Is anyone else getting as much as me from J. Gwizdala's book?

[BrotherMister]

Janek's newest video talking about his Pentatonics book goes over these exact things. As someone who took advantage of JG's end-of-year sale and purchased the e-version about 6 weeks ago, I'm getting a lot out of the instruction already.

I've taken a lot of private lessons & purchased other online courses/material - all by very capable instructors in their own right - but there's something about Janek's teaching style and content that resonates with me. As mentioned previously, I'm only about 6 weeks in, but I highly recommend it.

Turned this off after the first 40 seconds. Those 40 seconds should be essential viewing for every musician. I'm genuinely so tired of saying that stuff to people, so it's always refreshing that someone of that standard comes along and tells you they work insanely hard to do what they do.

My other favourite is 'Tips the pros don't tell you'. They do. People just ignore it because it doesn't line up with the answer they are wanting to hear.

 

[Spin Doctor]

Janek's newest video talking about his Pentatonics book goes over these exact things. As someone who took advantage of JG's end-of-year sale and purchased the e-version about 6 weeks ago, I'm getting a lot out of the instruction already.

I've taken a lot of private lessons & purchased other online courses/material - all by very capable instructors in their own right - but there's something about Janek's teaching style and content that resonates with me. As mentioned previously, I'm only about 6 weeks in, but I highly recommend it.

I've paid a lot more for other study materials and gotten a lot less out of it. Janek works for me. Since I've been working through his stuff, I now play all my ideas in all 12 keys, which was a huge step for me. I've gone through the Pentatonic book twice and have moved on to this "Practice to Performance". Pretty challenging, because to get anything from it, you are required to create a lot of the stuff on your own. Which ultimately is the whole point...

 

[Eric Grossman]

Just a follow up on the Janek instructional books, I just got "The Bass Players guide to Pentatonics". Like his other books it's super accessible with a galactic shipload of backing tracks and a few videos that you can download and put on your device if your want. I had some decent facility with pentatonics before, but I was used to playing them in like one position and sort of moving them around. This book gets you moving them all over the fretboard right from the jump. I'm just getting into it, but I can tell it's going to be a huge boost to my knowledge level and playing. It's a little pricey, but it's worth every nickle, IMO. Pentatonics are too important to ignore.

View attachment 3860489

Do you know if the physical books also come with access to the videos?

 

[Eric Grossman]

No problem. Janek's books are probably the best I've come across for instruction so far. I feel they are more geared toward intermediate/advanced players, but he really gets how to present the information. I have a couple other books of his: the "ii-V-I" book mentioned above and "All the Good Stuff". I work in the Good Stuff book everyday and am getting near the end of it. At which point, I will start it over again. It's mainly a book of exercises that gets you thinking in a different way about handling the fretboard. It's not really like a specific course. I haven't gotten into the ii-V-I book very much yet.

BTW, if you happen to want physical copies, you can get them on Amazon. I don't really like e-books because I like to write in them.

Do the physical books come with video links too?

 

[Spin Doctor]

Do the physical books come with video links too?

Yeah they do. They have the link printed on the inside cover

 

[Eric Grossman]

Yeah they do. They have the link printed on the inside cover

thanks!

 

[Bootrice]

Yeah they do. They have the link printed on the inside cover

Spin Doctor, thanks for your valuable input in this thread. I would like to ask a question: Does Janke‘s Pentatonics book come with tabs of the entire material? I was able to browse his Iconic Lines book, but it seemed to me that only a part of the material presented in „note“ form was included as tabs.

I am unable to read music, so I‘ve been hesistant to pull the trigger on the Pentatonics book, but it tempts me.

Cheers
pbanken

 

[EddiePlaysBass]

I think I am done with instructional books. I received the Bugra Balci book of "50 Partitas" and was quite excited to give it a go. But like the poster before me here, I hardly read music notation. No Biggie cos it says: " Mail the author for music files". Last week I finally got a hold of him, and he replied saying he doesn't have the files anymore, stopped selling books years ago and is very sorry. Gee thanks, that helps me not at all.

Sorry for the (OT) rant. But I'm bummed.

 

[shwashwa]

Learning to read music is not that hard. You can learn enough to work your way slowly through that book in one afternoon, and then working your way through the book you get better at reading along the way

 

[Spin Doctor]

Spin Doctor, thanks for your valuable input in this thread. I would like to ask a question: Does Janke‘s Pentatonics book come with tabs of the entire material? I was able to browse his Iconic Lines book, but it seemed to me that only a part of the material presented in „note“ form was included as tabs.

