Customer Reviews

Yamaha Guitar Method, Book 1

5 star:		(115)
4 star:		(30)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

I'm a guitar teacher who has been teaching beginning guitar since 1983 to a multitude of young start-ups learning the instrument. This has always been the main book I use for beginners. This book's target audience is 12 to 19 year olds. Students 8 to 11 have used the book with me but struggled, as the note reading and strumming is a little difficult for them. Students under 12 need a book more dedicated to 3 and 4 string EZ chords played on the high strings (like Alfred's Kid's Guitar Course) as opposed to full 6 string chords. This book progresses into lengthly 7 and 8 line melodies pretty early on and children under 12 can't maintain a high level of concentration for that long without soon becoming frustrated and impatient. (Maybe Hal Leonard will release a "Guitar Primer" as a preliminary to this book someday).

But it's perfect, like I said, for the 12 to 80+ year olds. This age group has the maturity, finger strength, and the self-discipline to diligently practice the material slowly without giving up too soon. Dedicated practice time is the secret to success using this book or any other method book. The lessons are progressive, meaning each chord sequence you learn uses chords from the previous lessons and the notes you play for melodies contain sharps and flatted notes from previous lessons.

The song selection is nice because there are all styles, time periods, and ethnicities represented. There's rock songs, folk songs, Christmas songs, traditional African American spirituals, fiddle tunes, classical pieces, and what I really enjoy as a teacher - 2 part duets! Book one covers the rudimentary chords and 1st position note playing. Book 2 gets you into finger picking, Carter Style, and alternating bass notes with open string cowboy chords. Book 3 gets into rock playing and improvisation using pentatonic scales. There are also "jam sessions" in book 3 that give you, the student, the chance to sit in with the band and apply what you've learned.

The book is authored by Will Schmid, past president of MENC, a national music organization that sets the national K-12 standards for music education. The book's overall strength comes from Schmid's insight into professional guitar education. This is a method book with a curriculum and a design.

This book is a revision. The revisionist being rock star celebrity Greg Koch. Greg Koch, although a little wacky (but in an entertaining way) can cover any genre of music to stylistic perfection. His performances have been professionally recorded with a full band of studio musicians. The tracks have a slow version to practice along with and a up-to-tempo version to hear what it should sound like up-to-speed. The CDs will be very helpful for those without the benefit of a guitar teacher. The audio tracks will help facilitate your learning because you can pop the CD into your boombox and listen to the lesson material as if Greg Koch himself were giving you a private lesson. (wouldn't that be zany and fun!)

I have been playing guitar for several years, and even play on the worship team at church. So far I have learned by just chords or playing by ear. I picked this book up to learn how to read music and take my musical ability to a new level. AND this book definetly does it!!

This book starts of at square one of how to hold a guitar and proceeds very logically through into more advanced topics; reading music, building chords, music theory, advanced fingerings, all main key signatures, etc. This book will help practically anyone who plays guitar, to play better. (Unless you are already a Pete Townsend or Eric Clapton, but if so why are you looking for a new book on how to play guitar?). This book comes with 3-CDs that play nearly every song within the book covered allowing the guitarist to develop perfect timing, playing with other instruments, and knowing how the song should sound. This book is great for any beginner, amauter, and even the intermediate players will be able to pick something up. Especially since it's less than $25 bucks make this a 5-star buy for any guitar player.

This is a great system for learning the guitar. The instructions and photos are clear and this gets you reading music and playing tunes quickly. (Includes TAB in the second book) - since all three volumes of this serires are bound in one terrific spiral binding - this is an excellent value. I am a pianist and like this system because it gets into reading notes immediately. I tried another system that did not explain what notes were where on the guitar and found it frustrating since I knew where they were on the piano, I wanted to know where they were on the guitar - not just where to place my fingers. This is a great book!

The 3 book/3 CD compilation of the HL Guitar Method is where I began and what I use to teach students how to master the guitar and to become... musicians. The book methodically relys on learning to read actual music (later in the book the tab method is introduced) and slowly, patiently develops the student's fingers, ears, and appreciation of harmony and melody. Theory is introduced ever so subtley and enjoyably.

The CD tracks are excellent and make quality self-study feasible. Many of the songs or exercises are presented in slow and up tempo versions.

