With more than 450 titles in The Complete Idiot’s Guide series, a new addition has arrived: The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Guitar Exercises.
Guitar Exercises is a great book for those with a desire to improve their guitar-playing prowess.
Whether you’ve been playing guitar for several years or several weeks, this is the book for you. The exercises cover everything from playing single notes to hammering out chords, scales, and arpeggios. Casual players can navigate through to the sections that appeal to them the most. If you’re interested in basic fingerpicking or even Travis picking, you’ll find exercises that showcase those styles, too.
In addition to basic exercises, actual tunes and melodies have been added to help drive home the techniques. It also focuses on building finger strength and stamina while you improve your technique and musical knowledge. A feature I found to be quite helpful was the fact that all the exercises are written in both standard music notation and the more guitar-friendly TAB notation.
Exercises/Practice is so important in developing as a player, so whatever experience level you are at as a guitarist, The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Guitar Exercises will be very helpful and beneficial to you.
You also get to hear all the exercises on the accompanying CD that comes with over 150 samples.
Composed of 18 chapters, there are four parts to how the book is organized:
- Part 1, “In the Beginning,” introduces you to the language of music through music notation, guitar tablature (TAB), chord frames, and fingerboard diagrams. In addition, you will learn to play several warm-up exercises to get your fingers loose and your mind focused. Chords are the focus of the remaining chapters in this part of the book. You will learn the CAGED system for playing chords and find exercises to help you master major, minor, and 7th chords, as well as chord inversions.
- In Part 2, “Scales,” you explore the major scale, major and minor pentatonic scales, blues scale, and harmonic and melodic minor scales using the CAGED system. In addition to numerous straight-up scale exercises, you will find many melodic pattern exercises based on the scales. Playing these patterns will deepen your understanding of the scales, making you a more accomplished guitarist.
- Part 3, “Arpeggios,” offers major and minor arpeggio exercises based on the chords you learned in Part 1 using the CAGED system. Just as with scales, playing arpeggios as melodic patterns deepens your knowledge of arpeggios and lends a musical essence to the exercises.
- Finally, Part 4, “With or Without One: Take Your Pick,” explores the world of playing guitar with your bare fingers – namely, fingerpicking, Travis style, and fingerstyle blues guitar.
Throughout the book you’ll find the following extras:
- A Quick Pick – Shortcuts and ideas to help you in your study
- Definition – Definitions of terms
- Musical Note Box – Facts and tidbits guitar geeks know
Author Hemme Luttjeboer is a guitarist, transcriber, arranger, and engraver who has transcribed over 250 guitar books for all the top U.S. music-publishing companies.
The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Guitar Exercises is normally $21.95, but if you click on this link you can find it among a select group of books being offered for 30% off through October 31st.
One reader will receive a copy of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Guitar Exercises! Also, be sure to check out all of our other giveaways HERE.
A complimentary product/service was provided for this review; however, all opinions expressed are our own. We were not compensated in any other way for this review. See Mommies With Cents disclosure policy for more details.
Regina M says
I’m learning, and this could clarify things a little better.
Amber says
Hi Regina!
What a fun thing to learn! I love the guitar! It’s one of my favorite instruments!
I think this could be very helpful for you in your learning experience too – but what’s even better, is that this would be an excellent source for you to have at any experience level you develop into.
Deborah@ Cranky Cat Studio says
My husband wants to learn to play. This would be perfect for him!
Amber says
Hi Miss Deborah =)
I hope your hubby learns to play the guitar! It’s such a fun instrument!
Deborah@ Cranky Cat Studio says
Tweet June 21st
http://twitter.com/CrankyCatStudio/status/16703758166
Amber says
Hi Deborah!
I see you’re entering the Giveaway – how exciting!
Unfortunately, this area is not counted when the Giveaway is done – to enter, go up a little bit more to where you see “The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Guitar Exercises Review & Giveaway” in bold lettering (just right below the Review.) If you use the scroll bar to scroll down to the bottom, you will see the area to enter into the Giveaway.
If you don’t get to this until tomorrow you can enter these into the giveaway with a little note somewhere in your entry letting me know that these were meant for June 21st entries. =)
Deborah@ Cranky Cat Studio says
Signed up for e-mail
Linda White says
my boys could learn some more from this!
Amber says
Hi Linda!
How wonderful that your munchkins are learning the guitar! It’s an excellent tool to use in furthering your guitar skills!
cheyanna jaffke says
Not that my Uncle Joe is an idiot, but he wants to play.
Amber says
Cheyanna, I laugh myself silly every time I read this comment!!!!! =)
A Henneberry says
our teenager is trying to learn to play the guitar.
Amber says
Well Miss A, it’s good to hear from you again!
It’s neat to learn you have a teenager. =) Are they learning through lessons or being self-taught?
Either way, this book will be a great tool to use!
randy saunders says
i am a grandfather and drummer who has been playing for 30 years, but want to learn guitar. i need all the help i can get!
Amber says
Hi Randy =)
I.love.drums! I’ve always loved them. How neat that you’ve been playing for 30 years.
I hope you find great delight and joy in learning the guitar!
D says
My husband loves the guitar. This would be great for my kids to learn.
Amber says
Hello D =)
How many munchkins do you have?
What’s neat about this book, is that one could be using the book and the other the CD, at the same time. =)
Regina M says
trying to get my hand stength, and reach better. Something like this would be a great help.
Trisha Dowling says
thanks! my son would love this!