Search - Basic Licks and Classic Solos for Electric Blues Guitar on DVD

Tragic

Daniel McCormick | Brooklyn, NY United States | 08/07/2006

(1 out of 5 stars)

"Instructional guitar DVDs are hard to make, and this one is a lesson in how not to make one. The instructor is awkward and hesitant (it crossed my mind that he was stoned). He throws out bits of useless information ("Stevie Ray Vaughn plays this a lot now, but it's really an old lick"). He plays a lick quickly several times and expects you to magically pick it up. I kept finding myself staring at the TV, thinking his fingers were one string lower than they actually were. An occassional fretboard diagram would be very helpful. There is a booklet of tablature, but it doesn't always seem to match what he's playing. I would expect a DVD with this name to have a few dozen simple, popular blues licks -- alas, no such luck. This DVD goes through a few uninspired blues songs and a few cursory licks, and wraps up.

Pass on this one."

Great electric blues instruction

Mark Twain | West Chester, PA United States | 08/20/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Jim Weider covers some classic tunes (Going Down, Hideaway), classic licks, and his own composition to provide a pleasant and lucid lesson on how to play electric blues guitar. Jim has a friendly manner and the excellent screen shots make it easy to see what he's doing. There is also space for the student to play along while Jim and band play back-up. The tab is excellent, thorough, and accurate.

The video covers both rhythm and soloing techniques and pentatonic scales up and down the fretboard. For example, Jim covers the rhythm part to Going Down (done with power chords) and then uses the E pentatonic scale in different positions to show how licks are done in these different positions on the neck. Naturally, he shows you how to play famous blues licks that every electric blues player should know.

Homespuntapes is well known for its quality instructional videos and this is no exception. This is a creative tape with a fine instructor that has good visuals and a good tab book. This is not a beginner's instruction video. If you know how to play rhythm and know your pentatonic scales on the electric guitar you should get a lot of mileage out of Weider's instruction."