Customer Reviews

Mel Bay's Complete Book of Guitar Chords, Scales and Arpeggios

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

In some areas, this book assumes you have never seen a guitar beore, in others it assumes you have been studying for years. Of primary concern to me was that there was only 1 page of text - which was in essence an advertisement for the book!

In 74 pages of scales, it offers only the Major, Minor, and Minor Pentatonic scales, and doesn't even show THOSE in all positions. The book assumes that if you are given a scale in "A", you also have to be told where the "A#" is.

The Arpeggio section displays no picking patterns or notation/tab, just fretboard maps. Some of the Arpeggios are shown over the entire fretboard, some are only shown in the first couple of positions.

The chord charts are just ordinary chart, they have no text which may display insight into chord construction or useage.

Bottom line: I have seen chart and fretboard maps that were of greater use available free on the web. If you are looking for an in-depth study of Scales, Arpeggios or Chords...this book AIN'T IT.

I don't find the scales and arpeggios helpful enough. You can get better ones on the Internet and for free.

The book does not give you the names of the notes on the fretboard. You have to figure that out yourself and it's not easy for beginners as you cannot see the subsequent tonic notes.

Wouldn't recommend this book to my friends.

This is a terrific resource for figuring out chords and where to play them on the fretboard,as well as arpeggios and scales. I keep it at my side and refer to it often when I'm working on new pieces. What a dictionary is to a writer, this is to the guitarist.

If you are looking for a book where you find Scales, Arpeggios and Chords, this is the book. If you have a basic guitar training and you know how to read the tablatures you can play the arpeggios and enjoy your music. Whith the Scales you will do amazing solos.
Have a good time with your book.

I really like the way the chords are laid out. You learn bass, rhythm and lead chords plus their relationships to each other for every key so visually.

I own most of the Guitar Grimoire books, but this one book covers a lot in a very practical way. The Grimoire's tend to be useful as a reference, but this Mel Bay book provides practical exercises that have really been improving my playing. I'm a beginner/intermediate player and appreciate that the book includes notation as well as tabs.

This book has been a great companion so far. Highly recommended.

very useful, I found it quite clear and easy to learn from. it shows all the chords, scales and arpeggios you need to improve your playing skills. I highly recommend it. Thanks to Amazon for making it available.

Ala Fayad

I first studied Mel Bay as a beginner guitar player when I was a teenager and found an old copy of one of his basic instruction books. I have grown up with his books over the years, occasionally finding a more advanced book each time. Of course that was years ago before you could order books at will on the internet. It was mostly by chance that I would acquire a new book and advance to new levels. Now I think I have finally found the ultimate guitar instruction book. I hope I am ready for the challenge of years of study with the latest edition from the guitar master. I may never digest all this book has to offer, but I have a guitar reference book that should last me the rest of my life. I recommend any of Mel Bay's guitar instruction books to guitar students at all levels, starting with the basics and working up to this book. Thank you Mel Bay.

Expertly compiled, organized, and presents by William Bay, "Mel Bay's Complete Book of Guitar Chords, Scales And Arpeggios" is a 298-page compendium of diagrams showing the aspiring guitar player how to produce just the right sounds from their instruments whether in practice or in performance. Each major and minor scale is presented in position on the guitar fingerboard with all scales being shown in diagram form, notation, and tablature. Of special not is the section on blues and rock scales. Thoroughly 'user friendly', "Mel Bay's Complete Book of Guitar Chords, Scales And Arpeggios" is provides an ideal text for self-instruction, and is very highly recommended as a curriculum supplement for mastering classic, rock, blues, and other forms of guitar music.

I've studied guitar privately, but stopped playing for several years. I forgot many chords I knew, all of the scales I knew, and I never even learned the arpeggios which are included in this book. This book is a great review. It will also be a good learning experience. I never learned my major scales in multiple positions -- this book contains several positions for each scale. The scales and chords are presented in a graphic manner, which does not require that the reader be able to read music. Below the graphic representation of each scale, the names of the notes are shown above the accompanying note on a treble staff. Below the treble staff, each note is also shown in tablature. (Since I have been trying to learn some music which is notated in tablature, I was excited about that!) Also, the names of the notes in each chord are listed below the graphic representation of the chord. I love this book! A complete beginner may need to purchase additional books, but this book is great for reference. I will probably use it as a reference for the rest of my life.