guitar book stories, but watching Samuel L Jackson do "Stagger Lee", or "Stack 'o Lee", whichever u prefer, in the film Black Snake Moan totally gave me chills and reinvigorated my love of dirty bar room blues.

I raced home from the cinema loaded up the Nick Cave version and made my POD into Fender Bassman with loads of reverb and jammed on those 2 Chrods all night.

whoops edited....

Actually I'll throw a shout out to two titles. The gig bag book of scales for guitarists, and it's cousin, the gig bag book of chords for guitarists. I use the scales one all the time, and the chords one if I'm feeling experimental.

[Katastrophe]

I had a Mel Bay Encyclopedia of Guitar Chords book that was invaluable. I gave it to my last student to loan and he kept it. Wish I still had it.

Other than that, my most valuable tabs were from my guitar teacher. Can't find those, either.:thwap: All my music theory about scales, modes and other stuff is just gone, along with some Scott Henderson material from a clinic he conducted that I attended a long time ago. I think I'm at the point that I could just about wrap my brain around the "simpler" stuff.:thwap:

[Baby_Girl]

He used to tell me to think like a piano player and not a guitar player. What he meant by that was to not rely on the tried-and-true barre chords that most guitar players use, but to understand how to make my own chord voicings in the same way that piano players do, and to pick the right voicing for the sound you want.

-- Jim


That is so fascinating! I think that your teacher's advice is brilliant! I started playing the piano when I was in second grade. I took 12 years of lessons and 2 years of classes at the collegiate level. When I first picked up the guitar I really struggled because I thought like a piano player. I couldn't seem to wrap my mind around having fingerings with chords, but not having to think about each individual note. Does that make sense? Now I'm so thankful that I have that background for the exact reasons that you mentioned.

Probably one of my most valuable books is Robert Gauldin's Harmonic Practice in Tonal Music. It's obviously not a guitar book - it's a theory book. But you can make the transfers as necessary. If you can get past the fact that the book utilizes a common practice era mindset to teach, you really do learn a lot about voice leading, harmonic progressions, and counterpoint.

[mark wein]

So far there are two books that made an impact in the form of progress. One book is titled Guitar Fretboard Workbook that was recommended by Mark Wein. The other picked up at the same time as Guitar Fretboard and that is titled Texas Blues Guitar. I also have another that Mark recommended "Funk Guitar" that Mark recommended for learning to play rhythm.

I have a Hendrix book titled Experience Hendrix - The best of Jimi Hendrix that I am just starting to dabble in, but I'm no Hendrix.


Those books that Strum mentioned are books that really sharpened me personally as a player, even this late in the game.

Other books are the Charlie Parker Omnibook and the Encyclopedia of Reading Rhythms on MI Press....

[BluezOldy]

So far there are two books that made an impact in the form of progress. One book is titled Guitar Fretboard Workbook that was recommended by Mark Wein...I also have another that Mark recommended "Funk Guitar" that Mark recommended for learning to play rhythm.

Mark should get a commission: I have both those books due in the mail next week. :)

[mark wein]

Mark should get a commission: I have both those books due in the mail next week. :)


I wish I did...we go through a ton of them in my studio as well as the ones I recommend online....

I've actually spoken to Barrett Tagliarino a couple of times...I think he ran across my constant plugging of the fretboard book somewhere online...:)

He actually has a new book out that is just like mine, but obviously I'm going to plug mine first :D

[BluezOldy]

He actually has a new book out that is just like mine, but obviously I'm going to plug mine first :D

I have both: I think I'm becoming a guitar book junkie! :)

I have no connection to Mark except as a fellow forumite but here is his book:

http://www.lulu.com/content/1252390

Got my copy this week and it looks good.

[mark wein]

I have both: I think I'm becoming a guitar book junkie! :)

I have no connection to Mark except as a fellow forumite but here is his book:

http://www.lulu.com/content/1252390

Got my copy this week and it looks good.

:beer:

I just found out last night that its on the UK Amazon but they don't have any info...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/061519883X/ref=nosim/gettextbooks_us-21

The waiting is killing me....

