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The author of this article, Abby Parks, has been a guitar instructor since 1996, and has utilized the guitar in both solo performances and with multiple bands and music ensembles. She holds a B.A. Degree in Music Performance with an emphasis in classical guitar, and has taught multiple styles including flat-picking, blues, fingerstyle, classical, folk, rock, and jazz. The books that she has recommended are books she’s worked with, giving her a personal insight into their effectiveness for students wanting to learn the guitar through book instruction.
So you want to play the guitar! Whether you’re dreaming of becoming the next Jimmy Page, wanting to be part of a member of a garage band with your friends, or seeking to take part in a local bluegrass jam, the guitar is an excellent choice to learn at any age. There are several paths you can take to sharpen your guitar skills. Some people thrive with one-on-one lessons, where a supportive instructor guides them through proper techniques and helps build solid foundations. If you’re feeling more independent and eager to jump right in, you might prefer exploring the wealth of YouTube videos or instructional DVDs available. For those who love the feel of pages between their fingers, a beginner guitar book can be your trusty companion on this musical quest.
If you’re leaning towards the book approach, you’re probably wondering which ones are the best self-teaching guitar books for beginners. Don’t worry – you’ve come to the right place. Teaching yourself the electric or acoustic guitar is a practical and attainable goal if you are can pick out the best self-teaching guitar books. As a largely self-taught guitarist, I’ve found some time-tested book methods that check all the right boxes when it comes to teaching basic guitar music theory, rhythm and lead guitar techniques, and repertoire in a variety of genres.
If you’re itching to get started picking or strumming on a guitar, read my guide on what things to look for in a beginner guitar book, and then make your pick from my list of the top 9 self-teaching guitar books.
The Best Beginner Guitar Books — A Quick Glance
| Product Image | Product Name / Primary Rating / Price | Primary Button |
|---|---|---|
Overall Best Beginner Method |
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Best for Young Children |
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Best Flatpicking Guitar Method |
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Best Note-Reading Method |
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Best Rock Guitar Method |
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Best Blues Guitar Method |
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Best Classical Guitar Method |
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Best Class Method |
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Best Introduction to Guitar Fretboard |
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Do Self-Teaching Guitar Books Work?
As an instrumentalist, I’ve extensively used music books for learning and expanding my repertoire across various stringed instruments – guitar, banjo, mandolin, bass, and others. My initial attempt at book-based learning came at age 12 when I received my first guitar as a birthday gift. I took a stab at using a vintage self-teaching guitar book of my Grandpa’s and managed to teach myself notes on the first couple of strings. At 14, I enrolled in a guitar class. With a teacher providing initial guidance, I quickly took to the Mel Bay book series he used and was able to progress through largely independently.
Before the explosion of the internet, I was like many other musicians who relied on music books to grow my skills and repertoire (as I didn’t have many friends to jam with). I remember getting excited over the occasional visit to Rockley Music Center on Colfax Ave. in Denver–shelves and shelves of music books were ripe for buying. As I studied classical guitar, along with piano in college, music books were paramount to my education. Over time, I’ve explored numerous method books covering different instruments. My experience has shown that while some offer a clear, accessible approach that fosters student progress, others adopt a more complex, theoretical stance that can prove challenging to grasp or apply in practice.
There’s no denying that there is a lot of video instruction available on the internet, both free and by subscription, for learning instruments like the guitar. But if you’re more old-school like me, and would rather go the book route, I have some good news for you. You can certainly teach yourself the guitar through good-quality self-teaching guitar books. All it takes is time, patience, dedication, and the best book for your level of expertise, whether you are a complete novice at guitar playing, or you have some basic skills and are ready to branch off into a certain genre. Keep reading as we take a closer look at what kind of self-teaching guitar books to look for.
What To Look For in Self-Teaching Guitar Books
There are several things you’ll want to consider when buying the best book to learn the guitar. We’ll highlight some of those details below.
How To Read Standard Notation and Tablature
There are two routes to take when learning note-picking on the guitar, and both have their pros and cons. The traditional route is to learn to read your basic notes on all six strings of the guitar. As you progress, you pick up basic music skills–reading notes on a staff, knowing their names, learning rhythmic values, etc. What I always tell my guitar students is that music is a language. It’s beneficial to be able to speak, or rather play, that language. When you learn note reading, you are educating yourself in music, and that education can be applied to other instruments.
