Guitar Concepts DVD by Joe Dochtermann

Joe Dochtermann, author of one of my new favorite books on audio recording and production, was kind enough to send me his new DVD – Guitar Concepts – which is available for purchase on his website.

It’s always interesting to look at a person’s sophomore effort after hitting such a huge home run. Kind of like wondering what the Phillies were going to do after winning the World Series. (They sort of lived up to our expectations. Damn you, Yankees!)

Going into the review I had very high hopes for the DVD since his book on recording was of such high quality. Because I pride myself on always trying to focus on the basics, the fundamentals, any and every beginner or intermediate guitar method piques my interest.

So, with interest piqued, I dove in to see what Dochtermann had to offer us in the DVD world…

The first thing that struck me was the angle the video was recorded. I have never seen an over-the-shoulder camera perspective before. For the first few moments it seemed weird to me, but then it made perfect sense. It’s pretty much the best angle to see what the teacher is doing. Kudos to Dochtermann right off the bat for figuring this out.

I wouldn’t go so far as to call this a “basic” DVD, however; perhaps an high beginner DVD is the best way to describe it. This probably isn’t the DVD for you if you don’t know how to tune your guitar or hold a pick. Intervals, bending, and 6th dyads are covered right off the bat, so you probably need at least some playing under your belt before tackling the content here.

The Chord Shapes section was very good, especially the extreme close-up shots of the fingering. All of the basic chords are covered here, with the goal being to internalize them and burn the chords into your memory.

Chapter 2 – The Chord Scale Connection spends a lot of time in the major pentatonic world, with plenty of blues bends and feel. It’s apparent that Dochtermann lives in the blues rock world. I probably would have liked this section to specify pentatonics a bit more in the title, as it was slightly misleading to me at first. But, the information is good and easy-to-understand, so I’ll give him a pass.

Arpeggios and more chord progressions are shown in the subsequent sections, which really drive home the connection between chords, scales, melody, and arpeggios. It’s nice to see other guitarists spending time teaching this way; we’re a small minority, after all!

One of the chapters focuses on using the material taught by applying them to famous songs. The instruction is very good here, but I wasn’t too sure about the material; as great of a song Sultans of Swing by Dire Straits is, I don’t know how many young players are going to feel inspired by it. For my generation, yes, but for the younger kids perhaps not. He does, however, redeem himself a bit by teaching some Pink Floyd, which is absolutely timeless and good for all ages. AC/DC is on the fence for me, but it is pretty simple stuff. Dochtermann does a good job, however, of demonstrating and explaining both the rhythm and lead parts, so you get plenty of pointers!

I was pleasantly surprised at the last chapter – Guitar Setups. I have never seen anyone put this information on a DVD. It’s something of the guitar tech’s secret handshake, and most guys don’t really want to give away the information. So, I think it’s great that Dochtermann does share this information with us. For me, since I guess I’m a bit more advanced as a player, I found this section to be the highlight of the material covered.

Overall, I think this is a very good addition to the DVD instruction market, and Doctermann can rest assured that the sophomore curse hasn’t bit him in the butt. Another thing to mention is that each order also comes with the ability to download PDF files for the DVD material.

If you are looking for a somewhat beginner DVD that teaches differently, albeit effectively, then I encourage you to check out Guitar Concepts. Here are a few youTube examples from the DVD. Enjoy!

Guitar Concepts DVD by Joe Dochtermann is a post from: Fretterverse.com: Guitar Blog | guitar news & reviews, amps, effects, guitars, music theory, guitar lessons. If you are reading this on a site that is not Fretterverse.com, it's been ripped. Please come to the real Fretterverse.com.

Well, a new DVD has come out recently that will hopefully change that.

Every Monday night, Les took over the Iridium Jazz Club in New York City for a jam session, which usually includes any and all of the great names in music. You name the person, he was either on stage playing with Les or in the audience stealing secrets from him.

Les Paul – Live in New York is a concert DVD collection of Les’ final live performances, filmed at the Iridium in honor of his 90th birthday. With special guest performances and interviews with the likes of Steve Miller, Tommy Emmanuel, Keith Richards, and Bonnie Raitt, one only has to imagine how great this DVD is.

Well, you really don’t have to imagine it, you can watch it. Such is the miracle of modern technology. This 120-minute DVD features a full complement of musical talent (over 21 songs are performed), and a bonus feature includes nine full songs of audio.

