Rating: 
Summary: Zen guitar and fishing are a lot alike.
Review: One of the reasons I play guitar is one of the same reasons I like to fish: it is often catharsis for the soul. This book makes it perfectly clear. If you're looking for musical tips or tricks, this book is not it. But if you're looking for a beautiful new perspective on guitar, this book is wonderful. Not to be taken too seriously, this book would be an excellent gift for an introspective guitarist.
Rating: 
Summary: A great mix of music and spirituality in the Zen tradition.
Review: Phil Sudo has written an inspiring and captivating work that is a must read for musicians who want to explore the mystical link between creativity and spirituality. In fine style, Sudo gives examples from both music and Zen Buddhism on how to reach new creative and spiritual heights through the medium of instrumentation. While it is called Zen Guitar, any musician or spiritual seeker should consider this an important work in understanding the creative spirit in all of us.
Rating:
Summary: If you're open, you'll learn how--and why--to play guitar.
Review: Philip Toshio Sudo is not Mel Bay--if you buy Zen Guitar looking for scales and chord charts, then yes, you will be disappointed. But the book's concept--the "path of Zen Guitar"--is not how to play, but _how_ to play and, depending on your interpretation, _why_. It's about motivation and fulfillment, not technique. What the book does--or did for me, at any rate--is help you evaluate why you play guitar in the first place and gives you some food for thought as you go about achieving your guitar goals. I am a sloppy, self-taught player, I have no experience with Zen teachings, and I'm not big on books that offer fun new dogma--but I found the book's focus on the spiritual and emotional aspects of creating music on a guitar as well as the musician's unique and personal relationship with the instrument both fascinating and extremely valuable. I feel I'm a better player now, practicing with sharper goals and better intentions; the book's advice has helped both broaden my outlook and focus my efforts. At no time does Zen Guitar neglect the importance of practice; it is, in fact, at the heart of the book (its First Point Of Focus: "Don't ask, practice"). Many of its concepts are direct from Zen teachings and beliefs, but the book neither preaches nor drags. Zen Guitar is a difficult book to describe, but I didn't find it difficult to comprehend--and I was able to apply its wisdoms to my playing immediately. As long as you *want* to explore the spiritual aspect of playing guitar, the book can be an invaluable tool.
Rating:
Summary: If you're open, you'll learn how--and why--to play guitar.
Review: Philip Toshio Sudo is not Mel Bay--if you buy Zen Guitar looking for scales and chord charts, then yes, you will be disappointed. But the book's concept--the "path of Zen Guitar"--is not how to play, but _how_ to play and, depending on your interpretation, _why_. It's about motivation and fulfillment, not technique. What the book does--or did for me, at any rate--is help you evaluate why you play guitar in the first place and gives you some food for thought as you go about achieving your guitar goals. I am a sloppy, self-taught player, I have no experience with Zen teachings, and I'm not big on books that offer fun new dogma--but I found the book's focus on the spiritual and emotional aspects of creating music on a guitar as well as the musician's unique and personal relationship with the instrument both fascinating and extremely valuable. I feel I'm a better player now, practicing with sharper goals and better intentions; the book's advice has helped both broaden my outlook and focus my efforts. At no time does Zen Guitar neglect the importance of practice; it is, in fact, at the heart of the book (its First Point Of Focus: "Don't ask, practice"). Many of its concepts are direct from Zen teachings and beliefs, but the book neither preaches nor drags. Zen Guitar is a difficult book to describe, but I didn't find it difficult to comprehend--and I was able to apply its wisdoms to my playing immediately. As long as you *want* to explore the spiritual aspect of playing guitar, the book can be an invaluable tool.
Rating:
Summary: There is an approach to anything you do in life in this book
Review: Someone who is a great guitar player recommended this book to me. I study art and very interested in philosophical interpretation of music, art, life etc. Once I started to read it, I could not believe how many great thoughts it had. This book has SO many valuable sayings written in such a simple language! Take for instance couple of these, "if you can't play what you hear, then hear what you play" or "do it [practice] as much as needs to be done, as well as it needs to be done, when it needs to be done, and do it this way every time."
