Product Description

The Modern Guitar Method Grade 1/Expanded Edition provides valuable enhancement to the world’s most popular guitar method. This comprehensive spiral bound volume doubles the amount of studies and solos presented. Every new concept is reinforced by numerous pages of new study material. In addition, every note contained in the original Modern Guitar Method Grade 1 is included and supported by additional playing material. •Expands entire content of Modern Guitar Method Grade 1 •CD and DVD included •Double the amount of study and solo material •Spiral bound •Provides an incredibly solid foundation for any guitar student

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #20899 in Books
• Published on: 2005-01-17
• Released on: 2005-01-17
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Spiral-bound
• 88 pages

About the Author
William Bay is president of Mel Bay Publications, Inc. He is an accomplished guitarist and trumpet player and has performed on both instruments in a wide variety of professional settings. He is experienced as a performer and composer of music ranging from jazz and rock to the classics and sacred. He received his bachelor's degree from Washington University in St. Louis and his master's from the University of Missouri. Bill has received international acclaim for his innovative teaching methods, and he has authored over 200 books with sales in the millions. Mel Bay was born on February 25, 1913 in the little Ozark Mountain town of Bunker, Missouri. He bought a Sears Roebuck guitar at the age of 13 and several months later played his first "gig." (He recalled playing until his fingers were raw!) Mel took up the tenor banjo shortly thereafter and continued to play both instruments. During his teenage years Mel played with a wild assortement of bands and characters in rural Missouri. Perhaps no "gig" was as strange as the job he landed with, in Mel's words, "a snake oil salesman." This flamboyant peddler would pull his ostentatious Pierce Arrow automobile, complete with steer horns mounted on the grill, into the center of a small, rural town. Mel would sit on the car and play up a storm on the tenor banjo. After a crowd gathered, the peddler took over and began extolling the merits of his "wonder elixer." In 1933 Mel Bay moved to St. Louis and began his professional career. He played with numerous local and traveling bands. In addition, he landed staff guitar jobs on several radio stations. Mel fronted his own trio (piano, bass, guitar) and played steadily for 25 years! He was equally adept on most fretted instruments and played mandolin, uke, Hawaiian guitar, tenor and plectrum banjo professionally. While Mel was actively pursuing his playing career, he continued to teach as many as 100 students a week. He decided to begin writing instructional materials due to the difficulty encountered by guitarists at playing good sounding chord forms in rhythm sections and due to the poor note reading ability prevalent among guitarists. After the war Mel was asked to write instructional materials on guitar for GI's wanting to learn music under the GI Bill. In 1947 Mel formed his own publishing company and wrote his landmark initial book titled The Orchestral Chord System for Guitar. (This book is still in print under the title Rhythm Guitar Chord System and continues to be one the finest rhythm guitar chord texts available!) His Modern Guitar Method was penned shortly thereafter. For years Mel traveled from town to town talking to guitar teachers and players and showing them his publications. At one time Mel claims to have known virtually every guitar teacher in America on a first name basis! The guitar and Mel Bay books caught on in a big way in the 1950's. Things have continued to grow ever since. Mel used to sell D'Angelico guitars. At any given time he would have 5 or 6 "lying around the house." Mel played professionally on his New Yorker model but his favorite was the initial Mel Bay Model crafted as a gift for him by John D'Angelico. This famous guitar had all of the main features of the New Yorker but was a "cut away" model and had a slightly thinner neck. This instrument has been pictured on the Mel Bay Modern Guitar Method for decades. Someone once calculated that sales of guitar books written by Mel Bay have exceeded 25 million copies. When asked, Mel frequently said that he quit counting long ago. Sales of his Modern Guitar Method have alone surpassed the 7 million mark. It is safe to say that Mel Bay is one of the pivotal figures in the world of guitar music and instruction in this century.

Customer Reviews

A Good Introduction
Every guitar player has to start somewhere, and this is a good place to start. While personal instruction may still be the best way to learn, this is a good way to master the basics and build up some callouses on the fingertips, so that when the time comes to spend money on lessons it will be money well spent. The expanded edition comes with both a CD and DVD which are invaluable for the learning process. Master this book and you should have a good start on the basics at a pretty reasonable cost. The presentation is clear, the exercises are quite helpful, and it is great to see them performed. Get this, along with a metronome and electronic tuner, and start playing!

I like the book.
I like the book. The DVD and audio CD are difinitely a good addition to the original. I'm glad I spent the extra money and got the expanded edition.

ABSOLUTE MUST FOR 1ST TIMERS
I purchased this book about one month ago, and have used it every night. The material is easy to understand and is to the point. I was trying to learn the guitar with another book that I purchase at a bookstore without success. This book has answered every question that I have had so far. I have also purchased the 2nd book to this series and plan on furthering my knowledge. I cannot find any flaws in this book. You are presented the material via the book, audio CD, and DVD. No other book format that I have seen presents the information in this way. Thank You Mel Bay.