My Acoustic Guitar

Acoustic Beginner Online Guitar Lessons - The Upside And The Downside

2009-07-27T17:38:00.000-07:00

If you are intending to take guitar lessons, either online or offline, there are a few things you need to get clear about whether you take acoustic guitar lessons before focusing on a particular genre. If you are taking guitar lessons a regular practice schedule is going to start the process of forming callouses on your finger tips and training your muscles to perform the actions involved in guitar playing.

The nylon string acoustic guitar offers some advantages to the novice guitar player. Steel strings tend to slice your fingers if they are not calloused and that is not a pleasant sensation. The slices in the fingers require you to stop playing until they heal. It is much less stressful to toughen your fingers up on nylon strings. Also the nylon string acoustic forces the guitar student to press the strings with enough pressure to make a clean sound. The electric guitar is a little more forgiving in this respect so it is best to train yourself as a guitar player using the acoustic guitar.

All this takes for granted that you are interested in careful, gradual progress as a guitarist. If you are interested in becoming a rock and roll guitar player as soon as possible you could get into it from the start but this will be at the expense of some of the solid training the acoustic gives.

Let's take a look at the kind of experience you are likely to go through if you decide to take online guitar lessons. Instead of observing how you approach the guitar and offering you personal advice on how to play, online guitar lessons will offer you written instructions, maybe supplemented by video, and if you are short on experience and confidence you might have some trouble picking up the basic practices of guitar playing using online acoustic guitar lessons.

Even though there are quite detailed video lessons on how to practice, the online guitar student is in danger of forming bad playing habits. This is why many guitarists recommend that you take at least a few lessons with a live guitar teacher so you will start off in the right way.

When you are deciding whether to take online or offline acoustic guitar lessons the question of a practice regime is going to come up. You have a guitar that you are just learning to tune, you have sore fingers and assorted muscular aches, now you have to start regular daily practice that isn't going to yield too much in the way of instant results. It is going to take some discipline to get through the initial stages of your acoustic guitar lessons, whether you decide on offline or online lessons, so you might need some guidance from a teacher to get you into the habit of regular practice.

Do you want to learn to play the guitar? Learn How To Play A Guitar For Free is a constantly updated blog which contains all the resources you need for: learning to play solo guitar, how to learn guitar chords, how to learn to read and play easy acoustic guitar tabs, finding a free online guitar tuner, looking for free guitar lessons online, and how to learn guitar scales.

An acoustic guitar tuner

2009-06-19T07:21:00.000-07:00

I've just found a video of a guy playing the open strings of an acoustic guitar. He repeats the notes a lot so we can use his guitar as a guide for tuning. It's at The Best Acoustic Guitar Tuner

The page also has info on various kinds of guitar tuners.

Practicing acoustic guitar

2009-03-16T14:56:00.000-07:00

The best advice for people taking beginner acoustic guitar lesson is to try to get into the habit of practicing for half an hour a day. Or more if you can manage it. The more practice you do, the faster your guitar playing will progress. But it is not only the amount of time you spend that is important, it is the quality of your acoustic guitar practice. Don't try to fit a lot of material into one practice session. Start by working on one chord change and one scale at first. If you find that you are able to fit more work into your practice time, then, fine. When it comes to tuning your acoustic guitar you can locate tuners on the internet. There are tuners online that sound the notes of the guitar when you click on the pictures of the strings. If you are having trouble tuning by ear, then do a web search for a free guitar tuner that you can download to your computer. These usually have a visual guide that will help you get your acoustic guitar in tune much faster.

