How To Play Guitar, Phase I

Rating:
Summary: Good Starter Book
Review: I decided to learn guitar mostly because I wanted to be able to encourage my daughter (age 5) who really wanted to learn guitar. I liked this book because it was simple and straightforward and allowed you to begin playing the guitar and getting decent sound out of it. I had believed that I was in the category of the musically challenged, but am finding this is not the case. Some of the features that make the book useful is that it provides simple drills for getting used to picking and strumming the guitar. The hardest thing about beginning to play a guitar is the degree of strength you need to build in your fingers. Practicing the exercises helped both of us to get used to the strings. It was also helpful in getting a basic understanding of tablature. I recommend this book to someone who may not have the time to find a teacher right away. While I think that there is no substitute for a good teacher, access is not always available. This book is a good starting point for someone who knows nothing about guitar and needs some guidance to get started. It is easy to follow and not overwhelming. It exposes you to both basic open string chords and the basic notes on the first three strings. What's missing is the top three strings. For the price, it is worth it.

Rating:
Summary: For True Beginners.
Review: I found this book to be a confidence builder. The information is presented in a fairly easy to understand format and allows the reader to gain control of his or her guitar. The large diagrams are very helpful and show the fingering positions without any guesswork. I also have Guitar for Dummies, which is helpful but can be a little confusing for the true novice.

Rating:
Summary: The only way to go
Review: I've used this book to learn from and have found it to be very helpful. I also have Guitar for Dummies, but have found it lacking when compared to this book. It is a rather small book, but it is full of useful techniques. The speed developers have really helped me, there wasn't anything comparable in Dummies. Reading music is also covered in the main part of this book and I was able to quickly pick it up. If you like the blues or folk, this is definately the book for you because most of the songs fall loosly into these catagories. This book will help anyone to quickly pick up the basics of the guitar, only the important things are covered. Within a week the first song (blues) could be mastered, building confidence and making the learning experience fun. I wish I had started with this book instead of Guitar for Dummies, the book is more concise, but it contains everything that you need to get started with basic cords and melodies.

Rating:
Summary: If you are looking for one book to buy, this isn't it.
Review: This book is easy to read with impressive diagrams. The "yellow" section is beneficial as a practice guide but overall, this book is confusing and may leave a beginner frustrated. It would be better to use this with another instruction book like "Guitar for Dummies".