The Big & Easy Songbook for Guitar, with Tablature: Elementary/Late Elementary Guitar Book

Welcoming and permission-giving. Students encounter songs they recognize alongside classical pieces and folk traditions, which signals that all of these styles belong on the guitar and deserve serious attention. The collection feels like an open door rather than a narrow path.

Beginners and early elementary guitarists ready to move beyond basic chord charts and exercise patterns. This book works well for self-directed practice, group lessons, or as a primary repertoire source for students who need curated, accessible material at their level.

• Start with pieces your students can sight-read successfully on their first pass. Building confidence early makes them want to keep the book open at home.
• The tablature removes a barrier for students still solidifying their note-reading. Let them use it as a learning tool, then gradually encourage reading standard notation in parallel.
• Pair the multicultural and folk selections with recordings when possible. Hearing authentic context helps students understand style and phrasing beyond what the page shows.
• Use the difficulty ordering to create a structured weekly challenge. Move through levels sequentially so students feel measurable progress rather than jumping randomly through the book.

Use this as your go-to repertoire source for end-of-semester recitals or informal performances. The genre categories make it easy to program a concert that feels cohesive yet varied, or to assign different styles to different students so they build familiarity across multiple traditions throughout the year.

• Reading tablature while developing standard notation fluency
• Playing across multiple musical genres and styles
• Transitioning between open and closed chord shapes
• Phrase shaping and articulation through melodic material
• Sight-reading shorter, manageable pieces
• Building a personal repertoire for performance and home practice