Learn To Play the Songs of John Denver- DVD#1

Starring:Peter Huttlinger
Studio: Hal Leonard
Product Type: DVD

Learn To Play the Songs of John Denver: Lessons 1-3

Average customer rating:

Great, great material for the guitarists!

Learn To Play the Songs of John Denver: Lessons 1-3
Starring: John Denver
Manufacturer: Hal Leonard
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Similar Items:

Learn to Play the Songs of Jim Croce
John Denver - The Wildlife Concert
A Song's Best Friend - John Denver Remembered
DVD-Essential Exercises for Fingerstyle Guitar
The Art of Contemporary Travis Picking: How to Play the Alternating Bass Fingerpicking Style (Bk & CD)

ASIN: B00065GHRO
Release Date: 2004-10-19

Customer Reviews:

Great, great material for the guitarists!.......2007-05-02

Growing up hearing John Denver, his songs were more of a "guilty pleasure" because of the catch pop tunes on the radio. What I did not know until recently was what a tremendously gifted guitarist he was, as well as a talented vocalist and song writer.

Going beyond just "Country Roads", Denver's music is deep, complicated, and beautiful. Pete Huttlinger, an award winning fingerstyle guitarist, toured with Denver before his death. Pete is unabashadly a fan of John Denver and his love of John and the music comes through nicely on this DVD set.

Although not for the beginner, if you are an "advanced" beginner, you will be able to start with one or two of the simpler songs of John Denver, as Pete moves through them pretty quickly (you will be using the pause button judiciously!) you will be assisted by the enclosed guitar tab booklet. Taken slowly so as to learn properly, these are beautiful songs, presented humbly, but with a dry sense of humor that belongs to Huttlinger. From this DVD set, I learned how deep Denver's music ran, but it also introduced me to Huttlinger---and I went from there to purchase his other teaching DVDs (on Jim Croce, and on practicing guitar) as well as Pete's musical CDs (which ever acoustic guitar player will fall in love with...especially "Naked Pop" sold here at Amazon).

Homespun does a great job with clear camera angles of Pete's left and right hands, and the songs are broken down, little by little. These are like taking very expensive personal lessons, and the DVDs will take months to learn. I find this to be among the finest that Homespun has put out (along with the Songs of Bob Dylan by Happy Traum), and are not just fun to learn, but will make you a better guitarist as you work through them.

Learn To Play the Songs of John Denver- DVD#1

Average customer rating:

Nice effort - Could be better.
Great overview into John Denver's music
Almost made it.

Learn To Play the Songs of John Denver- DVD#1
Starring: Peter Huttlinger
Manufacturer: Hal Leonard
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Musicals & Performing Arts | Genres | DVD | Video

Instructional | Musicals & Performing Arts | Genres | DVD | Video

Independently Distributed | Musicals & Performing Arts | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Special Interests | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Educational | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $14.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( L ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Special Interests | Independently Distributed | Stores | DVD | Video

Independently Distributed | Indie & Art House | Stores | DVD | Video

General | Instructional | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Learn to Play the Songs of John Denver DVD#2
DVD-Learn To Play The Songs Of John Denver #3
A Song's Best Friend - John Denver Remembered
DVD-Essential Exercises for Fingerstyle Guitar
Learn to Play the Songs of Jim Croce

ASIN: B00006JUJ7
Release Date: 2002-09-01

Customer Reviews:

Nice effort - Could be better. .......2005-08-25

I know everyone hates bad reviews and especially a bad one over something as great as John Denvers music, but I do feel a need to make a few comments about this DVD. I bought all three of them BTW as I had to purchase all three to get my favorite songs. First off, if you love acoustic guitar playing and John Denvers music by all means buy this DVD as I did and I don't think you will regret it too much. You will learn to play the songs, though it could have been made a much easier.

Considering the price of this DVD more should be expected of it especially considering the technology nowdays and the quality of the competition in other Learn to play type DVDS.