However, the creation of tablature has opened up a whole new world to wannabe musicians who don’t have the patience for the tedious process of learning to read music. Tablature allows you to jump right in and start playing an assortment of melodies and riffs without having to analyze it–or you could say, you don’t have to “think so hard.” With tablature, a TAB staff mimics a regular staff in music, however, the lines actually represent the strings of the instrument. A guitar TAB staff will have 6 lines, with each line representing one of the 6 strings of the guitar.
I’ve found that some students enjoy learning to read notes, while others cringe. Most beginning guitar methods will teach note reading, but some will also include TAB underneath for those who struggle. Some of the books I recommend do include both options, while some stick to notation. For instance, classical guitar leans heavily on note reading, though there are all kinds of books that include TAB in them, depending on what songs you’re going for.
Guitar Chords and Techniques
Most basic guitar methods start you out learning easy versions of chords (like a 4-string C, G, or D chord), then advance to full open chords in the keys of C, G, D, and sometimes A and E. How much chord strumming is involved will depend on the method you choose. Some books focus more on standard notation and throw a few chords at you here and there, while others treat chord strumming with more importance. If, for instance, you want to play Chet Atkins-style country guitar, you’ll want a book that’s more chordal in approach.
Whatever style you’re interested in, a good beginner book will help familiarize you with the concepts in an uncomplicated manner, whether strumming chords with an alternating baseline, finger-picking chords with your right hand, or learning moveable power chords.
Basic Music Concepts and Tips
A well-written guitar book should cover fundamental music principles such as note durations, musical terminology, parts of the guitar, tuning the guitar, and other general knowledge about the instrument. For a guitar manual, you’d also expect clear directions on proper guitar posture, optimal left-hand wrist and finger placement for effective fretting, and correct right-hand picking or strumming techniques.
Practical Repertoire That Progresses in Difficulty
Being that it’s a very versatile instrument, the guitar offers a world of possibilities when it comes to genres. You can learn from a book that offers a mash-up of genres like pop, folk, blues, and country, or you could work from a book that shines a spotlight on one particular genre like rock, if you already know that’s your niche.
Whatever route you choose, a good self-teaching guitar book should offer you an array of songs that you can play for your own enjoyment, for others, or as part of an ensemble. When you’re starting out, of course, the songs will not be very impressive–they’ll be attainable for the level you’re jumping in at, and progress in difficulty as you advance.
Many books run in series so that when you finish one, you can advance to the next, where you will face new musical challenges. Multiple books I have recommended are part of a series, while others have companion songbooks to increase the repertoire possibilities.
The Top 9 Self-Teaching Guitar Books For Beginners
Now that you know what goes into choosing a good book to learn the guitar with, read on to discover my list of the top 9 self-teaching guitar books. While there are many guitar methods out there to choose from, I mostly looked at books that I have either worked with myself or have had a chance to analyze. Because of this, I can offer a reliable overview of what the books do and do not offer.
These books are ranked according to how well they teach the subject, background information on the guitar, writer value (such as methods developed by veteran guitarists like Christopher Parkening or Mel Bay), audience (kids books vs adult), and genre. I’ve also included a class guitar method if you are a teacher looking for a good ensemble choice.
1. Overall Best Beginner Guitar Method: Belwin’s 21st Century Guitar Method 1
Belwin’s 21st Century Guitar Method 1 is like that worn, comfy flannel shirt that I just can’t throw away. It’s an excellent choice among self-teaching guitar books, but also works great for private guitar instructors. Author Aaron Stang has developed a method series that covers songs in multiple genres. For example, you can learn to pick the classical “Brahm’s Lullaby,” the Irish folk tune “Battle of Aughrim,” or the original “Surf Rock Bass.” Stang includes a healthy mix of standard tunes and originals, with sections on rock interspersed throughout. If that genre interests you in particular, he has a companion series–Guitar Rock Shop 1-3–that covers it in full.
