Guitar for Dummies

Rating:
Summary: good info, not very good teaching approach
Review: This book covers the basics quite thoroughly. But its weakness is that there is not much in the way of a learning method or coaching.

For each new concept taught, there is a small example(s) for you to practice it, but it doesn't tell you how long to practise it, or how good you should be able to play it before moving on, and not many tips to help you through...the small but important things that are not obvious to newbies. And many of the play-along songs are, in my opinion, too fast for a complete beginner.

On the positive side...unlike other beginners guitar books, reading standard notation is not necessary, and you get playing basic chords before long. And it doesn't delve into theory any more than necessary. There are many short songs to play along with, and some quite challenging, so a beginner won't out-grow this book quickly.

This book is better for those that already have a tiny amount of guitar playing ability or are taking lessons.


Rating:
Summary: Not The Best...Not the Worst
Review: This book is great as an introduction, it teaches a couple of chords and basically describes techniques. If you want to learn how to read notes(a VERY important skill), you'll have to buy another book to practice. You'll also have to buy a guitar picture chord book b/c a truncated chart of chords in songs is all this book offers.

Rating:
Summary: very good overview for beginners
Review: This is a very good overview for beginners. The word "overview" should be emphasized: I wouldn't recommend that anyone make it his ONLY book for very long. On the other hand, you don't have to be an ABSOLUTE to beginner to get something, quite a lot, actually, out of this book. (Intermediate and advanced players might care to look into something like Ron Rendek's "We Gather Together", for example, instead.)

Rating:
Summary: I always wanted to study music...
Review: I always wanted to study music, but I was highly encouraged to get my degree in something "sensible" by my family. So I became an avid music supporter. Going to gigs, concerts everything. Well, for my birthday my husband bought me 3 things: an accoustic guitar, Voice Lessons TO GO by Vaccarino (singing lessons on CD), and Guitar for dummies. Needless to say, they were awesome gifts. Everyday I get a little better, and feel that much more in tough with the music I oh so love.