Instructional videos (reviews)

[Dr. Jimmy]

I suggest we make a sticky for reviews of instructional videos. There's a ton of them out there, and it's not easy judging them by what's written on the back of the case. I think it's much better reading what others thought of the videos they've seen. I'll list what I have, with a quick blurb and my rating from 1 to 5 (with 5 being best). Feel free to add to them, or add videos that you own. Here goes:

 

Paul Gilbert - Intense Rock 4 stars. Great player and good at showing and explaining what he does. Lots of cool ideas for picking, and 3 nps scale work. Funny guy too. No tab booklet, the tab is on screen which makes it tough to practice "offline" hence I subtracted 1 star.

Yngwie Malmsteen 3 stars. Like him or not, you can gain something from this. I use it to get some practice ideas. He doesn't explain what he does or why he does it, so use it for practice ideas. Booklet included.

John Petrucci - Rock Discipline 4 stars. WOW! Lots o' info here. I have it on tape, which makes it tough to rw/ff to your favorite spots, so get the DVD instead. Great warmup ideas, and approaches to playing. He presents the material really well and knows what he is talking about. I subtracted a star cause there's just sooo much on this tape it's tough to get through it all at once! Booklet included, but also pick up the book too!

Frank Gambale - Chopbuilder 3 stars. Good tape for getting your chops built up (duh!) not a whole lot more. Use it with the Petrucci tape. Frank isn't the most articulate at times, but does present it well. Booklet included.

Steve Morse - The Complete Styles 5 stars. One of my favorite tapes. Steve puts his ideas across well so you can understand them, he explains the whats and whys, and shows many different styles. Great if you're in a rut and want something to help break out of it. Booklet included.

Duke Robillard - Uptown, Blues, Jazz, Rock and Swing Guitar 5 stars. Pretty much what the title says! Great teacher, presents it well and explains the whats and whys. Booklet included.

Brian Setzer - The Guitar of Brian Setzer 4 stars. Done while he was a Stray Cat, he shows he can play! Explains the material well in a nice easy-going manner. Great rockabilly, rock, blues and jazz ideas to be learned here. Booklet included.

Danny Gatton - Telemaster 3 stars. I was a bit disappointed with this one, he's a great player but has a difficult time explaining what he's doing. Watch it a few times with the booklet and you'll grab some licks, or just watch it and be amazed. Booklet included.

Robin Trower - Classic Blues Rock Guitar 3 stars. One of my favorite players, decent tape. You won't get much theory, but you will get some soloing ideas. Presents the material okay, better to just watch and check the booklet. The live clips are awesome! Booklet included.

Arlen Roth - Slide Guitar with Arlen Roth 5 stars. Arlen is an incredible player and teacher, makes it very easy to understand. Explains different tunings and styles, and plays examples of each. If you want to slide, here's where to begin. Booklet included

Roger McGuinn - The 12 String Guitar of Roger McGuinn 4 stars. Roger shows and explains ideas in a very relaxed manner, I didn't know how good a player he is until I watched this. Booklet included.

Freddie King - Guitar Style 4 stars. Shown by Duke Robillard who really has a grasp on Freddie's style. Again, Duke really presents material well and keeps your interest. Booklet included.

Frank Gambale - Monster Licks and Speed Picking 3 stars. Frank has great ideas for sweeping and alternate ways of playing scales to increase speed, but just isn't articulate enough to put it in words. Sometimes tough to listen to him explain what he's doing. Watch the video and study the booklet, it's easier. Booklet included.

Django Style Gypsy Jazz Guitar - Paul Mehling Lesson 1 Rhythm 4 stars. This dvd is killer! Excellent insight to the Django style of playing, the right hand techniques shown are worth the price of admission! Mehling is a laid back cat who can really play this stuff and explains it well. Booklet Included.

Django Style Gypsy Jazz Guitar - Paul Mehling Lesson 2 Soloing 3 stars. Not as insightful as the first lesson but interesting nonetheless. Some of the techniques shown are really basic (hammer-ons, pulloffs, trills etc...) that most players already know. He's big into "if you can't hear it, don't play it". Still a good lesson, you won't learn any Django licks per se, but you'll learn how to create licks like them.

