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Terry Downs Music Guitar Styles of Roy Nichols
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Reviews
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Views
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Date of last review
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14
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9002
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Sun August 27, 2006
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Recommended By
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Average Price
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Average Rating
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100% of reviewers
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$39.96
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5.6
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Author
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Johnny Isaacs
Registered: March 2003
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Posts: 1674
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Review Date: Sat December 13, 2003
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: $39.95
| Rating: 5
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Pros:
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Video is shot from looking down at the neck of the guitar like you'd be looking at it. Think
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Cons:
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None that I've found
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After having this DVD for two weeks, I can't rave enough about the Roy Nichols Instructional DVD by TDPer Terry Downs. To be quite honest, *most* instructional videos are fun to watch, but you really have to work to learn something. Not with this one. His approach is really simple and the video is shot from looking down over the neck of the guitar - like you would be looking at your own guitar. I still don't know why no one has ever thought of this before!
Anyhow, for those of you who love Redd Volkaert's playing - Roy Nichols is one of his favorites. Roy played for many years with Merle Haggard and on many of his records.
I highly recommend this DVD to anyone who wants to improve their playing. The DVD comes with a practice CD to play along with and a complete TAB book for everything on the video.
The video focus on his technique first, showing some Roy-type licks (including some theory) then moves on to the songs themselves.
The DVD is divided up by chapters so you can skip around.
There's a tablature book that comes with everything that shows all the songs plus the theory behind them. Another thing I like about the book, is that it's a regular full-sized book. It's not like those little badly printed books you get with most instructional videos.
I'd like to point out that the proceeds from the sale of the DVD go directly to Roy Nichols' widow. Roy passed away last year with many medical bills.
You can check out his website at http://www.terrydownsmusic.com
Johnny Isaacs
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Myspace music page
I've never trusted a guitar player who hasn't licked a few 9volts...
Famous last words...... after this one, no new Tele's!
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Adrian Wulff
Registered: December 2004
Posts: 11
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Review Date: Thu December 23, 2004
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: $39.95
| Rating: 5
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Pros:
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Simple, broad concepts that can be applied to a lot of styles and situations,
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Cons:
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None
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Terry is a gifted teacher who has clarity and humility AND great chops. This package is a great deal with the DVD, the tab booklet, and the cd of back-up tracks. He gets into the fundementals of Roy Nichols sound (chicken-pickin', pre-bend and release, and use of diminished and augmented arpeggios) as well as breaking down some of Roy's best solos. Buy this DVD so he can make another one of Roy Nichols music. This package is essential to any picker who wants to play real honky-tonk guitar.
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gopop
Registered: February 2005
Location: Central Texas
Posts: 69
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Review Date: Tue February 8, 2005
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: $39.95
| Rating: 5
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Pros:
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An excellent presentation that leaves you wanting more.
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Cons:
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None
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I've spent over thirty years chasing the Roy Nichols sound. I'm not at all embarrassed to say that. Nichols' music is a fusion of country, dixieland, pop, jazz, bebop, southern rock, and, lest we forget the polka fans, there was that "Workin' Man Blues" thing. Whether he was milking half notes at a 60 time signature or scorching the fretboard with sixteenth note runs at 200, Nichols could play more music with fewer notes than anyone I've ever heard. Reproducing that sound has seemed impossible. Get the notes right, the phrasing is just a little off. Jump into one of those machinegun-like runs and stop half way through, scratching your head saying, "I can't believe he resolved it that way."
Then along comes a guy I've never heard of, Terry Downs. I found him at http://www.terrydownsmusic.com. He makes some ridiculous claim about some knowledge of Roy Nichols' music. Well, Ive got a closet full of junk I've bought from "musicians" making the same claim, and I'm not gonna fall for this one. But he's got this FREE download of a lesson from his DVD, and I've got nothing but time on my hands....so right off the bat, I've got a new technique - extend your right arm; bring the heel of your right hand sharply back to your forehead; then mumble, "So THAT'S why it never quite sounded right." Beleive me, Terry's on to something here.
