Reviews (4)

Banjo Newsletter
As a newcomer to playing the banjo (< 1 year), I find the Banjo Newletter to be a wealth of information about the 5 string banjo and the various styles. They also review banjo teaching aids (books, CD's, DVD's etc.) as well as recent releases of CD's of interest to the banjo world. Each issue has a large range of articles for all interests, including interviews with musical celebrities, and lots of songs in tablature format. The paper newletter is supplemented with a very robust web site with MP3's that can be downloaded. This is very helpful to hear the timing of various licks. You can also order older newsletters with interviews or songs of interest.
All in all, the money for the subscription is money very well spent. The banjo newsletter authors really love their work and it shows! Keep up the excellent newsletter!

This is the best
This has to be the best on-going publication for five string banjo players in the world. If you have a question, it will probably be answered in Banjo Newsletter. Songs, tabs, licks, interviews, tips, tricks, you name it. If it has anything to do with the five string banjo it will be in Banjo Newsletter. Truly a labor of love presented by people who want to see this wonderful part of Americana remain alive and not flushed down the toilet. Highly recommended.

THE magazine for 5-stringers
I really don't have much to say except that if you love playing the 5-string banjo then you will find something of interest and amusement in every issue of BNL. It is a real bargain and clearly a labor of love of its editors and writers.

Great Resource!
I love this magazine! Interesting articles, great bits of tab for advanced and beginner alike. A terrific magazine for the dedicated banjo player. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

I love guitar one
i love the lessons in the book on soloing and other stuff.I also perfer it over Guitar World because it has more sheet music. It includes articals about what equpment, FX, Guitars, Ect. famous guitarist use, top ten list. And all this for 5 bux (an issue). Last it has about 6 peices of sheet music but if you go to a store or something sheet musics like ten bucks but in this you get a magazine and 6 peices of sheet music.

Great source of guitar tab
The main reason I subscribe to Guitar One over Guitar World is the number of songs in each issue. I found myself rarely reading the instructional articles in GW, but always turning to the guitar tab in the middle. Guitar One has all the good parts of GW, plus at least 6 songs per issue. Its always full of good interviews with top bands and guitarists, plus lots of sneak previews of the bands that are going to be hitting it big soon. I've subscribed for several years now, and I have kept every single issue.

An OK mag, useful web site too
There's about five billion guitar (bass, drums, stereo [insert your own]) magazines on the market, all of them are vendor-hype infested with very little useful information otherwise. This one isn't different, no worse no better. It's got a useful web site, btw, if you're looking for some gear info, that is. There's some music in the mag too, but as is always the case with mags like that, it's way too primitive to be of much interest. In general, I find British magazines of the same sort (Guitarist, Guitar Techniques, Computer Music, etc.) better, even if not by much -- better written, more informative, more pleasing graphically, with a CD attached (better hear once than read 1000 times, at least in this area... plus you get for free the presenters on the CD speaking with the nasty British accent that you can then rip, rearrange as needed, and use for your answering machine.)

OK, that said, all these mags are little different from a vendors' digest delivered to your door at your cost.

Guitar Enthusias of the century !!!
I like this magazine cause it let me get tips on how to play guitar in a different way. A great magazine for folks who want to learn. I recommend this to folks cause it helps you to see what other folk are doing in term of technique of playing guitar. Great magazine !!!! ... Read more

Reviews (14)

The same songs tabbed over and over again
I've read this magazine since I first picked up a guitar in 1989. Since then, it's had its ups and downs, as it tends to follow the latest trends. In 1989 the focus was hair metal; in 1992 it was thrash. It 1995 it was in a slump of four chord songs and songs that appeared in previous issues. I believe "Crazy Train", "Walk", "Free Bird" and "Crossroads" have probably each appeared about a dozen times since 1990. My subscription ran out in the late 90's, but I keep an eye out for it on the news stands. It's currently in another slump, one where the tabs are typically either nu-metal, garage rock like The Vines, or the aforementioned reprints. However, all is not lost; there are still good columns, although the interviews aren't that great anymore. And I think that there was an At The Gates song in there not too long ago.
The bottom line is, buy it from the news stands when you see songs that you like in it. That way you can choose the best from the competition (which tends to tab the same songs at the same time, even the classic rock ones).

Excellent Magazine.
This is my favorite magazine, by far. If you play guitar, this is a must-have. It is, in my opinion, better than its "rival", Guitar One, because the articles are more interesting, the songs also include basslines along with the guitar tabs, and it has VERY helpful articles by rock stars like Kirk Hammett(Metallica), Dimebag Darrell(Pantera), Tony Rambola(Godsmack), and others that show different playing techniques along with exercises that can be very challenging. If you own a Line6 POD, the magazine includes settings for it that go along with the tabbed songs, so it sounds like the studio recording. So, if you play guitar, GET THIS!!!!!!!!! It's a good deal. Plus, Amazon's price saves you some $$$!

i love both guitar one and guitar world
i love both guitar one and guitar world, but i like guitar one a Tiny bit more. But i love both magazines

Good gone Bad
I was a gung-ho Guitar World reader from about '96-'01... my subscription ran out sometime in '03... but the quality of the publication had so seriously fallen, I didn't care to spend the money on it any longer. Guitar World has become SO mainstream that it's pretty difficult to put up with. I havn't felt that the interviews were good for a long time. It doesn't seem the interviewERS are musicians. Not much in there is for musicians anymore (just like Rolling Stone). There are tabs in there, but they generally aren't written the way the artist plays the song... I still have all of my old issues, and refer to them often, but as for the new ones... buy 'em on the stand when they've got something interesting.

