Visionary Guitars Chatting with Guitarists


Book Description

Visionary Guitars is comprised of substantial original conversations with twelve contemporary guitarists including Noël Akchoté, Magnus Anderrson, Lucia D'Errico, Davide Ficco, Hans Jürgen Gerung, Scott Johnson, Seth Josel, Heike Matthiesen, Amanda Monaco, Pablo Montagne, Joe Morris and Marco Oppedisano.The author skillfully elicits interesting dialogues that encompass technical explorations, questions of method, style, influence and their aesthetic goals and artistic declarations.




Guitar Talk


Book Description

Secrets of master guitarists, revealed in conversation. Guitar Talk offers interviews with many of the most creative guitarists of our time. This new book presents these conversations, between Joel Harrison and Nels Cline, Pat Metheny, Fred Frith, Bill Frisell, Julian Lage, Elliott Sharp, Michael Gregory Jackson, Ben Monder, Anthony Pirog, Henry Kaiser, Mike and Leni Stern, Vernon Reid, Mary Halvorson, Nguyên Le, Rez Abbasi, Ava Mendoza, Liberty Ellman, Brandon Ross, Wayne Krantz, Dave Fiuczynski, Wolfgang Muthspiel, Miles Okazaki, Sheryl Bailey, Rafiq Bhatia, and Ralph Towner—twenty-seven great guitarists in all. An enormous range of approaches and sounds exist in the modern guitar. The instrument can howl, scrape, scratch, scream, sing, pluck, and soothe. What stands out in this book is not so much the instrument itself, rather the wonderful and idiosyncratic personalities of these bold souls, their sometimes wild, often zigzagging, and ultimately profound journeys toward beauty, meaning, and excellence in their work. We find out that jazz icon Bill Frisell won a high school band contest playing R&B tunes, beating out future members of Earth Wind and Fire. We learn which of Nels Cline's compositions he wishes to have played at his funeral. Michael Gregory Jackson recounts painful episodes of racism as he stretched between the chasm of avant jazz, rock, and blues in the 1980s. Many more revelations, amusements, and philosophies abound.




Talking Guitar


Book Description

In this lively collection of interviews, storied music writer Jas Obrecht presents a celebration of the world's most popular instrument as seen through the words, lives, and artistry of some of its most beloved players. Readers will read--and hear--accounts of the first guitarists on record, pioneering bluesmen, gospel greats, jazz innovators, country pickers, rocking rebels, psychedelic shape-shifters, singer-songwriters, and other movers and shakers. In their own words, these guitar players reveal how they found their inspirations, mastered their instruments, crafted classic songs, and created enduring solos. Highlights include Nick Lucas's recollections of waxing the first noteworthy guitar records; Ry Cooder's exploration of prewar blues musicians; Carole Kaye and Ricky Nelson on the early years of rock and roll; Stevie Ray Vaughan on Jimi Hendrix; Gregg Allman on his brother, Duane Allman; Carlos Santana, Eric Johnson, and Pops Staples on spirituality in music; Jerry Garcia, Neil Young, and Tom Petty on songwriting and creativity; and early interviews with Eddie Van Halen, Joe Satriani, and Ben Harper.




The Guitar Pickup Handbook


Book Description

In The Guitar Pick-Ups Handbook guitarist and author Dave Hunter explores the history of the transducer that captures mechanical vibrations, from its beginnings in the early 20th century through to the present day.




The Complete History of Guitar World


Book Description

(Book). For 30 years, Guitar World magazine has served as North America's leading publication for rock guitarists and with more than 325 issues under its belt, the world's bestselling guitar magazine is showing no signs of slowing down. In this extraordinary book, the complete history of Guitar World is chronicled from July 1980, when the very first issue, which featured Johnny Winter on its cover, took the guitar-playing community by storm, to issues from 2010 featuring the likes of Jimi Hendrix, John Mayer, Keith Richards, and many other guitar icons. Frank Zappa, Eddie Van Halen, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Kurt Cobain, Jimmy Page, and Eric Clapton are just some of the artists who have sat down with Guitar World over the years: the full transcripts of these legendary, revealing interviews are here. This lavishly illustrated edition takes you behind the scenes of such monumental events as Nirvana's Unplugged performance, Stevie Ray Vaughan's funeral, and the making of Led Zeppelin IV , and includes Guitar World 's great dual interviews: Jimmy Page and Jeff Beck, Tony Iommi and James Hetfield, Steve Vai and Joe Satriani, and more. Rock music has gone through many changes since 1980 bands have come and gone, musical styles have shifted dramatically, heroes have fallen and through it all, Guitar World has been there, reporting on the events of the day and interviewing the musicians who keep the genre alive. It's all here, in The Complete History of Guitar World .




Pat Metheny


Book Description

An in-depth exploration of the style and influence of Pat Metheny, a truly distinctive musical voice of our time. Guitarist and composer Pat Metheny, among the most acclaimed, visionary musicians of our time, has for five decades toured with his many creative musical projects, most prominently the Pat Metheny Group, while collaborating with celebrated artists, including Charlie Haden, Ron Carter, Herbie Hancock, Ornette Coleman, and Steve Reich. Bob Gluck, whose perspective as pianist, composer, and educator has illuminated the music of Herbie Hancock and Miles Davis in his two previous books, now focuses his lens on the music of Metheny. Neither a biography nor chronological record of Metheny’s musical output, Pat Metheny: Stories beyond Words instead captures Metheny’s self-conception as a musician and the threads that unite and distinguish his creative process. Drawing upon a wealth of new interviews and close readings of musical examples, Gluck offers a bird’s-eye view of Metheny’s musical ideas. Among these are the metaphor of storytelling, the complementarity of simplicity and complexity, and the integrated roles of composer, performer, and band leader. Much like Metheny’s signature style, this book is accessible to a wide range of readers, presenting new clarity, musical insight, and historical perspective about the legacy of Metheny’s groundbreaking music.




