2 comments about A Modern Approach to Classical Guitar: Book 1 - Book Only (Hl00699204).

1. this book has been a very helpful guide in my beginning efforts to learn to play the guitar. i didn't get the CD's that go along with the book, but the book is laid out so well and the instructions are quite clear and easy to follow.



2. I know Charles Duncan personally and he is an incredible classical guitarist and over-all musician. I teach classical guitar using, "A Modern Approach to Classical Guitar Book 1" as the first book for all of my beginning students whether they are adults or children. It is not specifically written for children, but a smart 7 year old can do as well as a 50 year old with this book. The larger print music notation helps in learning to read music, and the songs selected are very good at helping the beginning guitar student to use her/his fingers properly. It includes a very easy to understand "basics" of musical notation, and also has quizzes to find areas that might need reviewing. This book progresses smoothly at a moderate rate, unlike many other beginning method books which move the beginning student too quickly to more advanced material before they are ready. After successfully learning all the material in this book, you will be ready to move on either to his book 2, or another more advanced method book.
   
   Also, if you use this book in conjunction with a qualified teacher, you WILL learn to play classical guitar!

5 comments about A Modern Approach to Classical Guitar - Composite (Books 1, 2 and 3)(book & 3 CD'S).

1. I have collected many classical guitar method books over the years -- Noad, Shearer and Parkening among them -- and Duncan's books always rank among the very best, in my opinion. His advice is well thought-out, well-presented and well-written. The serious student of classical guitar would do well to look at this and other of Duncan's books.



2. I bought this book ten years ago, with a flexible plastic LP album stuck into it, and am buying it again just to get the CD.
   
   You can't go wrong with Mr. Duncan's pedagogy. It's the best method I've found to learn to read music while also learning to play classical guitar. If you can read keyboard music but still haven't been able to make the transition to reading guitar music from the staff, pick up this wonderful set.



3. The book itself is a good introduction to classical guitar for beginning players like myself. The lessons are easy to follow, with pieces that (for me) are challenging enough to hold my interest without being so difficult as to frustrate me. From a total beginner's perspective, the book alone is worth the price, and deserves a solid 4 to 5 star rating.
   
   The CDs are another story. Having the CDs with the teacher accompaniment pieces available is a nice boon for those like myself who are trying to learn classical guitar on a budget. I'm keeping the lessons to a minimum, so being able to play along with the CDs is a great feature. My major complaint is with the audio quality. I understand and appreciate that this series of books was released long before compact disc technology was available--it used to come with one of those flexible plastic "records" attached to it. If you've ever heard one of those, you know the audio quality is poor. I had hoped that the CD edition would either feature re-recordings of the original pieces, or at least be re-mastered from the original master tapes. Sadly, the CDs are simply a recording of the plastic records themselves, complete with dust pops and all the other audio artifacts associated with a low quality pressing. I don't think they even tried to clean it up digitally (or if they did, it was not done by someone competent).
   
   Needless to say, the audio quality was a huge disappointment for me. Perhaps I've been spoiled with the advent of digital recordings, but even my old vinyl sounds a heck of a lot better than these poor CDs do. They, and not the material in the book, are what bring the rating down for me.



4. Duncan's method, in my opinion, is the best out of the many books I have examined, and/or purchased. The quality of the CD's is more than acceptable; I was not looking for concert audio quality, they do the job.
   
   I am quite pleased with my progress, his instructions are easy to understand, and follow.



5. Charles Duncan has compiled a very thorough and interesting method for serious beginner and intermediate level classical guitarists. I addition to the standard literature you would expect, Mr. Duncan has written numerous pieces for this book. His skill for combining jazz, latin and other genres as one progresses along, make this a delightful taste of something totally unexpected in a classical method book. If you like a challenge, but are bored with the same old thing you've played before, check out Duncan's material. You won't be disappointed.

1 comments about Spanish for Guitar: Easy to Intermediate Solos by the Spanish Masters (Masters in Tab).

1. This book exceeded my expectations. I didn't think for under $8.00 I would get much but always liked spanish music. The arangements are voiced great and sound good. The book is 9" by 12" , has 13 full songs and is easy to read the tabature. Explains very well everything about the tabs.

5 comments about The Christopher Parkening Guitar Method - Volume 2: Guitar Technique.

