Jerry Snyder's Guitar School, Method Book, Bk 2 (Book & CD) Review

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(More customer reviews)I use this method book in my studio to teach students of all ages. Level 2 is for students who have mastered the basic chords and notes to the fifth fret.It offers a lot of music theory though I would like to see more applications for the theory, especially using intervals.
This book also comes with a CD (which isn't always offered on this site) which is very helpful.Like the first book, it covers a huge range of musical styles for guitar including classical, rock, country, folk, bluegrass, metal and introduces different modes and beginning improvization.The teacher's book has supplemental material as well as worksheets, tests (and does come with a CD) which would aid any student so it's not for teachers only.Read my review on the teacher's book.

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Product Description:
Well-respected educator and best-selling author Jerry Snyder has put together the most versatile guitar method available. This comprehensive method for classroom or individual study comes in two sections: the first section teaches chords and accompaniment, while the second teaches note reading. This flexible method allows you to start with either section or use both sections simultaneously.The Teacher's Guide helps the instructor develop and organize a guitar class curriculum and provides background on the guitar class, teaching tips, elements of music and how to address the National Standards for Arts Education.The Teacher's Guide also includes 48 pages of reproducible worksheets. The ensemble book offers graded duets, trios and quartets as well as optional parts for bass.

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Fingerstyle Guitar Review

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(More customer reviews)Ken Perlman packs a gig bag-full of fingerstyle guitar into this book.While it definitely targets novice fingerstyle players, it is not a book for those just beginning to play the guitar.Although Perlman introduces tablature, he assumes the player can read standard notation and already has a good knowledge of the fingerboard.Also, because much of fingerstyle is based on movable chord positions, the student should have some facility negotiating between chords.
That said, the book begins by introducing the style of alternating bass and builds increasingly complex melodies and techniques over this basic pattern.The student will learn all the standard left hand techniques (hammer-on and pull-off notes, slides, graced notes, etc.) as well as some development of the right hand.Perlman's approach is to use individual songs to introduce each concept which keeps the learning process musical without being overly didactic.In my view, there are several points that elevate Fingerstyle Guitar above most other instructional books.First, Perlman selects great acoustic guitar music.If you like the simple yet wonderful style of Mississippi John Hurt, it's there within the first few pages.With about 40 songs in all, the blues, roots and Celtic tunes are great fun to play, and much of the credit goes to Perlman's arranging and writing abilities.I also like the way Perlman sets each song up, giving the student some context in regard to the composer, or the song's history.And finally, following each piece, Perlman focuses on specific measures in the song that may be problematic, such as fingering patterns in chord transitions or tricky syncopations.
While Fingerstyle Guitar starts from a very basic level, the pace of skill development is brisk.For example, open tunings are introduced barely half-way through the book.The tunes near the end of the book, such as Joplin's "The Entertainer", are definitely for the capable intermediate guitarist.Therefore, I would also recommend the book to anyone who has previous exposure to fingerstyle.
For the intermediate-to-advance level player, Perlman's Advanced Fingerstyle Guitar is an excellent companion book which follows the same basic format set-out in Fingerstyle Guitar.Centerstream Publications has done a good job in the clear presentation of text and notation for both books.I particularly like the use of archival photographs of musicians that begin each chapter.
Overall, you won't be disappointed with Perlman's approach to Fingerstyle Guitar.

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Product Description:
Teaches beginning or advanced guitarists how to master the basic musical skills of fingerpicking techniques needed to play folk, blues, fiddle tunes or ragtime on guitar. Contents: All the Good Times * Along the Rocky Road to Dublin * Barrow Street Rag * The Beaumont Rag * Behind the Bush in the Garden * Campbell's Farewell to Red Gap * Candy Man * Candy Man Blues * The Cherokee Shuffle * Cranberry Highway * Cripple Creek * Eighth of January * The Entertainer * Fishing Blues * Freight Train * (There'll Be) a Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight * Lark in the Morning * The Lazy Afternoon Blues * Little Sadie * The Liverpool Hornpipe * Lord Inchiquin * Louis Collins * Make Me a Pallet on the Floor * Man of Constant Sorrow * The Manchester Angel * The Mineola Rag * The Morning Blues * Pack up Your Sorrows * Paddy on the Railroad * Payday * Rain Don't Fall on Me No More * Shady Grove * The Sligo River Blues * Spike Driver Blues * Stealin', Stealin' * The Temptation Rag * The Trip to Sligo * Turkey in the Straw * The Year of Jubilo (Kingdom Coming).