Guitar All-in-One For Dummies


Book Description

Make your music come alive with this indispensable guitar guide There's no denying that guitar players have cachet. The guitar is an ever-present part of our collective musical heritage, and the sound can be sensual, aggressive, or a million things in between. Whether you're hoping to conquer Free Bird, Bourée, or Bolero Mallorquin, you need to learn to walk before you can run. Even once you can run, you need something to help you clear hurdles along the way. That's where Guitar All-In-One For Dummies, 2nd Edition, comes in. It's your complete compendium of guitar instruction, written in clear, concise For Dummies style. It covers everything from positioning and basic chords to guitar theory and playing styles, and even includes maintenance advice to keep your instrument sounding great. It's an amazing resource for newbies and veterans alike, and offers you the opportunity to stretch beyond your usual genre. Forge the sound of rock, blues, classical, and more Understand the music theory behind guitar mastery Express yourself through your own compositions Perform practice exercises for muscle memory and dexterity Guitar All-In-One For Dummies, 2nd Edition, includes access to audio tracks and instructional videos to guide you through the lessons and inspire you to play often, which is the number-one key to success. You get advice and instruction from some of the most respected guitar teachers in the business, plus online resources, for less than the cost of a single lesson. Guitar All-In-One For Dummies, 2nd Edition, is the key to bringing your music to life.




Rock Guitar For Dummies


Book Description

Face it, being a rock guitarist is just about the coolest thing you can be – next to a secret agent with a black belt in karate. But even if you were a butt-kicking international person of mystery, playing rock guitar would still be cooler because it involves art, passion, power, poetry, and the ability to move an audience of listeners. Whether "moving your listeners" means mowing down crowd surfers with your power chords or making the audience cry with your sensitive melodies, no other musical instrument allows you so much versatility. Whatever rocks your world, Rock Guitar For Dummies can help you bring that message out through your fingers and onto that electric guitar that's slung over your shoulder. If you're a beginner, you'll discover what you need to know to start playing immediately, without drowning in complicated music theory. If you've been playing for a while, you can pick up some tips to help improve your playing and move to the next level. Here's a sampling of the topics covered in Rock Guitar For Dummies: How electric guitars and amplifiers work Choosing the right guitar and amp for you, and how to care for them Left-hand and right-hand guitar techniques The different styles of rock guitar playing Creating great riffs The history of rock guitar Buying accessories for your new toy Top Ten lists of the guitarists you should listen to, the rock albums you must have, and the classic guitars you should know about Rock Guitar For Dummies also comes with a CD that includes audio of every example shown in the book, plus play-along tracks with a band. So, if you consider yourself an air guitar virtuoso and would like to try the real thing, Rock Guitar For Dummies can help you on your way to becoming an accomplished guitarist. Note: CD-ROM/DVD and other supplementary materials are not included as part of eBook file.




Guitar All-in-One For Dummies


Book Description

Your comprehensive, hands-on guide to playing guitar Have you always wanted to play the guitar? You can start today with these 8 minibooks. Covering both acoustic and electric guitar, this hands-on resource gives you all the instruction you need to play across multiple genres, whether you're a beginner or an experienced guitarist. You'll find plenty of tips for playing easier and more complex pieces — and for composing your own. Plus, you can play along with examples on the bonus CD! Gear up to start playing — understand the different parts of a guitar, find the right guitar for you, string and tune the instrument, and develop basic playing skills Immerse yourself in sounds and technique — play major and minor chords, master left- and right-hand techniques, and play melodies in position and double-stops Get ready to rock! — from Chuck Berry to Keith Richards to The Edge, see how the best play barre chords, hot licks, and sweet leads Play the blues — explore rhythm and lead techniques, signature riffs, blues progressions, and the achievements of great blues guitarists Go classical — learn about the history of classical guitar, combine arpeggios and melody, and sample different genres Practice, practice, practice — try your hand at major scales, minor scales, and chord exercises to rev up stalled skills Write songs and music — check out different song forms, understand modes, and compose with chords Open the book and find: Plenty of music examples and practice exercises Musical styles and genres through the years Correct hand position and posture Basic playing techniques Standard music notation and tablature Tips for playing up the neck Ways to solo and improvise leads Different fingerstyles to play Accessories for your guitar A comprehensive guitar chord chart Bonus CD Includes More than 90 tracks all played by the authors Songs from different guitar genres Examples of chord progressions, riffs, and more Major and minor scale patterns Note: CD-ROM/DVD and other supplementary materials are not included as part of eBook file.




Guitar Player Repair Guide


Book Description

This expanded edition for beginners to experts is a step-by-step manual to maintaining and repairing electric and acoustic guitars and basses. Players learn how to set up a guitar and keep it in top form by mastering basic maintenance. Features an essential DVD that makes guitar maintenance easier than ever. New features include set-up specs of leading players; stronger coverage of guitar electronics, including pickups and wiring diagrams; and expanded coverage of acoustics.