Books

Good Books for Beginners

Please purchase the book or books that best suit your interest area: 
Beginning Guitar:  Rock, Folk, General, Not Sure...  
  • Beginning Guitar Super Book (with or without CD's.) Published by Hal Leonard.
  • 100 Greatest Songs of Rock and Roll--EASY GUITAR.  Published by Hal Leonard.
  • Fingerpicking Pattern Encylopedia by Lou Manzi.  Published by Hal Leonard.

Beginning Classical:

  • Christopher Parkening's Guitar Method Volume One  or...
  • Frederick Noad's Solo Guitar Playing, Book 1
  • Frederick Noad's First Book for Guitar (for younger Students)

Good Books and/or DVD's for Intermediate Players

I discovered most of these when browsing at guitar stores and music stores (like Ward Brodt, in Madison).  I encourage you to do the same.
  • General:  The Guitar Handbook by Ralph Denyer.  Essential, especially for electric players.

  • Rock:  Hal Leonard's 100 Greatest Songs of Rock and Roll--EASY GUITAR
  • Rock:  Books of songs by your favorite band or bands, like Led Zepplin, Green Day, Nivana, etc...
  • Rock:  (many hand-outs are used at lessons)
  • Rock:  Subscribe to a magazine like Guitar World, Guitar Edge, etc...

  • Jazz:  Jamey Aebersolds Gettin' it Together.
  • Jazz:  Jamey Aebersold's Nothin' But the Blues.
  • Jazz:  Jamey Aebersold's... pick a volume you think you might like.
  • Jazz:  Real Book(s)  or Fake Books or Real Fake Books... for C instruments.
  • Jazz:  Magazines like Just Jazz Guitar, Down Beat, etc.

  • Blues:  Robben Ford's Playin' the Blues.  (electric blues)
  • Blues:  Other material by Robben Ford. (electric blues)
  • Blues:  Stevie Ray Vaughan's Greatest Hits.  DVD.  Greg Koch.
  • Blues:  Blues Guitar:  Learn to Play the Blues by Greg Koch.  Hal Leonard.
  • Blues:  Playin' the Blues by Jamey Aebersold (jazzy blues)
  • Acoustic Blues: ???  for that fingerstyle, slide, old school, resophonic stuff...  Browse at Spruce Tree Music in Madison.

  • Folk:   Anthologies by Russ Shipton are packed with classics.
  • Folk Fingerstyle:  Books by Stephan Grossman

  • Classical:  Noad's Solo Guitar Playing Book 2
  • Classical:  Parkening's Guitar Method Volume 2
  • Classical:  Scott Tennant's Pumping Nylon
  • Classical:  The "classical" world is as vast as any.  Explore books.
  • Classical:  Subscribe to a guitar magazine like Sound Board.

  • Cool Magazine:  Fretboard Journal.  For the afficianado.
  • More Magazines:  Google "Guitar Magazine"