Instead of dry exercises, the book uses "style studies" that sound like actual metal songs, keeping practice sessions engaging. Why It Earns a 5-Star Rating
Cons:
The book includes clear TAB and standard notation. The companion audio (available online or CD) is invaluable—full-speed demo tracks plus slowed-down practice versions. Hearing Stetina play the licks shows you the attack, vibrato, and feel that notation alone can’t convey. Instead of dry exercises, the book uses "style
For decades, this book has held a near-mythical status among students of the genre. It is the "prequel" to Stetina’s more advanced Metal Lead Guitar volumes, but to call it merely a beginner book is a disservice. It is a rigorous, systematic deconstruction of the physical and theoretical requirements of metal lead playing. Here is why this book deserves a definitive 5-star rating. Hearing Stetina play the licks shows you the
: The accompanying audio (available through Hal Leonard's MyLibrary) features PLAYBACK+ tools It is a rigorous, systematic deconstruction of the
Theory in metal can be daunting, but the Primer introduces it in the most logical way possible: through the Minor Pentatonic scale. This is the "Box" system that forms the vocabulary of everyone from Tony Iommi to Dimebag Darrell.
Unfortunately, I couldn't find the specific 5-star review you mentioned. However, here are some general pros and cons from various reviews: