Resources
Welcome to David’s page of resources! Here you’ll find some of David’s favorite guitarists, books he recommends, his gear list, web links, and more!
Disclaimer: David enjoys the guitar styles of multiple guitarists, Christian and secular. However, he does not endorse the lyrical content of all the artists listed on this site. Also, in terms of educational materials, the books David recommends contain valuable information, but it is up to the reader’s discretion to reconcile all of the contents of these books with God’s Word.
David’s Favorite Acoustic Guitarists…
These are David’s top 5, in alphabetical order. Click on a photo to see the larger full-size photo. Click on the name link to visit their sites.
Pierre Bensusan (France)
Alex De Grassi (USA)Phil Keaggy (USA)Tony McManus (Scotland)John Renbourn (UK)
Alex De Grassi (USA)Phil Keaggy (USA)Tony McManus (Scotland)John Renbourn (UK)These are some other acoustic guitarists David really enjoys (also listed alphabetically). If you’re a guitarist and you haven’t yet discovered some of these players, prepare to be humbled…
Rodney Branigan (USA)
Trace Bundy (USA)
Keith L. Cooper (USA)
Doyle Dykes (USA)
Greg Gilbertson (USA)
Michael Hedges (USA – deceased)
Scott Huckabay (USA)
Adrian Legg (England)
Justin King (USA)
Dougie MacLean (Scotland)
Tony Melendez (Nicaragua/USA)
Erik Mongrain (Canada)
Martin Moro (Austria)
Preston Reed (UK)
Don Ross (Canada)
David Wilcox (USA)
Keller Williams (USA)
David’s Book List
David is constantly reading and learning, developing his craft and sharpening his business skills. These are just some of the books he recommends…
Key to ratings (the books are rated by David from 3 to 5 stars)
*** ”a helpful resource!”
**** ”extremely useful!”
***** “worth its weight in gold!”
Songwriting
Blume, Jason. 6 Steps to Songwriting Success*****
Citron, Stephen. Songwriting: A Complete Guide to the Craft***
Davis, Sheila. The Craft of Lyric Writing*****
Pepper Rodgers, Jeffrey. The Complete Singer-Songwriter****
Rooksby, Rikky. How to Write Songs on Guitar****
Tucker, Susan. The Secrets of Songwriting****
Webb, Jimmy. Tunesmith: Inside the Art of Songwriting***
Zollo, Paul. Songwriters on Songwriting***
Music Theory
Harrison, Mark. Contemporary Eartraining (Level 1)****
Harrison, Mark. Contemporary Music Theory (Level 1 & 2)****
Music Business
Borg, Bobby. The Musician’s Handbook*****
Passman, Donald S. All You Need to Know About the Music Business****
Siegel, Alan H. Breaking in to the Music Business***
Halloran, Mark, Esq. The Musician’s Business and Legal Guide****
Braheny, John. The Craft and Business of Songwriting***
Schwartz, Daylle. The Real Deal***
Thall, Peter M. What They’ll Never Tell You About the Music Business***
Independent Music Marketing and Self-Promotion
Galper, Hal. The Touring Musician****
Goldstein, Geri. How to Be Your Own Booking Agent*****
Kalmar, Veronika. Label Launch***
Schwartz, Daylle. I Don't Need a Record Deal****
Spellman, Peter. The Self-Promoting Musician*****
Christian Music Ethics
Gaebelein, Frank. The Christian, The Arts, and Truth***
Kavanaugh, Patrick. Spiritual Lives of the Great Composers***
Peters, Dan & Steve, and Merrill, Cher. What About Christian Rock?***
Peacock, Charlie. At the Crossroads: Inside the Past, Present, and Future of CCM****
Other
Bruser, Madeline. The Art of Practicing***
Klickstein, Gerald. Tuning the Guitar By Ear: A Practical New Approach for the Uncompromising Musician****
Lees, Gene. The Modern Rhyming Dictionary*****
Rapaport, Diane Sward. How to Make and Sell Your Own Recording*****
David’s Gear
Sometimes people like to know what David uses. Here are several specifics..
Taylor 810 guitar, modified with a Highlander IP2 pickup and AKG Condenser Mic
Simon/Patrick Luthier 6 WC guitar, modified with a Highlander IP2 pickup and AKG Condenser Mic, customized by Mike Lull with a “foot pick guard” and supported with an aluminum “foot cradle” designed by Tom Harsh. Visit David's Creativity Link to learn how this device was invented.
