Message Board Archive: Thread Number 43

Can anyone recommend any good finger style blues guitar books for
beginners? I've been fooling around with guitar for a couple of years,
and I recently bought a cheap acoustic to learn on. I have a musical
background (10+ years playing blues harp), so I think I should be able
to pick it up pretty quickly. I'd like to learn Piedmont, Delta and
Texas acoustic styles. If anyone has any recommendations (I already have
Kenny Sultan's book, and I'm working on some of the exercises in it),
please post them here, or email me at steve.levine@grace.com.

Thanks

-Steve

Date: Sat, 18 Oct 1997 19:49:56 -0400
From: ari@secondmind.com (Ari Eisinger)
Subject: Feedback: Re: Beginners' Finger Style Guitar Books?
Message Number: 43.1

Sorry it's taken so long to respond, Steve. I've been out of the
country.
I haven't found any recommendations so far, but I just wanted you to
know that your message hasn't been forgotten. I'll keep nosing around
and will post again soon to let you know what I've found out.
Even though they are more expensive than books, I think lessons are
better for beginners, because it is important for beginners to get the
kind of feedback that a teacher can provide in order to develop good
habits. Books never tell you when you're not doing something quite the
way you're supposed to. This kind of guidance is less important once
you're more advanced, but can be very important for getting started.
Anyway, I'll keep looking for beginners' fingerstyle books and will keep
you posted.

Date: Sun, 26 Oct 1997 13:52:52 -0500
From: rivnrev@memphisonline.com (Andy Cohen)
Subject: Feedback: re: beginning fingerstyle books
Message Number: 43.1.1

I have been thinking of writing a beginner's fingerstyle book for years.
When I teach, I teach in English, and several of my students (admittedly
self-starters) have become very successful players and teachers
themselves. In view of that, I think I might just try writing down what
I say to these people when I teach them. Anyone interested in being a
guinea pig?

Andy Cohen

Date: Mon, 1 Dec 1997 11:17:10 -0500
From: Scotthertzog@juno.com
Subject: Feedback: guinea pigs for Andy's beginner book
Message Number: 43.1.1.1

If we're a guinea pig for your book, do we get a free copy?

I'd look forward to a book, esp. with video or audio to hear that great
voice of yours!

Also, I've got most of your tapes, but are they available on CD???

Scott L. Hertzog in Alexandria VA

Date: Fri, 24 Oct 1997 15:58:59 -0400
From: Owner-HyperNews@ComCAT.COM
Subject: Feedback: Untitled
Message Number: 43.2

Ari's comment about lessons in a good one, even for more advanced
players, especially when you want to learn an intricate style like
country blues. Feedback from an "accomplished" teacher will prevent bad
habits from forming. I know, I've been there! I learned a bunch of songs
from simple tab books, but then become locked into that version of the
song. In more advanced tab books, the notes are there, but fingerings,
efficient fingerings that is, are not well covered. The blues magazines
provide myriad ads for country blues books and video tapes -- so that's
one source. Also, check out music stores, Borders Books, for tab books,
you shouldn't have too much trouble finding them. The tough thing about
country blues lessons is that, where do you find a player that can teach
pure country blues and all its nuances? Good luck.

Date: Fri, 14 Nov 1997 21:13:27 -0500
From: ari@secondmind.com (Ari Eisinger)
Subject: Feedback: Re: Beginners' Finger Style Guitar Books
Message Number: 43.3

I've been asking around, and a friend of mine recommended Steve James's
book and video called "Country Blues Guitar". Haven't seen it myself,
but my friend says it starts out with the basics.
Also, I understand that there are alot of ads for stuff like this in
Blues Revue and acoustic guitar-related magazines. The Homespun Tapes
series by Happy and Artie Traum might be worth checking out, too.
However, I'll say it again: if you can afford it, lessons are still the
best thing in my opinion.

Date: Mon, 18 May 1998 14:23:34 -0400 (EDT)
From: dtrodelli@hotmail.com (Diane)
Subject: More: Happy Traum's book and tapes
Message Number: 43.3.1

I've used Happy's materials from Homespun (book and tapes). They are
quite good and move along at a decent pace (very slow to start but
snappy after that). Of course, you do have to listen to Happy's sorry
voice (sorry Happy - no doubt, ya cudda bin a contendah!). Tapes are
very useful too, if you're accustomed to picking things up by ear.
However, the tapes are rather crudely made, with tinny sound and long
gaps of unused tape a the ends... a little annoying, particularly when
you rewind a lot to listen again and again. But you do get some basic
steps under your belt, relatively quickly.

Date: Sun, 23 Nov 1997 17:22:45 -0500
From: ari@secondmind.com (Ari Eisinger)
Subject: Feedback: Re: Beginners' Finger Style Guitar Books
Message Number: 43.4

Here's another recommendation I just got from one of my students: Dick
Spruce's "You Can Teach Yourself Country Guitar", a Mel Bay book,
catalog number MB94818. Apparently it covers Carter Family thumb-lead
style, then goes on to fingerpicking.
I also just found out about a web site with alot of instructional
material: www.jklutherie.com. It might be worth checking out, too.