The Guitar Intruction, Musicianship
&
Reference Manual
with
DVD on Left & Right Hand Techniques
This is a major piece of work, it must be the most detailed and comprehensive Guitar Manual on the market today....
...and the truth is...there are no new secret ways to learn guitar, or
fantastic new methods, or ways to unlock the hidden guitarist within you.
In reality it's a mixture of frustration and fun and where persistence wins..
So forget the hype of the others.
If you want to learn guitar start here......
Me...&... my background
Nearly 200 pages, put together in a concise, comprehensive, simple and easy to understand order, that covers all guitar lessons and everything that is needed to become not only a guitarist but also a musician, there's enough information in here to keep beginners to advanced students busy for many years.
The Manual Includes......
Instruction - This section leads you through a series of lessons from beginner to advanced. It covers all the techniques needed to become an accomplished guitarist. After studying each technique you should use Tab Tech for further studies or you can source your own guitar tabs.
Musicianship -This section explains how the music parts fit together
to produce the sounds and rhythms that we hear.
Also a section on guitar maintenance and adjustments - essential stuff for those who want to be a guitarist and a musician.
Reference -There's heaps in this part to be used as a reference source, it's something that you may need now or at a later date ...lot's of info on scales, guitar chords, chord theory, chord construction, keys and how to read standard music notation.
PART 1 - GUITAR
Chords - Open & Barre, All Strumming Styles, Left & Right Hand Mutes, Finger Picking (Finger Style), Flat/Plectrum Picking, Slides, Hammer-On's & Pull-Off's, Bends, Vibrato, How to Read Guitar Tabs & Technical Studies. All progressivly laid out in a series of 24 lessons, enough to keep you going for years!!
PART 2 - MUSICIANSHIP
This part is about understanding music and a little of how it all fits together. It will explain how to read detailed & accurate guitar tabs. It’s not difficult. If you can count to four and divide 1 into 4 equal parts (quarters) you will have it covered. Knowing how to read detailed tabs will make learning the guitar a lot easier and faster and you will be able to recognize accurate guitar tabs from not so accurate tabs. This is a great aid when searching for tabs.
By studying this part you will be more of a musician rather than simply a guitar player. It’s a wealth of information & reference as well as a discussion of music.
PART 3 - REFERENCE
You want 2 know all sorts of other stuff about guitar well see if there is enough here for you...
How to tune a guiitar and different ways to tune a guitar
Scales, Keys & Fretboard Notes
Keys &Chord Construction
Scales (for fantastic solos or just to wear your fingers out) - Major, Pentatonic, Minor Pentatonic & Blues.
Changing Strings
How Humidity & Temperature Effect a Guitar
Nut & Saddle Height Adjustment
Truss Rod & Intonation Adjustment
PART 4 - WEB LINK FOR TABS TECHNIQUE
Use this link to find tabs for songs that you know and like to practice your technique on. The link isn't to a tab web site but a page in the www.nofretguitarlessons.com.au site where there is a large list of tabs available for your use.
The tabs have been carefully selected are listed by technique and approximate order of difficulity.
They have been made as accurate as possible, however there is still some work to do on a few of them and the list is growing all the time so it's hard to keep up with it all. If you have any corrections to suggest please contact me as the tabs need to be as accurate as possible for all concerned.
PART 5 - READING NOTES, RHYTHMS & SYMBOLS
This part is for those who wish to read standard music notation. This will help school student guitarist to be able to play in the brass/jazz bands, it is also very useful when reading the tab in guitar magazines as these tabs nearly always have the rhythm symbols included with them.
My background ...incase your were curious........
...... I was 15 when I first picked up a guitar and quickly found I couldn't leave it alone. Soon I was a long-haired rocker making a lot of noise in garage/pub bands, but after a number of years I got frustrated as I wasn't progressing so I ended up going to Uni to study for a Degree in Music - Classical Guitar Major, and man did that change the way I played. Now I was a long-haired rocker with a music degree - Cool!!
....... well after performing for 34 years and teaching guitar for the last 8 years I realised that there was a big need for a stand-alone Guitar Manual & DVD that had so much information in it that a person would use it for a long, long time.
Used by beginner to advanced students for different reasons and different purposes; not just one Book/DVD in an endless series from Book 1 to Book 91 but a Manual & DVD that covered how to play guitar, how to become a musician while being a reference source at the same time.
Well if I'd known at first that it would take 8 years to compile, write, produce and publish I probably wouldn't have started.....
I still perform professionally as a solo instrumentalist, in duos trios and rock bands however now it's as a thinning on top rocker.
I continue to teach guitar, bass, theory, stage techniques, and mixing for live performances as there is a great reward seeing a student start with nothing and slowly progress to becoming a fine guitarist and musician.
