Outstanding for the Beginning Classical Guitarist

This book is extremely well written and complete, covering everything a beginner needs to know, and in my case, things an intermediate student never learned but should have. I'm sure I will refer back to it as long as I play. It's just so "complete". There are very detailed drawings and photos of how to hold, finger, and stroke the strings, backed up by the written word. Everything is very specific. The musical pieces are quite well chosen and lead the student through a natural progression from easy to difficult. Mr Parkening and his collaborators obviously have great insight as educators and took great care in assembling this book. The only criticism I have is the cover art picture of Christopher Parkening, which looks like it was taken back in the 70's. I don't think I'd leave this one laying around on the coffee table. I'm looking forward to purchasing his second volume.

Easy and Fun Method for Learning Classical Guitar

It's interesting to have the chance to read what Mr. Parkening considers a productive way to learn classical guitar. I bought this book because I was impressed by the quality of the music compositions within reach of a beginning classical guitarist. I use it as a compliment to Frederick Noad's Solo Guitar Playing 1 method book.

Mr. Parkening introduces each string and it's notation when played open (no pressing on the fret board). From there he gradually introduces more notes and their corresponding position on the staff and fretboard. There are several exercises and studies to reinforce recognition of each note learned and then several short compositions to apply what you've learned to "real" songs. Also from the beginning there are suggestions for practicing the studies and exercises with different finger alternation patterns along with suggestions of when (and which notes) to practice playing rest and/or free strokes. The nice thing is that Mr. Parkening seems not only to be teaching proper technique but also what to listen for and critique yourself so you can continue to improve. As he mentions in the Practicing section, "Always keep in mind it is better to play one piece well than many pieces poorly."

There are some fascinating insights throughout the book into how Mr. Parkening thinks a beginner should approach things such as correct practice, tone production, optimal fingernail shape and attack of the strings, selecting a good classical guitar and it's care. This book also gives the most photos and detailed instruction I've yet seen in any book on EXACTLY how to sit, place your feet and legs, drape/weight your arms and hands in relation to the guitar body and fretboard and correct placement of both the left and right hands and their proper positions. Photos are plentiful although some are better quality than others. My favorites are the antique-ish photos - especially the one of a very young Segovia listening to the elder Miguel Llobet play.

As the back cover says there are 50 solo pieces (some examples: Ode to Joy, In the Hall of the Mountain King, Malaguena, Fur Elise, Jesu:Joy of Man's Desiring) and over 14 duets. He also includes the necessary fundamentals of note reading, beginning music theory of sharps, flats, naturals, music keys, the circle of 5ths, chords, at first, are taught in traditional music notation and also discusses bar chords. Fretboard diagrams showing basic chords (and some bar chords) are found toward the back. All the compositions, duets and exercises are playable in the First Position - that is, they can all be played within the first 4 frets. Occasionally he will include a 5th fret note with instruction on which string to find it. This is fairly uncommon however and is only done when it ends up making the piece easier to play.

There are pages explaining music notation terms as well as a large fretboard diagram toward the back showing each note name on each fret (all the way up to the 12th fret) and it's corresponding position on the staff. There are a number of chromatic scale studies, arpeggio studies, finger technique exercises although I wish there had been more of these included (this is actually my ONLY quibble with Mr. Parkening's book and one he fortunately rectified in vol. 2).

The final section of the book includes supplementary pieces to learn and add to your repertoire. They aren't strictly graded although he does mention that the easier key compositions are first. At this point he mentions you can begin studying Vol. 2 of his Method while still learning and practicing the supplementary pieces from book one.

Overall this is a fine book and I don't think anyone will be disappointed with it. It has some of the nicest selections of musical pieces to learn I've ever seen in any beginning classical guitar study book. The main difference I've noticed between it and Solo Guitar Playing 1 is that the composition pieces ramp up in difficulty faster in Mr. Parkening's method. The reason for this however is that it is shorter than the Noad book. Combine it with Mr. Noad's Solo Guitar Playing 1 and you have an unbeatable combination for learning how to play classical guitar.

serviceable

This is a fairly slim volume, with rather less than in it than some of the reviews below would lead you to believe. It is certainably serviceable as an instruction book, but there are other classical instruction books available, and better, in my opinion, classical instruction books available.

It is nice to have the photographs of hand positions, but most of the photographs here are vanity shots of the author and superfluous, in my opinion. In fact, I think this book's raison d'etre is to attach a celebrity guitarist's name to a method book. Sorry if that sounds cynical, but the most famous guitarists are not necessarily the best teachers.

I was dissapointed in the obvious and unrewarding "supplemental pieces" and the lack of specific guidance about when to use rest stroke or free stroke, for example.

No, if I had to choose one, I'd certainly recommend the venerable and time-tested Aaron Shearer method. Don't misunderstand me, however: the Parkening book will suffice.