Les Paul with his Les Paul

What I really love about the DVD isn’t necessarily the music – though believe me when I tell you that the playing is phenomenal. No, what I really love the most are the interactions between Les and the other musicians, as well as Les and the audience. It’s very easy to see why everyone loved Les; a true musical genius and very gracious and larger-than-life personality. You can tell just by watching him perform that he absolutely loves guitar and music. He truly does say more with far fewer notes than the rest of us.

You can also tell how much the audience loves and appreciates Les. Shots of the audience during the performances show an adoring crowd hanging on every word and note. Certainly, most of us could only wish for that.

Fans of Les Paul will certainly appreciate this DVD, and so recommending it to them is a no-brainer. For the rest of the guitarists out there, however, who probably don’t know much about Les past the guitar named after him, I highly recommend picking this up. Not only will you see a true guitar master at work, but you’ll understand how it’s really about what you say and not how fast or distorted you say it. Even with crippling arthritis in his fingers he still manages to speak volumes with only a few simple note choices. We could only be so lucky as to have his talent, but we can certainly appreciate his contribution by watching him perform.

Les Paul – Live in New York (DVD) is a post from: Fretterverse.com: Guitar Blog | guitar news & reviews, amps, effects, guitars, music theory, guitar lessons. If you are reading this on a site that is not Fretterverse.com, it's been ripped. Please come to the real Fretterverse.com.

40 years since its inception, Rush continues to defy the odds and push the envelope, with their legions of fans champing at the bit for any and every piece of music and information they can get their hands on. Recently, two die-hard Rush fans took on the responsibility of chronicling the band’s history. The result is a two-DVD masterpiece called Rush – Beyond the Lighted Stage.

With original drummer John Rutsey

I learned a lot about the band I love so much, such as the reason why Rutsey had to leave the band after their debut album. Interviews with other bands and musicians show the huge influence Rush has had over the years; Billy Corgan, Jack Black, Gene Simmons, Trent Reznor, Mike Portnoy, Les Claypool, and others pay homage to the band that inspired them.

There is also a lot of live concert footage, interviews with Lee and Lifeson, and a virtual album-by-album discussion of Rush’s history. I was especially pleased with the discussion of my favorite Rush album, Hemispheres. I was also happy to see how the producers handled the delicate topic of drummer Neal Peart losing his daughter and wife within the same year. It was a very difficult period for Peart, and at that time no one knew (not even the band) if Rush would ever record again. I was glad to see that this period in their history was included, and that it was handled delicately and honestly.

The greatest band ever!

Even if you are not a big fan of the band, you would benefit from learning about how this band went from playing church basements to being the #3 in the world for most consecutive gold and/or platinum CDs (behind The Beatles and The Rolling Stones). Yeah, bet you didn’t know that, did you? I highly recommend you pick up this DVD and check it out. You will not be disappointed.

On a side note, the fact that Rush has not yet been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is both sad and alarming. It would be nice if the committee – whose collective heads are obviously up each other’s asses – would finally admit to and recognize the significance and influence this band has had on generations of fans and musicians. To ignore their contribution is a travesty and just goes to show you how clueless “the man” really is.

Rush – Beyond the Lighted Stage (DVD) is a post from: Fretterverse.com: Guitar Blog | guitar news & reviews, amps, effects, guitars, music theory, guitar lessons. If you are reading this on a site that is not Fretterverse.com, it's been ripped. Please come to the real Fretterverse.com.

So when my martial arts teacher told me about a “great movie with tons of music in it that I would really like” I was skeptical to say the least. Not that the movie wouldn’t be good by normal-people standards, just that I would probably hate it. However, my teacher has never really steered me wrong, and just about all of the recommendations for books, movies, and music he has given to me have paid off ten-fold. Given his track record I decided to check it out. The movie? “Once.” The verdict? Let’s find out…

“Guy” Meets “Girl”

"Guy" and "Girl"

Once is the story of an Irish vacuum repairman-cum-busker — “Guy” (played by Glen Hansard of The Frames) — who spends his lunch breaks playing his songs on the streets of Dublin. One day, “Girl” stops to listen to his emotionally-fueled songs and is intrigued. A conversation ensues, and when she finds out that he is also a vacuum repairman, she asks to bring her vacuum to his shop to be fixed.

After some small talk, Girl reveals that she is also a musician, which prompts Guy to ask her to play for him. They go to a music store where she starts to play — very well, of course. His interest piqued, Guy starts to show her one of the songs he wrote (“Falling Slowly”). She immediately picks up on the song and provides some vocal harmonies. As predicted, musical magic is made and we’re off to the races.

