Alfred's MAX™ Guitar, Complete: See It * Hear It * Play It
See It * Hear It * Play It
By Ron Manus and L. C. Harnsberger
Item: 00-PB-0002224
$24.99
Pickup currently not available
Description
See it * Hear it * Play it! A video is included with every book in Alfred's MAX[T] series, offering maximum instruction at a minimum price. Now you won't just hear the music, you'll also see how it's done-making it very easy to learn to play.
Learn to Play Guitar Complete combines Levels 1 and 2, and the book and media work together for lessons you can see and hear. You'll start with the basics like holding the guitar, reading music and playing chords, then move on to specific techniques for several guitar-playing styles and genres. Styles covered include blues, rock, jazz, classical, and folk, and you'll hear every example performed by a live guitarist. This is an excellent way to get started playing guitar and advance to an intermediate skill level! 152 pages.
Learn to Play Guitar Complete combines Levels 1 and 2, and the book and media work together for lessons you can see and hear. You'll start with the basics like holding the guitar, reading music and playing chords, then move on to specific techniques for several guitar-playing styles and genres. Styles covered include blues, rock, jazz, classical, and folk, and you'll hear every example performed by a live guitarist. This is an excellent way to get started playing guitar and advance to an intermediate skill level! 152 pages.
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Additional Details
Series:
Alfred's MAX Series
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
152
SKU:
00-PB-0002224
More about this title
About the Composer: Ron Manus
Ron Manus represents the third generation of his family stewarding Alfred Music's evolution. He joined the company in 1988 and now serves as Chief Business Development Officer, where his strategic vision has fundamentally reshaped how musicians learn.
Manus pioneered Alfred's expansion into digital media during the late 1980s, recognizing early that music instruction needed to move beyond the printed page. His leadership in building the New Media division established pathways into software, video, and streaming content that remain central to the company's identity. He also navigated the company's restructuring in the 1990s and brokered the 2005 acquisition of Warner Brothers Publications, bringing the catalogs of artists from Duke Ellington to Green Day under Alfred's roof.
Why we love this
The integrated video component makes this genuinely pedagogical rather than just complementary. Students see hand position, finger placement, and technique modeled in real time by an actual guitarist, which accelerates learning in ways a static page simply cannot match. Covering five distinct styles (blues, rock, jazz, classical, folk) within a single progression means your students get breadth without jumping between multiple books.
What to expect
Approachable and purposeful. The book moves methodically from holding the instrument through genuine musical styles, keeping students engaged with recognizable sounds rather than abstract exercises. There's clarity here without condescension.
Who it's for
Beginning guitarists ready to progress beyond absolute fundamentals and intermediate players filling gaps in their foundation. This works equally well for self-taught students seeking structure and classroom groups working through material together.
How to get the most out of it
- Watch the video first before assigning the written exercise. Let students internalize the physical motion before they attempt it on their own instrument.
- Assign the style chapters in the order that matches your teaching priorities, not necessarily the book's sequence. If your program leans rock, emphasize those sections early.
- Have students play the recorded examples back at slow speeds to lock in technique before attempting performance tempo.
How to use it
Use this as your core guitar curriculum for students new to the instrument or as supplemental material for players jumping into your program mid-year. The style coverage makes it valuable for integrated arts units where guitar supports study of blues, American folk, or jazz history.
Skills your students will build
- Reading standard notation and tablature simultaneously
- Proper left-hand and right-hand positioning and mechanics
- Major, minor, and dominant seventh chord voicings and changes
- Fingerpicking patterns across multiple genres
- Blues scale construction and phrasing
- Rock rhythm techniques and power chords
- Jazz comping fundamentals
- Classical right-hand technique and finger independence
- Folk strumming patterns and song interpretation