GUITAR
I have had guitar students in nearly every style of music, and through the years certain texts have proven very effective for specific styles while others are useful across the board. I think every guitarist should own a copy of Guitar Lore by Dennis Sandole. Although this book is found in most jazz guitarists’ libraries, Sandole’s approach to technical, theoretical, and practical applications are unmatched. I also think The Exercise Book for Guitar by Adam Kadmon is useful for all guitarists, though the pentatonic scale patterns found in the book are most useful for rock, blues and jazz guitarists.
The classical guitarist has a breadth of resources at his disposal. The beginner guitarist should use Fredrick Noad’s Solo Guitar Playing. The most useful text for a classical guitarist of any level is Scott Tennant’s Pumping Nylon. Likewise, the Scales and Arpeggios Album from the Royal Conservatory of Music is another text that guitarists of all levels should own. The methods, studies and technical books of the nineteenth-century masters, such as those of Fernando Sor, Matteo Carcassi, Mauro Giuliani, Fernando Carulli, Napoleon Coste, and Francisco Tárrega, are an invaluable source of technical and musical development. Many of these pieces as well as other great works can be found free online in the Boije Collection. The Etudes of Villa-Lobos and Leo Brouwer are fine additions to this list as well. For any of these texts or accessories, such as strings or footstools and especially guitars, visit The Classical Guitar Store’s website. All classical guitarists in the area should consider becoming members of the Philadelphia Classical Guitar Society if they are not already.
The rock, folk or blues guitarist also has much to choose from in the way of resources. Many complete beginners settle with one or all of these styles of playing. A great publisher for a beginner on nearly any instrument is Alfred. For guitarists, Alfred’s Guitar Method 1 or Alfred’s Guitar Method-All in One are both excellent introductions to any of the aforementioned styles. As supplemental material, learning songs by ear is highly recommended. If that is too difficult at first, learning from tablature is okay too; however, the development of the ear is crucial in any blues-based style. A great source of songs is Alfred’s Greater Guitar White Pages. This telephone-book-sized book has such a variety of songs that guitarists of nearly all levels will find something to work on.
Jazz guitarists will find years of work and pleasure from Sandole’s Guitar Lore, as mentioned previously. All jazz guitarists should also own the latest edition of the Real Book. Many of these texts, as well as equipment and accessories, can be found at various local music stores.
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