Reviews
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 how's, why's, and where's. 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]
VIDEO
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. I had at first ordered from Musician's Friend, but they said that the books are on backorder - I assume the book is selling well. Good for you. I wish you all the success in the world. I found it at Note Service Music and ordered it from there. 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. Yours truly,
- Reviewed by Greg T.