More acoustic guitar lessons

2009-03-09T03:32:00.000-07:00

Acoustic Guitar Tuners

Learn To Play Guitar Fastt

All About Acoustic Guitar Tablature

Classical Guitar Music

How To Play Acoustic Guitar

Acoustic Guitar Tab

Beyond Basics - Acoustic Slide Guitar

2008-06-04T06:20:00.000-07:00

Written by Keith Wyatt. Instructional book/CD package for guitar.
With guitar tablature, standard notation, instructional text, black & white photos, color photos and guitar tab glossary. Instructional, Blues and Folk. 9x12 inches.
Acoustic Slide Guitar teaches blues chord forms, stylistic licks and patterns, blues scales, turnarounds, solo country blues style guitar, melody ideas, and more. The book includes a full-color photo section showing all types of slides. Written in standard notation and tablature.
Contents:
Types of Slides
Left and Right Hand Techniques
Dropped D and Open G Tunings
Phrasing, Vibrato and Intonation
Playin' the Blues
The Capo
Open D Tuning
Standard Tuning
Putting It All Together
Beyond Basics - Acoustic Slide Guitar

Acoustic Guitar Bible

2008-04-14T05:34:00.000-07:00

Guitar tablature songbook for guitar and voice. Series: Hal Leonard Guitar Recorded Versions. 240 pages.
With guitar tablature, standard notation, vocal melody, lyrics, chord names, guitar chord diagrams and guitar notation legend.
A wonderful collection of 35 acoustic classics in notes and tab, including: Angie * Best of My Love * Building a Mystery * Change the World * Crazy on You * Dust in the Wind * Here Comes the Sun * Hold My Hand * Iris * Landslide * Learning to Fly * Leaving on a Jet Plane * Loser * Maggie May * The Man Who Sold the World * Midnight Rider * Silent Lucidity * Southern Cross * Tears in Heaven * Time in a Bottle * Wild World * You Were Meant for Me * You've Got a Friend * and more. A great value!

Good for beginners & improv alike
"With such a variety of songs, this has something for every skill level. Precise transcriptions of the parts of the recording does leave holes in the song, though, when the bass/drum takes over. Players who want a "solo guitar arrangement" of their favorite tunes need to be prepared to improvise, or look to another arrangement."
-- Dave Sracic from Washington, DC, April 27, 2004

Acoustic Guitar Bible

Acoustic Masters Series: Craig Dobbins' Hymns for Fingerstyle Guitar

2008-04-06T15:31:00.000-07:00

By Craig Dobbins. For Guitar. Guitar Method or Supplement. Acoustic Masters Series. 0. Acoustic; Fingerstyle. Book & CD. 52 pages. Published by Alfred Publishing.
Craig Dobbins has tastefully arranged this beautiful collection of hymns to be easily playable and yet worthy of concert and solo recital performance. All the music is written in standard notation and tablature, and performed beautifully on the included CD. Selections include: Amazing Grace * In the Garden * O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing * The Old Rugged Cross * Sweet Hour of Prayer * There Is a Fountain and more.

"Excellent arrangements and enjoyed the CD, too."
-- RVS from Woodbridge, VA, April 01, 2008

"Great arrangement and good performance notes given prior to the score. Enjoyed it very much and had also ordered another book by Craig titled Accoustic Christmas. Highly recommended."
-- Ah Sang Lim from Singapore, June 12, 2007

"There are several songs that are intermediate-level, and some I thought were more advanced. I liked that the arrangements were in different styles, and the CD was very helpful. The songs in this book are certainly worth your while to learn."
-- Joanne from Bethlehem, PA, February 26, 2007

"The arrangements are playable but sophisticated. Bought this book and the "Complete Gospel Fingerstyle solo series" If it is one or the other for you - you want this one"
-- G. Nimmo from Cincinnati, Ohio, February 16, 2007

Acoustic Masters Series: Craig Dobbins' Hymns for Fingerstyle Guitar

The Ultimate White Pages - Acoustic Guitar

2008-03-23T23:22:00.000-07:00

Guitar tablature songbook for guitar and voice. 1048 pages. Published by Alfred Publishing.
With standard guitar notation, guitar tablature, vocal melody, lyrics, guitar tab glossary, chord names and guitar chord diagrams. Pop Rock, Rock, Country, Jazz, Classical, Christmas and Movies. 9x12 inches.
This ultimate collection is jam-packed with more than 200 songs for the acoustic guitar as performed by popular artists such as the Grateful Dead, Alanis Morrissette, Michelle Branch, James Taylor and more. It is the greatest compilation of acoustic guitar music ever assembled -- all fully transcribed in standard notation and tablature. Also included are numerous arrangements of Broadway solos, Christmas songs, classical solos, jazz standards, and movie tunes. Titles (and artists) include: 6th Avenue Heartache (The Wallflowers), Cheap Day Return (Jethro Tull), I Can Let Go Now (Alison Krauss), Lyin' Eyes (Eagles) and more.
The Ultimate White Pages
"This book has lots of songs, easy to read and play. Great reference!"
-- Bernardo from San Diego, CA, April 26, 2007
Pretty Good Book
"The book is wonderful as far as content but a little difficult to read. Some of the pages are blurry"
-- Anonymous, April 07, 2007
The Ultimate White Pages - Acoustic Guitar

