The Rosetta Stone of Guitar

Nick: what are the differences and similarities to Kirk's PlainTalk? Unfortunately there are no samples on the RSoG site...

Interesting, but not much to look at on the website to see if its worth getting. Also, when I click on the Guitar Noise discount link, I am asked for my user name and password - what is that about?

Second things first. The password information is in the review. It's so he can offer the discount to the Guitarnoise folks. It's guitarnoise/approved

Mitch, Kirk's method is a series of connected mini-patterns, this is one unified spiral pattern and methods of moving about in that pattern. Also the pattern is linked into chord structure and progression in a way that takes a little while to understand, but once you've got it, it's a cool way of looking at things. Actually, now that I think of it, I just had another Eureka moment courtesy of RSoG....Kirk's method isn't a series of connected mini-patterns, it's just one.

...one other major difference, with the discount it's less than half the price.

I talked to Fred about the very subject of putting up sample pages. This may sound like a crock, (but keep in mind that I'm not making anything off of this), but if he puts up on the page anything more than a basic sample he is giving the whole thing away. It is that simple. If you've already got a method you are happy with, like CAGED, maybe you want to stick with that. Or maybe RSoG will do what it did for me. It really helped me seeing a unified fretboard. It's almost like seeing a piano keyboard. I can tell you immediately where a C is anywhere up or down the keyboard. The C is just the one before the two black key set. If you know the root, and you know the basic pattern, you can pretty much play it anywhere on the fretboard with just a little practice.

Let me put up a warning here, don't let fact I keep calling it simple lull you into thinking all the work is done for you. Also don't dismiss the concepts here just because they are that simple. If you take the info here and plug it into what you already know you will start to see relationships you never knew existed. To me it's like this: you've been driving the same way to work every day for years, one day you can't merge when you have to and you find a new way to the same place but it cuts 15 minutes off the trip. Now suddenly you can use that same new found path to go a whole bunch of new places, not just work. You scratch you head and think, "why didn't I know this was here? It's obvious this road should connect those two. Wow, I wish I knew about this path years ago."

You can see a brief sample of style, but not much in the way of content here:

http://www.rosettastoneofguitar.com/rSog_sample1-1.pdf

I really do believe if you spend a few nights working on it, seeing the pattern, playing it, trying to understand what he is saying, and integrating it with what you already know...within the week you will have it mastered and wonder why you didn't see it all before.

This isn't one of those big bold, money back guarantee sites, pitching the same old stuff repackaged. Fred put a lot of work into it and he helped me see relationships on the fretboard that I'd never noticed before. I really hope that if you buy it you get that same eureka moment I did.

Just to compare bang for the buck for a moment, this DVD is less than I pay for one lesson and I got a lot more out of it.

One more thing, I got a free review copy. I get a lot of free review copies. You want to know the number of times I've turned around and paid for the merchandise anyway? Once, for the Rosetta Stone of Guitar.

This may sound like a crock, (but keep in mind that I'm not making anything off of this), but if he puts up on the page anything more than a basic sample he is giving the whole thing away.

Check out Kirk's videos on chord tones. This is a direct application of his PlainTalk technique, and he gives nothing away.
http://www.thatllteachyou.com/chordtones/index.shtml
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZA4MFLZarGg

I'm sure the RSoG guy could come up with something that shows the end result of his methodology without revealing the proprietary bits. :wink:

I just don't know. $30 isn't much, but I would like to know my $$ is well spent.

I respect Nick's assessment and for that reason alone, I am tempted. I am taking the family on a long distance road trip - from Colorado to the Grand Canyon and then on to Southern Caqlifornia for Disneyland, etc. It would be nice to have something to read! Nick, do I need a guitar with me to work through the book? Also, how long will the "deal" be around?

Hah, believe it or not that actually makes sense having seen the rest of the book/DVD. But the book and DVD are much clearer and the examples/pictures are much easier to understand. Out of context it makes little sense. Also you have a very nice supply of videos included that walk you through the entire process and explain the basics and more.