First I will mention the good things about this DVD. To the producers merit, it has a nice tablature book included with it, showing "Most" of the chords and all the fingering for the songs, although it lacks lyrics to every single song (Which can be looked up online at many lyric sites). The instructer Pete Huttlinger did play with John Denver and obviously knows the songs and the ins and outs of it all, and it is awesome to see exactly how John Denver played each song as compared to tab or chord books which can be bought that don't always show every exact thing. There is a split screen showing both right and left hands to help viewers out, although the left hand fingering isnt shown up close enough and when he's doing some chords you have to refer to the tab book to actually see what he's doing. Pete dominates playing of Johns songs on the guitar no doubt. The sound is also really good and listening to what he does play of each song is a great experience. I would say for all these above features this DVD IS worth buying.

Now for the bad things.

This DVD appears to be just a transfer to DVD format of VHS. It has absolutely no DVD features like looping and someone correct me if i'm wrong as I don't have a DVD player in my computer now, but it doesnt mention anywhere that the TABS are included on the DVD so that the viewer can print them out in a more user friendly fashion. The included tabs, in a small booklet hold very few verses per page and it's impossible to be page flipping while playing the guitar and none of the tab is ever shown on the screen while Pete is playing the songs, thus making learning them much more difficult. I am literally going to have to type all the tab up myself and print them out in pages that hold more verses per page, and mind you include the lyrics for every song I wish to learn so I can play and sing.

The material here should be considered advanced guitar playing, though nothing is too difficult that with practice it can't be mastered. I really didn't have problems playing the songs at all, but then again I've played the guitar for 20 years. Beginners will have to master chords and picking before being able to really play these songs. Contrary to some comments I don't feel Pete is that great of a teacher. Great guitarist yes, teacher emphatically no. Not sure why another reviewer said he was (Maybe he works for the producers of the video) he runs through all the songs way way too fast, (though of course you can easily rewind with DVD) but it's just that some of the parts are so extremely difficult and as Pete can dominate the guitar so well he runs through it and left me with my jaw hanging wondering what he had done on several occasions. He will explain it very quickly sometimes but I think he just needed to slow down and really demonstrate what was being done if in fact he really intended to teach it to us. He basically assumes way to much from guitar players.. as if we were all at his proficiency of playing. I know if I was, then I sure wouldn't have bought the DVD to begin with. He also Assumes everyone knows every song well and just says buy a CD of it so you will know how it should go. Excuse me but that's the reason I bought the DVD.. to learn them. He doesnt play some of the songs in their entirety and just goes over major parts. Those he does show he is quickly finished with as if he is in a hurry to get them over with and start on his next DVD.

I had problems with this DVD from the get go on the first song, when I discovered the chord diagram in the tablature for the DMAJ7 in the 5th position is missing. Another minor gripe was when I saw him use the D and Dsus4 on the 5th fret in the intro to "Annies Song", when i've seen John on a live DVD concert play it in the first position and although John uses a 12 string, and maybe it does sound better on the 5th fret, it's not how John played it and it makes it much harder to play the intro to the song.

All in all though I would recommend this DVD to Advanced players wishing to learn exactly how John played his songs as I have no doubt that each song CAN be learned, though the producers have made it more difficult then it should be. I literally spent 4 hard sessions learning "My Sweet Lady", however after alot of hard work, I can now play it. I do think for the price of this DVD Pete could have spent way more time with each song and DVD features could have been incorporated.

I'm giving it a 3 as others have given it a 5 and there's just no way with the previously mentioned flaws it deserves a 5 and though I am learning the songs so the DVDS not a total waste, it is very expensive to buy all three of them and they definitely could have made the process easier for us.

Great overview into John Denver's music.......2004-01-28

I enjoy playing the guitar and singing along, poorly I might add. Generally, I can only play the guitar chords. This DVD does a great job of unlocking the secret behind what the artist is doing. Not only does he do an exceptional job of giving behind the scenes information on what made John Denver so good, but also his mannerisms and ability to explain the songs made it easy to play songs that many of us would find difficult to do on our own. Many of these type instructional videos play the song and then play it slowly and move on. He repetitively went through the songs so you could really pick it up. Obviously, that's a credit to excellent camera work and direction. When you're as bad a player as I am, it's really helpful to have a video like this one that gives such great insight.