Acoustic Metal

2008-03-17T04:38:00.000-07:00

Guitar Play-Along Series, Volume 37. By Various. Guitar Play-Along. Play Along. Softcover with CD. Guitar tablature. 56 pages. Published by Hal Leonard.
The Guitar Play-Along Series will help you play your favorite songs quickly and easily! Just follow the tab, listen to the CD to hear how the guitar should sound, and then play along using the separate backing tracks. The melody and lyrics are also included in the book in case you want to sing, or to simply help you follow along. The audio CD is playable on any CD player. For PC and Mac computer users, the CD is enhanced so you can adjust the recording to any tempo without changing pitch! 8 songs: Every Rose Has Its Thorn * Fly to the Angels * Hole Hearted * Love Is on the Way * Love of a Lifetime * Signs * To Be with You * When the Children Cry.
Great Metal Transcriptions
"The transciptions are very accurate and the CD lets you here the music with-out the band.(great for practice) and big plus if your ear isn't that good. Hal-Leonard (play along) has alot of books out formated the same way. I've bought 2 (play-alongs) and their worth the cash. "
-- Rob from Charleston, WV, August 14, 2007
Acoustic Metal

J. S. Bach for Acoustic Guitar

2008-03-09T22:16:00.000-07:00

12 Solos in Notation and Tablature. By Ben Bolt. For Guitar (Classical & Fingerpicking). Solos. Acoustic Guitar Series. Baroque. Level: Advanced. Book/CD Set. 64 pages.
J. S. Bach is the most sought after composers of all time. He is everybody's favorite! Best selling author Ben Bolt has inked 12 solos for guitar in this book. Included are moderate to advanced solos in notation and tablature. All 12 solos are recorded in order like the book. The recording can easily stand on it's own for your listening pleasure, or can be used as an instructional tool. Professor Bolt also includes a copy of Bach's original manuscript of Partita No. 1 for cross-reference purposes. Includes the following pieces: Sleepers Awake! (from Cantata No. 140), Gavotte, Prelude (from 3rd Cello Suite), Courante (from 3rd Cello Suite), Corrente (from 1st Violin Partita), Bourree (from 1st Violin Parita), Prelude in D (from 1st Cello Suite), Gigue (from 1st Cello Suite), Sarabande (from 2nd Lute Suite), Gigue (from 2nd Lute Suite), Courante (from 1st Lute Suite) and Fugue.
J. S. Bach for Acoustic Guitar

The Best of Lennon & McCartney for Acoustic Guitar (DVD)

2008-03-02T13:39:00.000-08:00

(A Step-by-Step Breakdown of the Fab Four's Acoustic Guitar Styles and Techniques) Hosted by Andrew Dubrock, performed by John Lennon, Paul McCartney. Instructional video: DVD for acoustic guitar. DVD only - no sheet music. Series: Hal Leonard Guitar Signature Licks DVD. Published by Hal Leonard.
On this DVD, Acoustic Guitar magazine music editor Andrew DuBrock explores the softer, yet no less brilliant, side of the legendary lads from Liverpool. He teaches the acoustic styles and techniques used to create the Beatles classics, including Across the Universe, Blackbird, Yesterday and more.
Jim of Insiana writes...
"Very clear and precise instruction. Examples are easy to follow for beginners. I highly recommend this DVD."
John Lennon, Paul McCartney: The Best of Lennon & McCartney for Acoustic Guitar (DVD)