 

That's what I have for now, feel free to keep this going so others can have a reference. Hope this helps in some way.

[Duivelke]

+1 for this review, i am pretty sure this is helpful for every kind of guitarist

[Dr. Jimmy]

Originally posted by Duivelke +1 for this review, i am pretty sure this is helpful for every kind of guitarist

 

Thanks, it's just so difficult trying to judge whether or not to buy a video by just reading the jacket itself, remember they're trying to sell the video!!!

[guitguy26]

I agree that they should sticky this thread. I had a similar idea a few months ago, I was thinking along the lines of a review database on HC. If this thread does stay on here, I'm definitely going to post a few reviews myself.

[Dr. Jimmy]

 

Originally posted by guitguy26 I agree that they should sticky this thread. I had a similar idea a few months ago, I was thinking along the lines of a review database on HC. If this thread does stay on here, I'm definitely going to post a few reviews myself.

 

 

Cool! Lets keep this thread alive!!!

[amnesiac]

while not marketed as an instructional video...i just got the Charlie Hunter Quintet DVD filmed with 9 cams. It allows you to select camera angle focusing just on Charlie's hands. WOW now you can get alot of ideas here! 5 stars

 

btw that Novax guitar is sumthin

[Davess4]

Awesome Idea!

 

Deserves a sticky if you ask me.

[Dr. Jimmy]

 

Originally posted by Davess4 Awesome Idea! Deserves a sticky if you ask me.

 

 

Cool! How do we go about getting said sticky???

[Dr. Jimmy]

Looks like this one won't get stickied.

[gogo]

Ronnie Earl - Blues Guitar with Soul

5 stars

basic, usuable blues licks & ideas presented clearly & played with passion & great feel

[Auggie Doggie]

 

Originally posted by Dr. Jimmy Cool! How do we go about getting said sticky???

 

 

Only a moderator or administrator can sticky a thread. We haven't got a moderator in this forum.

 

So, I think that means someone needs to email Scott Lehman and request a sticky.

[slindsey]

+1 vote for a review database.....but make it for books, cd's, and videos. There is some great stuff out there---but often it's hard to tell without buying a product by it's cover/description.

[Terje]

A few that I have seen...

 

Bob Brozman, teaches bottleneck guitar on three DVD's or videos. The first one is really good for teachings the basics, although it should perhaps be said that they are the basics as Bob sees them. Nothing wrong with it but he has very clear ideas on how to do things. You may not agree with him and run into trouble later on in the DVD.

 

Overall though, as far slide playing in open tunings are concerned, these DVD's cover a lot of ground. Not just good clean slide playing but lots of fingerings, chord shapes and right hand picking techniques. Plus, Bob's pretty funny and the tapes are entertaining too. He wastes no time on them, he tells stories and jokes as he gives info.

 

Roy Rogers, Slide Guitar For Blues And Rock, (I think that's the correct title) is a really good tape too for covering the basics about slide playing and a little more. Roy covers open E/open D tuning exclusively. He has less fixed ideas on how to do things than Bob Brozman, but he shows a lot of good ideas. Maybe he spends a little too long time playing songs on the tape.

 

Arlen Roth, Advanced Slide Guitar, (guess you're seeing a pattern by now... ) shows some neat tricks for those who already know the basics. Mainly in open E tuning, a little in standard. Some very nice tricks are indeed shown, I haven't worked on them much for guitar. But I have tried some of them on balalajka and this tape actually opened a few doors for me as a slide player on that insttrument.

 

Duke Robillard, The Guitar Style of T-Bone Walker, this one I can watch just for fun. Duke covers T-Bone's entire guitar style and does it extremely well. Again, very little of this has made it into my guitar playing, but my non-slide balalajka playing bears clear signs of a huge impression left on me by the mighty T-Bone. This tape helped me understand a few things. And I can watch it just for fun at times, Duke loves T-Bone as much as I do and we're in total agreement all the time.