Almost made it........2003-07-23

John Huttlinger does a overall good job of explaining
the ins and outs of John Denver's music.It is wirthy of having. If you grew up listening to John Denver's music and like to play guitar like me, you'll understand what I'm saying. Which brings me to his really cool( and never played anywere) tune "Late Winter Early Spring" Since this is the reason I bought the DVD in the first place He only goes through half the song. It is really a duet and he didn't even touch the leadsection. To say the least I was really Disappointed.

Learn to Play the Songs of John Denver DVD#2

Average customer rating:

Well worth it

Learn to Play the Songs of John Denver DVD#2
Starring: Peter Huttlinger
Manufacturer: Hal Leonard
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Musicals & Performing Arts | Genres | DVD | Video

Instructional | Musicals & Performing Arts | Genres | DVD | Video

Independently Distributed | Musicals & Performing Arts | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Special Interests | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Educational | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $14.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( L ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Special Interests | Independently Distributed | Stores | DVD | Video

Independently Distributed | Indie & Art House | Stores | DVD | Video

General | Instructional | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Learn To Play the Songs of John Denver- DVD#1
DVD-Learn To Play The Songs Of John Denver #3
DVD-Essential Exercises for Fingerstyle Guitar
A Song's Best Friend - John Denver Remembered
Learn to Play the Songs of Jim Croce

ASIN: B00006JUJ8
Release Date: 2002-09-01

Customer Reviews:

Well worth it.......2006-10-04

This has several of my favorite John Denver songs. Aspen Glow, Christmas for Cowboys, This Old Guitar, I Guess He'd Rather Be in Colorado, Mother Nature's Son, Rhymes and Reasons, and Take Me Home, Country Roads. Pete generally gives some interesting background on the songs and walks you through the chords and strums or picking patterns. Split screen shots show you right and left hand techniques. You may appreciate his singing, not because he sings well but because he does not sing all that well. If he is brave enough to sing, then you should be inspired to sing as well. ;)

DVD-Learn To Play The Songs Of John Denver #3

Average customer rating:

3rd DVD in an excellent series

DVD-Learn To Play The Songs Of John Denver #3
Starring: Peter Huttinger
Manufacturer: Homespun Tapes
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Musicals & Performing Arts | Genres | DVD | Video

Independently Distributed | Musicals & Performing Arts | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Special Interests | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Educational | Genres | DVD | Video

( D ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Music Video & Concerts | Independently Distributed | Stores | DVD | Video

Special Interests | Independently Distributed | Stores | DVD | Video

Independently Distributed | Indie & Art House | Stores | DVD | Video

General | Instructional | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Learn to Play the Songs of John Denver DVD#2
Learn To Play the Songs of John Denver- DVD#1
A Song's Best Friend - John Denver Remembered
Learn to Play the Songs of Jim Croce
DVD-Essential Exercises for Fingerstyle Guitar

ASIN: B000624D1O
Release Date: 2004-09-01

Description

The first two volumes of this series have met with such enthusiasm from guitar playing fans of John Denver that it became clear that we had to continue with a third lesson. Pete Huttlinger's comprehensive understanding of John Denver's music, and his ability to communicate techniques to learning guitarists, have inspired innumerable players and have made these among Homespun's most successful instructional products.

For this lesson, Pete has selected seven of the John Denver guitar arrangements most requested by fans of his previous DVDs. He teaches the arpeggiated intro and rich chords of Calypso; the powerful strumming patterns of "Spirit" and "The Eagle and the Hawk;" the flatpicking riffs and bass lines to "Matthew;" the intro and fingerpicking patterns to "Dreamland Express" and "Poems, Prayers and Promises;" and the classical-sounding accompaniment to "Today."

Throughout the lesson you'll gain many insights into the musical mind of John Denver, as well as the special sounds and compelling voicings that make these guitar arrangements simple to play and yet uniquely beautiful. Complete your collection of these popular DVDs and have fun playing this timeless music.

Customer Reviews:

3rd DVD in an excellent series.......2005-02-04

This is Pete Huttlinger's 3rd DVD of John Denver material. Everyone of the videos is highly recommended because Pete is an excellent teacher. There are many videos out there featuring great guitarists but although they may be great performers, they're not always great teachers. Homespun Tapes produced this set of DVD's and I understand that they are the most popular of their materials. I can't recommend the series any more highly.

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