Yes, There is a Plot

There is a lot of romantic subtext running throughout the film that helps to make the movie interesting and not High School Musical 3. The story is very well put-together, the characters are flawed and endearing, and the slight twist to the ending makes for a relateable, and loveable, film.

What I absolutely love the most about the movie is that the movie is a vehicle for the songs. Whereas most movies have soundtracks to complement the visuals, “Once” really is all about the music, and the music is great.

More Than Just a Movie

I won’t spoil it for you, but there is an even more interesting twist to the movie that involves real life and not the movie itself. I’ll leave it to you all to find out what it is; it’s quite cool!

The Second Greatest Guitar Movie, Ever! is a post from: Fretterverse.com: Guitar Blog | guitar news & reviews, amps, effects, guitars, music theory, guitar lessons. If you are reading this on a site that is not Fretterverse.com, it's been ripped. Please come to the real Fretterverse.com.

Ravi - Host of Learn Guitar in 21 Days

If you are a beginning guitarist, or someone who hasn’t even picked up a guitar yet and isn’t quite sure where to start, there is a DVD that can help you: Ravi’s Learn Guitar in 21 Days.

Developed by Guitar Lab and developed on the TrueFire platform, this DVD claims to be a sure-fire method for quickly getting the skills needed to play thousands of songs on both electric and acoustic guitar.

Can it be done?

The Introduction

The DVD begins with a lengthy but important introduction by the host – Ravi. Some important distinctions and goals are defined here; he’s not claimed to be able to teach you scales, arpeggios, and soloing. Ravi sets out a very specific goal of teaching you eight basic chords and strumming patterns, and how to play simple chord progressions that are found in many songs. This is at the heart of his claim that you can learn thousands of songs by the time your work with the DVD is finished.

Curriculum

Split screen video gives great close-ups

Ravi does an excellent job of explaining where each finger should go, how to position your fingers, and how to strum the chord. It’s a progressive learning model, so you will continue to reinforce previously-learned material at the same time as learning new material.

All of the chords are simple – C, G, Em, Dm, Am, etc. There are no surprises here, but for the beginning guitarist (as we all know) these are the most important chords they need to satiate that instant gratification part of our personalities. And the split-screen provides very nice close-ups of the hand and fingers, so the viewer knows exactly where the fingers need to go and what the shape is supposed to look like. The angles they chose to shoot at are great, too, so the viewer doesn’t have to try and look around the hand in order to see exactly what is going on.

Extras

The acoustic guitar view

As with all of the Guitar Lab DVDs, you also have access to a host of extras. In this DVD the extras come in the form of chord charts and a song reference guide. You can print them out and refer to them as you are going through the material, especially when you are practicing away from the DVD player.

But Does It Work?

So the question really boils down to whether or not a beginning guitar student can really learn to play guitar in 21 days. Well, I think the answer is both yes and no. It’s going to take longer than 21 days to really get the chords under the fingers and be able to move between them effortlessly, especially when playing songs. However, I do truly think that the curriculum has been set up well enough that after 21 days a dedicated student should have all of the chords memorized and with a little bit of effort be able to hack their way through most songs. Of course, there is also the caveat of each student’s ability to memorize the chord progressions and strumming patterns!

Overall, I think this is an excellent DVD for the beginning guitar student. You won’t get theory, you won’t learn how to read music, and you won’t learn any whammy bar tricks or pinched harmonics, but you will learn the fundamentals of playing guitar and how to quickly and efficiently start playing; that is the whole point, isn’t it?

Ravi’s Learn Guitar in 21 Days is a post from: Fretterverse.com: Guitar Blog | guitar news & reviews, amps, effects, guitars, music theory, guitar lessons. If you are reading this on a site that is not Fretterverse.com, it's been ripped. Please come to the real Fretterverse.com.

Chris Buono - Host of 50 Rock Licks You Must Know

Produced by Guitar Lab and distributed by eMedia, the 50 Guitar Licks You Must Know DVD series brings together a collection of well-known guitar teachers with diverse playing backgrounds, offering the viewer the chance to learn from the pros.

Complete with backing tracks, tab, and notation, the 50 licks series is a great way for beginning guitarists to quickly get some chops under their belts and integrate them into their playing.

Here’s a quick review of each of the five DVD’s in the series:

Rock Guitar

Hosted by Chris Buono, the 50 Rock Guitar Licks You Must Know DVD is jam-packed with great stuff. Rock, metal, fusion, and blues licks are all covered here, including hammer-ons and pull-offs, slides, bends, pedal tones, and legato playing.

