Do these books that teach you a band's songs actually teach anything?

[Bruce Lindfield]

I remember many years ago how most song books were just the melody and an piano accompaniment - which had nothing to do with what was played on the record....

Those books were useless!

Led Zep complete was the first book to come along, that contained actual written bass lines and helped me immensely in that it showed how the timings worked on a lot of their riffs. So I have never found it hard to get what notes are being played - but when I was starting it was hard to work out where in the bar notes were placed to get a certain "feel" and that was where this kind of thing was useful

[N.F.A.]

Yeah, I agree that the Zep ones are useful as is the Beatles Complete Scores. I think that everyone learns differently and goes through different phases. Learning others' parts and licks from books has helped me be a better player, and also to learn stuff for playing with bands, etc. Learning to hear it myself is even more valuable. I am now finally going to undertake learning sight reading and analyzing chord charts. That is the level I want to be able to work on nowadays. Wish I had been led that way years ago.

[Rudreax]

Originally Posted by Jonny B

They teach you how to play the songs. Isn't that why you buy them? To learn the songs?

If you want to learn theory, buy a book about it, or take lessons.

Jeez.

+1