Search - Guitar Signature Licks: T-Bone Walker on DVD

Maybe Not...

Magellan | USA | 07/30/2005

(2 out of 5 stars)

"Duke is a wonderful guitar player. No question about it. This is NOT a wonderful instructional DVD. Too many camera angles that don't show what he is playing. I can live without onscreen Tab (though I prefer it) but at least show me what it is that I'm supposed to be learning. Split screen would be nice (right and left hands) but at least show me straight-on shots of the fretboard. This may be a good DVD for those who can pick things up by ear alone, but those people can just listen to CDs right?

Oh well..."

Good but could have been much better.....

cincinnatislim | Cincinnati, Ohio | 04/07/2006

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Ok so Duke really turned me on to T-Bone. And Duke can really play. And now I want to play like that also but there's not enough tab or instructional break down to do that on this DVD. Yes Duke really captures the essence but doesn't convey how I might do the same. Camera shots could have been much better for helping do this and the tabulature could have much more extensive/complete. I'm glad I have it but it could have been much better for a teaching/learning tool."

Interesting DVD about the TBone Walker Style

ein Kunde | 02/07/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I agree to other reviewers that the tab is very minimal and sometimes the camera angles dont show the players hands.
Especially frustrating when he says "now i show you something about tbones blues playing" and then plays 5 minutes of the greatest stuff with no explanation at all and the camera circling around him.

Still i recommend this CD for Fans of TBone Walker or Duke Robillard, its very interesting to watch him play this great guitar style with great sound, and he actually DOES explain a lot of stuff and if you are a bit experienced you will be able to pick up some of the stuff he does."

Requires Work on the Part of the User

JG | Dallas, TX | 03/13/2010

(3 out of 5 stars)

"I just spent 30 minutes trying to figure out the chords used in the DVD on a simple, but elegant chord progression. I still don't have them down exactly, but I wrote down what I thought he was playing. The tab included, Example 4, is titled, "Chord Forms Similar to those on 'You Don't Love Me'." I am a little frustrated.

I am familiar with chord substitutions, alternate voicings, and other techniques for spicing up rhythms, and I even realize that making me actively hunt and analyze the progression will be more helpful in the end, but I just don't have that much time right now. So, while I loved the instructor's guitar playing and verbal instruction, at this point in my guitar "career" (been playing 3 and 1/2 years), I just want to learn the song exactly and concentrate on playing it fluently and flawlessly. This DVD made it hard to fulfull this need because I can't just look at the chords, I have to spend a lot of time figuring them out.

But for those who don't care about using the exact chord voicings used by Mr. Robillard, or who have the time to analyze what the incomplete tab is trying to portray, then I think the DVD should receive five stars! You WILL have the tools to be able to recreate the T-Bone Walker style of playing and the DVD will help give you an ear for this style of playing.

But for guys like me, the extra work required limited it effectiveness. So just make sure you know what your are looking for in this instructional DVD. For me, its greatest strength was that Duke played a lot, giving me a concentrated earful of that T-Bone Walker guitar style. For this reason, I would buy it again if given the choice. But as it stands right now, I can't go through it nearly as quickly as I would have been able to if they would have supplied comprehensive tab. But that's just me."