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The Complete Idiot's Guide to Guitar

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Release your inner Clapton...

The Complete Idiot's Guide(r) to Guitar starts at the very beginning with learning how to hold the instrument and covers everything from reading tablature, bar chords, and strumming to playing the blues and rock riffs. Each chapter has practice songs, and the guide includes a play-along CD, so learners are playing guitar from the very first chapter.

•The first book to teach guitar as you would learn in private lessons with a guitar teacher

•Author is a master guitar teacher

•More than 3 million guitars are sold in the U.S. annually

352 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2010

26 people want to read

About the author

David Hodge

47 books3 followers

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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
Profile Image for Orbs n Rings.
248 reviews42 followers
November 22, 2011
The Complete IDIOT'S Guide to Guitar VS Guitar for DUMMIES

I found the Guitar For Dummies to be more lighthearted, while The Complete Idiot's Guide To Guitar to be worded more serious and to the point. The Complete Idiot's Guide felt more like my old guitar teacher when I was a child, an old fart that made me play Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star a hundred times before he thought I had it right. Thank Goodness he was a sweet 70-year old, because it was creepy enough as it was, being in that little room with the dark paneling in that cellar of that quaint music store. As this older gentleman taught me how to tap my foot and strum my cheap wooden guitar that my father had purchased for me in the guitar shop above, I had great day dreams. In other words he bored me to death, yet he could have made a better effort at keeping my attention had he at least told me some funny stories, even if they were made up. Maybe then I would not have been day dreaming that I was on a beach splashing through the waves of salty sea water and collecting seashells and would have learned something. Maybe I would have become the next Johnny Rodriguez, who was a cousin of my fathers when I was a child, who actually had his own record albums then. Johnny Rodriguez came to visit one summer and that was it, that next week I was at the music store with my dad. God Bless his heart!

I really liked how the CD that came with Guitar for Dummies contains "Tuning" for your guitar right on Track 1. Track 1 that is perfect for someone like me who loses interest quickly. In Part II of Guitar for Dummies you will find "So Start: Playing the Basics, " three songs you can easily play as a beginner. My favorite is Kumbaya, and again I thank the good Lord that Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star is not included here or I would have stopped reading this book immediately, not kidding.

I have found that both books give you the basics in learning how to play guitar, although The Complete Idiot's Guide has a slower approach in teaching those basics. I found both books to be easy to read and understand and the diagrams clear. But If you are looking for a guide for your E-reader, I can tell you right now The Complete Idiot's Guide To Guitar is not available on Kindle or Nook, however the Guitar For Dummies 2nd Edition is. If an E-reader edition is not your purpose, and instead you are easily irritated by jokes or any non-serious style of learning when it comes to a book, and have lots of time on your hands then go with The Complete Idiot's Guide To Guitar, otherwise grab the Guitar For DUMMIES and have fun with it.
Profile Image for Dave Ihde.
Author 1 book
June 1, 2011
It's great. Even if you all ready play you're bound to learn something you don't know. It's also good to have around just to review the basics once in a while.
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