Denis Taaffe's "Alien Guitar Lessons" is not your average beginner level, guitar basics book - far from it. In fact, It is designed for the intermediate and advanced level guitarist, and was six years in the the making, with over 70 lessons and over 700 tab examples. Master guitarist Denis Taaffe shares tips and insight into what helped him become a better player and allowed him to create 104 instrumental albums. Denis wrote a monthly guitar instructional column for a music magazine for the last six years, and these columns have been put together, along with other material, to create an amazing collection of lessons, guitar tips and advice for the intermediate and advanced guitarist who wishes to take their playing to the next level. It is the equivalent of six years of monthly guitar lessons.
The "Alien Guitar Lessons" book is 8.5" x 11", 184 pages, and is user friendly. It comes with a coil binding so that pages stay flat and works great on music stands. All examples are clearly explained and are in standard guitar tab. Denis also shares his experiences, his approach to guitar, and gives advice for guitarists. The methods and techniques Denis shows you in this book will definitely make you a better player. There will also be audio examples for each tab example available as a digital download online from Taaffe's web site.
Solo electric guitarist Guitarist Denis Taaffe, based out of Bloomington, Indiana, uses regular guitar and guitar loops done on the fly to create a unique style which relies on improvisation and modern rock guitar to create multi layered instrumentals that focus on moods and atmospheres. Denis has been playing guitar for 31 years, and along the way, he has had the good fortune to develop a musical style and approach to guitar which is uniquely his own. He has been trying to perfect his solo electric guitar style for several years. By using regular guitar and guitar loops done on the fly, he creates unusual layered instrumental guitar compositions which are improvised on the spot and performed live. All of his album tracks are improvised on the spot, performed live and recorded live, with no overdubs as well. Denis not only improvises during his compositions, but improvises the compositions as well, on the spot.
Three of his many recordings have been considered for a Grammy nomination by NARAS in several categories including Best Instrumental Performance and Best instrumental Composition. Denis also writes a monthly instructional column for Musicians Hotline Magazine, a national magazine which appears in print as well as on the Internet. He has been writing the column for several years. He also plays concerts throughout the Midwest and teaches guitar locally.