I am unable to read music, so I‘ve been hesistant to pull the trigger on the Pentatonics book, but it tempts me.

Cheers
pbanken

Yes, everything that is printed in standard notation is also printed in TAB.

 

[Bootrice]

I think I am done with instructional books. I received the Bugra Balci book of "50 Partitas" and was quite excited to give it a go. But like the poster before me here, I hardly read music notation. No Biggie cos it says: " Mail the author for music files". Last week I finally got a hold of him, and he replied saying he doesn't have the files anymore, stopped selling books years ago and is very sorry. Gee thanks, that helps me not at all.

Sorry for the (OT) rant. But I'm bummed.

That's a real bummer, and I understand your frustration. This would drive me up the wall!

Yes, everything that is printed in standard notation is also printed in TAB.

Thank you very much!

Cheers
pbanken

 

[EddiePlaysBass]

Learning to read music is not that hard. You can learn enough to work your way slowly through that book in one afternoon, and then working your way through the book you get better at reading along the way

I agree. But the book I referred to came with a promise of recorded music, and did not deliver on said promise.

I have thought about using it as a stepping stone. Got enough other books with sheet music and tab to figure out rhythm (cos that's my main concern) but at the end of the day I'd have nothing to compare my interpretation to. Which, I suppose, is part of reading (music).

 

[Swamp_Ronin]

Just started good stuff. I like it so far

 

[Spin Doctor]

Just started good stuff. I like it so far

It's a good overview of the material he plays. There are some things in there that I use all the time in my playing, especially the stuff relating to Melodic Minor. His Practice to Performance book goes pretty in-depth with Melodic Minor.

 

[Swipter]

Just started good stuff. I like it so far

I just started that book, also. To me, pretty complicated but it's coming along. I read music now and the more I use his books and the Jamerson book the quicker I am without thinking. If my fingers weren't cracked maybe I could play.

 

[Swipter]

It's a good overview of the material he plays. There are some things in there that I use all the time in my playing, especially the stuff relating to Melodic Minor. His Practice to Performance book goes pretty in-depth with Melodic Minor.

I almost bought that book.

 

[Spin Doctor]

I almost bought that book.

The thing I like about his books is that there is honestly not a galactic boatload of material to go through. His books end up being really thick because he prints everything in every key with standard notation and tabs.

Having said that, even though there is not a lot to work on, actually getting familiar enough with the material to actually use it takes a long time. Most books have so much stuff in them that you can never realistically finish them.

 

[SteveC]

I wish I were in a situation where I was soloing more. Just no jazz gigs around here. Cover bands playing the same old stuff at the same old places. We make a lot of money, but I'm not developing much as a player. That genre just doesn't demand it. Sure, when you go into something you haven't played a lot you grow a little - like when I was in a band that did TOP covers so I needed to learn to play like Rocco - but not like when you have a jazz gig with solos. When I played in a jazz group that tried some Yellowjackets, then I grew. I miss that. I would (almost) play for free if there were a venue and audience for that kind of music around here.

 

[Swipter]

The thing I like about his books is that there is honestly not a galactic boatload of material to go through. His books end up being really thick because he prints everything in every key with standard notation and tabs.

Having said that, even though there is not a lot to work on, actually getting familiar enough with the material to actually use it takes a long time. Most books have so much stuff in them that you can never realistically finish them.

Concerning his Good Stuff book, I was totally at a loss until I found him on a video. Now I get it but I needed that one video. I am working on the minor thirds section and it is sinking in.

It is helping my theory and making me look stuff up as to why.

 

[Swipter]

I wish I were in a situation where I was soloing more. Just no jazz gigs around here. Cover bands playing the same old stuff at the same old places. We make a lot of money, but I'm not developing much as a player. That genre just doesn't demand it. Sure, when you go into something you haven't played a lot you grow a little - like when I was in a band that did TOP covers so I needed to learn to play like Rocco - but not like when you have a jazz gig with solos. When I played in a jazz group that tried some Yellowjackets, then I grew. I miss that. I would (almost) play for free if there were a venue and audience for that kind of music around here.

That's what I am working toward, not soloing but jazz playing. It's slow going but moving. Watching people play effortlessly is amazing. I finally understand the whole jazz walk thing, but don't ask me to sit in.