1. I have been playing guitar for over 30 years, easily the best instruction book on classical guitar. Mr. Parkening is quite down to earth and is a good teacher.



2. Another reviewer (hominuslupus) makes a good point: there is a bit of proselytizing in these books (dig that aura and white turtleneck, man!). Still, a good method.



3. The Christopher parkening Guitar Method - 1: Guitar technic
   The Christopher parkening Guitar Method - 2: Guitar technic



4. I haven't mastered them yet, but am motivated to practice classical guitar more. I especially liked the clear explanations about the various periods (Renaissance, Baroque, Classical, Romantic, and Modern). THANK YOU!



5. Christopher Parkening is one of the most celebrated guitarists today. He is not only a superb soloist but a great pedagogue as well. I would highly recommend attendance of a Parkening master class. The two volumes of his method are an indispensable resource for the classical guitarist's library. The pieces are very well chosen to represent a variety of periods and styles and the commentary is enlightening. I have seen that some are bothered by Parkening's inclusion of quotations from the Bible. This is like saying "I love Bach's music but I don't like the fact that it was inspired by his faith in God". Well, tough luck, you can't have one without the other. Christopher Parkening is a complete personality and a great source of inspiration for many classical guitarists around the world.

5 comments about 100 Graded Classical Guitar Studies (Classical Guitar).

1. I've noticed that since Noad produced this book, about 20 years ago now, a lot of the Sor studies in it have appeared in facsimile via Tecla or other sources, and some of the tempos are not the same as the originals..this is also true of Segovia's famous 20 Sor studies, but generally this is not a major issue. Noad's selections are very good, and his editorial fingerings can be helpful. He does add right-hand fingerings for clarification in some cases too, but of course this is editorial advice, not necessarily the way Sor or Giuliani might have played a particular piece. 19th century guitarists tended to use the thumb more than most classical guitarists do now, for instance. Noad also does the student the favor of pointing out the basic purpose of each study to concentrate your efforts, something the composers didn't always do.



2. This is a good collection of studies, well graded, and a lot of music for the price.



3. This is a really one of a kind great collection of classical guitar studies.
   Some reviewers have complained unreasonably:
   1. "It lacks a spiral binding" Most guitar collections lack this. So what? Go to Kinkos and get it bound for 4 bucks if it's an issue. It's no harder to use than any other book. Geeze.
   2. "It lacks fingerings." This is not true. It has the fingerings the composers wrote with the piece. If a composer didn't write fingerings, it doesn't add them. This is a collection of the great guitar studies AS THEY WERE WRITTEN. Usually the fingering is obvious anyway.
   3."Lacks Chord diagrams." Hello! This is classical guitar, not a rock fake book!
   
   DO NOT heed these complaints. This is a great book and you will improve immeasurably as a guitarist by playing them in order. I did.



4. I've had this book for nearly a year now and I still love to pull it out and learn a new piece. It's hard to keep it open on the music stand without using wooden clothes pins but I usually make a copy of the piece I'm studying so I can write in my own notes. I like that Mr. Noad gives a little helpful information at the beginning of piece, but I would have liked even more information. A couple of my favorite pieces I enjoy playing are:
   "Study 63: M. Giuliani Op. 51 No. 15" - simple looking at first glance, but has some nice left-hand technical challenges and sounds wonderful, and "Study 26: M. Carcassi Op. 60 No.1" - a lovely scale study which is very, very musical and fun to play. This book is loaded with fantastic music from three of the greatest guitarists, teachers and composers who ever lived. I will never have time to get to every piece, but luckily I can play those I love the most.
   
   If you are weak in understanding musical notation you will most likely become frustrated with most of the material in this book. This is for serious classical guitarists and students of guitar who truly want to improve their playing ability. These pieces are called "studies" for a very good reason - their purpose is to teach various technical skills while learning the piece. I teach classical guitar and will pull out one of these studies for my more advanced students. I really love this book and it is one of the best I have. Good left hand fingering suggestions are given although I will sometimes change them to suit my needs, but usually they are right on. I always have to write in the right hand fingerings for my students (and myself sometimes) which is something I think Mr. Noad could have already done in some circumstances. For instance, Study #26 has no right hand fingerings (p,i,m,a) and if you are not a trained classical guitarist you may have a difficult time with how to play the right hand. That's my only complaint which kept me from giving the book 5 stars.
   