It's worth every bit of forty bucks for an accurate transcription of "Stealin' Corn." "But wait," as they say in the TV infomercials, "there's more!" A lot more. Terry has produced the quintessential Roy Nichols study. Terry has the knowledge. Terry has the chops. Terry can teach. As mentioned before, these transcrtiptions are accurate (none of the four dotted eighth notes to the 2/4 measure that we're all sick of). His over-the-shoulder view of the fretboard eliminates so much of the confusion of learning a lick from another guitarist. And, (I believe I'm accurate here), Terry never mentions the word "theory." Yet in a weeks' time, I truly believe I can resolve any note, in any key, from anywhere on the fretboard.
Terry Downs'"The Guitar Styles of Roy Nichols" isn't just about memorizing a few leads. Regardless the style guitar you want to play, this production leaves you with tools you can take to the stage....right now. Baby, that's bang for your guitar buck. Quit noodlin' around. Order it!
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The question never asked: "Is that the rhythm player's Porsche?"
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ptele
Registered: March 2005
Location: chico, ca
Posts: 7
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Review Date: Tue March 8, 2005
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: $39.95
| Rating: 5
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Pros:
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great visuals
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Cons:
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none
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This is perhaps the best instsructional video I have watched, and by far the best country guitar style instructional video to date. The visuals are clear with a "bird's eye" view of the instructor's fretting hand. The material is presented in a very easy going manner which is easy to follow. Enough material is presented to get to the core of Roy's approach to the guitar but not to much material as to overwhelm the student.
Philip
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TexasCherokeeMusic
Registered: May 2005
Posts: 1
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Review Date: Fri May 20, 2005
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: $40.00
| Rating: 5
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Pros:
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great camera angle of fretboard, easy to follow book and video
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Cons:
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none
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Wow! Thanks to Terry Downs for the great "Guitar Styles of Roy Nichols" DVD package, what a tremendous bargain, I am absolutely pleased with the materials and especially like the unique camera angle. I have been trying to play these songs since they first came out and never could quite get the sound right. Highly recommend this DVD
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moparmutt
Registered: June 2005
Location: honolulu
Posts: 674
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Review Date: Thu June 30, 2005
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: Not Indicated
| Rating: 5
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Pros:
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Awesome learning aid
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Cons:
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0
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I recently bought the Guitar Styles of Roy Nichols DVD from Terry Downs. What a great instructional tool. I don't usually buy alot of instructional video/books etc. The ones I have seen are nice to watch but hard to get anything out of. This DVD is an exception. Terry makes it easy to follow and really informative. I have had a great time working through it. I would not hesitate to recomend it to anyone. Awesome job Terry....THANKS!!
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guitarplayer51
Registered: October 2004
Location: Tulsa, OK
Posts: 68
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Review Date: Thu July 14, 2005
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: $40.00
| Rating: 5
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I should start by saying that I have been playing this style of guitar since I started playing the guitar, I learned to play from my grandpa and he was a huge fan of Roy's playing and Merle's singing, as well as Don Rich and many of the other great pickers of that time. I found however as I got older and more advanced in my playing that while the style was correct many of the original licks had been turned into more of a guideline for playing the lead parts to these songs, and as I started trying to re-learn the leads I found that there was much more to Roy's playing than first met the ear. I needed help.... The first person I heard that could nail the parts since Roy was Merle's guitar player at the time Redd Volkaert. I new that I wanted to play the licks like he did, the right way, but I had know way to learn them correctly other than just listening and trying to copy. Then one day, almost ten years, later I happened upon Terry Downs on the TDPRI and in his posts he seemed to have a wealth of info about every thing Roy, so one day I clicked on his web site and there it was, The "Guitar Styles of Roy Nichols". After watching the demo video and seeing him hit those licks spot on, I couldn't get my credit card out fast enough. I ordered it, it was at my house by the weekend and I have spent every night since I have had it practicing, backing up and starting over untill my wife is about to kick me, my guitar and the TV out of the house... Long story short, I have never been happier with an instructional video and I have never learned as much in a short amount of time. Terry's teaching style is unmatched in IMHO, The Birds Eye View is genius. In my case it didn't help me learn a new style of music; it is helping me to correctly learn a style of playing I have loved since I started playing. Not to mention the great memories it has brought back of my Grandpa and me listing to those old Haggard records and me trying to learn those "Roy Licks"
If you want to learn the Roy Nichols style, start in the right place, Buy this... If you are like me and just wanting to get it right, buy this...
