5 Great Guitar Method Books (That AREN’T the Hal Leonard Beginners Method)
A good book can be an entertaining escape from reality, an exciting start to a new journey, or a fantastic way to hone and develop a new skill. For musicians, a method book can be all three. However, choosing the right method book for your particular needs can be a daunting task. With no shortage of books claiming to be the easiest, most fun, or most direct way to becoming the next Guitar Hero, it would be easier to fill a library with books than to fill your brain with licks and tricks to improve your playing.
As a guitar instructor, one of the most important parts of my job is to direct students of varying ages, skill levels, and goals towards the best path to develop the skills that are most important to THEM. Through my many years of teaching and playing experience, I have yet to come across a book that I feel is totally devoid of value; different students have different needs. Working through a book, with dozens (or even hundreds) of exercises that will ultimately not develop what is best for that particular student can be a waste of valuable time and effort.
If you are a person studying and developing their guitar skills, you have almost certainly come across the tried and true Hal Leonard Guitar Method.
Make no mistake, this method has been used for years by many students and instructors to get a fantastic introduction into playing the Guitar. This was the first book that I learned out of when I was a student, and is usually the first book that I direct my students to when beginning their musical journey.
However for many students who have either completed this method, or are perhaps looking for a more direct path towards a specific style of playing, the Hal Leonard method may not be the best choice for everyone.
The goal of this article is to present 5 alternatives to this general method. The description will include a short description of topics covered in each method and the type of player that would be best served by working through the method.
For just about any Guitarist, chords will be an integral part of your playing. Whether your goal is to strum along to some of your favorite songs, compose your own songs, or gain a better knowledge of how music can function regardless of instrument; this book will be a great way to add valuable knowledge to your playing style.
One of my favorite parts of this book, is that examples are always presented in a very real world context, usually providing modern and popular songs that will use the chords described. At the end of each chapter there is a list of songs that will use the types and styles of chords presented in each chapter.
This book is great for players of any skill level, playing style or musical back round. Some chapters may prove difficult for some players, however this is very much a book where skipping a chapter or two will not have an adverse effect on your understanding of material later on in the book.
For those players who dream of rocking the most jaw dropping solo; for those who idolize the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, John Mayer, Angus Young; playing a perfect solo is a goal that many guitarists aspire to achieve.
This method begins in a very accessible way, and quickly begins to put simple examples in context that make the “perfect” solo seem like a much more attainable goal. Without question my favorite chapter is the last one, which presents some short solo ideas “In The Style Of” a number of iconic guitar players. For those that work through this method, the ending can be a great way to examine a style of their favorite players. Armed with a much deeper understanding of how Scales become Solos, any player looking to achieve perfect phrasing, superior slides, and positively perfect pentatonic mastery, a player completing this book will be much more well rounded.
This method book is great for a player who already has a bit of playing experience under their belt. While it certainly begins with some easy to understands concepts, a bit of left hand dexterity and right hand accuracy will pay off in dividends for someone working through this book.
Berklee College of Music is synonymous with the masters of modern music. Boasting a list of alumni such as John Petrucci, Steve Vai, Ali De Meola, and John Mayer (to name but a few). Berklee is a lofty goal for any musician with aspirations of academic success. So it comes to no surprise that their Guitar Method books are staples of those studying the instrument.
This method is certainly not for the faint of heart, and contains NO tablature. For those musicians looking for a more traditional approach to their instrument, this book is a must have.
This method is perfect for anyone who is looking to take their music reading to the next level, and is more geared towards jazz playing. I would recommend anyone progressing through the intermediate to advanced stages of their study, to check out this book.
Make no mistake; Heavy Metal can often be one of the most demanding styles of music for anyone to master. Often being based on blistering bpm’s, pulling from exotic scales and keys, and touting a technical prowess that is often unheard of for other genre’s, Heavy Metal and its wide array of sub-genre’s can be a great avenue for any player looking to get out of their comfort zone and explore new challenges in their playing.
My personal favorite aspect of this method, is how accessible it makes concepts that are often the breaking point for musicians studying music theory. Terms like Locrian, Mixolydian, or Dorian can seem like rocket science to even some seasoned musicians. However this method does a fantastic job of demystifying this concepts, and presenting them in an applicable and accessible way for any musician looking for a new challange.
This book is definitely not for a novice or beginner in any sense of the word. I would recommend this method for those who already have a solid understanding of basic chords, lead concepts, and are comfortable drilling new and challenging concepts until they are absolutely perfect. A love and appreciation for the “Heavier” genre’s of music also wouldn’t hurt either.
Closing out our list, is a method for those who are perhaps on the other end of the musical spectrum from our last entry. For fans of Andy Mckee, Jon Gomm, Alexandr Misko, and virtually any of the musicians signed to Candyrat Records, this book can be an absolute gold mine of techniques and concepts unique to this genre.
Without question, my favorite part of this book are the original pieces. Each chapter will cover topics such as advanced harmonic techniques, alternate tunings, and percussive strategies that even at their most basic, can add a “WOW factor” to anyone’s playing. The original pieces combine each of these techniques into compositions that are beautiful, stunning pieces of musical mastery.
This book is best for those who gravitate more towards acoustic playing, but perhaps have become a bit bored of the traditional “cowboy chords” and are looking to emulate some of their favorite acoustic virtuosos. While many techniques and tricks presented in this book are quite easy to understand, I would only recommend this book for those who have quite a bit of musical experience under their belts, and who are ready to dive into some new and challenging territory.
In conclusion. While I truly believe that all method books have value, and the more that you study the more you will progress in your playing; Not all books are created equal, for each player. Music is an extremely personal journey, and no matter where we start on our musical adventure, a method book can either help or hinder our progress. The goal of this list is to provide some alternatives that might help serve very specific needs, but is by no means a complete list of all the method books out there, and should not be taken as gospel. Whichever method you wind up working through, I wish you happy practicing!