   I would also like to add that even though it was not normal practice for the right hand fingerings to be included in compositions basically before the 20th century, I see no conflict of interest in people such as Mr. Noad including them in this book. A compilation book of pieces from the past is fairly easy to create, but to take the time to personally go through each piece and include right hand fingering suggestions is, in my humble opinion, a very nice gift to us. Just because it was not the standard practice of the time period does not mean that it should not be standard practice in the present. I don't particularly like taking the time to write in the right hand fingerings but will do so because I want my students to play as fluidly as possible.



5. This collection of studies by 19th century guitar composers Sor, Giuliani and Carcassi is a great resource for study and repertoire pieces aimed at the intermediate and advanced guitarist. As a note of caution, only 4-5 pieces are suitable for the first year guitarist. The studies have been selected and graded by noted guitar teacher and performer Frederick Noad, who has included a brief paragraph with each study describing its primary developmental objective. This book is a very useful addition to the classical guitarist's library.

5 comments about Mel Bay J. S. Bach for Bass.

1. These arrangements are simply beautiful. Challenging, but very rewarding. Great for personal enjoyment or private study. As a teacher, this is one of the materials I use with my students in their private lessons.



2. Any bassist, or any musician for that matter should take the time to study J.S. Bach. These studies help improve left hand dexterity and open your eyes to a whole world of runs you might have not thought about before. A must for a beginner, great challange for intermediate, great maintenance for experts.



3. Pretty Sweet book. If you are looking to breathe some fresh air into your repertoire, or perhaps step outside styles. This may be the book for you. I found it gave a different perspective on an instrument I've played for twenty+ years. Classical style music may not be your cup of tea, but given a chance, Bach's compositions transcend styles and time. Simply good music, that is both fun and challenging.
   Comes with both Standard notation and tab. As with all tab, you'll have had to have heard the piece beforehand to make sense of it. Highly recommended



4. This stuff is challenging, but not impossible, and Bach was such a genius and his music flows so naturally (don't know how else to explain it) that it's fun to improvise after getting the patterns down. The tab, along with standard notation, is handy for fingering.



5. Really great book! I used to play all of these songs when I played cello. It's nice to play these songs again on bass. I would reccomend any serious bass player to get this book. They might not be show music, but it is real relaxing playing through these timless songs.

2 comments about High School Musical 2 (Piano/Vocal/Guitar).

1. My 13 year old daughter is at an intermediate piano level (level 3-4) and wanted to play something more contemporary than the piano methods, or classical scores, or the NYSMA selections. She liked the songs from High School Musical 2 better than the first, and asked me for the music. This songbook sounds authentic. The transcriptions play nicely and sound like that used in the movie. My daughter is pleased that she can now play songs that her schoolmates recognize and can sing along with.



2. I bought this for my 14 year old son, who is taking piano lesson's, and loved the movie's. He was very pleased with and is playing from this song book.

5 comments about Classical Guitar Making: A Modern Approach to Traditional Design.

1. This book is an example of passion with the guitar. It's well written, beautifully photographed covering all steps of classical guitar construction that follows a high grade standard. Even if you don't want to build a guitar, buy it just for the beauty of its pages. I have bought a lot of books about lutherie, but this is one is far the best.
   It makes evident in every detail how Mr Bogdanovich loves what he do. Seems to me he had a very good time written it. Go deep!



2. This book is the ultimate guide to building your own guitar. The numerous color photos are of excellent quality. The book is well laid out and clearly written. A moderately skilled woodworker should be able to build a guitar from the information in this high quality book.



3. If it weren't for the fact that this is a step-by-step manual, the causual observer could be forgiven for mistaking this for a coffee-table book. It's almost too nice for a workbench! At the risk of sounding like an advertising blurb, the same passion and craftsmanship Bogdanovich displays in his guitars shows in nearly every page. He knows what he's doing, and it shows; the color photography is excellent, and the text is a pleasure to read - informative and concise without being dry at all.
   
   The beauty of this book is it has something to offer to experienced and aspiring luthiers alike. While the text deals with building a classical guitar almost entirely from scratch, much of the information given is pertinent to those attempting to go the kit route.
   
   This volume picks up where the classic Cumpiano/Natelson text leaves off, as far as the classical guitar is concerned. There are a few typos in the text that should have been caught by the editor, but they are obvious and not likely to cause trouble to anyone building a guitar from the book. All in all, Bogdanovich has kindly shared his skill and knowledge in a very timely, informative volume that I for one am proud to own!



