Sound Innovations for Guitar, Book 2: Guitar Student Book & DVD

Sound Innovations Book 2 moves students decisively past first-position fundamentals into the real architecture of guitar playing. The progression from barre chords to power chords in higher positions and classic riffs gives players tangible repertoire to own, not just exercises to survive. The combination of MP3s, video instruction, and the TNT 2 software with variable playback speed means students can practice at their own pace without waiting for teacher demonstration.

Book 2 shifts the guitar from a limited melodic tool into an instrument of real rhythmic and harmonic possibility. Barre chords and power chords open up repertoire that sounds mature and performable, while speed picking and higher-position playing feel like genuine technical advancement. Classic guitar riffs ground the learning in recognizable territory.

Guitar students who have completed Book 1 and are ready to move beyond first-position playing and basic open chords. This book serves students in mixed ensembles, guitar class settings, or private lessons who need structured progression with multimedia support for independent practice.

• Use the TNT 2 software to slow down speed picking exercises to 60% tempo, then gradually increase tempo as muscle memory develops rather than pushing to full tempo immediately.
• Practice barre chord transitions by moving between major, minor, and seventh chord shapes at the same fret position before shifting to a new location on the neck.
• Loop individual riff sections with the TNT 2 software until the rhythmic pocket feels settled, then connect the full progression without stopping.
• Reference the DVD video demonstrations when a concept isn't clicking from the notation alone; seeing finger positioning and motion often clarifies what the written instruction cannot.

Use Book 2 as the core method for a second-year guitar sequence in band or orchestra class, or assign it progressively in private lessons over a full academic year. The included recordings and video lessons reduce the need for constant teacher demonstration, freeing rehearsal time for ensemble playing and ensemble arrangements that use the chords and techniques students are building.

• Playing barre chords (major, minor, and seventh voicings)
• Executing power chords in higher positions on the neck
• Reading and performing sixteenth-note rhythms at tempo
• Speed picking technique and control
• Moving fluidly between positions on the neck
• Learning classic guitar riffs and their contexts
• Using variable playback technology for independent practice and tempo adjustment