 

Albert Collins, interviewed by Keith Wyatt, together with a concert at GIT in LA. Neither the concert nor the gig are that good actually. Well, the interview is nice but adds very little if you already know Albert from the interviews in Guitar Player. But... it's Albert, right? It's fun to watch him anyway.

 

Yeah, I think that was it...

[edeltorus]

Hi folks.

 

Just want to know if I'm the only one who is sceptical about those guitar DVD's. To be fair, I just saw one of them: The Petrucci DVD that get's praised here every once in a while.

 

 

 

The idea to put such stuff on DVD looks good, but in my oppinion DVD's are a bad medium for such stuff. Even worse than books.

 

When you watch a DVD the "teacher" dictates the tempo. With a book on your knees you do it in your own tempo, and it'll be a lot easier and effective to follow.

 

Also DVD's don't tell you if you do it right or wrong. That's the same with books actually, but books are a lot cheaper and cover much more material than you find on an instructional DVD.

 

Does that justifies the high price tag most instructional DVD's have? I don't think so.

 

The lack of feedback with a real teacher is what makes books and dvd's a bad medium to teach beginners or for those books that teach new technics. It's ok to build chops, get ideas and stuff, but all this can't replace a teacher / experienced player.

 

I don't want to diss all DVD's, heck, I've only seen one of them, but I don't get why some people are so obsessed about them

 

Nils

[Dr. Jimmy]

Bump

[NewSc2]

Guitar newbie here, but I think Keith Wyatt's "Getting Started on the Electric Guitar" (Fender) is really great for the beginner.

 

He goes over the major scales and pentatonic scales and common chords and barre chords, and then explains how to put them to use by giving a lessons in Rock, Blues, and Country (rhythm and solo lessons).

 

The lessons are fun to dissect apart because he'll often give you so much info for each lesson that you have to pause and rewind and play along many times per lesson. There were certain issues I was having with barring, bending, and vibrato that I just couldn't pick up from reading books, but he explained them all very well.

[Auggie Doggie]

Originally posted by edeltorus Just want to know if I'm the only one who is sceptical about those guitar DVD's. To be fair, I just saw one of them: The Petrucci DVD that get's praised here every once in a while. I also do not care for the Petrucci video; it's all mechanical exercises, so there's no need for the persona or the visual. But, that's me...and when it comes to music, I'm not a 'visual learner'...lots of other guys feel differently. I WILL give him credit for at least making the video long enough to cover the material from the book. The brief moments of 'performance' are nothing compared to a full-length concert video. Also DVD's don't tell you if you do it right or wrong. That's the same with books actually, but books are a lot cheaper and cover much more material than you find on an instructional DVD. Does that justifies the high price tag most instructional DVD's have? I don't think so. I agree with you that DVD's cost more than they probably should, but compared to the cost of a guitar lesson (or two), it's not unreasonable. No materials will ever replace a teacher...but the materials will last you a lifetime. As the author of several guitar books, I have been asked to start doing DVD's for them on several occasions. The problem is, in order to effectively cover the material for ONE book, it would take many HOURS of video! The medium is not, in my opinion, efficient, either in terms of time & cost or in terms of being 'complete' or 'effective'. Besides, I'm not famous (and never plan on becoming famous)...so nobody knows who I am, and thus nobody really wants to watch me sit and play. I don't want to diss all DVD's, heck, I've only seen one of them, but I don't get why some people are so obsessed about them Nils

 

 

The one thing that a DVD can do that nothing else can is bring your favorite player(s) into your home while talking about/demonstrating your closest common interest. That's inspirational...and there's really no substitute for it (IF what you need is inspiration). There's also the osmosis effect; just sitting there listening/watching, some of it is bound to rub off on you.