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Complete Acoustic Guitar Method: Beginning Acoustic Guitar Review

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(More customer reviews)This is a great teaching book with a lot of theory.I wish that I had gotten the one with a CD or DVD but it is still very helpful.I highly recommend it.Amazon makes it so easy to buy something.Thanks!

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Being unplugged doesn't mean you're without power. Develop the agility and strength that will give your performances power by making them appear effortless. All music in each 96-page book is shown in TAB and standard notation and recorded on the accompanying CD and/or DVD for demonstration and playing along.

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Fingerpicking Children's Songs (Guitar Solo) Review

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(More customer reviews)I'd really like to give it 3 1/2 stars but can't.Since it doesn't let you "See Inside" I will tell you what the songs are:

1.) Any Dream Will Do (from Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat)
*2.) Barney Theme Song
3.) Do-Re-Mi (from the Sound of Music)
4.) It's a Small World
*5.) Linus and Lucy
6.) The Muppet Show Theme
7.) Puff the Magic Dragon
8.) The Rainbow Connection (from the Muppet Movie)
9.) Sesame Street Theme
*10.)Splish Splash (I was takin' a bath)
11.)A Spoonful of Sugar (from Mary Poppins)
*12.)Winnie the Pooh
13.)Won't You Be My Neighbor (theme from Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood)
14.)Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah
15.)Yellow Submarine

The songs with an * beside it are in drop D tuning. You will need to tune your low E string (6th string) down one whole step to D.The rest are in standard tuning.I took a chance on getting this book since the song list was not disclosed.I like about half of the songs.Yellow Submarine is incredibly boring and has no aural quality.It just goes Bomp bomp bomp bompabompabompabomp a bompabombabomp a bompabompabomp.....I like melodies that have movement.I probably will never play songs #1, 2, 6, 8, 9, 13, and 15.The rest are good, fun to play and kids will love them.I was playing #11 and my kids came into my studio singing, "Juuuust a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down...."

All songs are notated in standard notation and TAB so those who can't read music can still play these tunes.All the words are included, even the verses.Chords are also written above the melody line so you can just sing and strum chords.I teach classical guitar and was looking for some easy tunes to play for my kids, to teach, and to play at my kid's school.These are fine.None are elaborate and all have basic finger picking technique.All songs are written in major keys C, G, D, and E (only one in E).If you are learning how to sight read these tunes will be good sight-reading practice.

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Product Description:
15 solo guitar arrangements in standard notation and tab, carefully written for intermediate level guitarists. Each solo combines melody and harmony in one superb fingerpicking arrangement. Also includes an easy introduction to basic fingerstyle guitar. Songs include: Barney Theme Song * It's a Small World * Linus and Lucy * The Muppet Show Theme * Puff the Magic Dragon * Sesame Street Theme * Winnie the Pooh * Won't You Be My Neighbor? * Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah * and more.

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Fingerpicking Dylan (Bob Dylan) Review

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(More customer reviews)I bought this book after having learnt 'Don't Think Twice' from a magazine and was very disappointed with the transcriptions.'Don't think twice' was a very poor representation; even a averageguitarist would be able to see it was quite far off the recorded version.Another problem was the lack of good songs - Fantasic fingerpicking pieces were missed out:'Spanish Boots', 'Girl from north country', 'One too many mornings', etc did not feature.Also no words were included.

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Product Description:
Includes 13 of his greatest hits, specially arranged for fingerstyle guitarists at all levels. Titles include Buckets Of Rain, Just Like A Woman, Simple Twist of Fate.

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Fingerpicking Styles For Guitar (Music Sales America) Review

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(More customer reviews)Happy Traum is probably my favorite guitar instruction author.He's clear, he always starts with the basics and builds up gradually, and his books always include an interesting and appropriate repertoire.This one is no exception.
In addition to learning fingerpicking guitar technique and a collection of classic songs including (but not limited to) Make Me a Pallet, John Henry, Spike Driver's Blues, Nine Pound Hammer and Sitting on Top of the World, the reader is treated to paragraph length thumbnail sketches (including photograph) of interesting and influential folk guitar players of the twentieth century, such as Mississippi John Hurt, Sam Chatmon, Pete Seeger, Doc Watson, and more. These sketches are like crumbs on the forest floor that the reader can follow to a better appreciation of folk music generally and fingerpicking in particular.
The only thing that would improve this book would be an accompanying CD.