You’re going to get a lot out of this DVD; Chris does a great job of explaining what he’s doing and how to execute each lick correctly. What I like most about the DVD is the wide variety of information Chris has assembled. He’s definitely done his homework and presented a well-rounded group of licks for aspiring rock players to learn.

Blues Guitar

Bluesman Jeff McErlain has assembled some very nice material in the 50 Blues Guitar Licks You Must Know DVD. As with Chris Buono, Jeff presents the material very well and does a great job of explaining what he’s doing.

There is just a little bit of crossover with the Rock Guitar DVD. I could see some of these licks actually being on the rock DVD and vice-versa, so kudos to Guitar Lab for being cognizant of what’s in each one and not repeating themselves.

This is perhaps my second favorite DVD in the series, as “traditional” blues isn’t really my strong suit and I wouldn’t mind having a few of these licks in my arsenal. They aren’t difficult, but I believe they are essential.

Jazz Guitar

The consummate jazz educator, Frank Vignola has produced yet another important instructional DVD for the beginning jazz guitarist. 50 Jazz Guitar Licks You Must Know is an interesting look at some very simple yet effective runs that can be quickly incorporated and used in your improvisation.

The narrative left just a little to be desired and could have stood a bit more creativity. Although it was just a tad tiring to listen to all of Frank’s quips about how important each lick is, don’t overlook the importance of the material he’s teaching.

This is, perhaps, the most basic instruction of all of the DVD series, so if you are just starting out in learning jazz guitar, this is a perfect place to start.

Country Guitar

Country legend Joe Dalton hosts the 50 Country Guitar Licks You Must Know DVD, and it is my favorite in the group. Country guitar is absolutely a weak point in my playing, but I’m completely fascinated by country players and wish I was better at it. Luckily, Joe Dalton’s DVD came along and I have at the very least a jump-off point.

Great instruction, broken down very well, and lots of variety in the material presented. The only flaw I found in this DVD was a production flub in the recording that should have been edited out but wasn’t. It doesn’t detract from the DVD at all in terms of quality, but it is just a tad bit unprofessional for an otherwise great series.

I suspect this DVD will be played a lot in my house as I try to nail that chickin’ pickin’!

Acoustic Guitar

I’m sorry to say it, but 50 Acoustic Guitar Licks You Must Know is my least favorite of the group. Although guitarist Rich Maloof seems to be a great player and does an excellent job of teaching the licks he chose for the DVD, the content itself seems to lend itself more to learning riffs that you can’t really use. They seem more like material that one would write in a song rather than licks you can steal and inject into your own playing.

Don’t get me wrong; the licks are cool and some of the material would make for excellent song ideas, but overall I just don’t see how some of the stuff can be used in an improvisation context. If you are looking for inspiration, this DVD is ideal. If you are looking for stuff to use for your next bluegrass head-cutting session, I’m not sure this will help you.

The Verdict?

A screen shot of the 50 guitar licks DVD

Overall, I’m very impressed with the amount of material and quality of instruction that is presented. Beginner guitar students should definitely consider picking these titles up; Intermediate guitarists will probably find a few things worth grabbing.

I hope the Guitar Lab folks expand this product line to include a few more DVDs, maybe keeping with the same genres but expanding them into more intermediate and advanced concepts. Perhaps a “50 Jazz Guitar Comping Licks” DVD would be cool!

Just a thought…

50 Guitar Licks You Must Know DVD Series is a post from: Fretterverse.com: Guitar Blog | guitar news & reviews, amps, effects, guitars, music theory, guitar lessons. If you are reading this on a site that is not Fretterverse.com, it's been ripped. Please come to the real Fretterverse.com.

In 1981, Ted Greene published his book “Chord Chemistry” as an answer to our comping woes. Long considered the be-all-end-all, definitive resource, it’s been a long time since a worthy product has come to market to challenge Greene’s hold on the chord universe.

Enter Frank Vignola‘s “Inversion Excursion” DVD…

Volume 1 – Major Chord Inversions – is not a DVD that you sit back and watch for entertainment purposes; this is a DVD that you have your guitar in hand, actively playing and practicing along with. In just over 1.5 hours Vignola breaks down virtually every conceivable basic chord inversion you can think of in most of the available string groups. Bear in mind that we’re talking simple stuff here, folks; you won’t see piano voicings, large stretches, or exotic alterations. What you will see, however, are workhorse chords that will create an excellent foundation to jump off from.

