guitar book recommendations
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i just started learning guitar and am looking for some books to learn it the correct way. Google gave lots of results but i am not sure which one to pick (books by bruce arnold and some others). So guys, can you please recommend some beginner guitar books which will help me learn theory and practical stuff in guitar. thanks a lot.
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i just started learning guitar and am looking for some books to learn it the correct way. Google gave lots of results but i am not sure which one to pick (books by bruce arnold and some others). So guys, can you please recommend some beginner guitar books which will help me learn theory and practical stuff in guitar. thanks a lot.
When one is first learning there is no substitute for a teacher. After the fundementals are mastered and you decide on a genre and a type of instrument ( electric or acoustic ) I would reccommend Ted Greene's "Chord Chemistry". For some good elementry stuff try this link http://guitar-masters.com/[^] Best Richard "Under certain circumstances, profanity provides a relief denied even to prayer --Mark Twain (1835 - 1910)
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i just started learning guitar and am looking for some books to learn it the correct way. Google gave lots of results but i am not sure which one to pick (books by bruce arnold and some others). So guys, can you please recommend some beginner guitar books which will help me learn theory and practical stuff in guitar. thanks a lot.
Solo Guitar Playing[^] by Frederick M. Noad Recommended to me here on CP.
Jon Sagara Roomier! Brawnier! Versatilier!
My Articles -
i just started learning guitar and am looking for some books to learn it the correct way. Google gave lots of results but i am not sure which one to pick (books by bruce arnold and some others). So guys, can you please recommend some beginner guitar books which will help me learn theory and practical stuff in guitar. thanks a lot.
Guitar for Dummies, it's a decent book.
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Solo Guitar Playing[^] by Frederick M. Noad Recommended to me here on CP.
Jon Sagara Roomier! Brawnier! Versatilier!
My ArticlesAs a grad assistant who taugh classical guitar class I can second this. We used this book, and I also took excepts from it for my private students. Big hint: unless you just want to completly goof off with it, learn it right, and learn classical technique, as it serves as a solid foundation for all the other styles (rock, jazz, slide, etc). Another tip(s): When you see great players play virtuoso pieces, and make it look easy, it's because it is! Great players learn (either intuitively, or through another teacher) to play with an absolute minimum of effort. So if you find yourself forcing your hands into painful positions, or getting tense and cramped up, then stop whatever you're doing because it's wrong! Learn top play relaxed (easier said than done, I know), and learn to properly hold your hand and use the weight of your arms, shoulders, etc to play with the least effort. An example of this is learning to play bar chords. The beginner will attempt to force the index finger and thumb together, hoping to apply enough pressure squeezing to press down on the strings! This is completely wrong. Let the natural weight of your forearm (it's more than heavy enough unless you have the guitar strung with titanium) pull down and help apply the neccessary pressure to form the bar chord. Good luck!! ¡El diablo está en mis pantalones! ¡Mire, mire! Real Mentats use only 100% pure, unfooled around with Sapho Juice(tm)! SELECT * FROM User WHERE Clue > 0 0 rows returned
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Solo Guitar Playing[^] by Frederick M. Noad Recommended to me here on CP.
Jon Sagara Roomier! Brawnier! Versatilier!
My ArticlesAnother "Yeah" on the Noad recommendation ... and I'll throw one in too. Pumping Nylon by Scott Tennant. That's pretty much become my bible (I'm about 2 years into learning classical guitar after lifetime of aimless strumming and jamming) You can get Pumpin Nylon with a DVD, and I believe it comes in a version that includes tabs but as one who is currently suffering to break a long established dependancy on tabs and learn conventional notation I would recommend against starting out using tabs at all. Steve T
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As a grad assistant who taugh classical guitar class I can second this. We used this book, and I also took excepts from it for my private students. Big hint: unless you just want to completly goof off with it, learn it right, and learn classical technique, as it serves as a solid foundation for all the other styles (rock, jazz, slide, etc). Another tip(s): When you see great players play virtuoso pieces, and make it look easy, it's because it is! Great players learn (either intuitively, or through another teacher) to play with an absolute minimum of effort. So if you find yourself forcing your hands into painful positions, or getting tense and cramped up, then stop whatever you're doing because it's wrong! Learn top play relaxed (easier said than done, I know), and learn to properly hold your hand and use the weight of your arms, shoulders, etc to play with the least effort. An example of this is learning to play bar chords. The beginner will attempt to force the index finger and thumb together, hoping to apply enough pressure squeezing to press down on the strings! This is completely wrong. Let the natural weight of your forearm (it's more than heavy enough unless you have the guitar strung with titanium) pull down and help apply the neccessary pressure to form the bar chord. Good luck!! ¡El diablo está en mis pantalones! ¡Mire, mire! Real Mentats use only 100% pure, unfooled around with Sapho Juice(tm)! SELECT * FROM User WHERE Clue > 0 0 rows returned
One slight observation. I've watched my wife learning to play the violin over the last 3-4 years. She had a pretty significant problem with wrist and hand pain for the first year or so. I don't think it was so much learning to relax, as it was basic conditioning. Playing a string instrument like the violin (and the guitar; the principles for the left hand are identical) requires using small muscles in the wrist and hand that aren't typically well developed. Conditioning like that takes time. Of course, my wife's gung-ho enthusiasm and tendency toward 2+ hour practice sessions may have had something to do with it as well :rolleyes:.
