Guitarists

[sjonathan02]

I am in need of some assistance.

What kind of books would you recommend for intermediate level guitar to develop plectrum technique for sight reading music, chord progression and scales, and proper fingering.

He is currently using the "Complete Mel Bay course of instruction for Guitar".

[Fenix]

Hmm, there is a good website with free e-books for guitar. I will look through and see what you can use.

[Gibby]

I think for the theory part (progressions and such) that's a great book. 

Also there's "Chord progressions" by Ted Greene, but his style of playing is more jazzy with alot of different fingering.

Also the "guitar grimoire" book series are okay.

There are technique books out there and depending on your level of experience the book should suffice, but I recommend that getting a teacher for that topic.  Teachers can see where you're lacking with technique alot easier that you could.

If the guitarist in question is looking forward to playing in church, get him/her a book that deals with jazz and another dealing with rock/metal.

Let me know how that turns out for you Sjon...

[sjonathan02]

I think for the theory part (progressions and such) that's a great book. 

Also there's "Chord progressions" by Ted Greene, but his style of playing is more jazzy with alot of different fingering.

Also the "guitar grimoire" book series are okay.

There are technique books out there and depending on your level of experience the book should suffice, but I recommend that getting a teacher for that topic.  Teachers can see where you're lacking with technique alot easier that you could.

If the guitarist in question is looking forward to playing in church, get him/her a book that deals with jazz and another dealing with rock/metal.

Let me know how that turns out for you Sjon...

Thanks Gibby.

Fenix, get back to me when you can. And, thanks.

[Joey2426]

Check out this website

http://www.jazzguitar.be/top_50_guitar_books.html

[Gibby]

Interesting. And all this time I've been stduying blues and punk-rock. Guess it's time to switch gears. Contemporary gospel does seem to have alot of metal influences. I'm thinking of the guitar solo for martha munizzi's 'no limits' song

I think you need blues for that quartet type style...which I love by the way!

But yeah metal is influencing gospel alot. 

[Fenix]

Yeah I am seeing a bit of shred guitar creeping into gospel. Wassup with that?

[funkStrat_97]

Yeah I am seeing a bit of shred guitar creeping into gospel. Wassup with that?

Rock on dude!

[gtrdave]

Yeah I am seeing a bit of shred guitar creeping into gospel. Wassup with that?

If it's good playing and fits the song, why not?
"Shred" guitar playing should be nothing different than a good fast sax or organ solo.

[funkStrat_97]

But yeah metal is influencing gospel alot. 

To people not used to hearing rock, any hint of a distorted guitar almost instanaly screams "metal" or "hard rock".  But as time has gone on, you will find elements of rock creeping into - shall we say - more urban styles of music and vice-versa. 

[JayP5150]

Like Sister Act... But not catholic... Lol.

[jlynnb1]

I hear some rock influences but metal?? Lol

Does Tye Trib have some drop tuned 8 string riffage with the Satan growls/screams going on?   

[funkStrat_97]

I hear some rock influences but metal?? Lol

Does Tye Trib have some drop tuned 8 string riffage with the Satan growls/screams going on?   

Metal is a distinct subgenre of rock and even than you have various shades (alloys  ) of metal.  I think you'r right that rock is making some inroads into gospel.

[kamalislam18]

After 26 years with Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band, the guitarist is back in "solo mode," touring clubs and working on a CD while the hardworking group is on hiatus.

"It's a big shock to go back to being in charge," admits Lofgren from a house he owns near Washington, D.C. "There's obviously a lot that's involved with that, especially on the club circuit. But that's really good and healthy for me. And I'm singing and playing my own stuff again. I've got a great batch of new songs I'm proud of. So if the phone rings and the E Street Band is working, I will be there with bells on. But there are no plans right now. And I'm not sitting around waiting."

[jlynnb1]

What is weird to me is that most black gospel guitarists idea of a good distortion sound is a Boss metal zone with all highs and and no mids or bottom end....it boggles the mind, lol.

[funkStrat_97]

What is weird to me is that most black gospel guitarists idea of a good distortion sound is a Boss metal zone with all highs and and no mids or bottom end....it boggles the mind, lol.

For that matter, a lot of clean sounds almost all highs.  "Modern" funk guitar tones favor trebly tones with little to no lows and especially mids resulting in a thin, "plinky" tone which is usable for minimalistic chord grooves.  This sound also lends itself to single-coil guitars such as Strats and Teles being quite common.  Basically, it's the funk sound but the problem is that since you can't really hear all the notes being played in a band setting, a lot of guitar players don't really learn more advanced chords since all they can really hear is usually what's being played on the top two strings.  It is fairly recent that fuller sounding EQ's and even tube amps have become more common in gospel/funk guitar.  While solid state amps have long been criticized as being "sterile" (meaning that they just sound wayyyyy too clean - that slight break up is what gives a tube amp its warmth), this quality is actually sought after in funk.  In fact, many a rhythm guitar track has been recorded with little more than the guitar plugged directly into the board.  And what has made this set up work well for so long is the fact that the guitar often has a limited role where as in rock, it's about the guitar, the whole guitar and nothing but the guitar.  Unfortunately, so-called white boy music is not generally socially acceptable with predominantly black audiences but once in a while a (almost always) high-gain solo is alright and this is another tone that tends to be handled relatively well by solid state amps.  It seems that in the minds of may black audiences, a distorted guitar is tantamount to "white" music - well at least that's what the record companies seem to think...but that's another topic unto itself.  And since the guitar is not a featured instrument in this genre, a simple combo will do.  No need for a 4 x 12 cab moving lots of air.  Keyboards and bass are the rule here. 

[jlynnb1]

oh man i totally understand, having played almost exclusively in choirs and stuff for years. Funny thing is when we'd play somewhere there were other groups were performing, it never failed that guys would be trippin over my tone (which wasn't even that great back then) and it was because it was just a good rock tone....not some fizzed out uber-gain thing.

and you are right, it's creeping in more and more on records....but i don't think it will ever be equal to keys drums or bass. even though there are a couple of artists who feature it quite a bit, Israel being one. (but i don't really even consider him gospel, more of an urban influenced P&W)

[gtrdave]

What is weird to me is that most black gospel guitarists idea of a good distortion sound is a Boss metal zone with all highs and and no mids or bottom end....it boggles the mind, lol.

I think the guitar solo to "Easy" by the Commodores is still a classic tone: buzzy but thick.
Metal Zone is a good paperweight. 

[qsark]

These comments are so true.  I've been around "black" gospel music for atleast 25 years.  I never heard anyone ever use any distortion until probably the last 5 years or so.  If you heard the guitar at all, all you pretty much had was that real clean chorus sound with an occasional wah.  Nowadays I hear more and more distortion especially on solos.  I like to use it also.  I've noticed that it tends to hide alot of my missed notes.   

[Fenix]

  I've noticed that it tends to hide alot of my missed notes.   

So true!