I don't like to read it too fast though because I need to put it through my own "filter", well, I just like to chew on :). I would say that "Zen Guitar" is for anyone who is interested in philosophy or/and any kind of art. I play some music instruments as well, and I think this book will help you depending on what you are looking for. For some it is strictly for that specific instrument (read: GUITAR) and will put some more soul in their sound but for others it just can be a starting point to many exciting discoveries in LIFE... enjoy!
Rating:
Summary: Good For Inspiration
Review: There really isn't much I can add to the reviews already here. They are all right. I bought this book based on these reviews and I didn't like the book at all, at first. I thought it was just a bunch of esoteric eastern jibber jabber...and it is. It's rather silly at points. Sprinkled with quotes from artists most of whom have sold out whatever musical spirit they had years ago. All of that given, there are tons of books out there designed to tell you that all you knew before was completely wrong. You're holding your fingers the wrong way, real guitarists don't play those guitars, this style is better than that, you'll never be as good as so and so, etc. etc. Sound familiar? There is no end of people out there who live to tell other people their technique is wrong. This book dosen't do that. This book says if you feel it inside, then it's good music. This book says that good technique is important too, but the wrong note in the right spirit is better than the right note in the wrong spirit, and I have yet to find another book that just made me feel good about playing and learning, and not inadequate. Buy it for inspiration. Put it on your amp or music stand and just read a page of two when you feel like you'll never get there. Then you'll realize you're there already.
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Summary: Beginner's mind
Review: This book is extremely valuable for any musician, artist or person. The meditation in the back of the book alone is worth complete contemplation. The concept this book is based upon is the journey from beginner to expert and back to beginner...a concept i well understand as a professional guitar player of 15 years and a professional teacher (over 40 private students). i wish every one of them would go out and read this book from the youngest to the oldest. this is not a guitar textbook or a supplement for a teacher...but it is a valuable guidebook to lead you away from the dark path of ego-gratification, flashy licks, and playing metered depression.
Rating:
Summary: Best book about guitar I've seen
Review: This book is my favorite book about playing guitar in the same way the June 1978 Guitar Player magazine interview with Carlos Santana is my favorite interview with a guitar player. Learning specific techniques, scales, chords, etc. and applying them mechanically is one thing. However, employing various techniques, scales, chords, etc. so they actually mean something is another matter entirely. This excellent text focuses on the gestalt of guitar playing and musicianship. Of course it's incredibly important to learn about specific techniques. However, this text covers the other half of the game-- how to play meaningfully with thought and spirit. The best musicians have both bases covered. A must-have. Excellent text for musicians playing other instruments, as well. Highly recommended.
Rating: 
Summary: Inspiring, But I Am Having Trouble Living It
Review: This book seeks to inspire one to practice more and to be more focused on one's music and musical goals. But the problem is that the author tells you to do this, to do that, to watch out for this, but not for that, to think like this, and not like that, to try this, but not that, to be humble, yet at the same time intrepid, etc. ad infinitum. I want so bad to follow a wise path in my music, and the author of 'Zen Guitar' seems to have a lot to offer in that respect- TOO MUCH to offer, actually. I find myself getting so worried and caught up in following the authors many rules, noting his exceptions, avioding his stated pitfalls, and trying to be follow his fine-line, 'one mistake and you're out' path, that I am just going crazy trying to remember it all when I am playing. So I find I am not in zen at all. On the contrary, when trying to follow the authors well-intended advice, I get confused about just what kind of person the author would like for me to be, and I am full of self-doubt when I realize that I can not be as perfect as the author would like for me to be. It's hard enough practicing for a few hours each day. I just can't concentrate on what Philip Toshio Sudo wants me to do all the time, especially when I am playing. So sorry Philip- I know you mean well with 'Zen Guitar', but it's just too hard-line for me.
Rating:
Summary: Great Book Really helped me !
Review: This is a great book ! I reccomend this book to any guitar player beginner or advanced ! Even if you play a diffrent instrument other than guitar it will still teach you about you and your instrument. I DON'T reccomend this book to anybody that does NOT play any kind of musical instrument ! This book really teaches you about the physical art of playing guitar and it helps inspire you of the way you play your music. I wont ever forget this book its so good i've read it alot more times than once. I must have read this book more than 10X's. So I think its a GREAT BOOK ! I give it two thumbs up and 5 stars. I hope this reveiw helped you. Thank you
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