Software Zen:
delete this; -
Solo Guitar Playing[^] by Frederick M. Noad Recommended to me here on CP.
Jon Sagara Roomier! Brawnier! Versatilier!
My Articles:-D I still have my copy, circa 1960 or so. "If it's Snowbird season, why can't we shoot them?" - Overheard in a bar in Bullhead City
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As a grad assistant who taugh classical guitar class I can second this. We used this book, and I also took excepts from it for my private students. Big hint: unless you just want to completly goof off with it, learn it right, and learn classical technique, as it serves as a solid foundation for all the other styles (rock, jazz, slide, etc). Another tip(s): When you see great players play virtuoso pieces, and make it look easy, it's because it is! Great players learn (either intuitively, or through another teacher) to play with an absolute minimum of effort. So if you find yourself forcing your hands into painful positions, or getting tense and cramped up, then stop whatever you're doing because it's wrong! Learn top play relaxed (easier said than done, I know), and learn to properly hold your hand and use the weight of your arms, shoulders, etc to play with the least effort. An example of this is learning to play bar chords. The beginner will attempt to force the index finger and thumb together, hoping to apply enough pressure squeezing to press down on the strings! This is completely wrong. Let the natural weight of your forearm (it's more than heavy enough unless you have the guitar strung with titanium) pull down and help apply the neccessary pressure to form the bar chord. Good luck!! ¡El diablo está en mis pantalones! ¡Mire, mire! Real Mentats use only 100% pure, unfooled around with Sapho Juice(tm)! SELECT * FROM User WHERE Clue > 0 0 rows returned
Here is another question; How do you choose a guitar? regards, Paul Watson South Africa Michael Dunn wrote: "except the sod who voted this a 1, NO SOUP FOR YOU" Crikey! ain't life grand?
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One slight observation. I've watched my wife learning to play the violin over the last 3-4 years. She had a pretty significant problem with wrist and hand pain for the first year or so. I don't think it was so much learning to relax, as it was basic conditioning. Playing a string instrument like the violin (and the guitar; the principles for the left hand are identical) requires using small muscles in the wrist and hand that aren't typically well developed. Conditioning like that takes time. Of course, my wife's gung-ho enthusiasm and tendency toward 2+ hour practice sessions may have had something to do with it as well :rolleyes:.
Software Zen:
delete this;Well without seeing her play I can't comment too much, but here are some common problems I used to see amongst guitar students, keeping in mind that I had a mild form of tendinitis that made me stop playing for ~4-5 months, and then I had to work my way up from 5-10 minutes a day, to 6-8 hours a day. - many people over arch their wrist, which causes tension, and tendon problems - many people rely *way* too much on their thumb/finger muscles generating the pressure needed to fret the string(s), as opposed to using gravity and the natural weight of the forearm to help with this. - many people don't pay attention to pain, and simply ignore it, instead of paying attention to it and trying to analyze what's causing it. You're right about the conditioning though - the various muscles movements are small and subtle and it takes time and patience to master them. ¡El diablo está en mis pantalones! ¡Mire, mire! Real Mentats use only 100% pure, unfooled around with Sapho Juice(tm)! SELECT * FROM User WHERE Clue > 0 0 rows returned
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Here is another question; How do you choose a guitar? regards, Paul Watson South Africa Michael Dunn wrote: "except the sod who voted this a 1, NO SOUP FOR YOU" Crikey! ain't life grand?