 

One thing I will mention is the www.guitarius.net website. He's got a DVD called 'Pick Attack 1' that's pretty inexpensive, as well as a FREE ezine thing called the 'Guitarius Chronicles' that he expects to put out every other month, which is geared toward the dedicated, more serious guitarist. LOTS of great stuff in there...be sure to check it out (if you haven't already).

[Jaggery]

great thread.

 

I have to get one of each.

 

Is there one VHS/DVD that delves into country (electric) styles exlusively?

 

I know Danny Gatton's would be doing it, but he got only 3/5 stars...

 

I am looking for that one definitive tape.

 

Thanks.

[Dr. Jimmy]

Originally posted by Jaggery great thread. I have to get one of each. Is there one VHS/DVD that delves into country (electric) styles exlusively? I know Danny Gatton's would be doing it, but he got only 3/5 stars... I am looking for that one definitive tape. Thanks.

 

I haven't checked it out yet, but I hear the Albert Lee one is pretty good.

[miramadar]

Has anyone seen (and can review) any instructional vids for classical guitar?

[Dr. Jimmy]

I just updated the first post if anyone's interested.

[derek00]

I have quite a few instructional videos and probably the best i have are the 2 Scott Henderson vids. Both 5 stars. Of course they're geared toward jazz fusion improv so they won't teach you how to shred like Yngwie. I got them both together off ebay for about 30 bucks which is a great deal.

[Mr.Mow]

 

Originally posted by NewSc2 Guitar newbie here, but I think Keith Wyatt's "Getting Started on the Electric Guitar" (Fender) is really great for the beginner. He goes over the major scales and pentatonic scales and common chords and barre chords, and then explains how to put them to use by giving a lessons in Rock, Blues, and Country (rhythm and solo lessons). The lessons are fun to dissect apart because he'll often give you so much info for each lesson that you have to pause and rewind and play along many times per lesson. There were certain issues I was having with barring, bending, and vibrato that I just couldn't pick up from reading books, but he explained them all very well.

 

 

I got this one too.. I've only been playing 2 months and have learned everything from this... its awsome, get the DVD version, not the VHS, has a whole lot more.

 

I knew NOTHING when I got my guitar and this DVD.. now I can play basic stuff.. just from the DVD..awesome.. I know like 30 chords, how to bend, alternate picking etc etc.. all good stuff.

 

Now I have a teacher, but this was a great start.

[FIREWIND7]

 