The book approaches guitar like many other guitar methods do, starting with pages dedicated to explaining basic music concepts, tuning the guitar, parts of the guitar, etc. What I really like about this book is that it provides basic exercises for each string learned, then practice songs that are not monotonous like some other methods. Many of them also offer background accompaniment for an instructor to play along.
Chords are introduced gradually beginning about a third of the way in, and chord symbols are included for most songs. There are also strumming sections utilizing flamenco-style chords as you advance, as well as rock rhythm riffs. As for the picking, rhythmic difficulty is approached methodically. Many books keep the rhythm too simple (many songs with basic quarter notes/half/etc.) or go difficult too quickly. This book has a good balance, and the songs offer a good challenge without being boring.
The drawbacks to this book are that in the updated 2nd Edition, the publisher made the print smaller, so the notes are a bit more difficult to read. Also, it would be nice to see some more current tunes mixed in with the old classics. And a final note–the background tracks in the 1st edition sounded very dated. Hopefully, he updated those in the 2nd edition, but I am unaware if that’s the case.
Books in Series:
- Guitar Method 1 / Guitar Method 2 / Guitar Method 3
- Guitar Rock Shop 1 / Guitar Rock Shop 2 / Guitar Rock Shop 3
- Guitar Song Trax 1 / Guitar Song Trax 2 / Guitar Song Trax 3
- All-in-one guitar method covering note reading, chords, and theory
- Multiple styles covered--rock, folk, pop, blues, classical
- Combination of familiar tunes and originals
- Online audio downloadable accompaniment tracks included
- A variety of songs with attractive teacher accompaniments
- Challenges student without causing confusion
- Multiple companion books covering rock, ensemble playing, and theory
- Some of the songs may seem dated to older students
- Print could be larger--can be hard to read
- Accompaniment tracks sound dated
2. Best For Young Children: The FJH Young Beginner Guitar Method, Lesson Book 1
The FJH children’s guitar book series is among the best for kids. It would be a stretch to lable them as self-teaching guitar books per se, as young children really do need private instruction. If you’re looking to teach your son or daughter the guitar or you’re a private instructor, this series is excellent. While many of the songs are original compositions by the authors to simplify the difficulty of them, there are nicely-arranged background accompaniments for most every song, making them nice pieces for recitals as the teacher can play along.
FJH Young Beginner, Lesson Book 1 gives the young student an overview of basic music terms and theory, has the student learn a hybrid form of tablature on the first string (equating fret numbers to notes up the neck), and then teaches one note at a time until the student has learned the first three strings. Thereafter, the book concludes with multiple songs covering G (3rd string) to G (1st string) to grow the student’s comfort level. A smattering of 3-string chords are taught, but the student will need Exploring Chords Book 1 to truly take them in. The Theory Activity Book gives the student written activities to reinforce what he/she has learned and is a recommended companion to the other two books. Lesson Book 2 teaches the other three strings of the guitar, while Exploring Chords 2 teaches most of the basic open chords covering 4 to 6 strings of the guitar.
As Lesson Book 1/Exploring Chords 1 is diluted, an older child will either breeze through or possibly find it boring. However, for students 3rd-4th grade and up, I often recommend FJH Young Beginner, Exploring Chords Book 2 as a companion to a more challenging first book such as Guitar Method 1, as it focuses on chords in depth.