Brainwashing guitarists everywhere
Guitar World is the most commercial guitar magazine you can buy. The lessons are practiaclly useless unless you are just beginning guitar. They do have good columnists (Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, Dickey Betts, Warren Haynes, and even John Scofield), but this magazine is mainly targeted to the mainstream audiences instead of real guitarists. What really pisses me off is having to read Zakk Wylde say "Man I Love F****** alcohol" every minute.

And what about these "greatest guitarists of all time" articles. They have people who can only play barchords being listed as one of the greatest guitarists or having the best guitar solo ever. All this magazine is, is a bunch of hype and brainwashing of the masses. ... Read more

Abstract

Published for amateur, semi-pro, and professional guitar players in the rock, blues, classical, flamenco, jazz, pop, fusion, country and new age fields.
... Read more

Reviews (20)

Still good, mostly
When GP started publication there wasn't anything else to compete with it. Now the aspiring youg guitarist has his or her pick of guitar mags, full of tab transcriptions of the latest hits and fawning interviews with pretentious guitar heros.

GP has tried to stand out form these magazine by being more about music and equipment, and to have a broader view of guitar playing, and to an extent is has succeeded. You're far more likely to find a profile of an intersting Flamenco or Brazilian guitarist in GP than in one of the other mags, and while you won't find fully tabbed out songs, GP is far more likely to deliver an article that goes into some depth on theory and application. In that sense, GP is more for musicians, and the other guitar magazines are mostly for teens looking to cover their favorite bands.

GP isn't always great. Some issues are completely devoid of anything that interests me, and there's far too much punk and shred guitar for my tastes. But a subscription is ridiculously cheap; I don't mind if I only find something of use in as few as half the issues I receive.

Some Diverse Guitar Coverage
I've been subscribing for a couple of years now. The quick laundry list:
1. My favorite bit is there tends to be a diverse selection of guitar players and lessons. One month may be jazz heavy, another may be blues heavy, and sometimes there is even some punk/metal stuff thrown in. As a player I enjoy blues and metal, but I enjoy the diversity as it spawns ideas. Also note that while there are main stream guitarists covered there are also a lot of more obscure folks covered as well.

2. Yes there are a lot of ads. Show me a magazine that isn't loaded with ads these days tho'.

3. Yes there are a lot of gear reviews. Great if you're a gear head - not so good if you could care less. Usually at least 50% reviews 50% lessons, sometimes more on the review side.

4. I've been playing for a few years now and find most of the lessons are generally intermediate to advanced and assume you are fairly well versed in music theory. I don't count myself as an extraordinary guitar player though. I ended up buying a few music theory books to help me understand the lessons after a few issues. Frustrating but a great challenge!

5. No there are no tabs of the latest or oldest hits out there. Everything in this magazine revolves around learning to make music, not copy somebody else note for note.

All in all a decent enough magazine. I'm giving 4 stars instead of 5 just because I'm a bit against all the gear reviews and the lessons are sometimes too brief or vague to be useful for me.

So-So
This is a good magazine not the best. I like transcriptions but doesnt have them. The gear reviews are good it helped me buy an effect station. Overall I give it a three.

P.S. I think Brandon was talking about guitar one. I know that has a riff box.

Great tip
Interviews, tips on playing and gear, lessons. all around great.

Don't subscribe unless you like junk mail and telemarkets
I subscribed in 2001 through amazon.com and choose not to re-subscribe. I have received at least 2 phone calls a month from telemarketers and numerous mail solicitations for guitar player magazine to re-subscribe since my subscription ended. Even worse I have received three invoices from Ebsco Enterprises (I just received my third invoice today which is why I am posting this message) stating that I had contacted them by phone to subscribe even though I did no such thing. I have asked repeatedly by phone and certified mail to have my name removed from the telemarketer's list and guitar players as well only to have the cycle start over again in three months.

Bottom line is this magazine is just out to get your money, if you're serious about playing guitar your better off hanging out with other guitar players or taking lessons rather than wasting your money on advertisements, gear porn, one or two interesting articles each month, and the trill of junk mail and late night telemarketer phone calls. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

A Great Bass Player's Resource
Bass Player features successful bass players every month. The subject matter is wide ranging. Towards the front of the magazine, there is a new gear section that gives a short description and thumbnail picture of new products such as effects pedals, speaker cabinets, strings, and what have you. Usually the magazine cover shot will be the main story where the magazine will give background information on a bass player and then interview him/her. One month you might find Paul McCartney, the next, Flea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers. In the interview, the reader gets insight into the mind of working successful musicians and how they shape musical bass standards with their vision. Towards the back of the magazine, there are in-depth reviews of three or four pieces of musical equipment; always included are a bass guitar, often a bass amp, and speakers, strings, and pedals.

