Customer Reviews

Mel Bay's Understanding Guitar Chords

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This book is great for the self taught student. Simply put, it teaches you how to figure out how to play a chord based on what you know about the basic A, E, D, and C shapes taught in beginning guitar. I found this a heck of a lot more useful than a book of chords because I can look at a chord name like Cm7b5 and figure out in my head how to play that chord in a few moments without having to memorize the exact shape. The book also has some basic exercises to help "muscle memory" so that you become familiar with the more common chords. The book is well written (the author has a nice "voice" so the reading isn't dry) and the lessons aren't too long. Also, the author uses standard music notation, tabulature, and fretboard pictures throughout the book so you would have to be a real moron to not be able to see what's going on. However, this book is not for absolute beginners. You must be familiar with the chord shapes A,D,E,and C and how notes are related to the frets(for example: C is a half step higher than B, etc.). Knowledge of a scale (diatonic?) is helpful but not required.

Bob is a great teacher, a phenomenal player and an all-around great guy. If you don't have the pleasure of knowing him or studying with him, you will get a good idea of his approach to fretboard education from this book. Even a complete novice could come to understand how to phrase any chord in western music several different ways from reading this book. Bob makes it easy and unintimidating. From this book, you will be able to extrapolate a lot of the data in those two-inch thick chord encyclopedias!