Book Reviews
Practical Theory for Guitar
“The best and easiest to comprehend book that I have ever seen on the subject of Music Theory, Scales, Modes, and Composition. The accompanying CD is wonderful as well, and gives so many great examples, that the reader will find him or herself wanting to spend hours learning, and playing along with them. This is something that is not often seen of books on this subject matter. Bravo!!!! ”
Moveable Chords
“Moveable Chords by Don Latarski is more a dictionary than a method book - long on the what's of chord forms but short on the hows, whys, and wheres. But what sets this glossary apart from too many such references is that Latarski doesn't just diagram chord shapes, fingerings, and substitutions - he also shows the scale degrees contained in every chord, thus illustrating some theory without lengthy discussions. Example: A major triad is pictured with 1st finger on the fifth string at any given fret, with the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th fingers on the fourth, third, and second strings, respectively, two frets higher. Below the diagram, the scale degrees are given: root, 5th, root, 3rd, in this case. A simple concept, but one that many other chord books leave out. Chapters cover major, minor, dominant, suspended, augmented, and diminish chord forms, as well as major scales and chord progressions.”
- Dan Forte [Guitar Player Magazine]
Great chord organizer book.
“This book breaks up chords by type, such as major 7, minor 6, etc and presents many ways of playing these chord types using moveable positions that transpose the keys. Brilliant work. A reference book, not a method book, but this book will clarify a lot of questions most guitarists face, and provides root chords on both 6th and 5th string positions. Essential book that I bought ten years ago. This is one of my best music books that I use in conjunction with all of my method and record album transcription books.” [January 27, 2002]
Arpeggios for Guitar
Arpeggios for the Masses, March 14, 2004
“As a guitar player myself I really love this book because it really is easy to understand for one thing; and the other thing is that he (Don) has laid this book out so that you can really get at it. Even if you are and experienced guitarists you can use this as a reference guide and the arpeggios that he has in this book are really basic but tasty beyond imagination. The studies that I have gotten out of this book have given my guitar playing and lot of character and really spiced it up a lot. Another good thing about this book is that you don't have to be an expert player or read music to get something out of it. Even beginners can understand it. I been waiting for a book like this one for a long time. Keep up the good work Don and Thank You.”
A true roadmap of the fretboard, October 23, 2003
“This book's title undersells it: it shows not only arpeggios but the corresponding scales and chord forms as well. It does not actually name each chord, but gives chord-scale-arpeggios in fretboard diagrams for each chord type, for example, major, minor, 6ths, 7ths -- on through the various altered forms. As the editorial review says, five positions for each are given. All of this is on one page for each chord type. So for example, you can find five scales, five chord forms, and five arpeggios for Dm7 (assuming you already know where to find ‘D’) all laid out logically in fretboard diagrams that correspond to one another by position—all on one page!
You'll need enough guitar knowledge to figure out the root of the chord or scale you're actually playing. Also, this does not show you chord progressions. Those could be viewed as shortcomings, but if you just accept you'll have to learn those topics elsewhere, this book becomes extremely useful. In order to actually name each chord the book would be extremely lengthy and repetitive (I have another arpeggio book like that). As it is, it packs a wealth of information into a readily accessible format. One page gives you all the musical possibilities for each chord. This is a great tool for improvising, creating new licks, and composing on the guitar. Its should prove useful for the fairly new guitarist to the more advanced, as it covers simple major and minor chords through advanced jazz chords(-scales-arpeggios). This is a true “fretboard roadmap” all in one book that I expect will give me more material to work on than I can probably master in one lifetime! Its a very simple, logical approach to the guitar that I wish I had found a long time ago.
I use this both as an exercise book, playing each scale/arp/chord up and down the neck — and as a reference for particular situations: coming up with ideas for soloing over, say, a maj 7 chord - or creating musical ideas for a composition. I play both pick and fingerstyle and the book is opening my eyes to all sorts of new creativity and technical growth in both styles.
Other books of this genre force you to turn pages – or go to another book altogether – to get from scales to chords to arpeggios. Having it all ‘at a glance’ on one page is invaluable. I've had this book for a year or so, and am only now beginning to realize what a gold mine it is! Obviously not the only book you'll ever need, but if I were marooned on the proverbial desert island (with my guitar of course!) this is the book I'd want.”
VIDEO REVIEWS
“Dear Don, I recently purchased your video Guitar Theory Basics from Musicians Friend mail order. It arrived one week ago, and I have been spending 30 minutes to an hour a night with it. It is exactly the video I had hoped it would be. You have done a superb job of arranging everything in a logical order so that even a theoretical illiterate like me can grasp some pretty complex concepts and apply them to my playing, such as it is. I took up the guitar two years ago, and the only theory I have learned is the major scale and the blues scale. But now, thanks to your video, I am beginning to understand the entire fingerboard and how to build chords on my own without the use of a chord chart. After I get all of this video under my belt, I feel that I will be on my way to becoming a competent musician. Even modes have lost their aura of impenetrability. Just yesterday, I considered modes to be the musical equivalent of calculus (i.e. something so complex that I may as well not even try to learn it). But after watching the lesson on modes last night, I feel that I can come to grips with them if I watch your video over and over and practice until it all sinks in. I was so impressed with the video that I ordered the book Practical Theory for the Guitar today. ... If the book is as good as the video in explaining theory in language I can understand, I'll get this stuff down in no time (well, almost). Thank you again for your excellent product. It will make me a better guitarist.”
- Reviewed by Greg T.