Advice From the Teachers Here, Please

[Taylorplayer]

Advice From the Teachers Here, Please

I'm wondering what book / material you would recommend for someone to get a good, solid, foundational level of [guitar] instruction from? Please assume that the student basically has no knowledge of being able to read music. But, that the goal is to be able to read music at a reasonably proficient level.

For those who will merely respond with the standard "there is no magic wand" type of reply, you can rest assured that I've heard that one before. I am a well disciplined person, and I will devote a set amount of time each day for practice.

I would appreciate a recommendation as to a book and / or other materials to get started from.

Thank you,
Will

[Boone]

Progressive Rythm Guitar by Gary Turner.

He assumes the student knows nothing - starts with the parts of the guitar and how to hold it. Teaches TAB, how to read notation, what finger goes on each string for each chord, strumming patterns.

Includes a CD (tracks of the exercises) and DVD (video instruction).
And it's only $17.75 on Amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/095...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I bet I've purchased 10 or more of this book in the past 7 years - I keep giving them away!

[s2y]

http://www.amazon.com/Leonard-Bass-M...s=ed+friedland

There's this for bass. I've always wondered if there's a guitar equivalent.

[love2play]

Hey Taylorplayer, Why do you want to read music?

Look man, IMHO there is no right or wrong way to approach playing the guitar.

For the vast majority of pop/rock music reading is just not that relevant. I really don't want to come off like some kind of a jerk who's telling you there's only one way and it's my way, because like I said there is no right or wrong way!

But if I were you and just starting out I would learn to play the basic chords and from there learn to strum songs. Maybe after a while you can learn a couple of the positions of the pentatonic scale so you can start to experiment with improvising.

Marty Swartz has an excellent youtube channel that's perfect for beginners here:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJg...pnhKHdsGiFQRyQ

There's a ton of very easy songs you can play there. Also Justin Guitar is good too:
https://www.youtube.com/user/JustinSandercoe

I hope this helps man, I mean you'll get plenty of "advice" along the way but in the end you'll have to forge your own path on your guitar journey.
Good luck!

Shutup & Play - Rock Guitar Tutorials
http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAwuvzhah0KUw5QNihSkEwQ

[Taylorplayer]

Thanks to all who have replied thus far. I'm actually an "OK" player. I know chord shapes, scales, how to read tab. I can do a decent "three finger roll" style of picking. I can play some blues, some alternate tunings, and some of what I might have to just call "Will music" for lack of a better term. And I'm not knocking any of that - by any means! I know that playing in that manner really works well for most people.

Here's the deal. I just turned 60 -- and BTW, I like being 60! I spent my 30's and 40's trying to "be somebody", my 50's trying to handle all the stress that came from actually "being somebody", and at 60 I'm no-longer am held to the trappings of that crazy life-style anymore.

Back to being 60. I am setting one major goal for myself each year from now until.............? Well, you get my point. This year's goal is to become proficient in reading music. Such that someone could hand me some sheet music and I could sit and play through it.

That's my goal and I'm sticking to it! So, thanks in advance for any help and advice. I do appreciate it.

Will

[Paikon]

You want to associate what you are playing with reading standard notation or you want to learn something new by reading notation?

[Taylorplayer]

Originally Posted by Paikon

You want to associate what you are playing with reading standard notation or you want to learn something new by reading notation?

The latter... "want to learn something new by reading notation?"

[Paikon]

I suggest to find a teacher . For instance you could have lessons with a classical guitar teacher so you could learn to play fingerstyle and you also learn to read standard notation.

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by Taylorplayer

The latter... "want to learn something new by reading notation?"

Hi T-player...
Note reading is note reading, just like basic math is basic math. About anyone can teach a child to count to ten, add two plus two etc. Basic note reading of the treble staff is really that basic.

You can learn notation from a Classic Guitar book, or you could learn it as it applies to music in general from taking basic piano lessons (I'm guessing you don't play piano).

In fact if one takes basic piano, the first lessons will be primarily driven by learning notation in the treble clef. And then it will expand to bass clef as one progresses to two handed playing.

Note reading includes more than just note names; it also includes note values (counting), and reading multiple parts (one part moves while another is sustained etc). With piano it eventually leads to chord building (which is rarely taught by guitar note reading instruction).

A basic Classic Guitar book like A Modern Approach to Classical Guitar: Book 1 - (HL00695114) - CliCk would cover a lot of information about note reading. A well invested $7.

[posternutbag]

My recommendation is not one book, but a series. The "Flatpicking Essentials" series provides a very solid foundation in rhythm playing (book 1), melody playing (book 2) and then book 3 is basically a fiddle tune book. I don't know that book 3 is relevant if you have little or no interest in Bluegrass or old-time, but the lessons learned in books 1 and 2 build a very solid foundation.

If you were to combine these two with Mark Hanson's "The Art of Contemporary Travis Picking" you would have given yourself a fairly comprehensive beginning to your guitar-playing.

If you really wanted to round out your collection, Shearer's "Classic Guitar Technique, vol 1" would add a little classical guitar, in addition to work with note-reading.

[Taylorplayer]

Originally Posted by ljguitar

Hi T-player...
Note reading is note reading, just like basic math is basic math. About anyone can teach a child to count to ten, add two plus two etc. Basic note reading of the treble staff is really that basic.

You can learn notation from a Classic Guitar book, or you could learn it as it applies to music in general from taking basic piano lessons (I'm guessing you don't play piano).

In fact if one takes basic piano, the first lessons will be primarily driven by learning notation in the treble clef. And then it will expand to bass clef as one progresses to two handed playing.

Note reading includes more than just note names; it also includes note values (counting), and reading multiple parts (one part moves while another is sustained etc). With piano it eventually leads to chord building (which is rarely taught by guitar note reading instruction).

A basic Classic Guitar book like A Modern Approach to Classical Guitar: Book 1 - (HL00695114) - CliCk would cover a lot of information about note reading. A well invested $7.

Thanks LJ - I value your opinion very much.

[RevGeo]

Its hard to go wrong with good old Mel Bay. They have lots of different materials. Google 'em and start cruising through their stuff.

[DaBoz]

Originally Posted by RevGeo

Its hard to go wrong with good old Mel Bay. They have lots of different materials. Google 'em and start cruising through their stuff.

Mel Bay grade 1 will get you reading standard notation.

[mr. beaumont]

Leavitt. Wear a cup. It's a...

[walternewton]

There are a number of graded guitar methods to choose from - Mel Bay, Alfred, Hal Leonard, Leavitt (if you're more ambitious) - I'd suggest checking them out in person in a music store (or, if that isn't an option, on Amazon.com, where you can usually see at least a few preview pages) to see which might meet your needs.

The downside to some of these is that while they will certainly systematically teach you to play from standard notation, the (public domain) songs they use might not excite you very much - "Old MacDonald Had a Farm" and the like...