There are a variety of
resources available for instructional material. The internet
resources have already been mentioned above. Here is a listing of
other resources you might want to check out.
Web and
Mail Order Companies
The Internet is great for
getting tablature and lyrics, but when you want video tapes, audio
tapes, and authorative transcriptions of your favorite artists, mail
order is the way to go. Many of these sources now have web for
you to review what they have to offer. Eventually they will all
allow you to order directly from the web, but for now, most still
require you to call to place an order.
Homespun
Tapes
Homespun Tapes is run by Happy Traum,
who has been producing quality instructional tapes for quite a
while. His mail-order catalog contains lessons in all styles of
guitar, both electric and acoustic, as taught by popular guitarists.
The catalog contains over 150 video tape lessons, as well as audio
tape lessons, books, and various musical supplies. See some reviews of his tapes on this
site.
Homespun Tapes
Box 694
Woodstock, NY 12498
Phone: 1-800-338-2737
Fax: 1-914-246-5282
Stefan
Grossman's Guitar Workshop
Stefan Grossman's
Guitar Workshop is a mecca for fingerstyle videos in blues, ragtime,
celtic, and jazz. But his forte is country blues, so if you want
to learn the styles of Blind Blake, Rev. Gary Davis, or Big Bill
Broonzy, this is the place to go. He also has a circle of
friends who provide lessons in a variety of styles from country blues
to jazz. People like Duck Baker, Leo Wijnkamp, and David Laibman
contribute to many of the instructional tapes. (You often see
these same people in Fingerstyle Guitar magazine, giving Master
Workshops as well.)
Stefan
Grossman's Guitar Workshop
P.O. Box 802
Sparta, NJ 07871
Phone: (201) 729-5544
Fax: (201) 726-0568
Additional
Mail Order Options:
Elderly Instruments
Accent on Music
Other Resources
There are, of
course, other resources for obtaining instructional material for
guitar. The following sources generally won't give you a wide
variety of topics to choose from, but you may get lucky and find
something useful every once in a while.
Local
Library
Your local
public library usually has some guitar books, and a nice collection
of records and/or CD's. You certainly can't beat the price.
Local
Video Store
Instructional
videos have been known to be hiding out in video store rental
bins. And since they don't make for prime Friday or Saturday
night viewing, they are usually available. :-)
Local
Bookstores
Many of the
larger bookstores will carry guitar instruction books, and other
material relating to guitar.
Magazines
Almost every guitar oriented magazine on the market has a column
dedicated to guitar instruction. They will often describe a
technique or style, and then provide a piece of music (standard
notation and tablature) that demonstrates that technique. See
the section of this FAQ that lists popular guitar magazines for more
information.