Fingerpicking Acoustic Rock

2008-02-25T02:40:00.000-08:00

14 Songs Arranged for Solo Guitar in Standard Notation & Tab. Performed by Various. Guitar Solo. Softcover. With notes and tablature. Size 9x12 inches. 64 pages. Published by Hal Leonard. (699764)

The arrangements in this book are carefully written for intermediate-level guitarists. Each solo combines melody and harmony in one superb fingerpicking arrangement. Also includes an easy introduction to basic fingerstyle guitar. 14 songs: Angie * Babe, I'm Gonna Leave You * Band on the Run * Bridge over Troubled Water * Every Rose Has Its Thorn * I'd Love to Change the World * Knockin' on Heaven's Door * Landslide * Layla * More Than Words * Norwegian Wood * Seven Bridges Road * Suite: Judy Blue Eyes * Wanted Dead or Alive.
Fingerpicking Acoustic Rock

The Best of Acoustic Guitar

2008-02-18T00:22:00.000-08:00

Compiled by Wolf Marshall. Guitar tablature songbook and examples CD for guitar and voice. Series: Hal Leonard Guitar Signature Licks. 64 pages. Published by Hal Leonard.
With guitar tablature, standard notation, vocal melody, lyrics and chord names. Pop and Rock. 9x12 inches.
In this book/CD pack, Wolf Marshall presents a step-by-step breakdown of acoustic rock and pop guitar styles and techniques from the '60s through the '90s. Songs examined include: Tears in Heaven (Eric Clapton) * Ice Cream Man (Van Halen) * Blackbird (The Beatles) * Fire and Rain (James Taylor) * Space Oddity (David Bowie) * Magic Bus (The Who) * and more. The CD features full-band tracks for all 14 songs. Also includes an introduction, and an article - 'The Instruments of Acoustic Rock.'
Awesome book and CD
"The book and the CD are a great tool to improve your playing. Slow versions of every track and on cd.
The transcriptions are very accurate, Wolf Marshall did again a great job."
-- Peter Imwinkelried from Ulrichen - Switzerland, March 09, 2004
The Best of Acoustic Guitar

The Hal Leonard Acoustic Guitar Method

2008-01-23T03:48:00.000-08:00

A Complete Guide with Step-by-Step Lessons & 45 Great Acoustic Songs. By Chad Johnson. Guitar Method. Softcover with CD. With notes and tablature. 80 pages.
The Hal Leonard Acoustic Guitar Method uses real songs to teach you all the basics of acoustic guitar in the style of The Beatles, Eric Clapton, John Mellencamp, the Indigo Girls, Robert Johnson, James Taylor and many others. Lessons include: strumming; fingerpicking; using a capo; open tunings; folk, country & bluegrass styles; acoustic blues; acoustic rock; and more. Songs include: Angie * Barely Breathing * Behind Blue Eyes * Building a Mystery * Change the World * Dust in the Wind * Fast Car * Here Comes the Sun * Jack and Diane * Landslide * Leaving on a Jet Plane * Maggie May * More Than Words * Name * You've Got a Friend * Yesterday * and more. In standard notation and tablature.
The Hal Leonard Acoustic Guitar Method

Fingerpicking Acoustic

2008-01-20T12:09:00.000-08:00

15 Songs Arranged for Solo Guitar in Standard Notation & Tab. By Various. Guitar Solo. With notes and tablature. 64 pages. Published by Hal Leonard.
The arrangements in this book are carefully written for intermediate-level guitarists. Each song combines melody and harmony in one superb fingerpicking arrangement. The book also includes an easy introduction to basic fingerstyle guitar. Songs include: Behind Blue Eyes * Best of My Love * Blowin' in the Wind * The Boxer * Dust in the Wind * Helplessly Hoping * Hey Jude * Learning to Fly * Leaving on a Jet Plane * Tears in Heaven * You've Got a Friend * and more.
Fingerpicking Acoustic

