The Art of Solo Fingerpicking : How to Play Alternating-Bass Fingerstyle Guitar Solos (book and CD) (Guitar Books) [Paperback]

Mark Hanson (Author)

Book Description

Series: Guitar Books | Publication Date: January 1, 1992

How to play alternating-bass fingerstyle guitar solos. Package includes 90-minute instructional tape, 14 solos, and measure-by-measure instruction. Teaches many styles.

Product Details

• Paperback: 80 pages
• Publisher: Music Sales America; Book&CD edition (January 1, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 093679903X
• ISBN-13: 978-0936799032
• Product Dimensions: 11.9 x 9 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #37,369 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

52 of 54 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best instructionals I've tried, January 24, 2001

By 

Jackson Griffith (Sacramento, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Art of Solo Fingerpicking : How to Play Alternating-Bass Fingerstyle Guitar Solos (book and CD) (Guitar Books) (Paperback)

This is Vol. 2 of Mark Hanson's "The Art of Travis-Style Picking," one of the best starter manuals for would-be fingerpickers, and it picks up where that excellent book/CD left off. Most of the compositions are by Hanson; if you love Fahey, Kottke, Ackerman, de Grassi, etc. and wouldn't mind learning how to play like that, this is your ticket. The two David Blakeley numbers are also quite fine, as are arrangements of Libby Cotten's "Freight Train" and John Renbourn's version of "White House Blues." I cannot recommend this book highly enough.

38 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent examples and practical advise, February 3, 2004

By 

L. Anvik (Rye, NY United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Art of Solo Fingerpicking : How to Play Alternating-Bass Fingerstyle Guitar Solos (book and CD) (Guitar Books) (Paperback)

I thought this book/CD combination was a great teacher, and just about right for my playing ability (intermediate). I found about 50% of the material to be allready familiar and 50% new. And there were a couple of places that I actually disagreed with his fingering choices (nobody plays the guitar the same way, so we should only adopt the teacher/author content that makes us better individual players - not "correct" players). But more importantly, this book forced me to face up to some bad playing habits I've used for 20+ years. I had to take a couple of months worth of steps backward to change in one case, but I expect substantial benefits in the long run. This is a very good teaching book, and I recommend it to everybody above complete beginner. Those players who know at least 30 chords can tackle this book, because most of the songs are only difficult to play at concert pace.

I gave the book 4 stars, but 4 1/2 would have been more accurate. My only complaint is that the book is somewhat thin on content: explanations, photos and exercises. Mark Hanson also says little about the underlying musicology in the examples (modes, triads, key signatures, time etc.). There is a lot of white space on some pages, while p 26 is used for a photo of a church (?). I kind of get the feeling that the author wants to sell as many books as possible, and holds back from including everything we need. There are several references to his other books.

But to finish on a positive note, the extensive artist/song list in "Appendix C - People to Hear" is excellent. You can be sure that some of your favorites are included, and that some suggestions will be new to you.

32 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This Is Where It All Began For Me, August 12, 2005

By 

William Polhemus "Polhemus Engineering Company" (Katy, TX United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Art of Solo Fingerpicking : How to Play Alternating-Bass Fingerstyle Guitar Solos (book and CD) (Guitar Books) (Paperback)

I had been a student of the guitar as a teen, and through college. I was fortunate enough to have chosen to study classical guitar, which I continue to maintain is the best foundation for a fingerstyle guitarist (just learning not to rest any part of your hand--the little finger is the biggest culprit--on the face of the guitar does wonders for your technique).

I ceased playing for some time, then in my early thirties I wanted to begin playing again, and having only a twelve-string acoustic guitar at the time I decided that "fingerpicking" would be fun to try.

I found this book in a guitar shop in Oklahoma City--different cover, and the accompanying cassette was missing; I didn't even realize that it was supposed to be part of the purchase until some time later.

However, it opened up a whole new world to me despite my classical guitar foundation. I am fortunate to be able to read music--sightreading is a struggle but I can slowly come up to speed after a few times going through the piece. I can say in comparison to the typical classical guitar piece that the notation and fingerings are terrific. One can tell that Mr. Hanson is accomplished in guitar pedagogy.

Like an earlier reviewer, I still play several of the pieces here including Hanson's original compositions, some fifteen years later. I still drag the book out from time to time to "relearn" pieces I've forgotten. Hanson does a fabulous job of presenting a representative variety of "Travis picking" styles both in his own music and his transcriptions of Renbourn, Martin Simpson, Elizabeth Cotten and others.

In fact, I would heartily recommend ANY of Mr. Hanson's books. I have several including his masterful transcriptions of works by Leo Kottke, and his Christmas Guitar books. He is a fine teacher, a very good writer and a fine artist. He is probably THE single most influential guitar pedagogist for me, and I would snap up anything with his name on it.