Books in Series:
- FJH Young Beginner, Lesson Book 1 / FJH Young Beginner, Lesson Book 2 / FJH Young Beginner, Lesson Book 3
- FJH Young Beginner, Exploring Chords Book 1 / FJH Young Beginner, Exploring Chords Book 2 / FJH Young Beginner, Exploring Chords Book 3
- FJH Young Beginner, Theory Activity Book 1 / FJH Young Beginner, Theory Activity Book 2 / FJH Young Beginner, Theory Activity Book 3
- Teaches note picking on 1st three strings of the guitar
- Suitable for kids ages 5-9
- Teaches basic music theory
- Familiar and original tunes with duet accompaniment for teacher
- Illustrations and large print notes
- Songs progress slowly in difficulty
- Teacher accompaniment makes them good pieces for recital performance
- Companion books focus on strumming, theory, and performance
- Illustrations are small and monochrome
- 1st series not very challenging for kids 10 and up
- You must buy companion books to get a full learning experience
3. Best Flatpicking Guitar Method: Acoustic Guitar Primer Book for Beginners
The Acoustic Guitar Primer Book for Beginners by Bert Casey is a go-to gateway book into the world of country and bluegrass guitar picking. The first book focuses primarily on songs in the keys of C and G, teaching the basic chords in each key in a bass-chord style strumming style. The rhythm progresses to walking basslines with accompaniment riffs interspersed in the songs in the last section of the book. It covers classic Old Time, Gospel, and bluegrass tunes like Amazing Grace, Tom Dooley, Worried Man Blues, Roll In My Sweet Baby’s Arms, Dark Hollow, Pallet On Your Floor, Way Downtown, and Wabash Cannonball. A few of the songs like Will the Circle Be Unbroken, Old Joe Clark, and Black Mountain Rag provide the student with great performance solos that can be memorized and used in jams or performance.
A great extension to this book is Flatpicking Guitar Songs by Bert Casey, which provides the student with songs that are a minimum of 2 breaks long, some offering 3 or 4 breaks. As bluegrass operates as a genre played with multiple breaks by varied instruments (guitar/mandolin/banjo/fiddle). this book will put the student on track for getting used to playing popular riffs and licks in open position as well as up the neck. While I generally recommend my students to purchase the Guitar Songs book once they near the end of Acoustic Guitar Primer, the lessons continue in the intermediate level Acoustic Guitar Book 2 by Bert Casey, which explores songs in the keys of D, A, and more.
If you already have some experience with basic chords–C, F, G, D–you may blow through the front end of the book quickly, as it just teaches some basic songs in lead sheet form with simple strumming on beat or bass-chord strumming. It gets more interesting once you get to alternating bass patterns. But for a teen or adult student starting out, it’s a great book for mastering those basic chords, while building on their usage with the moving basslines and riffs.
This book does not focus on note reading but offers both standard and TAB so that the student can complete the whole method. It also offers video instruction and backing tracks in multiple speeds. If you have a strong interest in country-style guitar picking, this is an excellent choice. If you’re not sure, it may be better to go with the overall best pick #1.
Companion to Acoustic Guitar Primer Book:
- Beginning book in flatpicking guitar style suitable for those interested in country and bluegrass
- Includes Online Video & Audio Access demonstrating how to play18 different songs along with practice tracks in 3 speeds
- Teaches basic chords in the Key of C and G with country-style strumming techniques and patterns
- Covers basic common accompaniment riffs and soloing in standard notation and tablature
- Songs covered include Tom Dooley, Worried Man Blues, Roll In My Sweet Baby's Arms, Dark Hollow, Amazing Grace, Pallet On Your Floor, Way Downtown, Wabash Cannonball, and others
- Perfect for beginning teenagers and adults seeking a well-rounded, easy-to-understand method
- Teaches bluegrass/country standards that can be memorized and added to repertoire
- Companion book includes 12 bluegrass standards with multiple breaks
- Starts a bit slow if you've played guitar before
- Only covers one music style--no current music literature included
- Not the best method if goal is to learn note reading
4. Best Note-Reading Method: Mastering the Guitar 1A
Before the guitar music book market got flooded with books from multiple book publishers, the pioneer in this field was Mel Bay. Still going strong, Mel Bay guitar methods and other books allow guitar (and other stringed instruments) enthusiasts countless books in all musical genres. When I first started guitar lessons at age 14, my teacher used one of many Mel Bay methods. Many of his early books had a vintage vibe to them, containing old folk songs and dated graphics. If you’re looking for a book that thoroughly covers note reading, focusing on alternate flat-picking and even delving into beginning finger-picking, Mastering the Guitar 1A by William Bay and Michael Christiansen is among the best.
The method has a nice balance between traditional songs like Cripple Creek, Will the Circle Be Unbroken, Soldier’s Joy, and Danny Boy, to well-written original compositions that add color. The student starts out with single melody line songs, but graduates to learning to read stacked notes/chords. While there are some songs written in TAB, most require the student to utilize his/her developing note-reading skills. This book would be an excellent springboard for the student who decides to study classical guitar, even including multiple classically influenced songs.
