Hal Leonard Guitar Method Book 1: A Review
If you are looking for a guitar method book that can teach you the basics of playing the guitar, you might want to check out the Hal Leonard Guitar Method Book 1. This book is part of a series of guitar books that have been used by millions of guitar students and teachers around the world. In this article, we will review the features, benefits, and drawbacks of this book, as well as compare it with some other popular guitar method books. We will also provide some representative product reviews from Amazon customers who have bought and used this book.
Features
The Hal Leonard Guitar Method Book 1 is a 48-page book that covers the following topics:
– Tuning the guitar
– Playing position
– Musical symbols
– Notes in first position
– C, G, G7, D, D7, A7, and Em chords
– Rhythms through eighth notes
– Strumming and picking
– Over 80 great songs, riffs, and examples
The book also comes with an online audio access that allows you to listen to the songs and exercises in the book. You can also download or stream the audio tracks to your computer or mobile device. The audio tracks are recorded by professional musicians and feature full-band accompaniments for a more realistic and enjoyable learning experience.
Benefits
The Hal Leonard Guitar Method Book 1 has many benefits for beginner guitar players, such as:
– It is easy to follow and understand. The book uses clear and simple language, diagrams, and illustrations to explain the concepts and techniques. The book also provides tips and suggestions to help you improve your playing skills.
– It is comprehensive and well-rounded. The book covers a wide range of topics that are essential for learning the guitar, such as note reading, chords, rhythms, strumming, picking, and music theory. The book also introduces you to different styles of music, such as rock, blues, folk, country, and classical.
– It is fun and engaging. The book contains many songs and examples that are familiar and enjoyable to play. The songs range from traditional tunes to popular hits by artists such as The Beatles, Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, Johnny Cash, and more. The online audio tracks add more excitement and motivation to your practice sessions.
– It is flexible and adaptable. The book can be used for self-study or with a teacher. You can also use it with other books in the series or as a supplement to other guitar methods. The book allows you to progress at your own pace and level of difficulty.
Drawbacks
The Hal Leonard Guitar Method Book 1 also has some drawbacks that you should be aware of before buying it, such as:
– It does not include tablature. Tablature is a system of notation that shows you where to place your fingers on the fretboard without having to read music. Many guitar players prefer tablature over standard notation because it is easier and faster to learn. However, the book only uses standard notation, which means you have to learn how to read music if you want to use this book.
– It does not cover advanced topics. The book is designed for beginner guitar players who want to learn the fundamentals of playing the guitar. However, if you want to learn more advanced topics, such as scales, modes, arpeggios, soloing, improvisation, etc., you will need to buy other books in the series or look for other sources.
– It may be too easy or too hard for some players. The book assumes that you have no prior knowledge or experience of playing the guitar. Therefore, if you already know some basics or have some background in music, you may find the book too easy or boring. On the other hand, if you have no musical background or have difficulties with reading music or learning new concepts, you may find the book too hard or frustrating.
Comparison
There are many other guitar method books available on the market that claim to teach you how to play the guitar. How does the Hal Leonard Guitar Method Book 1 compare with some of them? Here is a table that summarizes some of the main features and differences between four popular guitar method books:
| Book | Author | Pages | Online Audio | Tablature | Chords | Songs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hal Leonard Guitar Method Book 1 | Will Schmid & Greg Koch | 48 | Yes | No | Yes | Over 80 |
| Alfred’s Basic Guitar Method Book 1 | Morty Manus & Ron Manus | 64 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Over 50 |
| Mel Bay Modern Guitar Method Grade 1 | Mel Bay & William Bay | 48 | No | No | No | Over 40 |
| Berklee Press A Modern Method for Guitar Volume 1 | William Leavitt | 128 | No | No | No | Over 20 |
As you can see from the table, the Hal Leonard Guitar Method Book 1 has some advantages over the other books, such as having more songs, online audio access, and chords. However, it also has some disadvantages, such as not having tablature or advanced topics. Therefore, depending on your preferences, goals, and learning style, you may find one book more suitable for you than another.
Reviews
Here are some representative product reviews from Amazon customers who have bought and used the Hal Leonard Guitar Method Book 1:
– “I bought this book for my son who is 9 years old and wants to learn guitar. He loves it and is making great progress. The book is easy to follow and has a lot of songs that he likes. The online audio is very helpful and makes the learning more fun. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn guitar.”
– “This book is a great way to start learning guitar. It teaches you how to read music, play chords, strum, and pick. It has a lot of exercises and songs that are enjoyable and challenging. The online audio is a nice bonus that lets you hear how the songs should sound and play along with them. I have learned a lot from this book and I am looking forward to getting the next one in the series.”
– “I bought this book because I wanted to learn guitar by myself. However, I found it very hard and frustrating. The book does not explain things very well and assumes that you know a lot of things already. It does not have tablature, which makes it difficult to follow the notes on the fretboard. It also moves too fast and introduces too many concepts at once. I gave up on this book after a few weeks and looked for other sources.”
Conclusion
The Hal Leonard Guitar Method Book 1 is a guitar method book that can teach you the basics of playing the guitar. It has many features and benefits that make it a good choice for beginner guitar players who want to learn note reading, chords, rhythms, strumming, picking, and different styles of music. However, it also has some drawbacks that may make it unsuitable for some players who prefer tablature, advanced topics, or a different pace or level of difficulty. Therefore, before buying this book, you should consider your preferences, goals, and learning style, and compare it with other guitar method books that are available on the market.
If you are interested in buying the Hal Leonard Guitar Method Book 1, you can click on this link to order it from Amazon.com. You can also check out other books in the series or other related products that may help you improve your guitar playing skills. Happy playing!
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