[warren0728]

have no connection to Mark except as a fellow forumite but here is his book:

http://www.lulu.com/content/1252390
hey mark...if i want to get your book....what's the best way to buy it (so you make the most money?!)

maybe your book will be the one that changes my (guitar) life! :AOK:

ww

[mark wein]

hey mark...if i want to get your book....what's the best way to buy it (so you make the most money?!)

maybe your book will be the one that changes my (guitar) life! :AOK:

ww

Actually, the best way is through Lulu...I'll make less than half as much through Amazon. I also don't know what the lead time is through Amazon is, either. When the US Amazon gets it listed I'll have to order a copy to see how long it takes. I am hoping that they'll just carry inventory and send them out that way instead of just forwarding the order to Lulu for them to "print on demand". That could take forever :mad:

[warren0728]

Actually, the best way is through Lulu...
cool....lulu here i come! :AOK: :beer:

ww

[mark wein]

cool....lulu here i come! :AOK: :beer:

ww

:beer:

Thanks! If you have any questions of problems feel free to let me know...I'll also have some "helper videos" in the next few weeks for some of the places in the book that would benefit from me actually explaining or demonstrating the concepts....

[warren0728]

Thanks! If you have any questions of problems feel free to let me know...I'll also have some "helper videos" in the next few weeks for some of the places in the book that would benefit from me actually explaining or demonstrating the concepts....
just ordered from lulu! looking forward to getting it! :bravo: :beer:

ww

[mark wein]

just ordered from lulu! looking forward to getting it! :bravo: :beer:

ww

Thank you sir! Drop me a line when you get it and let me know how you like it!

[warren0728]

Thank you sir! Drop me a line when you get it and let me know how you like it!
will do...i'll do a write up for thefret!

ww

[mark wein]

will do...i'll do a write up for thefret!

ww

:cool:

[Brian Krashpad]

I've never even looked at a tab book, much less used one. In fact I'm not sure I've ever used any individual song tabs for myself at all (I've helped my daughter find some bass tabs online).

Not that there's anything wrong with that.

Memorable books? Mel Bay Easy Guitar. Which is the last general music book I've probably used.

I know.

I'm a troglodyte.

I think back in the day I probably had a Doobie Brothers songbook of some sort, probably one with the songs from Toulouse Street and The Captain and Me. But there was no tab in it, just sheet music with chord charts

[warren0728]

woo hoo....my "Foundations for Guitar Book 1" by Mark Wein shipped today! :bravo:

ww

[BluezOldy]

Now we just have to pressure Mark for Book 2! :D

[warren0728]

Now we just have to pressure Mark for Book 2! :D
i've got a feeling it will take me awhile to get through book 1! :thwap:

ww

[Ro3b]

Mick Goodrick's book The Advancing Guitarist (http://www.amazon.com/Advancing-Guitarist-Mick-Goodrick/dp/0881885894) has been a great resource for me. It's less of a method book than a "have you ever tried thinking about the guitar like THIS?" book. I love the fact that Goodrick casually tosses off instructions like "practice this for five or ten years." He's very good at showing how musicianship is a lifelong journey during which you never stop learning and improving and growing.

The same is true of Zen Guitar (http://www.amazon.com/Zen-Guitar-Philip-Toshio-Sudo/dp/B0013L4CU4/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1214921656&sr=1-1) by Philip Toshio Sudo. It's a must-read for all guitarists.

W.A. Mathieu's two books The Listening Book: Discovering Your Own Music (http://www.amazon.com/Listening-Book-Discovering-Your-Music/dp/0877736103/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1214922273&sr=1-1) and The Musical Life: Reflections on What It Is and How To Live It (http://www.amazon.com/Musical-Life-W-Mathieu/dp/0877736707/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_b) are both great books to dip into when you need jumpstarting. I've given copies of the Listening Book to most musicians I know.

[scgmhawk]

I haven't taken lessons in like 25 years so just recently i've been going through Metal Method and Blues Guitar (House of Blues) -- both DVDs. Of course I'm not consistent with them and I haven't gotten completely through either yet so I can't say that they've changed my life or anything but it's refreshing to learn new things (which believe me I have to!).

[warren0728]

got my copy of mark wein's "foundations for guitar" today....probably would have gotten it sooner except for the holiday!

print quality is very good....i think mine was shipped from jacksonville, fl so i think they are farming out the printing to different printers in different areas.

nice job mark.....can't wait to get started! :AOK:

i'll do a full review under a new topic once i have had some time with the book!

ww

[mark wein]

got my copy of mark wein's "foundations for guitar" today....probably would have gotten it sooner except for the holiday!

print quality is very good....i think mine was shipped from jacksonville, fl so i think they are farming out the printing to different printers in different areas.

nice job mark.....can't wait to get started! :AOK:

i'll do a full review under a new topic once i have had some time with the book!

ww

Cool!

The one thing that I think happens is that they must have several places that do the printing...guys in Europe and Australia have gotten their books just as fast as I do here in California.

I'm excited to hear what you guys have to say!