Two New Rock Books

from Mel Bay Publications
review by Richard Turner

Our "Featured Product Review" for this issue of Guitar Sessions will address two books in the Mel Bay Guitar University (MBGU) series. Both books feature a companion CD and DVD and at $22.95 each represents great value to the student. I'll first discuss Foundations of Rock: Evolution of Rock Guitar by Nite Driscoll first; then we'll take a look at Foundations of Rock: Guitar Riffs in the Style of the '80s and '90s by Don Lappin.

As a completely proper and arrogant classical guitarist who is also afraid of insects, it is quite an unusual endeavor for me to write about rock books but I have done everything possible to get in the correct frame of mind to tackle this job. Yesterday I bought some unbelievably tight pants and a sleeveless rock star shirt. I also got into the mood by visiting the local piercing and tattoo parlor and got decorated with a wide variety of body art. It seemed that my old prison tattoos which were fine for the big house just wouldn't cut it on the rock circuit. So today I am sore all over from the piercing and tattoos and can't sit down for fear of splitting my new britches.

The last problem that had to be solved before writing this article was that I lack an electric guitar. While I didn't buy a Stratocaster and amp just to review these books, I did decorate my expensive classical guitar with glitter and a huge pickguard. Hopefully the management of Mel Bay Publications will take note and appreciate my devotion to this project.

Author Nite Driscoll divides Foundations of Rock: Evolution of Rock Guitar into three sections: 1.) The CAGED system, 2.) Lick-based exercises, and 3.) Use of the CAGED system and the lick-based exercises in solos ranging from 1950s styles such as Buddy Holly and Chuck Berry through later styles such as those of Yngwie Malmsteen and Joe Satriani.

The CAGED system is based on the common first-position chord shapes of C, A, G, E, and D major. By using these shapes with a left-hand barré we are able to move a given chord shape and key to 5 different positions up the neck of the guitar. The author uses the key of F Major (E chord shape with barré I) to clearly demonstrate this idea.

In each chord position of the CAGED concept we are given an F Major Arpeggio, F Major Scale, F Major Pentatonic, F Major Pentatonic Flat-3, and an F Blues Scale. All of the scales and arpeggios are shown in both staff notation and a fretboard diagram system. Aspiring rock stars would be well advised to spend a few weeks gaining fluency with this concept.

In the DVD demonstration of the CAGED system author Nite Driscoll did not stumble even once!! Clearly, he has practiced a lot and likely even had some lessons somewhere along the line. Such competence can be really annoying to those of us who are clueless.

Section Two of the book contains 31 exercises. These exercises exploit many different facets of string bending, hammering-on, pulling-off, and sliding, and for variety- extending the basic power chord shape. I really got into trouble with the bending exercises by trying them on my decorated classical guitar. No matter how far I tried to push that nylon string, I could only get it to rise about one quarter of a step in pitch.

Checking the DVD I discovered that once again the author "cheats" by using the correct instrument! It really was amazing to see the precise intonation and control that could be achieved using the half-step and whole-step bends. The exercises are well laid out, progressive, and absolutely essential to this style.

I did much better with the hammering on, pulling off, and sliding exercises. In the classical guitar world we, of course, know that ascending and descending slurs or ligado are the proper terms for hammering-on and pulling-off, but once I got over my indignation the exercises went well. The exercises involving sliding up to notes were one of my strengths because I have a lifetime of experience playing the wrong note and then scooting my left-hand finger up to the right fret hoping that it looks deliberate. To do a slide intentionally, however, and not as an accidental necessity might take some work. The extensions of the power chords were fun and with a nice shuffle rhythm I felt like a king of the 12-bar blues form in A.

The biggest section of the book is Section Three. In this section the author explains and demonstrates how the materials in the first two sections are put together to create solos in different historical rock styles. Driscoll covers the styles of Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, Dick Dale, Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Randy Rhoads, Eddy Van Halen, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Yngwie Malmsteen, and Joe Satriani.

In each style, in a very clear presentation we are referred to the exercises earlier in the book that are used in the piece. With the clear notation and tablature, and the excellent DVD presentation the author provides the reader with a lot of help in figuring these tunes out. The CD also provides a complete mix of each tune as well as a rhythm track for play-along.

As a combination of practical methodology and a great historical survey this is an excellent book.

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Next we have Foundations of Rock: Guitar Riffs in the Style of the '80s and '90s by Don Lappin. This book presents 17 different riffs in various recent rock styles. A riff is something like a short piece, but is way cooler and might also be more likely to impress the girls.

Lappin's book is not intended to be a step by step rock method book and would be a great companion repertoire volume to Nite Driscoll's book. The author assumes that the player already knows the applicable scales, chords, and arpeggios and possesses a fair degree of technical facility on the instrument. The riffs range from fairly easy chord-based rhythm pieces such as Living for Daylight to more complicated mixed textures such as those found in Nine Lives. All of the basic sliding, string bending, and slurring exercises come into play in these short pieces.

Center Field, On the Prowl, The Two I Love, and Man Chases the Fox are written in two parts and would be great for playing with a friend. If one has no friends, both parts are given separately on the CD for demonstration and play-along.

In the book, author Don Lappin provides extensive and detailed instructions for setting the amplifier and guitar to achieve the appropriate tone required for the riff He even provides a photograph of the tone controls of the amplifier for those who want a quick reference. Lappin also discusses the various technical aspects of each riff. Left hand, right hand, strumming, picking, rhythm, and any other possible problem areas are explained. Each riff is then presented in staff notation and tablature. Chord charts are given above the staff.

The accompanying CD and DVD are both fantastic. On the CD the author presents the entire mix, the guitar (or guitars) only, and the rhythm track. I was particularly impressed with Mr. Lappin's style of teaching on the DVD. He first demonstrates the riff in a complete mix then explains his concepts clearly and provides an excellent slow demonstration for the student. Foundations of Rock: Guitar Riffs in the Style of the '80s and '90s is one of the most useful instructional DVDs I have seen.

For anyone seeking excellent and detailed instruction in how to achieve the sounds of the '80s and '90s, this is an excellent book.

Richard Turner

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About the Author

After demonstrating an early interest in music with the clarinet and folk guitar, Richard Turner studied classical guitar with George Sakellariou and José Rey de la Torre and received Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Music from San José State University.

Since 1994 Mr. Turner has taught in the large classical guitar program at California State University at Fullerton. Several years ago he revived his early interest in American roots music and developed a course in the history of American folk music which he also teaches at Cal State Fullerton. His instrumental interests are diverse, including classical guitar, slide guitar, banjo, and steel-string fingerpicking and flatpicking styles.