A first Book of Guitar Solos, by John Gavall. Published by Oxford University Press. 1975 This was a curious book to arrive through the letter box. (My joiner has widened it.) A first Book of Guitar Solos was published in 1975, and 43 years after the event, a brand-new copy arrives for review. It does More Info »
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Macmeeken & Mesirca – A Chanterelle Anthology
The Chanterelle Guitar Anthology. 40 Classical Guitar Miniatures from Sor to Segovia. Michael Macmeeken and Alberto Mesirca. Chanterelle ECH 2724 Anthologies are problematical in two ways. Firstly, there is a tendency to disagree with the music which was included and guitarists would prefer to have seen something else printed instead. Secondly, teachers nearly always have More Info »
Chanterelle, ECH 2724, Mackmeeken, MesircaHagen Barz – Berlin Sketches, Vol.2
Berliner Skizzen/Berlin Sketches. Vol.2. for guitar. Hagen Barz. Edition Dohr. 18923 Hagen Barz is unfamiliar to this reviewer so I was curious to open the pages of this yellow easy-to-play book. I was presented with Volume Two ; I have no idea if this is a progression from a Volume One. Anyone who has attempted More Info »
18923, Barz, Berlin Sketches, Berliner Skizzen, Edition DohrPaul Coles – Merry Christmas !
Merry Christmas ! – 40 Christmas Favourites for guitar. 2019. Paul Coles. Universal Edition. UE 21679 A fresh influx of music has arrived from Universal Edition and I thought it wise to put this on the top of the collection, because it is almost time to dust off baubles and hang the mistletoe. The latter More Info »
Christmas, Christmas Favourites, Paul Coles, UE21679, Universal EditionEnjoy Playing Guitar, Tutor Book 1 – Review
Enjoy Playing Guitar. Tutor Book 1. Debbie Cracknell. First published by Oxford University Press in 1984. This revision 2011 I remember using the original Enjoy Playing Guitar book decades ago. Those were the days when fewer tutor books were on the market and the advances in playing, which we now take as the norm, were More Info »
‘Vertical Exercises’ review
‘Vertical Exercises‘ for guitar by Evangelos Boudounis. Published by PANAS MUSIC Papagrigoriou-Nakas EPN-31 Evangelos Boudounis is an unfamiliar name to me. However, his list of achievements as a guitar player of significance is long. His teachers included Alexandre Lagoya, Alirio Diaz and Andreas Segovia; he has won numerous competitions and has been a professor at More Info »
‘Christmas Crackers’ review
Christmas Crackers: 14 Easy arrangements with flexible components, by Debbie Cracknell. Published by Oxford University Press, 2015 Debbie Cracknell material has been a feature of guitar lessons for many years. She has been a divisive author in the past, with her ‘Enjoy Playing the Guitar‘ books winning converts and critics in equal measure. There is More Info »
Guitar Star
‘Guitar Star‘ for guitar by Gary Ryan. Published by ABRSM Publishing. AB3935 Guitar Star is designed to sit alongside and act as additional resource material for the ABRSM Prep Test. The book starts the student from open-string “i, m” alternation in 4|4 and 3|4 with simple note-durations. Gradually stopped LH notes are presented, then accidentals More Info »
Preparatory (‘Prep.’) Test For Guitar
Prep Test For Guitar. Published by ABRSM Publishing. AB3934 The Associated Board (ABRSM) needs no introduction. If guitar teachers didn’t sit their first exams with it, then their teachers probably did. Or our aunties, uncles, parents, friends… someone somewhere who we know of, has sat an ABRSM exam on a musical instrument. The ABRSM are More Info »
Discovering Fingerstyle Ukelele
Discovering Fingerstyle Ukulele, by Colin Tribe Published by Schott. ED13873 According to the back cover of Schott’s book, Colin Tribe is internationally known and respected as a ukelele writer and teacher. In this book, we can see why. It progresses in its 170+ pages from beginner to very-accomplished. There’s a huge amount of core material, More Info »