How to Become a Better Guitarist with Troy Nelson's Guitar Aerobics: A 52-Week Workout Program for All Levels

Troy Nelson Guitar Aerobics A 52 Week Pdf: A Review

If you are looking for a way to improve your guitar skills, you might have come across a book called Guitar Aerobics by Troy Nelson. This book claims to be a 52-week, one-lick-per-day workout program for developing, improving and maintaining guitar technique. But what exactly is guitar aerobics, and how can it help you become a better guitarist? In this article, we will review the book and answer some common questions about it.

Troy Nelson Guitar Aerobics A 52 Week Pdf

What is Guitar Aerobics?

Guitar aerobics is a concept that applies the principles of physical fitness to guitar playing. Just like you need to exercise your body regularly to stay in shape, you also need to exercise your fingers, hands, wrists, arms, ears and brain to keep your guitar skills sharp. Guitar aerobics is a way of doing that by practicing different licks every day that challenge your technique, speed, accuracy, timing, coordination, rhythm, phrasing, expression and musicality.

The concept and benefits of guitar aerobics

The idea behind guitar aerobics is simple: you practice one lick per day for a whole year, starting from easy to hard, covering various techniques and styles. Each lick is designed to be played along with a drum track at different tempos, which helps you develop your sense of groove and timing. By doing this consistently, you will gradually improve your guitar skills in all aspects, as well as expand your vocabulary of licks and riffs.

Some of the benefits of guitar aerobics are:

• It helps you break out of your comfort zone and learn new things.

• It keeps your practice routine fresh and fun.

• It builds your confidence and motivation.

• It prepares you for any musical situation.

• It makes you a more versatile and well-rounded guitarist.

The author and his credentials

The author of Guitar Aerobics is Troy Nelson, a professional guitarist, educator, author and former editor of Guitar One magazine. He has over 25 years of experience in playing, teaching and writing about guitar. He has also written several other books on guitar topics, such as Fretboard Freedom, Rhythm Guitar 365, Guitarist's Guide to Music Reading and One-Man Guitar Jam. He is also an active performer and recording artist who has played with various artists and bands in different genres.

What does the book contain?

The book contains 365 licks, one for each day of the year, organized into 52 weeks. Each week focuses on a different technique or style, such as alternate picking, string bending, sweep picking, blues, rock, metal, country and funk. The book also includes two audio CDs that contain the lick demos and the drum tracks, as well as online access to the same audio files and additional bonus material.

The structure and format of the book

The book is divided into four sections: introduction, exercises, techniques and CD track listing. The introduction explains the concept and benefits of guitar aerobics, the author's background and credentials, and some general tips on how to use the book effectively. The exercises section contains the 365 licks, each with a standard notation and tablature staff, a brief description of the technique or style involved, and the suggested tempo range. The techniques section provides a detailed explanation of each technique or style covered in the book, with examples and exercises. The CD track listing shows the corresponding track number for each lick and drum track on the CDs.

The techniques and styles covered in the book

The book covers a wide range of techniques and styles that are essential for any guitarist who wants to master the instrument. Some of the techniques covered are:

• Alternate picking

• String bending

• Hammer-ons and pull-offs

• Slides

• Vibrato

• Legato

• Sweep picking

• Economy picking

• Hybrid picking

• Tapping

• Artificial harmonics

• Natural harmonics

• Palm muting

• String skipping

• Octaves

• Double stops

• Tremolo picking

• Trills

Some of the styles covered are:

• Blues

• Rock

• Metal

• Country

• Funk

• Jazz

• Reggae

• Soul

• R&B

• Pop

• Folk

• Latin

• Classical

• World music

The audio tracks and online access included in the book

The book comes with two audio CDs that contain 365 lick demos and 365 drum tracks. The lick demos are played by professional guitarist Doug Boduch, who demonstrates how each lick should sound at different tempos. The drum tracks are played by professional drummer Todd Sorensen, who provides a solid groove and a metronome click for each lick. The audio tracks are also available online for download or streaming, along with additional bonus material such as backing tracks, videos, tips and more.

How to use the book effectively?

The book is designed to be used as a daily practice tool that can supplement your regular guitar lessons or self-study. The author recommends following these steps to get the most out of the book:

The recommended practice schedule and tips

• Pick a time of day that works best for you and stick to it. Ideally, you should practice at least 30 minutes a day, but you can adjust it according to your schedule and goals.

