Product Description

This edition has been updated for 1992 and includes a learning programme, a chapter on performance technology, guitar maintenance, repair and customizing. It also highlights the innovative techniques of over 20 world famous guitarists.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #598583 in Books
• Published on: 1982-12-14
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 256 pages

Customer Reviews

Great Reference For Newbies and Pros Alike
This is one of the few guitar books I've seen that is well rounded without lacking substance. It has a good amount of material covering the history of the guitar, how it is amplified, how things like materials, neck length, string action, etc, can effect tone, and playability on all sorts of axes. It even includes brief histories on some of the larger manufacturers and what to look for when buying a guitar. Likewise, it has sections dedicated to tuning and adjusting your guitar...basic information that doesn't seem readily available in many beginner books. What's nice about this, especially for the new player, is that it enlightens you as to what a guitar really is and helps you to learn your instrument, aside from your basic chords. On that note, it has great recommendations for the beginning guitarist, including which chords to learn, how to make progressions, and basic solo licks. It explains in very nice illustrated/photographed details some of the more advanced methods, including trills, hammer-ons, bends, etc. I've played guitar for many years, now, and I think this is a great book that finds focus in the right areas, and I highly recommend it to anyone wishing to know more about guitars and playing them.

As great now as back in the 80's!
I took up guitar playing back in India in the 80's and taught myself how to play using this book, then life took its course and brought me to the US and I quit playing till last month. I picked up this book again (photocopies of most sections as it was not available except in the library in my hometown) and started playing again. The book is timeless and covers scales, triads and chords systematically by building the right theoretical underpinnings allowing one to play melody and rhythm while having a solid understanding of how to compose for the guitar.

It covers tremendous ground that I have not found in any other book since encountering it in terms of playing guitar.

If you want to learn guitar from the very basics to the most advanced concepts in order to play your own music, buy this book! You will not regret it! I am buying this book today at long last!

Essential
This book is laid out in a very easy to approach format. Most items are a page or two long with tones of illustrations. You could print out most sections and they would stand on their own as a handout. I've been told this is THE book for music instructors (of which I'm not), and I couldn't agree more! Beyond that, it gives great direction to what to learn for us self educated guitar players. The book explains not only concepts but popular opinions on those concepts. It tries not to focus or narrow your options, and I think it succeeds. Awesome book with an appropriate title.