Acoustic Classics

2008-01-15T12:23:00.000-08:00

Acoustic Classics (Guitar) Guitar Play-Along Vol. 33. Performed by Various. Guitar Play-Along. Play Along. Softcover with CD. With notes and tablature.
The Guitar Play-Along Series will help you play your favorite songs quickly and easily! Just follow the tab, listen to the CD to hear how the guitar should sound, and then play along using the separate backing tracks. The melody and lyrics are also included in the book in case you want to sing, or to simply help you follow along. The audio CD is playable on any CD player. For PC and Mac computer users, the CD is enhanced so you can adjust the recording to any tempo without changing pitch! Songs: Across the Universe * Babe, I'm Gonna Leave You * Crazy on You * Heart of Gold * Hotel California * I'd Love to Change the World * Thick As a Brick * Wanted Dead or Alive.
Acoustic Classics (Guitar)

Acoustic Guitar Play-Along

2008-01-08T16:24:00.000-08:00

Vol. 10. Performed by Various. Guitar Play-Along. Play Along. Softcover with CD. With notes and tablature.
The Guitar Play-Along Series will help you play your favorite songs quickly and easily! Just follow the tab, listen to the CD to hear how the guitar should sound, and then play along using the separate backing tracks. The melody and lyrics are also included in the book in case you want to sing, or to simply help you follow along. The audio CD is playable on any CD player. For PC and Mac computer users, the CD is enhanced so you can adjust the recording to any tempo without changing pitch! This volume includes 8 songs: Here Comes the Sun * Landslide * The Magic Bus * Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) * Pink Houses * Space Oddity * Tangled up in Blue * Tears in Heaven.
Contents:
The Magic Bus
Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)
Space Oddity
Tears In Heaven
Tangled Up In Blue
Here Comes The Sun
Pink Houses
Landslide
Acoustic Guitar Play-Along

Favorite Hymns for Acoustic Guitar

2008-01-02T03:35:00.000-08:00

By Rick Foster. For Guitar (Classical & Fingerpicking). Solos. Acoustic Guitar Series. Sacred. Level: Intermediate-Advanced. Book. Size 8.5x11. 56 pages. Published by Mel Bay Publications, Inc.
This book of hymns and popular sacred melodies is a note for note transcription of Rick Foster's award winning album. All solos were transcribed by Rick Foster and are in notation and tablature. The arrangements are intermediate to advanced and comprise some wonderful solo settings for use in a variety of church and concert settings.

Contents:
Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring (From Cantata No. 147) Johann Sebastian Bach
All Creatures Of Our God And King Arr: Rick Foster
Be Still My Soul Jean Sibelius, Arr: Foster
The Old Rugged Cross George Bennard, Arr: Rick Foster
Softly And Tenderly Will L. Thompson, Arr: Rick Foster
Amazing Grace Arr: Rick Foster & Chet Atkins
I Am Bound For The Promised Land Arr: Rick Foster & Chet Atkins
Just As I Am William B. Bradbury, Arr: Chet Atkins
Pass It On Kurt Kaiser, Arr: Rick Foster
For Those Tears I Died Marsha Stevens, Arr: Rick Foster
A Mighty Fortress Is Our God Martin Luther, Arr: Christopher Parkening
Morning Has Broken Arr: Rick Foster
There's A Quiet Understanding Tedd Smith, Arr: Rick Foster
This World Is Not My Home Arr: Rick Foster

Hymns
"I find the pieces to be unique in sound. The pieces have a good level of challenge to them but they are not out of reach. I have a lot of appreciation for Rick Foster's music. If he has anything to do with arranging a piece, the music will be worth playing and hearing."
-- Anonymous, October 22, 2007

Foster's Genius
"I have only recenty discovered Rick Foster's arrangements of Sacred Music; I knew immediately they were exactly what I hoped for. I have 4 of his books already, and plan to get "Favorite Hymns for Acoustic Guitar" today. Rick's superior selection and arrangement of Sacred material is unparalled. Thoroughly satisfying!"
-- D. O'Toole from East Coast, June 15, 2006

Rick Foster's Book Is Excellent
"If you're looking for beautiful, classical arrangements for your favorite hymns, this is the book you want. However, Rick Foster is clearly a very talented man; and even veteran guitarists may find these arrangements VERY difficult. The hymns are designed for the classical guitar method.

