I have used Larry McCabe's instruction books for years with my music students, with good results, so I picked up a copy of this new book last month to use in my teaching studio. My students are enjoying the book very much and so am I. It is quite a nice book and CD, unique in format and impressive in its instructional design and educational goals.

As the product description mentions, these are the patterns that are played on authentic blues recordings. I have not seen as complete a collection of blues guitar rhythm patterns in another book. This is a comprehensive manual of urban blues rhythm patterns.

The book is designed in a workbook/reference format that encourages the participation of the user in transposing, and applying, the patterns to standard eight-and twelve-bar blues chord progressions.

Each pattern is demonstrated on the I, or tonic chord, in C major. Clear instructions are included that encourage the user to apply the pattern to other root tones, and also to "entire" blues progressions (I7-IV7-V7), such as the blues progressions found in real songs.

One great thing about this book is that it motivates the user to form decisions regarding appropriateness of application, or use, in real blues songs. It is not a book for the lazy person who expects spoonfeeding, or a beginner who is satisfied with note-by-note copying of someone elses playing. To put it more bluntly, this book might not be useful for guitar students who fall into the "dumb" category. The format is designed for the guitarist who wants to learn to think for himself or herself, and who wants to learn by doing.

I am showing my better students how to apply the patterns to real songs, and more importantly, I am teaching them to teach themselves how to apply the patterns to real songs, which is the overall instructional objective of the material.

The patterns cover many positions on the fingerboard, up to the twelfth fret. Each pattern is written in the same key, C, for ease of analysis and comparison. It is a smart idea to present the material this way, again, because the user is encouraged to learn to transpose the examples to entire progressions, various keys, and songs having different types of rhythms.

Even though most urban blues rhythm patterns are fairly easy to play from a technical viewpoint, this book would not be appropriate for a beginner. A beginner's focus is necessarily on mastering basic technique, not original application. This book encourages creative thinking and decision making. It is a book for ambitious students having early intermediate, or better, skills.

A player with light experience, or lack of motivation, or inability to read instructions, might be confused by this book's goals. The exercise of musical application requires original thought, motivation, and experimentation. Thus, this is not a book for uninspired folks whose ability, ambition, and conceptual grasp is limited to copying note-for-note guitar licks and patterns.

The professionally mixed CD is clearly recorded, and remarkably, contains every pattern, each recorded at a moderate tempo. Commendable effort.

The book also contains a valuable appendix covering Basic Types of Blues Rhythm Patterns; 12-Bar Progressions in the Major Keys (with variations provided); 12-Bar Progressions in the Minor Keys (with variations provided); Open Charts for Application of Patterns.

I highly recommend this impressive and useful book for any emerging guitarist who wants to "learn by imitating-and then doing." Fellow teachers with motivated guitar students, take a look at this one. Five stars.