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...this DVD will change the way other instructional DVD/Videos will be judged. It's a must have!

THANKS JAMIE!

Byron Santos (Recording Artist, Recording Engineer)
New Orleans, LA

Received my DVD today....WOW!!! Just in one pass through the material, so many things that weren't clear to me in the book just jump out from the DVD. This has to be the next best thing to personal guidance from a principled teacher.

Looking forward to many more sessions with the DVD...Good work!

Jay J.
St. Louis, MO

I've watched the whole thing, and gone over several parts again. I must say that the more I watch this DVD, the more convinced that I am of its importance.

Not just because it demonstrates the exercises, but because it fills in certain details which had to be gleaned between the lines before. For example, the exact mechanics of some of the upper arm motion make more sense, especially in light of the Alexander Technique (My AT teacher wants to view this video as well, to see these mechanics at work, since she's a piano teacher).

Perhaps the most important thing is that it gives a greater understanding of the "why" of certain things. Not just the how. The importance of "why: can't be overstated. When a person understands "why", the "how" becomes much easier.

Overall rating: Mandatory.

JS

I play the electric guitar almost exclusively now and have found the Principles to be very useful. Of course I had to go back to the basics and rebuild my technique because I'd taught myself some bad habits over the years.

The left hand exercises are fundamental for both electric and acoustic guitar.

There are both fingerstyle and pickstyle exercises for the right hand.

The book is not an exhaustive description of "all" aspects of left hand *or* right hand technique-- it deals with the aspects of the technique that must be trained *first*. Hence the emphasis on right arm movement in the pickstyle section.

The DVD contains examples of the exercises in action. Each exercise is shown in detail and explained thoroughly. The DVD does not go into the theory behind the exercises, but the book goes into the theory and also describes things like the Basic Practice Approach.

The exercises are not scales, licks, bends, or chords. They are the foundation pieces upon which scales, licks, bends, and chords are based. An appropriate analogy would be a set of Lego bricks. When you buy a Lego kit, you might be able to build a boat, house, or dragon out of Lego pieces, but the box does not contain any of these things, it contains the building blocks. One therefore uses these building blocks in order to absorb and correctly practice other style appropriate material (the scales, licks, etc).

Squeaky (Engineer, Guitar Student)
Albuquerque, NM

The first thing I want to say is that if you haven't ordered it - ORDER IT NOW!

The DVD is the perfect companion to the book. Study of the book gives one the in-depth understandings that are needed. The DVD brings the book alive. Many of the answers to questions people have are in the DVD. There are incredible front views and then a picture-in-picture shows up on the bottom right corner with the side views.

Jamie moves through each exercise very slowly at No Tempo. It's easy to watch the DVD, with your guitar in hand and follow along. On my laptop (flat screen), it looks like Jamie’s sitting in front of me giving a lesson. Any of you who may have those big screen flat screen TV’s will probably be blown away. Also, since it's a DVD, one can jump to the chapter one is working on and just keep playing that same chapter if needed. It works great on pause - leaving a beautiful still shot of hand positions.

Each exercise is done with great care. I have watched guitar teaching videos before, and it is almost always about the teacher or the performer who thinks he/she is a teacher. I would just shelve it and feel a sense of "guess I just don't have the talent". In this DVD, I can sense the great respect that Jamie has for every student, no matter what level. The intense desire to make us great players is very evident.

When finishing viewing it, I was left with a sense of extreme gratitude toward Jamie. So many times in my years of guitar playing I have watched players. I would ask them, how they do what they do. I was given the same answer every time -- "Oh, just practice..." I was left with a sense of loss - not knowing how to grow in my playing. All of that changed for me with “The Principles”. Jamie is a master player who is truly in love with the guitar and is passionate about revealing the correct way to play the instrument so that all people with desire can accomplish their goals.

Thank you for giving us students of guitar another incredible tool!

Very Sincerely,

Donna Z. (Guitarist)
Thousand Oaks, CA

The DVD is excellent and helps to illustrate the points that are in the book the “Principles of Correct Practice”. It is a visual accompaniment to this book to help you further improve and refine the individual movements of the fingers, hands, and arms. Additionally, it discusses sitting position, posture, tension, and body awareness...

...it helps to answer questions regarding proper technique by illustrating what that technique is, and what the practice speed should be initially and how to build it up (example: string shifting, the crutch, heavy crutch, butterfly, ladder, etc.).

I honestly do not believe you can go wrong with this purchase and it is great for further and continuing review of the material.

From the Great White North,
All the best.

Bill W.
Alaska

Just to throw my two cents in here; the single biggest benefit the Principles have given me has been the mental awareness. In order to practice efficiently (which is the key to playing well), there needs to be a direct link between your conscious awareness and the physical state of your whole body, not just your hands and arms. When the book and DVD arrive, and you start reading and absorbing the information, keep this in mind and you will gain the benefits of this method more quickly.

For what it's worth, I'm a long-time electric player who is making a second attempt (after a 15 year hiatus) at classical technique. The Principles are definitely "equal-opportunity" in approach to playing guitar. You will find that the book provides a great deal of information on classical right hand technique and relatively less information on right hand pick technique. This is simply the nature of the two. Fingerstyle is more complex at the foundation and much more difficult for beginners to do correctly, so more information is needed at the beginning levels. Don't let this throw you off. It's worthwhile information, even if you are not planning to learn that style. There are some commonalities in reasoning between the two methods, to be sure.

Ken R.
Enoch, UTAH

1. First point. All of my right hand questions are now answered. I will be able to continue my current studies with utmost confidence now. Thank YOU for this timely release.

2. I sit here just totally blown away at the sincerity and passion contained within this CD. I could feel the love all the way in Oregon. Seriously, I literally sat with my jaw on my chest while I watched the playing. I could not stop watching the DVD from start to finish even to go get my guitar and practice along.

3. The DVD is priceless as are the teachings of the Principles themselves. This morning, I looked back on the lesson notes from 7 months ago (when I first started guitar lessons) and I see my teacher wrote the word RELAX all in caps on my second lesson. On my third he wrote "Stop bending strings" and BREATHE and "Stop playing staccato notes" All these serious messages to me warning me of tension. My body was giving me messages too as my arms ached every evening. Nowhere did we discuss in my lessons HOW to RELAX or what to do to stop this tension from killing me.

I have no doubt in my mind that I would have had to quit playing by now if not for my chance landing on this site and ordering the Principles. Now with the DVD, I have the ability to explore even deeper the concepts contained within the Principles.

Karla F. (Engineer, Guitar Student)
Portland, Oregon


I have played both the classical and the electric guitar for a couple of years, and developed quite fast (because of a great desire, and enjoyment of it). 

But in doing so, my muscles have developed tensions, and pain. Then someone (who never played an instrument himself before) told me that correct playing should be done through relaxation. I soon understood the importance of this, but there was one problem. I couldn't find anyone telling me HOW that could be accomplished! 

As none of my (very skillful) guitar teachers could show me anything practical, I found myself with this confusing knowledge: "Try not to tense up, while pressing down a string..."

Somehow I came across Guitar Principles on the net, and decided to buy the DVD. It is probably the best investment I have made, since buying my guitars.

Those 'simple' movements have already improved my playing, and best of all; given me a tool to finally play without more tension and pain.

-Annica
Sweden