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Product Description:
Step-by-step instruction in American guitar picking, from simple patterns through the more complicated styles of noted folk and blues guitarists like Etta Baker, Sam McGee, Pete Seeger, Merle Travis, Dave Van Ronk, and many others.

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Beginning Fingerstyle Arranging & Technique for Guitar (Book & CD) Review

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(More customer reviews)This book is a very good book - BUT for music theory NOT for arranging.

I thought that with this book I would be able to listen to a song I liked and then have the tools to figure out how to arrange it to be played on the guitar.That the book would show me how to listen to a song and then figure out what key it is in, whether I needed to add a baseline and what type, what kind of finger picking I should do, how I should play the chords or just appregiate them, and so on.

Instead, this book is about fingerpicking -in general-.Its about keys -in general-.Its about I-IV-V chords -in general-.

I have no more ability to arrange anything after reading this book than I did before.

Now if somebody had no idea about music theory AT ALL I would say this is a fine book, great even.But there are lots of fine books on music theory.

And if you like what it says about finger picking and Travis picking I would ask "Why is this listed as accompanying their fingerpicking series of books 1 through 3 then, don't they cover fingerpicking?"Yes they do obviously, so its a rehash in this book.

Soooo, if you want to become a composer of music and able to take a song you like and make a version of it for the guitar then forget it, this book is not for you.

Unless you're the type that can take a book of grammar and from it know how to become a writer.

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Product Description:
This supplement to Beginning Fingerstyle Guitar is a perfect companion to any starter method and can also stand alone as a fingerstyle instruction manual for anyone wanting to arrange for solo guitar. Topics include monotonic bass, walking bass, block chords, changing keys, changing time signatures, chord substitutions, secondary dominants, a variety of picking patterns, and techniques like harmonics, slides, hammer‑ons and pull‑offs, all covered in a friendly, easy‑to‑understand manner. The music is shown in standard notation and TAB and demonstrated on the CD.

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Acoustic Masters Series: Mark Hanson's Fingerstyle Wizard -- ^The Wizard of Oz} for Solo Guitar Review

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(More customer reviews)Mark Hanson has done a fine job of arranging the original orchestrations for fingerstyle guitar.Some of it is approachable by the advanced beginner; intermediate guitarists should find their efforts rewarded with a fun little repetoire which offers room for musical expression.(There are some fairly tricky harmonics.)The more advanced guitaristcan develop a suite with much charm and a great deal of humor.
Mark's study notes anticipate most technical problems the student will encounter.It would have been helpful if they were printed with each piece instead of in their own section.As usual, the CD is a great study aid.CDs with music books are the greatest thing since the pull tab. Oh, and I wish they'd printed Yip Harburg's wonderful lyrics somewhere.In TAB and standard notation.

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Product Description:
Mark Hanson captures the magic and joy of Oz in contemporary acoustic guitar settings. The arrangements are based directly on the actual movie score and feature all of the subtle and intricate details of the film's music. The 13 titles include: Over the Rainbow * Come Out, Come Out * Ding-Dong! The Witch Is Dead * The Coroner's Song * Lullaby League * Lollypop Guild * We Welcome You to Munchkinland * We're Off to See the Wizard * If I Only Had a Brain * Optimistic Voices and more.

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Fragile: Piano/Vocal/Chords (Alfred's Classic Album Editions) Review

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(More customer reviews)This book was EXACTLY what I was looking for when I went on a search for some Yes transcriptions. Accurate, neat and a LOT of fun to play :-P

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Alfred has expanded the Classic Album Editions series with the new Piano/Vocal/Chord version of the matching folio for Yes' Fragile. The Fragile matching folio provides the lyrics along with piano and chord arrangements for all the songs on the record.

Hit from Fragile include ""Roundabout,"" ""Long Distance Runaround,"" and ""Cans and Brahms."" ""Cans and Brahms"" is a keyboard adaptation of the Brahms Symphony No. 4 in E Minor, movement 3.This arrangement is a transcribed sketch of the multiple synthesizer and keyboard parts played on the recording. The score is organized according to the various keyboard instruments played, and underneath each part, the specific orchestral instrument from the original score is indicated.

Titles are: Roundabout
* Cans and Brahms
* We Have Heaven
* South Side of the Sky
* Five Per Cent for Nothing
* Long Distance Runaround
* The Fish (Schindleria Praematurus)
* Mood for a Day
* Heart of the Sunrise.

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