Carefully! :) Seriously it depends on a bunch of factors. In general, if you're at all serious about it, try and buy the best instrument you can. If you really want to learn classical technique, this generally means a classical guitar, which is a bit different than an electric or steel string acoustic. Classical guitars have a neck that is, traditionally, thicker and wider than either an acoustic or electric guitar. The vertical space between the top of the fret and the strings are typically much higher on a classical guitar than an electric, and a an acoustic is somewhere in between (depends on the maker). The classical guitar body is gennerally a bit thicker (higher) than an acoustic. The internal construction of a classical guitar is signifigantly different from an acoustic - and how the internals are built makes all the difference in the world - it affects the tone quality, projection, volume, etc. Classical guitars, when played on the professional level and frequency of someone like a Segovia, frequently only last for 15-20 years of concert use. After this you start to run into problems with intonation, "wolf" notes, etc. Choosing a classical guitar means you'll want to learn classical technique. You can always switch later to an electric once you have the foundations down. If memory serves you can get a halfway decent student model classical guitar for around $300-$500 USD. Professional models (hand made) go for around $3,000 to $10,000 USD or more. I got mine from a great luthier named Thomas Rein (http://www.maui.net/~rtadaki/rein.html) for ~$3,000 USD *just* before he made a major price hike to ~$6,500 in 1993. You might head over to your local music college and look up the resident classical guitar teacher and see if he/she has any suggestions for local stores. If you can afford the pro model get it - it's worth playing on a great instrument, and they are *much* easier to play on. However, it is a non-trivial investment (although it beats the shit out of paying multi-millions for top of the line Stradivari and del Gesu violins!). PS: If you see an ad for a Ramirez, don't buy it unless you want it for a collector's item. I have one that I got for a steal from a doctor who had no idea what he had, and while it has an amazing sounds and a huge volume for a guitar, it's not a guitar for most people. It requires big hands and it's still a bit of a bear to play. ¡El diablo está en mis pantalones! ¡Mire, mire! Real Mentats use only 100% pure, unfooled around with S
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Carefully! :) Seriously it depends on a bunch of factors. In general, if you're at all serious about it, try and buy the best instrument you can. If you really want to learn classical technique, this generally means a classical guitar, which is a bit different than an electric or steel string acoustic. Classical guitars have a neck that is, traditionally, thicker and wider than either an acoustic or electric guitar. The vertical space between the top of the fret and the strings are typically much higher on a classical guitar than an electric, and a an acoustic is somewhere in between (depends on the maker). The classical guitar body is gennerally a bit thicker (higher) than an acoustic. The internal construction of a classical guitar is signifigantly different from an acoustic - and how the internals are built makes all the difference in the world - it affects the tone quality, projection, volume, etc. Classical guitars, when played on the professional level and frequency of someone like a Segovia, frequently only last for 15-20 years of concert use. After this you start to run into problems with intonation, "wolf" notes, etc. Choosing a classical guitar means you'll want to learn classical technique. You can always switch later to an electric once you have the foundations down. If memory serves you can get a halfway decent student model classical guitar for around $300-$500 USD. Professional models (hand made) go for around $3,000 to $10,000 USD or more. I got mine from a great luthier named Thomas Rein (http://www.maui.net/~rtadaki/rein.html) for ~$3,000 USD *just* before he made a major price hike to ~$6,500 in 1993. You might head over to your local music college and look up the resident classical guitar teacher and see if he/she has any suggestions for local stores. If you can afford the pro model get it - it's worth playing on a great instrument, and they are *much* easier to play on. However, it is a non-trivial investment (although it beats the shit out of paying multi-millions for top of the line Stradivari and del Gesu violins!). PS: If you see an ad for a Ramirez, don't buy it unless you want it for a collector's item. I have one that I got for a steal from a doctor who had no idea what he had, and while it has an amazing sounds and a huge volume for a guitar, it's not a guitar for most people. It requires big hands and it's still a bit of a bear to play. ¡El diablo está en mis pantalones! ¡Mire, mire! Real Mentats use only 100% pure, unfooled around with S
Thank you for the info, Jim. I have a few friends who can play the guitar so I will ask them for some good places around here. regards, Paul Watson South Africa The Code Project