Review: Zen Guitar

Subject: Review: Zen Guitar
From: Amos
Date: 02 Mar 04 - 10:34 PM

One review of this book, which has been recommended by a bright guitar student of mine:

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

Guitar Instruction for the Soul, December 28, 2001



Reviewer: Russell Diederich (see more about me) from Littleton, CO United States
"Zen Guitar" is one of the best instructional books that I have found for the guitar. Although this book will not teach you how to make a 7b5 chord or how to play a Mixolydian scale it is not any less important. "Zen Guitar" teaches the way of the guitar, the mental aspect needed to play the guitar. There are so very few souls that are born to play the guitar. Many may have the technical ability to play like Stevie Ray Vaughan, but few could ever hope to radiate music like he did without help.

Philip Toshio Sudo provides that help by exploring Eastern philosophies in respect to playing guitar and making music. There are over sixty lessons contained in this book, each short and containing only one point so the simple meaning is not lost in the explanation. Many guitarists become hung up on stupid, meaningless things that prevent one from fulfilling their guitar ability. The lessons that Sudo teaches point out these hang ups and explain the mental attitude that is required to reach your full potential.

Not only will Sudo's work help a guitarist to see the light, but the lessons that he teaches can be used in every day life. He has done a good job in distilling the complicated thoughts of the Taoism so a Western mind can readily understand this foreign way of thinking. Every guitarist who ever talks about becoming better, or hack that just "doodles" on the fretboard, should buy this book and take the lessons to heart. "Zen Guitar" will open your mind and let guitar flow from your heart. You will become a better player, and if you take Sudo's teachings to heart, you will notice improvement outside the realm of guitar as well.

See the Amazon listing at:

Amazon Listing

Sounds like a close try for a paperback version of our Rick!

A

Subject: RE: Review: Zen Guitar
From: GUEST,Martin Gibson
Date: 02 Mar 04 - 10:41 PM

Yeah, but does it have any twang?

Subject: RE: Review: Zen Guitar
From: Amos
Date: 02 Mar 04 - 10:44 PM

I dunno -- what does one string twanging sound like?

A

Subject: RE: Review: Zen Guitar
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 03 Mar 04 - 04:41 AM

Plunk! - sorry, that's one's flat!

Subject: RE: Review: Zen Guitar
From: GUEST,MCP
Date: 03 Mar 04 - 06:37 AM

There's a related web site at The Zen Guitar Dojo

Mick

Subject: RE: Review: Zen Guitar
From: dwditty
Date: 03 Mar 04 - 06:58 AM

I liked this book alot. Of course, the family is a bit concerned that all I wear now is pink pajamas.

Subject: RE: Review: Zen Guitar
From: GUEST,Van
Date: 03 Mar 04 - 12:12 PM

Who wants to play like Stevie Ray Vaughan? If one pompous a******e plays in a forest does anyone hear. (Or care)

Subject: RE: Review: Zen Guitar
From: Bobjack
Date: 03 Mar 04 - 12:15 PM

Is a Zen guitar a Japanese copy of a Fender then?