Originally posted by Dr. Jimmy I suggest we make a sticky for reviews of instructional videos. There's a ton of them out there, and it's not easy judging them by what's written on the back of the case. I think it's much better reading what others thought of the videos they've seen. I'll list what I have, with a quick blurb and my rating from 1 to 5 (with 5 being best). Feel free to add to them, or add videos that you own. Here goes: Paul Gilbert - Intense Rock 4 stars. Great player and good at showing and explaining what he does. Lots of cool ideas for picking, and 3 nps scale work. Funny guy too. No tab booklet, the tab is on screen which makes it tough to practice "offline" hence I subtracted 1 star. Yngwie Malmsteen 3 stars. Like him or not, you can gain something from this. I use it to get some practice ideas. He doesn't explain what he does or why he does it, so use it for practice ideas. Booklet included. John Petrucci - Rock Discipline 4 stars. WOW! Lots o' info here. I have it on tape, which makes it tough to rw/ff to your favorite spots, so get the DVD instead. Great warmup ideas, and approaches to playing. He presents the material really well and knows what he is talking about. I subtracted a star cause there's just sooo much on this tape it's tough to get through it all at once! Booklet included, but also pick up the book too! Frank Gambale - Chopbuilder 3 stars. Good tape for getting your chops built up (duh!) not a whole lot more. Use it with the Petrucci tape. Frank isn't the most articulate at times, but does present it well. Booklet included. Steve Morse - The Complete Styles 5 stars. One of my favorite tapes. Steve puts his ideas across well so you can understand them, he explains the whats and whys, and shows many different styles. Great if you're in a rut and want something to help break out of it. Booklet included. Duke Robillard - Uptown, Blues, Jazz, Rock and Swing Guitar 5 stars. Pretty much what the title says! Great teacher, presents it well and explains the whats and whys. Booklet included. Brian Setzer - The Guitar of Brian Setzer 4 stars. Done while he was a Stray Cat, he shows he can play! Explains the material well in a nice easy-going manner. Great rockabilly, rock, blues and jazz ideas to be learned here. Booklet included. Danny Gatton - Telemaster 3 stars. I was a bit disappointed with this one, he's a great player but has a difficult time explaining what he's doing. Watch it a few times with the booklet and you'll grab some licks, or just watch it and be amazed. Booklet included. Robin Trower - Classic Blues Rock Guitar 3 stars. One of my favorite players, decent tape. You won't get much theory, but you will get some soloing ideas. Presents the material okay, better to just watch and check the booklet. The live clips are awesome! Booklet included. Arlen Roth - Slide Guitar with Arlen Roth 5 stars. Arlen is an incredible player and teacher, makes it very easy to understand. Explains different tunings and styles, and plays examples of each. If you want to slide, here's where to begin. Booklet included Roger McGuinn - The 12 String Guitar of Roger McGuinn 4 stars. Roger shows and explains ideas in a very relaxed manner, I didn't know how good a player he is until I watched this. Booklet included. Freddie King - Guitar Style 4 stars. Shown by Duke Robillard who really has a grasp on Freddie's style. Again, Duke really presents material well and keeps your interest. Booklet included. Frank Gambale - Monster Licks and Speed Picking 3 stars. Frank has great ideas for sweeping and alternate ways of playing scales to increase speed, but just isn't articulate enough to put it in words. Sometimes tough to listen to him explain what he's doing. Watch the video and study the booklet, it's easier. Booklet included. Django Style Gypsy Jazz Guitar - Paul Mehling Lesson 1 Rhythm 4 stars. This dvd is killer! Excellent insight to the Django style of playing, the right hand techniques shown are worth the price of admission! Mehling is a laid back cat who can really play this stuff and explains it well. Booklet Included. Django Style Gypsy Jazz Guitar - Paul Mehling Lesson 2 Soloing 3 stars. Not as insightful as the first lesson but interesting nonetheless. Some of the techniques shown are really basic (hammer-ons, pulloffs, trills etc...) that most players already know. He's big into "if you can't hear it, don't play it". Still a good lesson, you won't learn any Django licks per se, but you'll learn how to create licks like them. That's what I have for now, feel free to keep this going so others can have a reference. Hope this helps in some way.

 

 

 

Cool thread. I disagree with some of it though. I have seen clips of the Yngwie one and think it deserves less. He never really slows down enough. Other than that, The Petrucci one I would say 5 stars. Basically it covers everything you can know about some of his style. I haven't seen the Morse video though, but will probably check it out. The Gilbert one- Excellent, and good enough for more intermediate players as well. I'll add a few

 

 

Vinnie Moore (unknown title): I have one of his first for Reh (forgot title sorry) and I like some of what he shows, and even though this seems more intermediate than say Petrucci's, it still goes into some cool licks. (4 out of 5)

 

Chris Impelliterri : (forgot the name as well, they're both dubs)- He seems like a jackass, but its a lot better than Malmsteen, some really crazy sweeps and {censored}- I would recommend it for someone who wants a Malmsteen video, but it actually is probably better than any of his. (4 out of 5)

 

 

George Lynch (just self titled for Reh)- I recently got this- Its somewhat helpful with the booklet, but not very much without. Its a cool video, he seems like a pretty calm and quiet guy, and you get to learn alot of classic solos from him. One of the coolest things is his guitar tone on this video is impeccable (better than any of the aforemention IMO). i give it 4 out of 5 because he's one of my faves (but for most people it would probably be 3 out of 5).

[NewSc2]

Can anybody recommend a DVD for an intermediate guitarist? I can do basic scales and stuff but I haven't been playing for long.

 

I checked out a couple of the videos and it seems like they're for more advanced players. I'm more interested in honing the basics down and learning about a few styles of music