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John Potter
Registered: April 2005
Location: Solihull UK
Posts: 51
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Review Date: Thu July 21, 2005
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: $39.95
| Rating: 5
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Pros:
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Everything
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Cons:
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None
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Buy it. Now.
This is truly a thing of excellence in an increasingly mediocre world.
Only when you have it will you realise what you have been missing.
See above.
Congratulations and thank you Mr Downs
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I'm probably masticating......
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txjonc
Registered: September 2003
Location: Arlington, TX
Posts: 446
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Review Date: Mon November 21, 2005
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: Not Indicated
| Rating: 5
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Pros:
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Over the shoulder angle
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Cons:
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N/A
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Over the years I have purchased a number of instructional videos in hopes of improving my playing. I've always tried to take away new licks and learn from these videos. The problem with most of the instructional videos I've purchased is most of the times the guitar players are great players but lack teaching skills. I wouldn't say they don't know there stuff so to speak but they don't always know how to pass it on to there pupils. On The Guitars Styles of Roy Nichols DVD however, this is not the case. I first learned of Terry Downs on the TDPRI and I have always been impressed with his knowledge of the subjects he contributes to and how well he explained his answers and or Theory. That said, being a Telecaster player and a country music fan, I've been a fan of Roy Nichols for as long as I can remember. Roys' style of playing has been an inspiration to me and I was thrilled when Terry introduced his "The Guitar Styles of Roy Nichols" DVD on the TDPRI. Not only does Terry show you how to play somes of Roys' most recognizable licks and solos', he explains the theory behind them and dates of when they where first recorded.
Terry also adds some new technics in his DVD with the first ( that I've seen ) over the shoulder angle so you are looking down at the neck of the guitar as if you are playing. Another idea Terry uses is, he records all his guitar parts through a POD so there is no noise bleed over which is common place in other instructional videos. The sound is crisp and clear.
If you are a Roy Nichols fan, this is a must have DVD. All the proceeds of this DVD go directly to the family of Roy Nichols.
If you don't know who Roy is and you are just trying to improve your playing, this is the BEST learning video I've purchased and I would highly recommend it. Not only will you learn about what it is you are playing, you will come away with TWO ( Roy and Terry ) new guitar heroes.
The DVD comes with a tablature book with a some very good history and pictures of Roy. A CD with backing tracks to practice over. This is one of the best learnig tools you could buy and well worth the price.
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Pick it Moon!
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R J Turner
Registered: January 2006
Location: Liverpool, United Kingdom
Posts: 1
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Review Date: Wed January 11, 2006
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: Not Indicated
| Rating: 5
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I discovered Roy Nichols completely by accident about 20 years ago. I was not a lover of country music at the time (time changes everything!)and just happened to be looking through my Fathers record collection hoping to come across another Django Reinhardt LP. No Django album was found but I noticed an album with an interesting cover..this was a live album called Merle Haggard 'the fighting side of me' I listened and so began my introduction and appreciation of the guitar playing genius of Roy Nichols.
I was totally blown away by Roys playing, those licks really stood and I've copied and used them in some way in my own playing ever since.
