Belwin's 21st Century Guitar Method 2: Guitar Book & Online Audio

Book 2 manages the tricky middle ground between foundational technique and genuine musicianship by mixing canonical classical pieces with songs students actually want to play. The progression through C, G, and D majors feels natural rather than arbitrary, and the inclusion of lead guitar techniques signals that this method respects electric guitarists as much as classical players.

A turning point. You're no longer confined to first position, and suddenly the neck opens up. There's real music here, not just exercises, with pieces that sound complete and arrangements that make you feel like you're actually playing songs, not fragments of them.

Students completing Book 1 who are ready to expand their harmonic vocabulary and begin exploring the upper fretboard. This book works equally well for teenagers discovering electric guitar and those pursuing classical technique, since it respects both paths.

• Build second position work gradually by anchoring the index finger on the second fret first, then practicing the surrounding finger patterns before jumping between positions.
• Approach syncopation through listening first; have students identify the syncopated rhythms in the provided pop songs before mapping them on the fretboard.
• When tackling cut time, emphasize that the half note receives the beat, not the quarter note, and use the accompanying audio to lock in the groove before reading ahead.
• Balance solo guitar arrangements by letting the bass notes sing while keeping treble passages clear; the classical repertoire in this book rewards attention to voice independence.

Use this as the second year of a beginner guitar curriculum, or as a supplemental method if you're teaching guitar electives in a secondary school setting. The mix of classical and contemporary repertoire makes it ideal for concert programming, since students develop pieces worth performing before advancing further.

• Reading in the keys of C, G, and D major
• Navigating second position and exploring the upper fretboard
• Playing syncopated rhythms accurately
• Understanding cut time signatures
• Executing lead guitar techniques and single-note passages
• Balancing melody and bass in solo guitar arrangements
• Building repertoire across classical, pop, and contemporary styles