Modern Method for Guitar (Volume 1) [Paperback]

W. Leavitt (Author)

Book Description

Series: Modern Method for Guitar | Publication Date: November 1986

A practical and comprehensive guitar method designed for the serious student, and used as the basic text for the Berklee College of Music guitar program. With its unique approach, the student develops technique in both hands as he/she learns to read music. Innovative solos, duets and exercises progressively teach melody, harmony and rhythm.

A beginning level book presenting a comprehensive range of guitar and music fundamentals. Included are scales, melodic studies, chord and arpeggio studies, special exercises for both hands, accompaniment techniques, and a unique approach to voice leading using movable chord forms.

Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Hal Leonard Corp (November 1986)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0793525454
• ISBN-13: 978-0793525454
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.1 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #500,717 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A real Modern Guitar Method!, October 28, 2001

By 

Jorge Barnet (Caracas, Venezuela) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Modern Method for Guitar (Volume 1) (Paperback)

This Book plus the other volumes II and III are really a modern concept in teaching the pick style guitar, no matter if you decide to go to folk or country style of playing, Jazz or Rock.

The concept to approach the guitar as other stringed instruments like the Violin or the Cello, studying the whole fingerboard by positions and scales and keys (Tonality) is the secret to destroy the legend about "The guitar is not a reading instruments " and so on.

I studied it when I attend to Berklee, and I still use it for my private students. I recommend it truly! Thanks Mr. William "Bill" Leavitt (Up there in guitar heaven) for such a great work!!!

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a great introduction to guitar, March 12, 2004

By 

johan hernandez (Philippines) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Modern Method for Guitar (Volume 1) (Paperback)

This book is great for all beginning guitarists out there. This is also recommended for all guitar players who have been playing the instrument but cannot read music. It covers different scale positions, chord forms, arpeggio studies and lots more. It's also a good material for sightreading exercises. This, together with Volumes II and III is a complete package for establishing a great foundation on the guitar.

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars How I Learned to Read Music, July 24, 2003

By 

Michael J Edelman (Huntington Woods, MI USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Modern Method for Guitar (Volume 1) (Paperback)

I used the Leavitt books when I was learning to sight read back in the late 1960s, and it's still as good today as it was back then. The typography may look a little old to eyes used to modern computerized typesetting and layout, but the material is still solid. Working through all three volumes of Leavitt will give you a comeplete mastery of the fingerboard, and you'll learn some hip chords and lines along the way.

There have been a lot of methods published before and since. but this is still one of the absolute best.