Beginning Fingerstyle Blues Guitar

Description
Fingerstyle is an obscure genre. It baffles many guitar buffs since there are hardly any established tutorials. I've been obsessed with this style ever since I heard the likes of Robert Johnson, Doc Waston, Leo Kottke etc.

Having scanned the web I purchased three books -

Beginning Fingerstyle Blues - Arnie Berle (the one in question)
Art of Contemporary Travis Picking - Mark Hanson
Art of Solo Fingerpicking - Mark Hanson

It only makes sense to compare these books since in addition to money, we are investing time. Choosing the right book would save you lot of time, and much exasperation. Beginning Fingerstyle Blues is one of the finest guitar instruction tutorials I've come across. The instruction is lucid and the approach very logical. The book takes you step by step through fingerstyle blues building up your right hand ability (and confidence) to the extent where you can play and sing (oh yes!) the blues with relative ease, only after 12-18 months of dedicated practice. 12 months is a fairly short period as fingerstyle tunes can get rather complicated. I've always been impatient when receiving instructions and tend to skip a section or two so as to reach the end ASAP. But this book kept me engaged throughout as it made me believe that everything was achievable, as long as I tried and didn't deceive myself. I rate it five stars, for the instruction and for keeping me hooked throughout (after all learning should be fun!). Like the others have said it also contains 5 full pieces at the end to add to your repertoire, which clearly is a bonus.

The books by Mark Hanson are equally profound in content and tutoring. Mark's books score a point or two above the rest of the fingerstyle books as he (Mark) gives very clear instruction regarding right hand placement, how many fingers to use, pinky finger placement, whether or not to use thumbpicks/fingerpicks and many other finer points which you will require answers to once you immerse yourself in fingerstyle guitar. There are awfully few competent sources who can give you these answers. You will not find these details in Beginning Fingerstyle Blues. It left me confused initially but thanks to Mark's books I figured the right way out.

Many of you may be confused about which books to buy so that you do NOT regret in 12 months time; after you have put in your best and expect returns. Having owned 8 fingerstyle books and 4 fingerstyle instruction videos, I strongly recommend Beginning Fingerstlye Blues and The Art of Contemporary Travis Picking. If you cannot buy both books for any reason, pick either and buy the other in a year's time. You will not need any video instructions if you have these two books. These two are the very best out there and I don't see any books better than these, in the fingerstyle genre. They both share common grounds such as:

1. Both cater to absolute beginners - you can manage even if you cannot change chords confidently
2. Both focus on Travis Picking (alternate bass with melody) which is quintessential to fingerstyle guitar
3. You will be a fairly advanced fingerstyle player after having successfully completed either book

In my opinion no book is bad. You will get to learn something or the other from every book. But there are very few that are jewels - these two books undoubtedly are. There is a reason both these books have been rated 5 stars; they work wonderfully well and the results they provide are truly fulfilling.

Pages: 96
Year: 1993
Buy this book
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