Terry Downs DVD is a revelation. I'm mainly an ear player and just 'fit' these licks into a solo. Terry not only shows the correct or easiest way around some of Roys best licks (no mean feat) but also manages to do something far more important, he shows the theory and ideas that lie beneath in a really clear and simple manner. I gig once or twice a week and thought I knew all there was to know about Roys playing but I have found Terrys video to be a real asset, it showed me a thing or two and it has strengthened my playing and theoretical understanding.
Terry is a natural teacher and has a real gift in terms of his ability to convey ideas, the birds eye fretboard view showing his hand in the same position as your own is a testament to this ...what a great idea!
What else can I say; a great product and worth ever penny or should I say cent?
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R J Turner
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el_extranjero
Registered: January 2004
Location: McKinney, TX
Posts: 514
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Review Date: Mon February 6, 2006
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: $39.95
| Rating: 5
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Pros:
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Quality and clarity, depth of subject
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Cons:
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Finally an instructional dvd that doesn't speak "down" to you. Terry Downs does an excellent job of covering the style of Roy Nichols while explaining how and why it worked so you can incorporate these types of licks into your playing rather than just repeat them.
If you only buy one country style dvd ever, this is the one. Yes, you will have to think (I'm referring back to my Levine "Jazz Theory" book), but I'll spend less time UNDERSTANDING what Terry is talking about than I will FIGURING OUT what all the other guys leave out!
I'll be working on this one for a while and it'll be time well spent.
Thanks Terry!
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El Extranjero de la Tierra Extraña
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Dorothy: "How can you talk if you haven't got a brain?"
Scarecrow: "I don't know. But some people without brains do an awful lot of talking, don't they?"
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getbent
Moderator
Registered: March 2006
Location: San Benito County, California
Posts: 14484
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Review Date: Thu March 2, 2006
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: Not Indicated
| Rating: 5
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Pros:
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Direct, Clear Instruction
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Cons:
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None! I wish he could teach me every hag song and nichols solo
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My goodness what a treat! I got the dvd and cd and book yesterday and was up very late playing it over and over... I'll be busy with this for a while... I'd love volume II when and if it comes! Terry is a very gracious teacher, humble, calm and inviting the learner to learn some amazing stuff. The instruction is crystal clear.
You can tell Terry loves the music and what Nichols brought to the music. The sound quality is very, very good, it is well edited and simple to navigate. The jam cd is awesome. This is what all instructional material strives for: Simplifying difficult things, breaking them down into their parts, providing a breadth of examples so that the student gets a range of experiences.
If you dig the Bakersfield thing--> this is for you. I have Ray Flacke's, the Homespun rockabilly lessons, both of those are good as well. What makes this DVD better is that those teachers enjoy themselves and seem surprised that they can play what they play. Terry is having fun but he wants YOU to have fun by being able to play what he is playing.
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Leadership isn't just reaching for the brass ring and holding on. Leadership is reaching for the brass ring and using it to pull yourself over so that you can help others do the same thing...
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Leon Grizzard
Registered: March 2006
Location: Austin, Texas
Posts: 1629
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Review Date: Tue April 11, 2006
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: $39.95
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Breaks it down a phrase or lick at a time.
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Cons:
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An outstanding video. Terry teaches Roy Nichols leads a phrase at a time, patiently and slowly taking you through the constituant parts. He plays it at speed, then breaks it down into the parts, and plays it all again slowly at the end. As easy to learn with as it can be made.
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dpote
Registered: June 2006
Location: Alamogordo, NM
Posts: 113
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Review Date: Sun August 27, 2006
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: Not Indicated
| Rating: 8
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Pros:
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Breakdown of the licks and the theory behind them.
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Cons:
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Backing tracks are short.
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I have struggled with country style guitar for a long while, and this DVD showed me what I have been doing wrong.
The way the licks are broken down, and described with what theory applies is jaw dropping. I only just received this video, and already my playing has improved in regards to resolution and note choice.
I just wish the backing tracks were longer, to allow for a longer jam session.
Hopefully, Terry Downs will make a Don Rich style DVD. That would be a great companion to this one.
Dave
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Myspace
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