Country Guitar Method Instruction Book And CD - 61 Pages Paperback - 1 Audio CD
If you're interested in learning about Country And Western music, then
you'll like this book and audio CD combination guitar method instruction. The audio CD has a total of 99 tracks of demonstration and songs. You can learn how to play your favorite popular Country songs. You can listen to the CD to hear how to play the notes and learn to play it exactly as it should be done.
What's in the book and what's it like to use this book and CD course? Well, the book starts off with an introduction to the Country Guitar Method. They talk a little about "what is Country Guitar?", exactly, and how the definition of Country guitar may change and evolve through the passing of the years. The author goes on to explain how most of the songs and other material in the book can be played on either an acoustic guitar or an electric guitar. You learn about the popularity of the Fender Telecaster in Country music. What makes it so special. The popularity of the Fender Twin and the similar Peavey amplifiers is also discussed. There's a section on picking. The author talks about the picking styles that dominate in the Country music genre. There is flat picking, hybrid picking, and the thumb and fingers styles. They talk about the advantages of each of the picking methods, get into the basics of how each type of picking is done, and give you an idea of who are the famous Country guitar players who use each type of picking. There's even a little talk of encouraging you to play both sitting and standing. And also, if you play electric, be sure to plug in and play loud often, because tone and dynamics are very different plugged in.
About the audio CD
The included audio CD makes using this book a lot better. As you learn the lessons, it makes things a lot easier when you can hear how it's meant to sound. When you have a perfect example of how it's supposed to sound, you have something to work towards. Also, some of the tracks are recorded at two speeds, fast and slow. Start out with the slow version on work your way up to full speed.
Musically, they start you off with the most popular open chords used in Country music: G, A, D, C, Em, etc. There are some easy songs to get you started. And you can listen along on the CD to know how to play the rhythm of the songs. Up next they teach us about scales and chords. They start out in the key of C. It's the easiest and least complicated key. With no sharps or flats They also give you some music theory. They explain what a scale is. They talk about the half and whole steps that make up a major scale. They explain what a half and whole step is in terms of frets on the guitar neck. They present the C major scale. Give you the music and
tablature for it and show you how to play it in the first position on the guitar neck. They talk about Cowboy chords and give the diagrams for the chords you'd use for the songs played in the key of C. They talk a little about improvising in the key of C. Everything in this section has audio for you to listen to. The tracks are clearly marked and there are a lot of tracks, so you are able to quickly get right to the example you need to listen to.
The book explains cut time here. How to play cut time, what the symbol for cut time looks like. Some other techniques they go on to explain include Carter picking, hammer on, pull off, book-chick rhythm, palm mute, and the slide. They introduce and explain the major pentatonic scale, giving exercises and songs to practice. Also, the techniques of the string bend and vibrato are taught. Some of the other instruction you'll get on Country playing includes working with Barre chords, double stops, Travis picking, Chicken picking, the Blues scale, and the 12 bar Blues, among others.
