Originally Posted by: john of MTI've read the promo notes and a brief review. I've heard a radio/online interview of the author. That all makes me an expert, right? ;)

To criticize the author's guitar skill (even *I* didn't think much of what I heard) or the amount of time he's put into learning is missing the point. Maybe. I think.

Yeah, well, I never claimed to be an expert. Just going by my own experience. You know, it is an "open discussion" forum... if you can't handle a different opinion, rational discussion, then maybe you're in the wrong place?

And since you brought up the "makes me an expert right?" line... so the guy learns to play guitar over two years and can strum a few chords... that seems to have made him an "expert"... certainly enough of one that he feels qualified to write a book about how to learn to play guitar. I don't think my criticism misses the point at all... you DO realize that the book is partly intended as an instructional manual, right??

Of course I am going to critique someones qualifications with something like this. If he had a hit song on the radio, and everyone was saying "wow, that guitar playing is just amazing, it sounds terrific!!" and "yeah, but the real story is that guy learned to play like that in just two years...!" then I'd be interested. But its just words on a page. He's just written a book about "becoming a guitarist" (whatever that means) and now there's a bunch of on-line articles hyping up the book... so he can strum some chords after two years... big deal. So yeah John, I feel totally entitled to question the guy's sincerity, and if that bothers you, too frigin bad. ;)