• Start with the first lick of the week on Monday and work your way through the rest of the week until Sunday. If you miss a day, don't worry, just pick up where you left off.

• Listen to the lick demo on the CD or online and try to play along with it. Pay attention to the technique, style, tone, articulation, dynamics and expression involved in each lick.

• Practice the lick slowly at first until you can play it accurately and comfortably. Then gradually increase the tempo until you can play it at the suggested range or faster.

• Play along with the drum track on the CD or online and try to match your timing and groove with it. Use a metronome if needed to keep track of your tempo.

• Vary your practice routine by changing the key, position, fingering, picking direction, tone or effects of each lick. Try to transpose, modify, combine or improvise on each lick to make it your own.

The challenges and rewards of following the book

Following the book for a whole year may seem daunting at first, but it can also be very rewarding. Some of the challenges you may face are:

• Keeping up with the daily practice and not skipping or falling behind.

• Dealing with frustration or boredom when some licks are too hard or too easy.

• Staying motivated and focused on your goals.

• Overcoming plateaus or bad habits.

• Integrating the licks into your own playing and style.

Some of the rewards you may enjoy are:

• Seeing your progress and improvement over time.

• Feeling more confident and creative on the guitar.

• Having fun and enjoying the music.

• Learning new techniques and styles.

• Expanding your repertoire and musical knowledge.

The feedback and testimonials from other users

The book has received many positive reviews and testimonials from other guitarists who have used it or are still using it. Here are some examples of what they have said:

"Exactly what I needed to start off my practice sessions (and yes the music tracks work) Depending on what you're looking for, this might get boring. And I might yet get bored before 12 months are up, but for now, it's exactly what I need."- Puablo (Amazon.com review)

"Good book for all skill levels. I've been playing guitar for 25 years, and while I'm pretty good in some aspects of guitar, there's a lot of areas where I've never really put in focused practice on. This year I set a goal of playing guitar every single day and also getting a more structured practice routine together. I wasn't really sure where to start on a practice routine, so I bought this book to give me something to work on every day."- mikeh80 (Amazon.com review)

"Six weeks in--almost nothing but praise for this book. // SIX MONTH UPDATE // FINAL UPDATE. Today I finish Week 6 in this book, and I honestly have only good things to say about it. Well--only good things at the end of it all, that is."- Braden E. Bost (Amazon.com review)

"I am currently on week 21 and I absolutely love it. My daily routine is to review the previous 10 weeks of lessons then learn today's lesson. Yes, it is time consuming but it is great to warm.up to and helps perfect each previous daily drill."- u/BigDaddyBeezy (Reddit.com comment)

Where to get the book and how much does it cost?

The book is widely available online and offline from various retailers and publishers. You can also get it in different formats, such as paperback, spiral-bound, Kindle or PDF. The price may vary depending on where you buy it from, but generally it ranges from $15 to $25.

The availability and price of the book online and offline

You can buy the book online from websites such as Amazon.com, HalLeonard.com, GuitarGearFinder.com or PDFRoom.com. You can also buy it offline from local music stores or bookstores that carry guitar books. You can check the availability and price of the book online by clicking on these links:

- [Amazon.com](https://www.amazon.com/Guitar-Aerobics-One-lick-day-Maintaining/product-reviews/1423414357) - [HalLeonard.com](https://www.halleonard.com/product/695946/guitar-aerobics) - [GuitarGearFinder.com](https://guitargearfinder.com/reviews/books/guitar-aerobics-troy-nelson-book-review/) - [PDFRoom.com](https://pdfroom.com/books/guitar-aerobics-a-52-week-one-lick-per-day-workout-program-for-developing-improving-and-maintaining-guitar-technique/Pe5xQjqldnN) The pros and cons of buying the book in PDF format

Some guitarists may prefer to buy the book in PDF format, either as a digital download or as a printout. There are some pros and cons of buying the book in PDF format, such as:

Pros

Cons

- You can access the book on any device that can read PDF files, such as your computer, tablet or smartphone.

- You may not be able to access the audio tracks or the online bonus material, unless they are included in the PDF file or provided separately.

- You can zoom in or out of the pages, adjust the brightness or contrast, or use other features that may enhance your reading experience.

- You may not be able to write notes or mark pages on the PDF file, unless you use a software that allows you to do so.

