1.5 What are the "good" books? (Classical Guitar)
Description
This article is from the Classical Guitar FAQ, by Joshua Weage (jpweage@mtu.edu) with numerous contributions by others.
1.5 What are the "good" books? (Classical Guitar)
If you take classes from a teacher, you'll want to follow his/her
recommendations for study guides, methods, etc.
If you decide to study on your own, either as an added aspect to
class instruction or for your primary learning, the following books
have received good reports:
"Solo Guitar Playing" two volumes, by Frederick Noad. Cost: 10 pounds
($16.95 US) per volume.
This book will teach you good posture, teach you to
sight read sheet music and includes about 30 pieces which
have study notes (which I've found very useful). It will take
you around two years to go through the first volume - it took me
2.5 years - making it extremely good value for money. It requires
patience to begin with - learning to read the music part and getting
acquainted with the basics takes time, but is necessary and
worth it. Once this is past however, the pieces
start coming thick and fast and many are extremely pleasant to play.
"The John Mills Classical Guitar Tutor", John Mills. Cost: 10 pounds
($14.95 US).
Mills' takes a different tack on teaching, at once less technical than
the Noad method but also offering more in-depth discussion and guidance.
Where Noad teaches notes in sequential order and arranges exercises to
fit, Mills approaches the taks more by teaching key and offering music
in the key last learned. Mills maintains a more informal tone through
his book, and often discusses points of technique more fully.
For the beginner, Mills offers an excellent page of advice on selecting
a first instrument - the closest you'll come to having a friend with
you in the shop.
Both the Noad and Mills method books offer cassette tapes of the pieces
included, as well as supplementary books of music, ie. Noad's, "100 Graded
Classical Guitar Studies" and Mills' "Music from the Student Repertoire."
"Learning the Classic Guitar," A. Shearer, three volumes: ($12.95-$18.95 US
per volume).
This method is most effective under the guidance of a teacher, who
presumably has mastered the technical concepts contained in Volume 1;
in this situation you will only need Volume 2 and a notebook. For
self-study however, these books are still unsurpassed in their
presentation of a comprehensive, accurate and organized body of
information on all aspects of playing: technique, reading,
interpretation, memorization and performance development. Technical
concepts are introduced in a measured and coherent fashion, each one is
applied in exercises and compositions specifically created for each point
of progress. Additionally, the music is composed (by Alan Hirsh) in a
clear and attractive neoclassical/neoromantic style which is ideally
suited to developing the student's basic interpretive skills. Properly
implemented, this method offers an integrated study of technique, music
reading and music interpretation, which students consistently find
fascinating from the first few lessons onward.
-- Stuart LeBlanc (gustav@mintir.new-orleans.la.us)
There are many other tutors available, from modern works (the Parkening method
books) to reprints of older works (Carcassi's "Classical Guitar Method.")
And, of course, you need not limit yourself to a single method. You will find
good advice in having both the Noad and Mills methods available, for example,
especially if you are attempting to teach yourself.
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