Zen Guitar by Philip Toshio Sudo Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Zen Guitar
Book Review: Firewood
Summary: 1 Stars
Why is this the worst freakin book I've ever come across in my life?...Oh and by the way, I play guitar for a livingBook Review: Flatline
Summary: 1 Stars
I found this book to be a total waste of time. How many times do you need to be told "find your own song inside you"? Well, here you'll be told about 50 times, and it doesn't get any deeper than that. The author tosses in Zen phrases without in the least bit making them applicable to guitar playing. To save you some time and money, I can quote a few lines and you'll have the entirety of the substance of this book. "The process of Zen Guitar is simple: Wear the white belt, pick up your guitar, tune, and play. Focus on putting your spirit into each note and you do not have to worry about landing a record deal or how many records you sell. If the fish bite, they bite." Yes, indeed, if they bite they bite, can't argue with that at all, and it's as profound and useful as the advice in this book gets. Useful? "Acquire the technique you need, and no more. That is the Way of Zen Guitar." You know, I seriously had never thought of it that way---and won't ever again, either.I seriously think this book was written only because the title hadn't been taken. "Hmmm. Cats and Zen--done. Pooh and Zen--done. Golf and Zen--done. Done, done, done. Hey! No one's done a book about guitar and Zen."
Book Review: For any musician of any level.
Summary: 5 Stars
I'm a keyboardist, but I found myself entranced by this book while browsing the music section in Borders. It may not be entirely accurate to Zen teachings; I'm not qualified to say. But it inspired me to take on my playing with a whole new attitude. It's honestly changed the way I look at things. Because it's fairly short, I wasn't intimidated by it in the store. But every page seems to mean something. I'm not exactly sure how to describe it, but I've tried.
Go to a bookstore, and read a bit of it. You'll probably know whether you like it or not within the first ten pages. If you're like me, it'll inspire you.
Book Review: Get in-tune with your inner guitarist.
Summary: 5 Stars
I really dug this book. It inspired me to get an old guitar out of the closet and start plucking away again. It is really an approach on life in general but applied to guitar. It makes you want to play guitar, not for the glory but the love of music and a spiritual connection to the music within.Book Review: Good For Inspiration
Summary: 4 Stars
There really isn't much I can add to the reviews already here. They are all right. I bought this book based on these reviews and I didn't like the book at all, at first. I thought it was just a bunch of esoteric eastern jibber jabber...and it is. It's rather silly at points. Sprinkled with quotes from artists most of whom have sold out whatever musical spirit they had years ago. All of that given, there are tons of books out there designed to tell you that all you knew before was completely wrong. You're holding your fingers the wrong way, real guitarists don't play those guitars, this style is better than that, you'll never be as good as so and so, etc. etc. Sound familiar? There is no end of people out there who live to tell other people their technique is wrong. This book dosen't do that. This book says if you feel it inside, then it's good music. This book says that good technique is important too, but the wrong note in the right spirit is better than the right note in the wrong spirit, and I have yet to find another book that just made me feel good about playing and learning, and not inadequate. Buy it for inspiration. Put it on your amp or music stand and just read a page of two when you feel like you'll never get there. Then you'll realize you're there already.