I received this book in perfect condition, and I enjoy it thoroughly... I'm now a Rick Foster fan. Unfortunately, it took a very, very long time to arrive after I ordered it."
-- Drew from Maryland, February 04, 2005
Favorite Hymns for Acoustic Guitar

Music of Mexico for Acoustic Guitar Volume 1

2007-12-26T01:46:00.000-08:00

By Ruben Delgado. For Guitar (Classical & Fingerpicking). Solos. Acoustic Guitar Series. Mexican. Level: Intermediate. Book/CD Set. Size 8.75x11.75. 56 pages. Published by Mel Bay Publications, Inc.
Books in Mel Bay's "Acoustic Guitar" category are written to be played fingerstyle on either nylon or steel string guitars. The titles in this category are extremely eclectic. Subjects range from Latin American music to Renaissance classics. Music of Mexico for Acoustic Guitar is a superb solo collection. Ruben Delgado has penned wonderful solos based on 11 favorite Mexican songs. Contents include such standards as Maria Elena; Donde Estas, Corazon?; and Noche de Ronda. All arrangements are written in notation and tablature.
Contents:
La Adelita (2:13) Arranged By Ruben Delgado
La Llorona (3:18) Arranged By Ruben Delgado
Noche De Rhonda (2:21) Maria Teresa Lara Arranged By Ruben Delgado
La Leyenda De La Llorona (6:06) Ruben Delgado
Cielito Lindo (2:04) Arranged By Ruben Delgado
Donde Estas Corazon? (2:47) Luis Martinez Serrano Arranged By Ruben Delgado
Maria Elena (2:30) Lorenzo Barcelata Arranged By Ruben Delgado
Solamente Una Vez (2:14) Augustin Lara Arranged By Ruben Delgado
Jesusita En Chihuahua (2:03) Quirino Mendoza And Cortez; Arranged By Ruben Delg
Ay, Ajlisco No Te Rajes! (2:04) Arranged By Ruben Delgado
La Golondrina (2:33) Arranged By Ruben Delgado

VERY GOOD
"This songbook has 4 of my all time favorites in Mexican music the arrangments are complete. I'm very satisfaccted with it."
-- JAVIER CASTILLO from SEATTLE, WA., November 07, 2005

Great!!
"Belive it or not, I am Mexican and it is really hard to find such good solo guitar arregements for these popular Mexican songs even here in Mexico."
-- Rogelio Martinez from Saltillo, MX, November 02, 2005

Fantastic spetrum of pieces
"This book is quite remarkable in that MR. Delgado is the only one that has notated some of the most beautiful traditional Mexican melodies. The pieces are beautiful in themselves, and to really make them your own simply feel free to alter them as you see fit. I highly recommend this product!!"
-- Guillermo from Anaheim, CA, December 24, 2004

I Love This Book
"I'm probably only an early intermediate player, but I spend quite a bit of time on my guitar and this quickly became one of my favorite books. Great melodies, fun to play, easy to read fonts, accurate tab."
-- Dean Longanecker from Waterville, WA, July 22, 2004

A few good pieces
"Although most of the pieces in this book are generally unimpressive, three of the songs are quite nice. The recording is regrettably lacking any kind of musicality. That said, this book is a good starting point for anyone interested in Mexican guitar music, and once you embellish the songs and make them your own, they can become treasures."
-- Anonymous from TN, December 30, 2003
Music of Mexico for Acoustic Guitar Volume 1