The DVD also includes access to the material in PDF format, covering all of the fingerings shown by Vignola, as well as an “Improvisation Theory” PDF and MP3 audio file.

I find this DVD to be suitable for beginning guitarists, and also for intermediate-level players that need the occasional refresher. Though certainly not as comprehensive as Greene’s Chord Chemisty (still safe as the definitive resource for now) I think the Inversion Excursion series is off to a great start, and if Vignola continues along this path it’s going to be a major contender and, quite possibly, the go-to resource for learning chords.

Inversion Excursion, Volume 1: Major Chord Inversions – by Frank Vignola (DVD) is a post from: Fretterverse.com: Guitar Blog | guitar news & reviews, amps, effects, guitars, music theory, guitar lessons. If you are reading this on a site that is not Fretterverse.com, it's been ripped. Please come to the real Fretterverse.com.

Meshuggah!

Riding the wave of success from their 2008 CD ObZen, the Swedish quintet went out on tour and filmed their shows in order to create one of the best live DVDs I have ever seen or heard. I will even step out on a limb here and say that it’s the second best I’ve ever seen.

(Rush in Rio DVD holds top honors in my opinion.)

The DVD

12 songs filmed in multiple cities, beautifully filmed and with amazing sounding audio. Meshuggah and company really spent a lot of time and energy getting everything right. Perfect mixes, lots of great band shots from multiple angles and, of course, the great music that Meshuggah is known for.

The song list for the DVD is:

• Perpetual Black Second
• Pravus
• Bleed
• New Millennium Cyanide Christ
• Stengah
• The Mouth Licking What You’ve Bled
• Electric Red
• Rational Gaze
• Lethargica
• Combustion
• Humiliative
• Straws Pulled at Random

The masters of metal, chillin'.

Blistering would be a good way to describe the energy from both the band and the audiences. Even the typically reserved Japanese crowd seemed to ignore their cultural proclivities and let the music take control of their souls.

The best song on the DVD is Bleed, but that’s probably because it’s my favorite Meshuggah song. Filmed in New York in a small club, I literally got chills several times, and that rarely happens to me when watching something that’s not a live performance.

My only complaint about the DVD — and this is coming solely from a selfish guitar player perspective — is that there were not nearly enough close-ups of what guitarists Mårten Hagström and Fredrik Thordendal were doing. Though I have not seen them play live (yet) I can certainly imagine how amazing it would be to see what they do up close. But I get it; this is a DVD for everyone, not just us guitar wankers.

The CD

Also recorded during the tour, the CD features the same 12 songs as the DVD but in a different order. I’m not sure why they did it that way, but it doesn’t matter.  I’ve been listening to the CD constantly since the DVD finished playing and it sounds incredible! Again, great audio engineering for a mid-budget (I assume) live CD.

Bonus Features

The DVD offers four bonuses: The video for the song Bleed from ObZen; A “Making of Bleed” behind-the-scenes mini-documentary; a quick guitar tour; a drum tour.

The guitar tour was somewhat disappointing. It was very short, hosted by the Meshuggah guitar tech, and didn’t really offer too much information. I would have liked to hear more about their custom 8-string guitars, tuning, and what amps and effects they use. (Yeah, I know… it says “guitar tour” not “guitar, amp, and effects tour. A guy can still wish, however…)

The Verdict?

If you are a fan of Meshuggah, or a fan of metal, or you just have some extra money lying around, you would be a fool to not run right out and purchase Alive. I would be very surprised if this doesn’t become one of the top 10 metal DVD/CD packages of the 2000′s.

In other words, GO OUT AND BUY IT!

Meshuggah: Alive (Live DVD and CD) is a post from: Fretterverse.com: Guitar Blog | guitar news & reviews, amps, effects, guitars, music theory, guitar lessons. If you are reading this on a site that is not Fretterverse.com, it's been ripped. Please come to the real Fretterverse.com.

The DVD features Paul performing excerpts from the 11 songs on the Silence CD, and then some breakdowns of the song ideas where he teaches you how to play them. I like that he shows different parts from each song and explains the techniques he’s using so he’s not just covering the same licks over and over again.

Paul’s overall demeanor was very enthusiastic and catchy; you could tell that he is still quite passionate about the guitar and loves to play and share what he knows with his viewers/fans.

DVD Extras

One great feature of the DVD is that Paul included not only tab for everything he played, but he also included jam tracks so you can practice his stuff on your own. I remember commenting as I watched the DVD that it would be a great addition to have jam tracks included, and lo and behold there are there, indeed! Kudos to Paul for having the forethought to include them.

