Reviews: Step Into Guitar

On an encouraging and welcoming introductory page, we meet the author, who promises fun guitar lessons for ages 6–11, complete with backing- and demo-tracks for 23 original ‘songs’. These very effective recordings are available as downloads from the website via an eight-character code or QR code. While I don't understand why instrumental pieces of music are now often referred to as ‘songs’, this extra resource is useful for expanding the subject matter at hand, adding some creativity to lessons and providing students with an opportunity to compose some words and sing with a backing-track. The tracks certainly have much character and variety, delivered with a feeling of authenticity.

The book is uncluttered, pleasing to look at and well printed. It opens flat easily and all its aspects appear to have been well thought out.

Wilson is refreshingly engaging, friendly, informative and realistic from the outset. Some succinct advice (relevant not only to total and young beginners but to more experienced and mature players also) is followed by a how-to guide for using the demo- and backing-tracks. The importance of listening, including to the count-in, is emphasised – again, a useful tip for all musicians, not just the young! The count-in is achieved (appropriately) by a drummer ‘sticking in’, which is followed by nicely recorded, lively and stylistic playing, in contrast to some of the rather anaemic backing-tracks provided with other publications.

Posture guidelines are for a non-classical right-handed player. There is a brief note about swapping instructions if left-handed. I prefer the less confusing terminology of ‘fretting hand’ and ‘picking hand’, particularly in a mixed class or group session, where this book could be useful and effective. Open string names and parts of the guitar, presented in very clear and simple graphics, enable the beginner to navigate and use the necessary jargon found in later instructions.

The advice on tuning is a little glib, perhaps. ‘The best way to tune your guitar is to use an electronic tuner, or a tuning app’ is a statement some music tutors might challenge! It bypasses an important musical skill, which is unusual in this author, who otherwise covers all areas of interest or importance to a young musician. The general impression is of a very thorough and energetic teacher at work. Clef reading is explained with great clarity as well as brevity. Concepts are tackled in ways that children should comprehend quickly and enjoy, often with gentle humour.

By page 10, the pupil has had the opportunity to take on board and understand some theory, terminology, ideas about making a good sound, alternating index and middle fingers… and is all set to try their first piece of rock music in treble-clef notation complete with repeat signs, rests and bar numbers. The approach is respectful of the book's audience, offering, with a light touch, a sense of professionalism from scratch.

Each new piece introduces new musical ideas and information, exploring different idioms (well demonstrated on the demo-tracks) and techniques. Good rhythmic discipline and understanding is encouraged before the student employs the fretting hand.

Symbols and Italian terms for dynamics are brought in, again with a sense of fun and charm, but with a minimal amount of text on the page. His guidance is concise and easy to grasp, giving reminders for the time between lessons of what has been taught.

Ties are explored halfway through and revisited towards the end of the book, just before some summaries of what has been learned and a quiz based upon spelling words with notes. Other than tablature, which is introduced as a useful parting gesture, sharps are the final new subject. It seems odd to reiterate each sharp within a bar, as does the advice that E and B have no sharps – done presumably to avoid over-complicating matters at this stage. But given the author's talent for creating fun in learning serious matters, enharmonics could have been tackled here and to good effect.

This is a bright book in many senses of the word, conveying an enthusiastic gift for tuition in an attractive volume. With a tutor or mentor on hand to help with posture and technical detail, this is an excellent quality starter-book. The author's experience shines through, with even the most thorny subjects expertly dealt with.

stepintoguitar.co.uk