Good luck, hang in there & keep on pickin’
Reviews, Testimonials & Comments
Australian Musician Issue 46 Winter 2006
In a letter accompanying this book, the author Nigel Rowles wrote, "I know of nothing else that I can include in the product that can make learning guitar easier." You know, I think he's right. Nigel who has a Diploma in Music has been a pro musician for 34 years, spent 6 years piecing this manual together. Mostly written in tab, the manual offers comprehensive coverage of everything you need to know to be able to play the guitar. It also comes with an easy to follow DVD which runs you through techniques. In addition there's access to his web site from which you can acquire many contemporary rock favorites...... Suggested RRP for the Manual & DVD is just $69. As Nigel correctly states on his web site, "If you can't learn guitar here you are just not paying attention" For more information visit www.ngmw.com.au or email nigel@ngmw.com.au.
Now www.nofretguitarlessons.com
email nigel@nofretguitarlessons.com
Australian Guitar - 50th Issue Special
"Several years in the making, this book is the result of one man's dedication to teaching. When he realized not everyone could afford regular lessons, Nigel Rowles a guitar tutor by trade began to pen this all-encompassing manual to the instrument, including lessons and exercises on practically everything one needs to know to be able to play - from chords to hammer-on's, bends, rhythm technique, theory, scales, guitar maintenance and more. Spanning nearly 200 pages, and with the information packaged in easy-to-swallow mouthfuls there's certainly enough covered to teach yourself guitar. How you put the lessons into practice is up to you, however, and as the book provides the basics for you to build on and apply, it's a publication for the dedicated, self-motivated student. Since there's no listening material to accompany the book it's up to the student to seek out music that illustrates the topics covered, but Rowles has thoughtfully provided a list of popular tunes that will help you come to terms with the various techniques. Considering how much a book like this from one of the major publishers would cost it's hard to understand how any beginner could say no."
Also in the same issue - "Not everyone can afford regular guitar lessons, so guitar teacher Nigel Rowles created an inexpensive resource with which you can teach yourself. Several years in the making, The Guitar Instruction, Musicianship & Reference Manual is a comprehensive guide that covers all the topics a beginner needs to become a fully fledged axe wielder - one who knows what they are doing."
Testimonials
* My name is Jan Streater and I began taking guitar lessons with Nigel Rowles three years ago.
In that time, Nigel has had an amazing influence on my life. I have enjoyed my guitar lessons so much that I am now endeavoring to pursue a career in Primary school music teaching. Nigel has extensive knowledge of the guitar and of musical theory and notation. He is also a whiz at tabulation. Nigel's whole philosophy has been to make the guitar relevant to the individual student and as such, he has helped me learn music that I am specifically interested in. He is hugely knowledgeable and has a natural ability to impart this knowledge and experience to his students.
He is patient and quit ely motivates and inspires. I have recently purchased Nigel's Guitar manuscript.
It is a powerful, informative and useful document that I will use and treasure my whole life. It tells all.
Jan Streater
Diploma Primary School Teaching (1988)
Bachelor of Education (2003)
Faculty Medal Award Winner Health and Education
University of New England 2004.
* My name is Stefan Fuller and I am seventeen years old and am currently a student of Tully State High School where I am doing my final year in secondary schooling. I have been a student of Nigel Rowles for two years, learning such music skills as playing bass guitar, guitar theory and music theory. Out of these two years I have spent learning from Nigel I have gained crucial information and techniques that I have used in writing, performing and recording music. Without this knowledge I have gained in these couple of years from Nigel, I would not know half the things I do and would not be as knowledgeable as a musician.
Having read through Nigel’s Manual that he has composed I see that there are all the things he has taught me plus more but it is in more depth and detail, which makes it very understandable. Not only does it teach you how to play guitar it also shows you how to use the guitar skills in real circumstances (a band, duo) which is teaching musicianship, which I think learning guitarists lack. I think anyone, whether it be a beginner or not, could gain from this manual. It just explains everything
Stephan Fuller
Mission Beach
* Carl Di
This whole learning guitar experience has been an awesome one with so much to learn.
I think your manual is great and I'm working though it page by page. I'm up to page 34. I don't think there are enough books in the market place similar to what you've created which is aimed at teaching guitar but music as well especially understanding the TABS.
I basically use your Manual, a Progressive Rhythm Guitar book, Riff-a-Day and obviously my guitar teacher as my 4 prong attack on learning how to play a guitar.
I like strumming so obviously that's one area I would like to see more off. I was going to also say it would be nice to get some practice on some& modern tunes but then when flicking though your manual more closely yesterday I noticed Part 3 Song Link with suggestions for songs relevant to each section...great !!....so I'll be chasing down some tunes to complement what I've learned in the section.
I used to just dabble with my guitar while on annual leave but then from Ebay I bought that Video of Learning guitar from Home for around $50 and that really got me going. I guess that would probably my second suggestion as sometimes as I play your tunes but I think my timing could be out (yes I know I must not be counting enough!) ...having the tune or MP3 would ensure I play it correctly. If you ever put something else out let us know or r if you know of any other material or book which would be a nice Progression to your manual also let us know. Newtown
N.S.W.
Comments -from some online buyers
# Great book -brains2001guitar
# Very Happy with the guitar book - radds2
# Highly recommended - jemmasdad
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# Fabulous item - bmzee3
# Great book. Thank you very much - clarytony
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# Great product - iarsmith
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