4. I had originally checked this book out of my local library and after reviewing it, I knew I had to add it to my collection. It is a great companion to the Cumpiano standard with excellent color pictures. I am working on my first guitar and it is nice to have another book to illustrate different techniques for the different steps of construction. As the title suggests, he only covers classical guitar construction but many of the principals are similar and I would recommend this book to anyone considering building a guitar.



5. Classical Guitar Making: A Modern Approach to Traditional Design is a gorgeous book about how to build a John Bogdanovich-style Herman Hauser I guitar. If you are an out and out beginning woodworker who wants to build a guitar from scratch you can make a guitar from this book, but you will either have to own or have access to the power tools that the author uses to build his guitars-a drum thickness sander, resaw bandsaw, and a bandsaw, to name a few. The author really doesn't go into how to use hand tools to build the guitar and doesn't offer alternative ways to use hand tools as does "Guitar Making: Traditional and Technology" by Cumpiano and Natelson. I bought "Classic Guitar Making" to see if I could learn any new tricks in guitar building and I did-how to laminate sides and his binding-cutter router attachment is pretty nice. If a person is patience and willing to take the time to methodically follow Bogdanovich's instructions you can build a wonderful guitar. That can also be said for "Guitar Making: Tradition and Technology", by Cumpiano and Natelson and "Making Master Guitars" by Roy Courtnall. A nice thing about both of these books is that the authors immerse you into the tradition of guitar making as if an old school master luthier was standing over your shoulder telling you about how Simplicio, Ramirez and Torres made their guitars great. Buy this book but only after you have first bought "Guitar Making" and "Making Master Guitars" and all the wood you want to build your guitar with. If you have the money to build and equip a full sized cabinet shop definitely buy this book.

5 comments about 50 Classical Guitar Pieces - In Tablature and Standard Notation.

1. SINCE ORDERING THE PLAY GUITAR BY EAR BOOK,FOUR MONTHS AGO, I CAN PLAY AS GOOD AS ANY OF THE BOYS!!!!



2. This was the best music book that I have purchased over the past 25 years as a guitar player. I was hesitant to purchase a music book online and my expectations were low. Suprisingly though, it has provided a great selection of songs sorted chronologically by classical music historical periods together with those musicians with great influence on classical guitar. It was simple enough for a intermediate non-classical guitar player like myself and yet could be used by an advanced beginner or a very experienced guitar player. Today, I have learned 15 songs well and look forward to another 20 from this book in the coming year. Some of my best songs, from all styles of guitar playing, are now from this book. Many finger picking arrangements and styles are poor at best. The arrangements in this book are great. This book is well worth the money.



3. Best for an intermediate player even though includes tab. I like this book, it is a good book for an advanced beginner or intermediate player but has plenty of challenges. My only wish is that it could include a CD so I could hear how the music is supposed to sound. However, since these songs are classics most student probably have a cd or two with many of these songs.

   I am glad I purchased this book. Its also priced right.




4. I'm a self-taught guitarist who has played for 20 years and have mostly played lead guitar in pop/rock/blues bands as hobby. A few years ago I bought a nice classical guitar and decided to learn some pieces when I came across this book.
   
   Since then I have played almost every song in this book. There are a lot of short pieces that beginners will be able to play easily and some more challenging pieces for intermediate players.
   
   I highly recommend this book to anyone wishing to learn some classical guitar who doesn't read music (tablature is provided).



5. My brother loves this gift. Good to find a guitar book that has standard and tablature!

4 comments about Taylor Swift (Piano/Vocal/Guitar).

1. My youngest daughter loves Taylor Swift and her songs, and this book has renewed her interest in practicing the piano. What more could a mother hope for? Not only does it have the complete piano arrangement, but it also has all the guitar cords, too.



2. This is an excellent book for the many fans of Taylor Swift. The notes are easily readable for the advanced and the beginner pianist.



3. IF you want to learn how to play Taylor Swift music then this book is great..moderate playing level was perfect! (good for beginners as well)



4. The piano perfectly matches up with the tune, the vocals are 100% accurate. I don't know about the guitar part, but I can imagine that is correct as well. If your looking to play the TUNE of the song, this is a great book, The piano is can be a little tricky with timing at times, but once you get the main beat of the song, it's a real fun book to play!