Acoustic Guitar And Motivation

2007-12-18T12:43:00.000-08:00

Why did you REALLY want to learn to play the acoustic guitar? Do you know the answer to this question? What's your motivation? Maybe you want to earn the respect and admiration of your friends when they see you play an incredible song ... Or, maybe you want that the sense of pride you get when you accomplish something difficult.. Or maybe you're looking for an emotional outlet ... Or a way to express how you feel about someone else ... Or a way to relax by strumming a few tunes at the end of the day ... Or, hell, maybe you just want to do something besides watch television? I encourage you to take an "inventory" of WHY you want to play the acoustic guitar. Stop to read this and to answer this question. "HOW DO YOU PLAN TO ACCOMPLISH YOUR GOAL? "Do you have a plan? Just "hoping" that you're getting better, or play more songs, or have more enjoyment guitar isn ' t enough. Buying a new guitar, isn't enough. Get a couple of books isn't enough. Surf the Internet around looking for "learn guitar-" stuff, is not enough. You need a SPECIFIC, detailed "plan of attack". I'm talking "Do this first. Is this second, "etc. Otherwise, you'll turn around and 6 months have passed and you haven ' t made a real improvement. Then a year goes by. Then 2 years. And 5 years. And you wake up one day and realize YOU DON'T EVEN PLAY ANYMORE. Because you stopped making progress. And when you stop improving and learning new things, you stop playing, it's not fun to play the same old crap all the time. Bottom line: You need a good education. Here's the link: Acoustic Guitar Secrets

Endless Road - Tommy Emmanuel

2007-12-11T19:45:00.000-08:00

By TommyEmmanuel and trans. By Mark Pritcher. For Guitar (Fingerpicking). Solos. Acoustic Music. Level: Intermediate-Advanced. Book. Size 8.75x11.75. 192 pages. Published by Mel Bay Publications, Inc. (20872)

Mel Bay Publications presents a collection of arrangements and original compositions from Australian guitarist Tommy Emmanuel's 2005 CD, Endless Road. Not for the faint of heart, this outstanding collection of intermediate to advanced solos includes two pop standards (Somewhere Over the Rainbow and Mona Lisa) plus thirteen of Tommy's incredible compositions.
You'll gain insights into Tommy's playing style through note-for-note notation and tablature transcribed by Mark Pritcher who has added suggested chord progressions to each tune to serve as a harmonic guide to the player. In addition, detailed performance notes and select chord grid diagrams further enhance accessibility to the works of this masterful guitar tunesmith.
Tommy's music incorporates thumbpicking, jazzy single lines, chord-melody arranging techniques, complex use of harmonics and more. Playing through this collection will give you a whole new appreciation for your guitar!
Endless Road - Tommy Emmanuel

Liona Boyd: A Guitar For Christmas

2007-12-05T03:00:00.000-08:00

Performed by Liona Boyd, arranged by Liona Boyd. Instrumental solo songbook for acoustic guitar. With standard guitar notation, fingerings and positions. 48 pages. Published by Hal Leonard.

With standard guitar notation, fingerings and positions.
19 favorite Christmas songs arranged for classical guitar from world-renowned classical guitarist Liona Boyd. Contents: Very Easy Solos: Silent Night * Deck The Halls * I Saw Three Ships * O Come All Ye Faithful * Easy Solos: Toy Soldiers * Angels We Have Heard On High * We Three Kings * O Christmas Tree * Medium Solos: Joy To The World * O Little Town Of Bethlehem * Once In Royal David's City * God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen * Deck The Halls * I Saw Three Ships * Hark! The Herald Angels Sing/Il Est Ne Le Divin Enfant * The First Noel * Advanced Solos: O Holy Night * Good King Wenceslas * Away In A Manger * We Wish You A Merry Christmas * Silent Night * O Come All Ye Faithful.

Contents:
Toy Soldier G Major
Angels We Have Heard On High C Major
Away In A Manger G Major
Deck The Hall D Major
The First Noel D Major
God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen G Major
Good King Wenceslas A Major
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing D Major
I Saw Three Ships D Major
Il Est Ne (He Is Born)
It Came Upon The Midnight Clear A Major
Joy To The World D Major
O Christmas Tree C Major
O Come, All Ye Faithful (Adeste Fideles) E Major
O Holy Night A Major
O Little Town Of Bethlehem D Major
Once In Royal David's City E Major
Silent Night A Major
We Three Kings Of Orient Are E Minor
We Wish You A Merry Christmas G Major

One of the best christmas books !!!!!
"A great gift for the music lover at Christmas time, some pieces are not for the beginner level, but majority of them are easy with a little practice. Her Christmas CD is one of my favorites, and anyone I've given it to at Christmas was very pleased. Her arrangements are quite wonderful, also her tremolo is the best in the world. !!!!!!!"
-- Darlene Burt from New Jersey, January 06, 2007
Liona Boyd: A Guitar For Christmas

