Rhythm Guitar the Ranger Doug Way

**lindydanny** · 01-20-2011, 11:35 AM

Just got this last night along with another book from Amazon. I clunked through a few of the songs (thanks to a snowy night with nothing to do) and I'm already impressed. Along with the songs, there are about 20 pages of notes from Ranger Doug and his co-author Suze Spencer Marshall about the history of rhythm guitar, the music and the guitars.

By the way, Ranger Doug asks that if you see a 1939 Gibson L-5 with the serial #96514 to let him know. It was stolen from him in 1988!

Anyway, I think it's a decent book and worth an addition to a library. Not really lessons, more of slash chords of how Ranger Doug plays a handful of standards.

Anyone else read/have it?

~DB

**Steve Z** · 01-20-2011, 12:31 PM

Thanks for the book recommendation. I have added to my list next time I order books.

Here is a link to the book for others...
Amazon.com: Rhythm Guitar the Ranger Doug Way (9781574242041): Ranger Doug: Books

Cheers,
Steve

**brad4d8** · 01-20-2011, 12:37 PM

I have it, but haven't used it yet. I'm an inveterate collector of books that I see and think that I might use some day-I've waited for too many books that went out of print before I got them to let it happen too often any more.
Brad

**Stackabones** · 01-20-2011, 12:48 PM

Looks like a great book!

**SamBooka** · 01-20-2011, 03:11 PM

It is on my amazon.ca wishlist (hint hint)

**cosmic gumbo** · 01-20-2011, 11:37 PM

You can never have too many books. I think that one is here somewhere.

**caravan** · 01-21-2011, 12:49 AM

Did you know that Ranger Doug (Green) probably has the largest collection of Stromberg jazz guitars in the world?

**Steve Z** · 01-21-2011, 10:01 AM

Originally Posted by caravan

Did you know that Ranger Doug (Green) probably has the largest collection of Stromberg jazz guitars in the world?

There is an article in Fretboard Journal vol 10 about his collection if you can find a copy.

**lindydanny** · 01-21-2011, 10:51 AM

He talks about how much he likes the Strombergs in the book. I'm sold.

I'm not sure I'd be comfortable carrying around (and touching with my dirty, dirty fingers) a $47,000 guitar.

But what a piece of ass!

~DB

**MarkRhodes** · 09-14-2015, 10:07 AM

I ordered this book over the weekend.

There are many things I enjoy doing on the guitar and one is to comp / sing old swing tunes. I know the basics but haven't made enough of 'em to suit me, so I'm hoping to pick up another trick or two from this book.

**lindydanny** · 09-14-2015, 10:17 AM

You will certainly get a lot out of this book. The "tricks" that he shows are marvelous once you understand what is going on.

I'll caution you to make sure and look up other versions of the songs he references because he does put lyrics or even AABA markings in (copyright problems). Get a pencil and write that stuff in as it will help tremendously.

**MarkRhodes** · 09-14-2015, 11:54 AM

Originally Posted by lindydanny

You will certainly get a lot out of this book. The "tricks" that he shows are marvelous once you understand what is going on.

I'll caution you to make sure and look up other versions of the songs he references because he does put lyrics or even AABA markings in (copyright problems). Get a pencil and write that stuff in as it will help tremendously.

Sounds like a good idea. I'll start with his approach to tunes I already know ("Ain't Misbehavin'" "All of Me" After You've Gone") and venture out from there.

**campusfive** · 09-14-2015, 05:14 PM

Ranger clearly knows the style like few others. There are a couple strange harmonies listed in places, which drive me crazy, but for anyone else probably fall into the category of "close enough for jazz."

**MarkRhodes** · 09-14-2015, 07:47 PM

Originally Posted by campusfive

Ranger clearly knows the style like few others. There are a couple strange harmonies listed in places, which drive me crazy, but for anyone else probably fall into the category of "close enough for jazz."

Ha! I grew up hearing "close enough for rock and roll" but never "close enough for jazz." Guess I'll see what you mean when I get the book and start working through it. I've seen enough clips of Ranger Doug in action to know he's a master of that style, and even though it may earn me the moniker "dinosaur", I still love to hear that style of music.

**Engine Swap** · 09-14-2015, 09:57 PM

Believe it or not, Ranger Doug (and The Riders in the Sky) stop by my "work" about once a year to play a concert. They were in about 2 weeks ago and those Strombergs are something else.

**AlohaJoe** · 09-14-2015, 10:20 PM

I've had the book for a while and found some very cool moves. It's worth having. A few voicings may seem odd to jazz players at first. Most are directly attributable to Bob Will's guitarist Eldon Shamblin who developed the style, and are unique to Western Swing.

**MarkRhodes** · 09-15-2015, 09:59 AM

Originally Posted by Engine Swap

Believe it or not, Ranger Doug (and The Riders in the Sky) stop by my "work" about once a year to play a concert. They were in about 2 weeks ago and those Strombergs are something else.

Neat! Did they "Wah-hoo, wah-hoo, wah-hoo"? ;o) There's a YouTube video of Ranger Doug demonstrating several of his guitars. Amazing animals!

May I ask where you "work"?

**oldane** · 09-15-2015, 12:48 PM

Another book for acoustic rhythm players is http://www.amazon.co.uk/Swing-Big-Ba...arlton+Johnson

**MarkRhodes** · 09-15-2015, 05:08 PM

Originally Posted by oldane

Another book for acoustic rhythm players is http://www.amazon.co.uk/Swing-Big-Ba...arlton+Johnson

I've heard of that book. ( even bought it some years ago while living in New Orleans but I never got to it and it was one of the many things---and Epiphone DOT and my old 4-track player being the most important--that got left behind.

Campus Five (Jonathan Stout) reviewed this book at Amazon. Perhaps he will say more about it here....

Another book worth looking into is "Guitar Roots: Swing" by Paul Howard. This one, I have worked in. The performance play-alongs feature a resonator guitar (which works well with this kind of comping.) 12-bar blues, Django-style blues, Honeysuckle Rose, Rhythm Changes (basic ones in G, more challenging ones in Bb) and the Just You, Just Me changes.

Although Mickey Baker is not (-at least so that I noticed) mentioned in the book, his influence on the 'soloing' section is vast and should be acknowledged...

http://www.amazon.com/Guitar-Roots-S...2C+paul+howard

**MarkRhodes** · 09-20-2015, 09:40 PM

Originally Posted by AlohaJoe

I've had the book for a while and found some very cool moves. It's worth having. A few voicings may seem odd to jazz players at first. Most are directly attributable to Bob Will's guitarist Eldon Shamblin who developed the style, and are unique to Western Swing.

I got the book this weekend and noticed a few moves that were new to me. This one is the most troublesome (so far):

7-8-5-7-x-x. Ranger Doug uses it between a G/B (7-x-5-7-x-x) and a C6. I'll get the hang of it, though. Frankly, I'm glad he does some things I don't already know----if he didn't; I wouldn't get as much out of the book. Nice mix of tunes too. (Though as was mentioned above, there are not melody notes or lyrics in the book, just diagrams of each succeeding chord.)