- You can save money and space by not buying or storing a physical copy of the book.

- You may not be able to resell or lend the PDF file to others, unless you have permission from the author or publisher.

The alternatives and supplements to the book

If you are looking for other books or resources that can help you improve your guitar skills, you may want to check out these alternatives and supplements to Guitar Aerobics:

- Rhythm Guitar 365 by Troy Nelson: This is another book by the same author that follows a similar format and concept, but focuses on rhythm guitar instead of lead guitar. It contains 365 rhythm exercises that cover various styles and techniques, such as strumming, picking, muting, syncopation, chords, progressions and more. You can find it [here](https://www.amazon.com/Rhythm-Guitar-365-Developing-Maintaining/dp/1423477898). - Guitar Aerobics: Advanced Level by Troy Nelson: This is a sequel to Guitar Aerobics that contains 365 more licks for advanced players who want to take their skills to the next level. It covers more complex and challenging techniques and styles, such as sweep arpeggios, tapping harmonics, hybrid picking, diminished scales, jazz chords and more. You can find it [here](https://www.amazon.com/Guitar-Aerobics-Advanced-Troy-Nelson/dp/1540030237). - Fretboard Freedom by Troy Nelson: This is another book by the same author that teaches you how to visualize and navigate the fretboard using shapes, patterns and intervals. It contains over 100 exercises and examples that show you how to apply scales, modes, chords, arpeggios and more to any musical situation. You can find it [here](https://www.amazon.com/Fretboard-Freedom-Visualize-Navigate-Fretboard/dp/1458420140). - Guitar Aerobics YouTube Channel: This is a YouTube channel that provides video lessons and demonstrations for each lick in Guitar Aerobics. It also provides tips, tricks and advice on how to practice and improve your guitar skills. You can find it [here](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJ0jYxQZ0Bk6w2c1f4Xy2Ow). Conclusion

Guitar Aerobics by Troy Nelson is a great book for guitarists who want to improve their skills in a systematic and fun way. It provides a daily dose of exercises that challenge your technique, style and musicality. It also comes with audio tracks and online access that enhance your learning experience. Whether you are a beginner, intermediate or advanced player, you can benefit from this book if you follow it consistently and diligently. By the end of the year, you will see a noticeable improvement in your guitar playing.

A summary of the main points and benefits of the book

To summarize, here are the main points and benefits of Guitar Aerobics:

- It is a 52-week, one-lick-per-day workout program for developing, improving and maintaining guitar technique. - It covers various techniques and styles, such as alternate picking, string bending, sweep picking, blues, rock, metal, country and funk. - It comes with two audio CDs that contain lick demos and drum tracks, as well as online access to the same audio files and additional bonus material. - It helps you break out of your comfort zone and learn new things. - It keeps your practice routine fresh and fun. A call to action for the readers to try the book

If you are interested in improving your guitar skills in a systematic and fun way, you should definitely give Guitar Aerobics a try. It is a book that will challenge you, inspire you and reward you with noticeable results. You can order the book online or offline from various retailers and publishers, or you can download it in PDF format if you prefer. You can also check out the YouTube channel for video lessons and demonstrations. Don't miss this opportunity to take your guitar playing to the next level with Guitar Aerobics.

FAQs

Here are some frequently asked questions about Guitar Aerobics:

- Q: Do I need to be an advanced player to use this book? - A: No, this book is suitable for all levels of players, from beginner to advanced. The licks start from easy to hard, so you can progress at your own pace and skip or repeat any licks as needed. - Q: Do I need to have a specific type of guitar or equipment to use this book? - A: No, this book can be used with any type of guitar or equipment. The licks are written for standard tuning, but you can adapt them to other tunings if you want. You can also use any tone or effects that suit your style and preference. - Q: Do I need to follow the book in order or can I jump around? - A: It is recommended that you follow the book in order, as each week builds on the previous one and introduces new techniques and styles. However, you can also jump around if you want to focus on specific areas or licks that interest you. - Q: How long does it take to complete the book? - A: It depends on how often and how long you practice. If you follow the book as intended, it will take you a full year to complete it. However, you can also go faster or slower depending on your goals and schedule. - Q: What if I have questions or problems with the book? - A: You can contact the author or publisher through their websites or social media accounts. You can also join online forums or communities where other guitarists who use the book may help you out. Okay, I will finish the article by adding a custom message at the bottom. 71b2f0854b