This basic textbook for the classical guitar is suited for private, group and self-instruction. This step-by-step method includes a wide variety of music and musical examples, easy exercises, an extensive introduction to reading guitar music, and clear explanations of beginning to advanced technique. The book focuses on the use of the guitar as a chordal or harmony instrument but, among other things, includes a detailed analysis of the problems and possibilities of different playing positions, basic right and left hand techniques, and song accompaniment (including strumming technique)- all at different learning levels. The book also includes an introduction to the study of harmony. Explanations of every facet of technique are enhanced with numerous photos and diagrams. While it's always advisable to consult a competent teacher, comparing your own playing with the recorded pieces on the companion CD, you can use this book/CD to effectively teach yourself. Written in standard notation only.

CONTENTS

Preface

Working And Practicing With The CD
Working And Practicing With The Book
CD-Index List

Chapter 1 - Introduction
The Guitar
Suggestions For Buying A Guitar / Basic Equipment
A Short History Of The Guitar
Which Guitar For Which Body Height?
The Strings Of The Guitar
Tuning The Guitar
Holding The Guitar
The Right Hand (RH)
The First Sounds On The Guitar

Chapter 2 - Tirando Stroke With The Thumb / Musical
Basics
Accompaniment On Open Strings
Introduction To Musical Notation
From The Written Note On The Staff To The Guitar
Playing Open Strings With The Thumb
The Left Hand (LH)
Left Hand Position
Bodybuilding For The Left Hand
The Notes On The (g)-String
Accents Within A Measure
The Notes On The (b)-String
Simple Fingering Rule
The Upbeat
Tips For Daily Practicing
The Notes On The (d)-String
Keeping The Fingers Down On The Fingerboard
Scale Exercise 1 And 2
Syncopation
Simple Song Accompaniment
Rhythm, Tempo And Technique
The Notes On The (A) String
The Pentatonic Scale

Chapter 3 First Song Accompaniment Using 6 Strings / RH Playing Technique
The First Two Chords, E Minor And A Dominant 7th
Strumming Technique
The Tie
Rhythm With Syncopation
Two More Chords, A Minor And E Dominant 7th 7

Chapter 4 Basic Music Theory
Whole Tones And Semitones
The Constructing Of Major Tonality
The C Major Scale
Rests
Stopping The Strings
Major And Minor Keys
The Notes On The (E) String
The Sixteenth Note
Dotted Quarter Notes And Dotted Eight Notes - The Left Hand Pinky

Chapter 5 The Tirando Stroke
Two Opposite Directions Of Movement
The "Right Feeling" In The Fingers
The Tirando Stroke With The Index And Middle Fingers
Tone Development Exercises
Alternating i/m Tirando Stroke
Alternating Stroke Exercises On Two Strings
Alternating Stroke Exercises On One String
The Notes On The (e')-String
The Note b On The (g)-String Using The Fourth Finger
Expanded Fingering Rule

Chapter 6 - Playing Your First Chord
Simultaneous Playing With The Index, The Middle And Ring Finger (i-m-a)
Alternating The Thumb And The i-m-a Stroke
Two Main Chords in C Major (C Major And G7)
Three Chord Changing Exercises

Chapter 7 - Dynamics And Tonal Color
Playing Loud And Soft
Notes Below The Staff
Tonal Color

Chapter 8 - More Basic Music Theory
From C Major To G Major
The Note F# On The (E)-,. (d)- and (e')-Strings
Alternating The Tirande And The m/a Stroke
Alternating m/a Stroke On Two Strings
Alternating m/a Stroke On One String

Chapter 9 - The Two Note Alternating Stroke / New Keys
Tirando With The Thumb And Index Finger p-i
Minor Tonality And The Keys Of A Minor
From A MinorTo E Minor
From E Minor To B Minor
D Minor, The Relative Minor Of F Major
The Lowering Accidental: The Flat
The Positions On The Guitar
All The # Notes In I. Position
Two Names For The Same Note
Tirando With The Thumb / Middle Finger p-m And The Thumb / Ring Finger p-a
From G Major To D Major
From D Major To A Major
From A Major To E Major
Overview Of Keys Learned Up To This Point
From C MajorTo F Major
A New Value: The Triplet
The Half Position
The Change To Half Position

Chapter 10 - Playing Chords With Three And Four
Simultaneous Notes
Two Chord Playing Studies
Arpeggiated Chords

Chapter 11 - Furthering LH Technique I
Stretching And Contracting The LH Fingers
Fingering With Two Or More Fingers Simultaneously
Strength And Flexibility Exercises For The Fourth Finger / Finger Acrobatics
Playing In Sixths

Chapter 12 - Arpeggios
Three Note Arpeggios With p-i-m
Left Hand Study / Arpeggio Exercises By M. Giuliani (op. 1 a)
Three Note Arpeggios With p-m-a And p-i-a
Four Note Arpeggios With p-i-m-a
The Six Basic Arpeggios
Practicing Arpeggios
More Elementary Arpeggio Patterns
Arpeggios Containing Chords
The Relationship Between Arpeggios And Chords
Chordal Study

Chapter 13 - Short Introduction To Bar Technique
The Half Bar
The F Major Chord
The A Major Chord With The Half Bar