The end of the DVD included a “Shred Annex” where Paul shows you how to play 12 shred licks – one for each of the 12 keys. He plays them fast, then slows them down so you can see what he’s doing, and then fast again. A cool value-add feature! He has also included a few live performance videos that you can watch, which are a bit on the amateur videography side but are still very nice additions.

Was There a Downside?

Well, yes and no. If I had known beforehand that the DVD was going to be a “how to play my songs” DVD, I probably would not have picked it up. I’m usually not one for learning other people’s songs (unless they are jazz standards) and so, armed with a little more information I may have passed on the purchase. If you are a fan of Paul’s music or you want some new shred guitar ideas to add to your arsenal, however, by all means you should pick this up.

Second, the superimposed photo backgrounds were, at times, a bit distracting. I totally get the fun-loving vibe that Paul likes to portray, but a few of the chosen images seemed to detract from watching what Paul was playing.

The biggest disappointment for me was towards the end of the DVD when he goes on to explain that he’s a bit at a loss for playing in the key of Bb. He’s been a professional musician for over 20 years and has never bothered to cover material in the most prominent blues key signature, especially considering the fact that he’s such a blues-oriented rock player. One would assume – at least I did all these years – that he would have learned and practiced all of his material in all 12 keys. Perhaps it’s my love for jazz guitar that makes this somewhat blasphemous to me. I should also note that playing in Bb is not really any different from playing in any other key, so I’m not sure where the confusion lies.

But, those criticisms notwithstanding I found the DVD to be highly entertaining and enjoyable, and shred guitar fans will not be disappointed or feeling shorted for a lack of things to work on.

Paul Gilbert: Silence Followed By a Deafening Roar (Instructional DVD) is a post from: Fretterverse.com: Guitar Blog | guitar news & reviews, amps, effects, guitars, music theory, guitar lessons. If you are reading this on a site that is not Fretterverse.com, it's been ripped. Please come to the real Fretterverse.com.

Now, if you think I’m talking about the Britney Spears mess of a movie that came out a little while ago, I suggest you back away from your monitor because I’m about to come through it and slap the hell out of you. No, I’m talking about the Ry Cooder-composed, Karate Kid Ralph Macchio-acted, and Steve Vai-special guest appearanced masterpiece that sent everyone back to their rooms crying like little schoolchildren because they realized they had a LONG way to go.

The Cliff Notes

Ralph Macchio plays Eugene Martone, a classical guitar major at a fine arts school who is obsessed with blues guitar, more specifically with Robert Johnson and his “lost” songs. Eugene sets out on a mission to find those lost songs – and the secret to playing the blues – by breaking blues harpist Willie Brown (played by Joe Seneca) out of an old folks home in hopes that Willie will help him find the lost songs.

What ensues is basically 90+ minutes of absolutely fantastic music, some well-crafted narratives of coming-of-age, dealing with advanced age, love found and lost, and the quest to become a great guitar player.

The Opinion

Music aside, I have to say that the producers of the film actually did a good job – certainly better than most – in making it look like Ralph Macchio is actually playing the guitar. Though it wasn’t perfect, short of having an actual guitar player in the lead role it’s the closest I’ve ever seen and it’s not bad. I’m not the best at suspending disbelief just for the sake of a movie, so it was a welcome surprise.

There is plenty of music – GREAT MUSIC – to be enjoyed not just by guitar players but by everyone and the screenwriters took a nice piece of historical fiction and turned it into a well-crafted plot. (Remember when movies actually involved a plot and not just 90 minutes of CGI explosions? Those were the days…)

The Duel

Especially for you younger folks, if you have not seen this movie you really ought to. Unfortunately, I’m a bit of a jerk and am going to blow the best part of the movie for you by showing it to you below (the guitar duel between Macchio’s and Vai’s characters). Hopefully, however, you’ll be inspired by watching it to go out and see the whole thing. For every guitarist I’ve ever spoken to that has watched the movie, it’s pretty much all about the guitar duel, so at the very least you’ll get a huge kick out of how us older folks were entertained “back in the day.”

Buy it Now!

The Greatest Guitar Movie, Ever? is a post from: Fretterverse.com: Guitar Blog | guitar news & reviews, amps, effects, guitars, music theory, guitar lessons. If you are reading this on a site that is not Fretterverse.com, it's been ripped. Please come to the real Fretterverse.com.