The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Playing Guitar

Frederick Noad0028642449, 9780028642444, 9781592570263

Learn to play the guitar using this quick and easy guide. Whether you dream of playing classical guitar, a B.B. King lick, or just the opening bars to “Stairway to Heaven,” this book can get you there. This easy-to-use guide introduces the beginning guitarist to all styles of playing, from classical to jazz and pop. Using basic exercises and a selection of popular tunes, it shows how to do everything from reading tablature and chord diagrams to performing simple accompaniment. This book is designed for the child or adult beginner who wants a “user-friendly” introduction to the most popular musical instrument. It contains numerous sidebars and illustrations, making learning the guitar fun and easy. Z Features exercises in all styles from classical to rock and jazz Z Includes checklists of popular books, videos and instrument dealers, and tips on purchasing and maintaining your instrument. Frederick Noad is an expert guitar teacher and author of dozens of guitar methods, including The Virtual Guitarist, Solo Guitar Playing and Playing the Guitar, all from Schirmer Books. He is the inventor of Speed Score, the computer notation software and is universally known as a master teacher of the instument.

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Table of contents :
The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Playing the Guitar……Page 0
Part 1 – Preparing to Play……Page 18
1 – The Guitar: A Noteworthy History……Page 20
2 – What Is a Guitar?……Page 26
3 – Buying a Guitar……Page 34
4 – Strings and Things……Page 40
Part 2 – Getting Started……Page 46
5 – Beginning to Play……Page 48
6 – The Right Hand……Page 56
7 – Advanced Right-Hand Techniques……Page 62
Part 3 – Tunes and Tablature……Page 70
8 – How Guitar Music Is Written……Page 72
9 – Varied Accompaniments……Page 88
10 – Rhythm Practice……Page 104
11 – Slur Techniques……Page 110
12 – The Full Bar……Page 118
Part 4 – Making Notes……Page 128
13 – How to Read Notes……Page 130
14 – The Scale……Page 140
15 – Music in Multiple Voices……Page 148
Part 5 – Regional Styles……Page 156
16 – Elements of Travis Picking……Page 158
17 – Folk and Country……Page 168
18 – Introducing Flamenco……Page 178
19 – Latin Rhythms……Page 196
20 – The Blues……Page 204
21 – Rock and Roll……Page 214
Part 6 – Taking Off……Page 224
22 – Chord Formation……Page 226
23 – Moving up the Fingerboard……Page 232
24 – Classical Virtuoso Secrets……Page 244
25 – Putting It All Together……Page 250
Works by Frederick Noad……Page 260
Books……Page 261
Videos……Page 263
Appendix B – Guitar Gods……Page 266
Appendix C – Guitar Talk (Glossary)……Page 270
Index……Page 276
CD Track List……Page 286