Since their launch in the U.K. several years ago, 'Hotlicks' have become probably the best-known and most popular teaching tapes on the market. Two new titles have recently appeared, both aimed primarily at the electric guitarist who wants to branch out into acoustic playing, and both presented by master players. We locked KATY 'Fingers' 88 in a room with a guitar and a tape-player, to see if she could learn something!

'HOTLICKS' Instruction Tapes

ARLEN ROTH - Acoustic Lead Guitar (5-tape series)
STEVE MORSE - Classical Guitar: RRP £8.95 Per Tape Inc. VAT

ARLEN ROTH

For any guitar player who wants to improve their style or technique, I find it hard to imagine a better teacher than Arlen Roth, and his new Acoustic Lead Guitar series of tapes are some of the very best I've ever heard. Each of the five tapes opens with a burst of stunning playing, to give you a taster of what you might be able to learn, before Arlen introduces himself. His presentation style is friendly and relaxed, giving the feeling that he's sitting in the room and talking directly to you, and after a brief outline of what to expect from the tape, he goes methodically and painstakingly through a thorough tuning session before the lesson begins - an invaluable point.

I must say here that Acoustic Lead Guitar isn't a beginner's tape. It's for an experienced (or at least reasonably experienced) player who wants to broaden his or her scope - either an electric guitarist with acoustic yearnings, or a folk player who'd like to branch into rock without going electric. Assuming that you already know the basics, Arlen spends a lot of time going through the differences in approach between electric and acoustic playing: actions, string-gauges, availability of sustain etc. This might seem a bit unnecessary - but, as he points out, acoustic and electric guitars are a world apart, and any player accustomed to one is in for a few surprises when they switch to the other, so it's well worth paying close attention!

From here he covers picking techniques, hand positions and more - so by the time you come to actually playing the darned guitar, you'll be very surprised at how much new and valuable information you've gleaned without picking so much as a note!

Early playing lessons concentrate on scales, to familiarise you with the runs which will form the basis of lead work. These are illustrated in the pamphlet in the form of a simple tablature which even a musical illiterate like me can work out without any difficulty - full marks for not assuming that we can all read music! From scales, the lessons move on to hammers, bends, lift-offs - and gradually the framework of a distinct acoustic lead style begins to take shape. Also, there's a thorough lesson on right-hand damping; something which anyone who learned to play the hard way will know all about, but which (like all too many techniques) has been woefully neglected since the advent of effects pedals. Pardon my prejudices, but this one's invaluable!

Once you reach this stage, there are some really useful (and fun!) sections where Arlen first plays a rhythm part with his own lead solo overdubbed, then repeats the rhythm part alone, so that you can experiment with your own lead lines over the top. Quite a lot of tape-time is spent concentrating on Country licks, and this is something which a great many British players will give fervent thanks for - it's a style which demands a lot of skill and has very wide-ranging applications, but teaching sources for U.K. players are few and far between, and these tapes really do help to fulfil that need.

Every so often Arlen dangles a carrot in front of his listeners' noses by dashing off a piece of nifty pick-work to illustrate a point - a nice encouragement, and it certainly got me thinking, 'hey, if I keep at it I'll be able to do that, too!' Well, to tell the truth I can't do it yet, not all of it - but since I've been let loose with these tapes I've learned more than I'd have believed possible in such a short period of time. If you're into the idea of playing lead guitar on an acoustic, be it Rock, Blues, Country or whatever, I very much doubt if you could better this series.

STEVE MORSE

This is a one-off tape for those who already play either acoustic or electric and want to develop classical abilities.

Steve Morse is virtually a household name among guitarists in the USA, though he's yet to find the same recognition over here. He's particularly renowned for his versatility, and the short classical exercise which opens this tape is very impressive proof of his prowess in that style. Like Arlen Roth, his presentation is friendly and chatty, though he doesn't quite have Arlen's confidence as a speaker and there are plenty of 'ums' and 'ers" - not, mind you, that this detracts from the lessons; in fact it's quite endearing as it makes the listener feel less intimidated!

To begin with, Steve goes very comprehensively into the difference in approach to classical guitar. His view is that there's no rigid 'right' way to play - what works for the individual is what counts - but nonetheless he takes you through the basics of classical technique (positioning the instrument right and left hand placings, even recommended fingernail-lengths), to help cure bad habits and get you off to a flying start. This section is very detailed, but worth following carefully. He does stress, though, that there's no need to change your style completely in order to play classical guitar - obviously there are big differences, but making the transition is a lot simpler than many players realise. As he begins to look more closely at finger-picking techniques and polyphonic playing - i.e., a single-note melody played over a rhythmic backing at one and the same time - I certainly saw how easy it could be to switch to classical from a more rock- or folk-orientated style without having to completely adjust your attitude to playing.

Next, Steve goes briefly into the pros and cons of being able to read music. Obviously, it is an advantage with classical playing but for those of us who can't read scores he recommends the compromise of buying sheet-music which also includes a fingering tablature for guitar. An example is included in the tape's accompanying pamphlet, and it isn't too hard to suss out, providing you're not utterly daunted by the mere sight of clefs and time-signatures.

The main feature of Side 2 is a step-by-step guide through one of Steve's own classical compositions, of which he says: 'It's short and simple, and we're going to get through it today, right now - or else!'. In it he utilises all the fundamental techniques contained in earlier sections, firstly in a simplified form, then in a slightly more complex version to improve on what you've already learned. The tablature for this piece is contained in the pamphlet, and Steve takes you through the music note by note, with very detailed instructions. Finishing a teaching tape with a thorough lesson that leaves you able to actually play something specific is, I feel, a very good idea indeed. The temptation to give up can be enormous when you're struggling to learn an unfamiliar style, and having a 'showpiece' that you can play with ease gives you a real sense of achievement and inspires you to go on to greater things. Though I would have felt happier if this tape had followed Arlen's example and included a string-by-string tune-up first, as getting in tune with someone who's already playing can be a real pig!

It isn't possible, of course, to become an accomplished classical guitarist in the course of a single tape, and this Hotlicks title doesn't make any such claims. What it does do, however, is offer an excellent grounding in classical guitar approach and technique - a general 'overview', if you like. Yes: this tape provides a good starting-point for guitarists who want to widen their scope; it's well-recorded, well-presented, and a useful addition to the library.