Bluegrass Guitar Classics

2007-11-28T02:58:00.000-08:00

Includes standard notation and tab for 22 Carter-style solos from bluegrass classics such as Cotton Eyed Joe, Man of Constant Sorrow, The Wabash Cannon Ball and more.
Contents:
Cumberland Gap
The Big Rock Candy Mountain
Cotton Eyed Joe
Down Yonder
Hand Me Down My Walking Cane
Jesse James
John Henry
Long Journey Home
Roll In My Sweet Baby's Arms
Shady Grove
Uncle Joe
Little Sadie
Back Up And Push
The Wabash Cannon Ball
Man Of Constant Sorrow
Midnight Special
Mule Skinner Blues
Down In The Willow Garden
New River Train
Under The Double Eagle
Wildwood Flower
Red Wing
Songs I can Actually Play
"Songs are written in the Carter Style and plenty payable even for a few of us who don't play like Norman Blake and never will. The book offers a chance to play bluegrass favorites while practicing clean picking technique. You can learn show stopper versions when you can play like Norman Blake. Did I mention I really like listening to Norman Blake."
-- R. Spencer from Santa Cruz CA, July 22, 2007
Bluegrass Lover
"I moved down to the foothills of NC two years ago, and to my delight, found a great deal of talent. Everyone plays from the heart. I was taught to read music, and that is the way to play, so I am at a loss here. I could not find music to learn these songs by, and found this site and all the music I could want. I have played many of them on the keyboard and can now recognize them when they are played by others. Everyone down here learned to emprovise at their daddy's knee, or grandpa's, so nothing is written down. Thank goodness for this book! Have looked for a long time till I found you guys! Thanks, H Crews"
-- H Crews from Yadkinville, NC, July 11, 2007
Bluegrass Guitar Classics (22 Carter-Style Solos) Guitar tablature songbook for acoustic guitar and voice. 39 pages. Published by Hal Leonard. (HL.699529)

Acoustic Guitar Basics, Steps One & Two

2007-11-21T03:09:00.000-08:00

Performed by Keith Wyatt. Instructional book and examples CD for acoustic guitar. With guitar tablature, standard notation, chord names, guitar chord diagrams, instructional text and illustrations.
This book/CD package is designed to help aspiring musicians take the first step toward experiencing the fun of playing music, and is packed full of tips, lessons, and practical knowledge. Topics include: guitar basics, chords and strumming techniques, music notation and tablature, the blues progression, fingerpicking, and using the capo.
Contents:
Basics
Open Position Chords
Fingerpicking
Hammer-Ons And Pull-Offs With Chords
Barre Chords
Keith Wyatt: Acoustic Guitar Basics, Steps One & Two Combined (Book and CD)

Some steel string acoustic history

2007-11-14T17:19:00.000-08:00

Acoustic guitars come in two forms, the "classical" or nylon string guitar and the steel-string acoustic guitar. Each has its own feel and sound.
I thought I'd post a short rundown on early steel string acoustic players today:
Until the 1960s, the predominant forms of music played on the flattop, steel-string guitar remained relatively stable and included acoustic blues, country, bluegrass, folk, and several genres of rock. The concept of playing solo steel-string guitar in a concert setting was introduced by such performers as Davey Graham and John Fahey in the early 1960s, who used country blues fingerpicking techniques to compose original compositions with structures somewhat like European classical music. Fahey contemporary Robbie Basho added elements of Indian classical music and Leo Kottke used a Faheyesque approach to make the first solo steel string guitar "hit" record. Afterwards came Windham Hill Records which brought in elements of Celtic music to join the mix in this now-thriving genre. Today, scores of artists are steel-string soloists, including Al Petteway, Alex de Grassi, Duck Baker, Kaki King, Steffen Basho-Junghans, and Pierre Bensusan. Steel-string guitars are also important in the world of flatpicking, as utilized by such artists as Tony Rice, Bryan Sutton, Doc Watson, and David Grier. Luthiers have been experimenting with redesigning the acoustic guitar for these players.
http://acoustic_guitar.totallyexplained.com/