The 143-page book contains over 150 solos or duets, plus about the same amount of exercises in picking, scales, and chord etudes. It offers a great flat-picking foundation. I do think the book is heavy on note reading without enough focus on chord strumming in varied patterns. A student eager to dive into chording to use in jams or in group settings would not be well-prepared with this method and may become frustrated. The Bert Casey book in the previous section would be a better choice for that.
- Comprehensive Mel Bay teaching technique covered through multiple musical styles, authored by William Bay and Michael Christiansen
- Covers guitar solo and accompaniment styles in genres including pop, blues, bluegrass, classical, Celtic, Flamenco, Latin, Reggae, and jazz
- Teaches songs in keys of C, Am, G, and Em in standard notation and tablature
- Explores both flatpicking and fingerstyle techniques
- 155+ solos/duets and 140+ scales, picking studies, and chord etudes
- Comprehensive study of note reading, including advanced rhythm
- Large variety of standard tunes mixed with original compositions
- Chord strumming is largely neglected, with little aid in learning advanced patterns
- Heavy focus on note reading may leave some students overwhelmed
5. Best Rock Guitar Method: Hal Leonard Rock Guitar Method Book/Online Audio
Hal Leonard’s Rock Guitar by Michael Mueller covers all the basic rock guitar elements from open chords to moveable power chords to barre chords to rock riffs, demonstrated in snippets and complete tracks of classic rock favorites. For example, one page on power chords teaches the main rhythm riffs of 80’s classics “Eye of the Tiger,” “Owner of a Lonely Heart,” “Rock You Like a Hurricane,” and “867-5309/Jenny.” If you’re a Boomer or Gen-X’er (or listened to a lot of music your parents loved), you can take these riffs and apply them to the entire song yourself, giving you a good foundation for how simple power chords can be utilized.
The method teaches some basic pentatonic and applies them with picking studies and classic rock riffs from “Sweet Child of Mine,” “Sultans of Swing,” “Jailhouse Rock,” and “Walk This Way.” There are also rock ballad accompaniments to classics like “You Look Wonderful Tonight.” Complete background tracks are available for the songs “Walk, Don’t Run,” “Baby, You Can Drive My Car,” “Oye Como Va,” “Takin’ Care of Business,” and more. By the end of the method, you can jump into the companion book Rock Guitar Songs which covers complete tracks of classic rock standards like “Brown Eyed Girl”, “Get Back,” “Rock and Roll All Nite,” “Smells like Teen Spirit,” “Smoke on the Water,” “Sweet Home Alabama,” and beyond.
One drawback I’ve found in this self-teaching guitar book is that there are no accompanying tracks for all the lead and rhythm snippets–you either need to know the songs or look them up to figure out how they should sound. I also wish there were more complete songs in the book. The obvious other observation is that the songs don’t go past the 80s generally–only a few licks or riffs venture into 90s territory. While this won’t be a problem for those who grew up with these classics, GenZers may be at a loss.
Companion to Rock Guitar:
- Lead and rhythm rock guitar method covering excerpts from 70 classic rock songs
- Covers styles of Clapton, the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, and more
- Lessons in moveable power chords, licks, basic scales, and stylistic techniques, shown in standard notation and TAB
- Jam session downloadable tracks for classics like "Hit Me With Your Best Shot," "Takin' Care of Business," "Wild Thing," and more
- Includes popular rock riffs and complete songs
- Gives a comprehensive view of beginning rock guitar
- Excellent, authentic background practice tracks
- Companion book includes many complete classic rock songs w/tracks
- Only close to 10 complete songs--the rest are single riffs
- Only covers songs from 60s, 70s & 80s
- No original exercises or studies to master particular techniques
6. Best Blues Guitar Method: Introduction to Blues Guitar
If you have a desire to focus on blues guitar playing, a great beginner method is Introduction to Blues Guitar by Peter Vogl. This Watch & Learn book includes video instruction using split screen, on-screen tablature, and effects to help the student learn the material effectively. Downloadable backing tracks for listening and playing along with are also included. The student is introduced to three core chords–E7, A7, and B7–which are applied to the basic 12-bar blues structure and utilized in blues shuffle riffs.
