The New Basics: Guitar: Guitar Book & CD

Gunod strips away the theory-first approach that kills enthusiasm and starts students playing immediately with techniques that actually sound good. The inclusion of power chords, blues bending, and sliding from the start means students finish the book with a genuine toolkit for the music they want to play, not a collection of exercises in search of a purpose.

Energetic and grounded in the actual language of guitar playing. Power chords and sliding techniques create immediate satisfaction, while the blues-based approach gives students an authentic musical foundation that feels cool rather than academic.

Guitar students who want to play recognizable music quickly rather than spend weeks on foundational notation and theory. This book works for beginners of any age who are motivated by rock and blues sounds and need proof that their practice time is building toward real musicianship.

• Use the included CD to hear how each technique should sound before you play it yourself; your ear is your best teacher.
• Play along with the recorded examples as you work through the book rather than waiting until you've mastered every note on the page.
• Keep your practice sessions short and focused on one or two techniques per day; momentum matters more than marathon sessions early on.

Pair this with your private guitar instruction to accelerate progress during the first few months when motivation is highest. It's also effective for classroom guitar programs where you need students engaged from day one.

• Reading chord diagrams and tablature
• Playing and voicing power chords
• Executing string bending and slide techniques
• Playing boogie patterns and blues progressions
• Hand position and posture for accuracy and speed
• Listening and playing along with recorded accompaniment