I'm sure the deal will be here when you get back. And no you don't really need a guitar to understand it, but once you understand it you will beg borrow or steal a guitar to try it out.

Why am I doing this? Why have I become a RSoG evangelist? Hey......I'm excited man. This is really cool stuff.

I don't think so. Fred is actually showing the relationship of chords using shorthand. He isn't saying that chord theory is wrong. It's just a mnemonic device like HOMES for Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, Superior.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=klBiNPFwaTY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ByAdGlThII

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yg78qtrUQrY

I just don't know. $30 isn't much, but I would like to know my $$ is well spent.

I respect Nick's assessment and for that reason alone, I am tempted. I am taking the family on a long distance road trip - from Colorado to the Grand Canyon and then on to Southern Caqlifornia for Disneyland, etc. It would be nice to have something to read! Nick, do I need a guitar with me to work through the book? Also, how long will the "deal" be around?

So, what do you think, Nick?

I'm sure the deal will be here when you get back. And no you don't really need a guitar to understand it, but once you understand it you will beg borrow or steal a guitar to try it out.

The book should certainly be a good one if our admin has attested it !

Howdy all.

I read your review Nick and wanted to agree with you whole heartedly. The Rosetta Stone of Guitar method has forever changed the way I SEE the fretboard. I must admit that I am not new to this method; I know Fred Pool as a friend and have learned from him personally. I am by no means a virtuoso, but because of this method I would feel confident that I could sit in with nearly anyone, playing any style, and even though I may not impress them with my licks, I would know exactly where I was and be able to see the possibilities available. The Rosetta Stone has given me fretboard freedom. It gives an intuitive understanding of modes and their relationship to notes and chords. And the RSoG method gives a firm foundation to add the "bad notes" or move notes to form other scales like melodic minor or hungarian minor. The RSoG method is the "Colt" of the modern day guitar world. A regular Joe can now see and have an understanding of the fretboard before reserved for those who spent years studying theory and finally went "Aahh". It has been four years since I first learned the RSoG method and I am still very excited about it. I now have a deeper understanding of the guitar than I ever thought I would thanks to Fred Pool and his Rosetta Stone of Guitar method. I think it is well worth the money.

Aaron Johnson.

Thanks Aaron. Stick around the boards. Welcome.

I personally have had lessons from Fred Pool for five years, back when he was still coming up with many of the ideas that you now see in his book to give you a reference, it was before he implemented the "family" idea. I started with lessons completely green. I had never had any experience with guitar in my life. My opinion is basically the same as Aaron's. The past few years i have been busy and have not been able to practice as much as i would have liked so my skill has waned a bit. But I can assure you that RSoG is a very easy way to look at playing the guitar. I have looked at how other people have learned and it just seems confusing. When you have something to relate some of the nuisances of the guitar to it makes things much easier. I would say that once you get the hang of what he is talking about in his book, and once you have the finger strength and ability playing becomes easy and fun. Not only that but you can play with pretty much anyone, anywhere, anytime, and sound decent while your at it.

I bought Rosetta Stone of Guitar back in 2006 when it was just a spiral bound book. I received a mass email from Fred Poole today in regards to the positive review he received from Guitar Noise. If you check the RSoG website, my testimonial is still posted from 2006 (by Sheen).

I would not call this a method. This is a way of looking at the fretboard and REALLY seeing it. It's kind of like seeing a crossword puzzle with all the blanks filled in. In other words, Fred's book takes all the mystery out of the fretboard. He has taken that quantum leap to enable guitar players (really, anyone) to see the fretboard in a way that is kind of like going from being able to recite your ABC's to being able to read War and Peace.

I had forgotten all about the testimonial I wrote to the RSoG website 2 years ago, but just reading it a few minutes ago reminded me of how excited I was when, within an hour of opening the book my playing shot to another level - scratch that, way beyond another level! Today, it's just how I play guitar, but back then it was like the old smack the forehead and "Wow, how did I not see this before".

Hope this helps with any doubters. I truly believe it will be the best guitar money you've ever spent, especially if you're like me and always have a new book or guitar on order.

Fingerpickin' Good!
-Sheen