Beginning with the Em pentatonic scale, the student is taught a variety of blues riffs based on the scale that increase in difficulty gradually. The riffs are compiled into solos, which can be strung together for a nice solo piece. Turn-arounds are covered, and the student eventually learns scales and riffs up the neck for more advanced soloing.
While this method is thorough and provides an excellent foundation in blues guitar playing, it does not include any blues standards–all exercises and solos are written by the author himself. If you are familiar with blues classics and hoping to pick them up, you’ll need to search for something else like a songbook.
- Teaches basic soloing and rhythm techniques utilized in blues guitar playing
- Teaches basic open chords and strum patterns using shuffle and swing rhythms in 12-bar blues structure
- Blues turnarounds and classic riffs used in original tunes
- Soloing in multiple keys with the usage of various scales
- Online video and audio jam track access included as part of Watch & Learn, Inc. series
- Material advances gradually with easy-to-attain exercises and songs
- Student can master basic blues technique quickly
- All solos are broken down into exercises for better mastery
- No recognizable blues standards--all written by author
- Does not teach basic note reading, so beginners will rely heavily on tablature
7. Best Classical Guitar Method: The Christopher Parkening Guitar Method – Vol. 1
When I studied classical guitar in college, my professor had me studying from Solo Guitar Playing I by Frederick Noad. It is an excellent book that has been around for generations. However, with my classical guitar students, my go-to choice for teaching them is The Christopher Parkening Guitar Method, Vol. 1. With the usage of various photographs, instructional sections containing advice and tips, and a variety of original and adapted solos and duets, this method is an excellent springboard into the world of classical guitar.
I find that Parkening’s method has the edge on introducing the guitar player to reading music up the neck. It leaves the students with the ability to learn classical pieces for themselves without confusion. Finishing the book will introduce the student to a variety of classic composers including Bach, Carulli, De Visee, Sor, Giuliani, Carcassi, and more. As a composer and concert performer himself, Parkening also adapts some of his classic compositions at the end, namely, the trio “Spanish Folk Song,” “Catalonian Song,” and “Malaguena.”
Tracks to the songs are included so the student can listen and mimic. This book does not teach tablature at all, so the student must learn note-reading, which is really a must if you want to be a classical guitarist. Like other methods, this one is not up-to-date on classical guitar advancement literature-wise. However, it creates a great foundation to build on, giving the student the confidence to delve into the vast world of classical guitar music.
- Written and arranged comprehensive classical guitar method by virtuoso Christopher Parkening
- Covers basic classical technique through numerous exercises and songs, narrated with detailed explanations, pictures, and diagrams
- Total of 50+ classical pieces, 26 exercises, & 14 duets
- Teaches comprehensive note reading and guitar theory
- Includes classic literature and arrangements covering composers like Giuliani, Carcassi, Carulli, Sor, Bach, Beethoven, and more
- Includes recorded tracks of all songs to help student interpret material
- Original exercises in solo and duet form aid in mastering note reading
- Well-rounded classical repertoire
- No modern classical literature is included in the method
- Can be difficult for a complete beginner to comprehend without an instructor
8. Best Class Method: Contemporary Class Guitar
Contemporary Class Guitar by Will Schmid is not only a quality self-teaching guitar book for the closet beginner, but it also serves as a good book for a class setting. It approaches standard note-reading with more simple rhythms so that multiple students can play in time with each other. The print is large enough to make the task easier as well. A variety of strumming patterns are also introduced in the book in the keys of C, G, D, and A, with a little finger-picking thrown in near the end. There are also ensemble pieces to encourage multi-layered class-play.
The songs are mostly folk and Old Time standards along with some classic melodies from the 70s, which may not appeal to some students. All-in-all, this method is an alternative if you are looking for larger print, simpler rhythmic note reading, and an equal balance between note reading and guitar strumming.