Shure ULX | P Professional Headset Receiver with Crown CM-311AE Differoid Headworn Condenser Mic with TA4F connection
Boss Roland RC20-XL Loop Station, split to 3 channels (Ring, Tip, Mix) with 2 GrooveTubes direct boxes and A Boss DI-1 direct box. Click here to see the loop station in action.
“Boomwhackers” Percussion Tubes – 2 full chromatic octaves (can be expanded to a 3-octave range with “Octavators”) - See how David uses these on his Creativity Link.
David’s Alternate Tunings
Many acoustic guitarists today choose to de-tune their instruments for one reason or another. A tuning may determine how a song develops, or more often, a tuning may be selected to authenticate the sound of a song. Sometimes, the best chords for a particular song are unreachable without doing this. With caution and precision, changing from standard tuning to alternate tunings can create endless new possibilities for the acoustic guitarist. David currently plays in 13 different tunings. Click here to view David's songs and their respective tunings.
Photo by David Harsh
(with the permission of G7th Ltd., Shubb Capos,
the Greg Bennett Company,
and the Third Hand Capo Company.)
David’s Capos
Multiple capos are available to expand and explore unique sounds on the guitar.
David uses several in his compositions and seminars. Six of David’s capos are shown in the photo to the right.
This is the most precise capo David has ever discovered. It has a patented internal wrap spring clutch mechanism that allows for tiny incremental changes in tension, drastically reducing the need to re-tune the guitar.
2. Shubb "Drop-E" Capo (Model C8B)
This one allows all but the 6th string to be clamped, thereby allowing for a “Drop-D” sound.
3. Shubb Esus or open A Capo (Model C7B)
Covering only 3 consecutive inside strings, this capo allows for more drone
sounds (and sometimes simpler chord formations) to result. The open sounds
of DADGAD and Open G (DGDGBD) a whole step higher result, but without
creating those tunings. The keys of E Major and A Major work really well with this capo.
4. Shubb Half-open A Capo (customized by David)
David cut the equivalent of 2 strings of area from a Shubb standard capo (model C1), allowing it to clamp only 4 strings.
This unique capo basically rolls along the fretboard without needing to be re-clamped. It has a perfectly-balanced “hourglass” roller which goes on the back of the neck, allowing lightning-speed position changes with either hand. When not in use, it can be stored behind the nut without causing the strings to go out of tune.
This is by far the most versatile capo available. It has 6 revolving discs on it, so you can capo any configuration of notes. This allows as many as 63 different combinations per fret, and that’s even before adding other capos or altering the tuning of the guitar.
David’s Links
See below for some interesting and helpful links to other sites.
www.looknohands.com/chordhouse Are you a guitarist who likes to experiment with chords and scales in alternate tunings? This link allows you to see and hear what the scales and chords will sound like in any tuning. It’s also free. The two “guitar rooms” on this link allow you to create any tuning by raising or lowering the strings. It’s pretty impressive. Check it out!
www.keystrings.com This is a new, innovative way to look at the guitar neck in standard tuning (or other tunings), which maps out all the black keys, as on a piano. It was created by a musical entrepreneur and friend of mine named Tim Reierson in Yakima, WA.
www.dawnjones.net Author and speaker Dawn Jones has designed two excellent curriculums for the independent artist. One of them (The Booking Workshop) is designed specifically for Christian artists.
www.tomjacksonproductions.com Without question, Tom Jackson is the best performance coach in the industry. He’s also a Christian! If you’re a performer and you want your show to be strong, get this guy’s materials, or if you are able, get to one of his workshops.
www.melbay.com This is quite possibly the most extensive collection of guitar (and other instruments) instructional and repertoire materials available.
www.musictheory.net Ricci Adams has created a brilliant online theory educational tool, complete with training programs to build musical prowess on the fretboard, the keyboard, and the staff. If you think you’ve hit a musical plateau, visit this site to brush up on multiple areas of your theory background.
www.theoreticallycorrect.com This website will expand your theory horizons. Just take my word for it.
David’s Best Resource
“No amount of resources, materials, or classes is going to make you more effective for carrying the Message of God’s Love to His people…unless you are grounded in prayer, and a daily time of reading the Bible. To call the Bible a resource would be a huge understatement…in fact, I believe it to be THE Resource. May God give you favor as you cultivate the skills He has entrusted to you!” - David Harsh
Note: None of these capos creates an alternate tuning…this is proven by playing a bar chord or closed moveable scale above the capos. Try experimenting with these capos in conjunction with alternate tunings…even try using combinations of capos simultaneously for exciting new sounds. David teaches a seminar exclusively dedicated to discussing all of these capos, and 20 different ways to use them. Click here to learn more about the seminar.
