The Acoustic Guitar Method, Book 1 [With CD] (Acoustic Guitar (String Letter)) (Paperback)

Unlike many self-help guitar tutors, this one does not race ahead too quickly. I've just submitted a review for a book that does exactly that ..... teach a few rhythms or chords and suddenly race ahead towards much more complex levels. That fault is NOT evident with this volume.

One key to its success - and, for some people, maybe a slight disadvantage - is that each new section and element is based upon mostly well-known American folk music. If you are more interested in modern music, then maybe this isn't the book for you - but I'd suggest that you still give it a chance. The grading of each chapter and each stage within each chapter is well developed and supportive for beginners. The fact that THREE CD's are included (one for each of the books that are now compiled into this volume), makes this an exceptional example of good value for money.

If you want an insight into the book's structure, these are the chapter themes. Naturally, each of the three CD's begins with a tune-up section. Most chapters in each book use a different folk tune and I'll list a few of those at the end of each summary. Tunes are generally performed as songs the end of each chapter.
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BOOK ONE (14 chapters - emphasis upon rhythms and flat-picking)
First chords, first song (chords are D and A)
New chord, new strum (chord E)
TAB basics and your first melody
Reading notes
The G chord
The C chord
More single notes (usefully uses the same tune as for the earlier chapter 'Reading notes')
Country backup basics
Seventh chords
Waltz time
Half notes and rests
Minor chords
Minor-key melody
The B7 chord
(Tune examples: Careless love, East Virginia Blues, In the pines, Scarborough Fair)
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BOOK TWO (11 chapters - emphasis upon fingerpicking)
The alternating bass
Blues in E
Major scales and melodies
Starting to fingerpick
More picking patterns
The G Major scale
Bass runs
More bass runs (again - usefully uses the same tune as in the chapter 'Bass runs')
Blues basics
Alternating bass fingerpicking
Fingerpicking in 3/4
(Tune examples: Columbia Stockade blues, Shenandoah, I am a pilgrim, House of the Rising Sun)
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BOOK THREE (10 chapters - more advanced fingerpicking and other techniques)
The swing feel
Tackling the F chord
More chord moves
Introducing Travis picking
Travis picking, continued
Hammer-ons
Slides and pull-offs
Alternate bass notes
The pinch
All together now
(Tune examples: Frankie and Johnny, Delia, Banks of the Ohio, New River Train)
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As might by now be obvious, the emphasis of these books and chapters is upon a very slow and careful development of skills. If there is any real criticism it is that the use of melodic fingerpicking (as opposed to rhythmic accompaniment for a singer) is left until fairly late in the third book. But by then, the grounding in basic chords and both strumming and fingerpicking techniques is so thorough that you should have little difficulty in developing those skills if that's your main area of interest .... and there are several other books out there which you could now happily tackle once you've mastered the skills taught here.

Another criticism that some might make is that the actual number and range of chords used in the books is fairly low. In part this is the effect of basing the books upon a particular genre and style of music - but it also reflects the author's intention of focusing upon helping you to develop foundation skills rather than upon overwhelming you with sudden bursts of new or exotic chords. (A failure of so many self-help tutors).

A small but significant point is that EVERY example in the book always shows the appropriate musical notation, associated guitar TABulation, chord name and chord shape. Not all tutors do this. Some assume that you can remember everything. It is typical of this manual that the author lets you focus upon the playing and always gives you all the other information to support you.

So, despite a few minor flaws - and in my opinion they are minor - I heartily recommend this excellent value book for anyone who wants to learn to play the acoustic guitar. If your primary interest is wanting to play along to your own singing, it is even better value as that is the emphasis throughout.

This is definitely one of the best self-help acoustic guitar books that I have encountered.