As you get further to the back, there are many lessons geared towards teaching the aspiring bass player how to do certain techniques they might have heard on a recording, as well as technical exercises to improve technique. One month, you may have a guest columnist teaching you about how to hold your hand over the fretboard on an upright, and the next, you may get lessons on how to keep better tempo with the drummer. This section is very valuable and pertinent to anyone aspiring to improve their playing style. Peppered throughout the magazine are ads from all the industry manufacturers and retailers advertising a broad spectrum of supplies available, as well as internet links to those products. These ads themselves are educational as they give the musician a chance to compare product specifications and pricing. If I had any requests from this magazine, it would be--how about a small humor section or a cartoon?

This magazine is a must-have for both the seasoned professional and the aspiring newbie. I never miss an issue and I learn something every time I read a new Bass Player. I always look forward to the next issue with great enthusiasm. Do yourself a favor and subscribe to this one today! :-)

Fabulous magazine for bass players
While many music rags limit there coverage to new and hip artists, while providing lots of song transcriptions, Bass Player is focused on teaching. The artists surveyed are always eclectic and exciting, and the lessons challenging and intriguing. In all, the focus of the magazine seems to me to be the philosophy of music, and is consistently intelligent and articulate. Every serious bass player would benefit from a couple of copies of this magazine.

Where's My Mag?
We have been waiting since August....OF LAST YEAR!!!
The check has cleared...you have all of our information....what are you waiting for?
Let's see...it has now been 5 MONTHS!!!!!!!
Did you rip us off?

For Metalheads and Punks
While BP does do the occasional article on a straight-ahead jazz player or upright player, most of the editorial content (and what seesm like 90% of the cover photos) are deoted to the tattooed, pierced and punked up shredder of the month. Sure, there's actually a colum devoted to upright playing- sort of- but overall this is a magazine for young rockers. For them, it's great. For me... I'm still looking.

the ULTIMATE bass magazine!!!
The best bass magazine out there!
You `ll find anything you need every month...famous artists,gear reviews,lessons...everything!!!
I `ve been reading this mag` from age 14 (10 years of bass playing)and it helped me in my playing in many ways.
It`s simply the ultumate magazine of bass guitar.
Nuff said! ... Read more

Abstract

Articles and product news for the music and recording industry.
... Read more

Reviews (7)

Do NOT ORDER
I ordered this magazine in January and as of June 4, 2004 have not received it. It was supposed to be here between April and May. I wish there had been other reviews of this before I placed my order. I will not order magazines through Amazon.com again.

Worst Place to Order this Magazine
This is not a review of the magazine but rather Amazon.com...I ordered this magazine in early December of 2003 as a Christmas gift for my niece and as of June 1st she has yet to receive an issue. Oh yeah, but I received two today, the April/May issue and June/July issue. They sent the magazine to the billing address, I guess I am lucky I received the magazine at all, of course I have called them three or four times to find out when she would receive her first issue. Save yourself the aggravation and order this magazine elsewhere.

do not order
I ordered this magazine in August 2003 and have yet to receive a single magazine, despite phone calls to find out why. do not order from this site.

Do Not Order
Order was placed in Sept. Called Synapse to ask where my magazine was in Jan. They never called back and were no help. Finally got magazine in MARCH!. Guess what, was the WRONG magazine. Right. Do yourself a favor and order from the card in the magazine itself.

PLEASE READ!!!!!!!!!
I also ordered my subscription to this magazine in November and have yet to recieve my first issuse. I have been charged on my credit card and figured i'd wait for it but it is now March and im getting really annoyed. I do not give this a 1, because can not rate the quality of the magizine for obvious reasons. I would adivse you not to order this magazine through this website. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

on point
i often read this Magazine at my Local Book Store&it truly hits home.I Play Keyboards myself&always read on what they have to say on the latest technology also Interviews with different Artists&the Sounds they are Vibing On.you can't miss with this Magazine.very detailed on the subject matter.

Keyboards and more
If you are a keyboard player, you probably already know about this publication. You are aware that there is no other magazine that fills this niche quite as well (although Electronic Musician comes close). You likely are a subscriber already, or you pick up an issue at the newstand every month. But anyone, keyboard player or not, who is interested in making music with technology, would be served well by checking out this magazine. "Keyboard" is almost a misnomer, actually, because, while keyboards are emphasized, there is much here regarding recording and using computers for creating music. Strange as it may sound, sometimes keyboards get short shrift in favor of coverage of software and technology. The crux of this magazine, to me, is the product review section. If an item wins a "Key Buy" designation, you know it is worth adding to your musical arsenal. It's worth saving the back issues for reference. All in all a splendid magazine for musicians. ... Read more