- Focuses on over 45 easy-to-learn songs suitable for solo or class instruction with practice tracks included
- Covers popular classics to strum to, pick, or sing including "Eleanor Rigby," "Hey Jude," "You Needed Me," "Yesterday," "Mammas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys," "The Rainbow Connection," and more
- Advances from easy rhythms and notations to more complexity, ranging in Keys of C, G, D, A, and E
- Teaches a variety of strum patterns and includes fingerstyle accompaniment
- Rhythms are kept easy at first for group playing
- Notes are larger, so easy to read
- Balanced attention to lead and rhythmic playing
- Many of the popular songs are from the 60s & 70s, so unfamiliar to young people
- Jumps between more simple picking songs and difficult ones meant for strumming without much explanation
9. Best Introduction to Moveable Chords: Fretboard Roadmaps
The final book in our list of the best self-teaching guitar books is focused on learning (and understanding) the guitar fretboard. Fretboard Roadmaps by Fred Sokolow is one of a series of books for various stringed instruments (bass guitar, mandolin, and banjo among them) which helps students explore the nuances of the fretboard. This is necessary because the fretboard of any stringed instrument is not straightforward. Which note is which? How do you shape chords, or determine what key you are playing in?
The secrets to understanding a piano keyboard are laid out in front of you in a series of 2 and 3 black keys with white keys filling the gap, you can easily navigate any given note or chord with some learning. For the guitarist, you not only need to memorize to a degree each note on each fret, but you also have differing chord shapes, different patterns for scales, etc. Fretboard roadmaps, once introducing the guitar student to the notes of the fretboard, dives right in to a term that has set many a novice guitarist to trembling–barre chords! It starts very basically, however, with the moveable E and A form, and teaches the learner to understand how they work together, focusing on 2 different I-IV-V patterns in a variety of strumming exercise.
The book then introduces the “D-A-F” Roadmap, focusing on 4-stringed moveable chords, with exercises that aid in mastering how to use these, as well as chord fragments, effectively. An in-depth analysis of major, minor, 7th, 6th, sustained, augmented, and diminished shapes allows the student to eventually play almost any chord imaginable on the fretboard without need of a chord vocabulary book. (Note: any guitar chord vocabulary book is a waste of money in my humble opinion. I’ve never required a student to purchase one; I instead use one sheet of paper that covers most chords)
As this book is specialized, don’t expect to learn how to read music or to find performance pieces. It’s really more of a theory book. It’s also a bit much for a total beginner or for someone who has zero desire to play barre chords. If you only want to play open chords in the first position, you should skip this book.
Companion/Alternative to Fretboard Roadmaps:
- Teaches chord structure and theory across the entire guitar fretboard
- Instruction in lead guitar styles and chord progressions, easily transposed to any key
- Includes numerous fretboard diagrams to simplify the concepts
- Aids student in grasping I-IV-V chord progression
- Teaches moveable chord families on 4, 5, or 6 strings
- Some of the later material is presented in a complicated manner
- Not enough exercises/songs included to apply the concepts
- Not suitable for complete beginners
In Conclusion
Hopefully you’ll find one or more quality books from our list of the best self-teaching guitar books to get you started learning in the comfort of your own home. There are dozens and dozens of beginning guitar methods to choose from, and you may know of some you’d prefer over these. In conclusion, these books are ones I’ve worked with many years, and are still in print and selling because they are time-tested, excellent choices that help a student of any level learn the guitar.
| Rank | Guitar Book | Author | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Belwin’s 21st Century Guitar Method 1 | Aaron Stang | Overall |
| 2. | FJH Young Beginner, Lesson Book 1 | Groeber/Hoge/Sanchez/Welch | Young Children |
| 3. | Acoustic Guitar Primer Book for Beginners | Bert Casey | Flat-picking Guitar |
| 4. | Mastering the Guitar 1A | William Bay and Michael Christiansen | Note-reading |
| 5. | Hal Leonard’s Rock Guitar | Michael Mueller | Rock Guitar |
| 6. | Introduction to Blues Guitar | Peter Vogl | Blues Guitar |
| 7. | The Christopher Parkening Guitar Method, Vol. 1 | Christopher Parkening | Classical Guitar |
| 8. | Contemporary Class Guitar | Will Schmid | Class Method |
| 9. | Fretboard Roadmaps | Fred Sokolow | Moveable Chords |
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