This is a treasure chest for the teacher and student or the student who is teaching himself. There are excellent supplemental books (pop and rock melodies, rhythm books, riff and lick books, etc.)and I recommend them all.

This book is a necessity in learning to play guitar! I had never picked up a guitar and my daughter wanted one for her birthday so I decided if I was going to teach her to play I need to learn myself.I do have a basic music backgournd,I was in band in school,so I do know how to read music.Other than that I am starting from scratch.This book starts out showing you the parts of the guitar and how to hold it.Then it takes you through the playing process sting by string,showing you the notes and how to play them.It is very easy to read and understand.There are practice songs after each string so you have a feeling of accomplishment being able to play a familar tune.Granted it is songs like Yankee Doodle and so forth but I think it is important to crawl before you walk!After 2 hours of practice I have mastered the first 3 strings,I am halfway through! You are also able to learn to read music through this process because with each finger position it shows you the note and then you put it all together while reading the practice songs.This is great because you aren't just memorizing chords you can truely pick up sheet music and paly!Then the book goes on to teach you how to strum chords.I think this is an awesome book to start with to teach you all of the basics.You will probably want to get more books later but everyone has to start somewhere!

I'm rarely one to completely hype a product, but in this case, I must. I purchased this to use with an after school program I'm starting this year and to bone up on my lacking guitar skills. This series has everything one needs to LEARN to play the guitar.

From the first pages, I knew I had the right book for my needs. Though I took lessons as a child, I had forgotten most of the basics. The first lessons in the book are the basic finger picking notes on each string including notation and which fingers to use for each note. The songs are a tad bland in this section, but with a bit of inspiration you will be able to pick your own songs using these notes in no time.

From there it goes on to strumming technique, chords, progressions, etc. The songs get better and better. The included CDs make using the book a real treat as well. You will easily develop proper playing technique for each song by listening and playing along. The CDs make it very easy and take away some of the "can that really be right?" that you would no doubt feel playing solo.

So far, I've used this only on my own, but my class begins soon and I plan to use this book with the students. I am sure the outcome will exceed my expectations, and I'm looking forward to us all playing "Love Me Tender/Aura Lee" at our mid-year academic rally.

If you're really looking for a book for an absolute beginner, this is the one to buy. The songs are above average (in later sections), the CDs are fantastic, and the overall quality is second to none.

I have been using the Hal Leonard method with my guitar students for several years with great success. This spiral bound edition of books 1,2&3 is a great bargain. Not only do you get all three volumes for less money, the spiral binding makes playing and teaching much easier since it stays flat while on the music stand.

If you are just starting out, the CD offers a great chance to hear what you are actually trying to learn, and with a little self discipline you could improve your skills a great deal even without an instructor.

Great product!

With this book I have gone from knowing only how to play the most basic tunes, (No chords) and although I am not done with it, I can play chords and strums and do a whole lot more than I could before I got this book. Basic chord charts (Chords are what makes great songs great.) are included along with songs everyone would know. The price is also great, considering how much you will get out of it by the time you get from cover to cover. Although I have guitar lessons on Tuesdays, this book serves as my second teacher- ok what im saying is: GET THIS BOOK!

this book gives clear, detailed explanation on basic terms, notations, and demonstrate finger position with photos. On the music (with standard notation and later tablature) it depicts melody, lyrics, strumming, chords and styles. The print is big and comfortable to the eyes. The spiral binding make the book stay open so you don't have to constantly bother with pages shutting together. The studying regimen is well-organized so you progress gradually from the front of the book to the end. It provides stylistic accompaniment and covers many genres such as country, classical, bluegrass, roc n' roll, gospel, folk, etc., just to name a few. (I wish it'd include some Latin American style such as Bossa Nova, Salsa or Habanera, but I have not found any guitar book catering to the Latin American styles.) It teaches scales, chords, and even provide basic music theory knowledge at the end of the book. In general, this book gives great introduction to all there is in guitar playing in the United States.

This book is amazing. It is not easy to find a single source for different level of skill. The book has plenty of excercises and songs for beginners and more advanced guitar players. There are folk, rock, blues songs arranged for acoustic or electric guitar. Enclosed CDs are very helpful. Try to listen the song before you start playing it. You probably dont need to look for other books, because this one covers it all.