Music Book Review: Sheets of Sound for Guitar by Jack A. Zucker

Sheets of Sound for Guitar
by Jack A. Zucker (Music 787.874 Zuc)

 

If you play any kind of pick-style guitar, this book will help you to clean up your technique and get you invested in the logic behind economy picking, or combinations of alternate and sweep picking that maximize the efficiency and control of the right hand. Stylistically, the book focuses on jazz passages, the kinds of fluid phrases one often hears played on saxophone, but the techniques work wonderfully no matter what style you prefer.

 

The book starts with relatively easy fundamentals, simply moving through major and minor scales with a focus on economy picking (carrying through with 2 upstrokes or downstrokes in a row as you switch strings). From there, you’ll break out to various kinds of melodic fragments that move all around the neck, showing you all kinds of potential approaches to the instrument. Exercises are written in 8th notes throughout, though once you’ve learned the mechanics of playing through these pieces, you’re encouraged to mix up the rhythms yourself and find the real music lurking behind the exercises.

 

Of all the pick-guitar books in Polley, I think this one can offer the most toward maximizing your right-hand technique. Work on a few exercises at a time, starting out slowly using a metronome and gradually increasing the speed, and you’ll be amazed at how quickly your picking feels more fluid and expressive.

[If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try Guitar Aerobics by Troy Nelson, Vaideology by Steve Vai, or Guitar Sweep Picking & Arpeggios by Joe Stump.]

[ official Jack Zucker/Sheets of Sound for Guitar web site ]

 

Recommended by Scott S.
Bennett Martin Public Library — Polley Music Library

 

Have you read or listened to this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

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Check out this, and all the other great music resources, at the Polley Music Library, located on the 2nd floor of the Bennett Martin Public Library at 14th & "N" St. in downtown Lincoln. You'll find biographies of musicians, books about music history, instructional books, sheet music, CDs, music-related magazines, and much more. Also check out Polley Music Library Picks, the Polley Music Library's e-mail newsletter, and follow them on Facebook!