Playing the Guitar: A Self-Instruction Guide to Technique and Theory [Paperback]

Frederick M Noad (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 1981

This classic self-teaching guide covers the technique and theory of all the popular styles of guitar playing. The book provides illustrations to simplify finger positions, and shows how to buy a guitar; build chords; read guitar music; and master many styles of playing.

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Frederick Noad is the best-selling author of several guitar method books. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 186 pages
• Publisher: Schirmer Trade Books; 3rd ed. edition (October 1, 1981)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0028719905
• ISBN-13: 978-0028719900
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,990,137 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

38 of 43 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Tresure House of Knowlege, September 8, 1999

By 

[e-mail] (Arlington, Texas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Playing the Guitar: A Self-Instruction Guide to Technique and Theory (Paperback)

I own (and still study) the first edition of this book. It was first published in 1963. It was a tresure then as it is now. A well writen book is never outdated. This is a book that every guitar player, beginer or experienced needs in his library. Bad habits are easily picked up and hard to loose. This book helps keep one on the path.

11 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Caution! Classical only!, June 21, 2004

By 

Michael Z. Williamson (Greenwood, IN United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Playing the Guitar (Paperback)

Be advised this book only covers classical and flamenco playing. It is of much less use for acoustic steel string or electric players.

Nevertheless, one can't properly play any guitar without a basic study of the classical. This book is complete--it covers construction styles to look for, proper woods and finishes for good tone, judging the condition of a used instrument, and basic hold and technique (that so many "rock" players abandon for the sake of slinging an axe low and looking cool, while damaging their wrists and hindering their playing).

I agree with other reviewers that it moves VERY fast--there are tricks such as tambor and percussives discussed in here, along with octave harmonics and complex chords that are beyond most beginners. I'd recommend learning a few basics before picking up this book, and using it in concert with other texts to keep perspective. Do bear in mind that Noad is biased toward the classical guitar--I don't agree, for example, that a radiused fingerboard makes no difference to playing and should be avoided. This is traditional wisdom about a gut or nylon strung instrument, and absolutely false with regard to steel string or electric, the latter of which sometimes have compound radii and staggered frets to improve action and play.

A good book not despite but because of its focus on the classical.