Chapter 14 - Short Harmony Lesson / Chord Construction
The Interval
The Three Main Major Chords And Their GuitarTabulature
Diagrams In The Most Important Guitar Keys
Major And Minor Triads
The Harmonic Minor Scale
The Three Main Minor Chords And Their Guitar Tabulature
Diagrams In The Most Important Guitar Keys
The Dominant Seventh Chord
Important Dominant Seventh Chords In Different Positions
The Neighboring Chords (Triads) In Major Keys

Chapter 15 - Song Accompaniment Using Various RH Patterns
Songs In 3/4 And 6/8 Time
Songs In 2/4 And 4/4 Time

Chapter 16 - Furthering LH Technique II / Playing In II. Position -
Two Fundamental Finger Combinations: 1-2-4 And 1-3-4
Changing Positions
Tempo Indications

Chapter 17 - Arpeggio Etudes And Solo Pieces

Chapter 18 - Playing Two Notes Simultaneously
Dampening The Bass Strings
Songs And Dances With Open String Accompaniment
Songs And Solo Pieces With Fingered Bass Note Accompaniment
Playing Two Notes Simultaneously In Arpeggios

Chapter 19 - Chamber Music

Chapter 20 - Four Advanced Solo Pieces From Different Musical Periods

Appendix
Song Accompaniment With Strumming
Christmas Songs For Beginners
Christmas Songs For Advanced Students
Tuning With A Tuning Fork
Changing Strings
Playing With Your Fingernails - A Short Introduction
Alphabetical Listing Of Musical Pieces And Songs

Ah! Vous dirai -je, maman
Allegro (excerpt from op. 30)
And In The Quiet Forest J. S. Bach
Arpeggio Etude after D. Aguado
Arpeggio Exercises M. Giuliani (op. 1a)
Auld Lang Syne Trad.
Banana Boat Song Trad.
Banana Song H. Kaeppel
Blues For Rick H. Kaeppel
Bourrée J. S. Bach
Can Can J. Offenbach
Chinatown H. Kaeppel
Chordal Study H. Kaeppel
Corrente A. Piccinini
Cowboy Song H. Kaeppel
Cuckoo Song Trad.
Der, Die, Das Autorengruppe I. Hoffmann & Co.
Down By The Riverside Trad.
Dreaming H. Kaeppel
Each And Every Year Trad
. Etude In D Minor F. Sor
Etude in Sixths F. Sor
Eurovision Theme M. A. Charpentier
Fandanguillo H. Kaeppel
Fantasia G. Ph. Telemann
Fantasy In A Minor H. Kaeppel
Finger Acrobatics H. Kaeppel
From Heaven High I Come To Thee M. Luther
Fr_re Jacgues Trad.
Galician Melody H. Kaeppel
Ghost Rider Trad.
Go, Tell It On The Mountain Trad.
God Fling Your Heavens Open Wide Trad.
Greensleeves Old English Folk Song
Guitar Rag H. Kaeppel
Happy Birthday M. J. Hill
Happy Dog Song H. Kaeppel
Hawa Nagila Israeli Folk Song
He's Got The Whole World American Spiritual
Hillbilly Song H. Kaeppel
House Of The Rising Sun Trad.
Hunting Fever H. Kaeppel
In The Still Of The Evening 0. Laub
Interludium H. Kaeppel
Irish Round H. Kaeppel
Jamaica Farewell Trad.
Jamsik 19th Century Russian Romance
Jesse James Trad.
Joshua Fit The Battle Of Jericho Trad.
Kalinka Russian Folk Song
Kumbayah American Spiritual
Left Hand Study H. Kaeppel
Light Metal Rock H. Kaeppel
Melody From The 12th Century Trad.
Memories Of Elise H. Kaeppel
Michael Row The Boat Ashore American Spiritual
Morning Has Broken Trad.
Musette J. S. Bach
My Bonnie Trad.
My Bonnie Trad.
Never Ending Road H. Kaeppel
Ode To Joy L. v. Beethoven
Oh Come Children Trad.
Oh Susanna S. C. Foster
Oh When The Saints Trad.
Oh, My Darling , Clementine Trad.
Old Tune H. Kaeppel
Pentosali Dance From Crete
Pera Stous Pera Kampous Greek Folk Song
Prelude H. Kaeppel
Rockin' Blues H. Kaeppel
Romance In Minor H. Kaeppel
Saltarello H. Kaeppel
Scarborough Fair Trad.
Scottish Dance H. Kaeppel
Scottish Melody H. Kaeppel
Sextuplet Etude D. Aguado
Short Etude In Minor H. Kaeppel
Sloop John B. Trad.
Study H. Kaeppel
Study Based On F. Sor F. Sor
Sur Le Pont D'Avig non French Folk Song
Tarantella Dance From Naples
Tempo Di Marcia J. K. Mertz
The Koeniggraetzer March G. Piefke
Tom Dooley Trad.
Tom Dooley Trad.
Tonkaia Rabina Russian Romance
Typical German Folk Song In C Maior Trad.
Unplugged Etude H. Kaeppel
Wade In The Water Trad.
What Shall We Do With A Drunken Sailor Trad.