Blues You Can Use (Blues You Can Use)

Description

There's not much I can say about this book that hasn't already been said, but I'll try. I admit, I'm still working through it - about 3/4 of the way through. And it's taken me about six months to get there, putting in about 30 hours a week on it. Over on Ganapes' web site, he says it's common to spend that amount of time or more on it, so I don't feel too bad. I'm one of those people who bought a ton of guitar books and then didn't bother to make it past the first chapter or two. This one I stuck with and I'm glad I did - every chapter is a little bit beyond your abilities to start with, and forces you to stretch yourself before you can move on. As a result, my skill level is greatly improved beyond where it was before I started the book. I still make lots of mistakes, but I make them on a more difficult level. :P

You don't have to be a big blues fan to get a lot out of this book. I don't particularly care for the blues, actually, but people who are much better musicians than I am have told me the best place to learn about rock is through the blues, and that's how I came across Blues You Can Use. I've tried several times to teach myself using online materials but none of them really put the lessons together into a coherent whole the way this book has, from pentatonic scales to basic blues theory. Good stuff. I expect I'll have spent a total of nine months on this book by the time I finish it, and by then I'll have its sequels waiting for me. I look forward to checking them out as well.