MEL BAY FIRST Lessons Fingerstyle Guitar By Steve Eckels Online Audio Included

This book and accompanying audio are a perfect introduction to fingerstyle guitar. National Board Certified educator Steve Eckels has carefully designed each lesson to allow for smooth progression. Each of the ten lessons contains the four pillars of practice: scales, reading, progressions and repertoire. Developed in the classroom, this book provides arrangements of beautiful guitar pieces in a basic form, and instructions for how to embellish them in your own way. Included are shortcuts for learning to read music, and fingerstyle accompaniment patterns such as the famous "Travis" pattern. Those seeking further study will also enjoy Eckels' "Modern Fingerstyle Guitar Method Grade 1" and other acclaimed folios. Includes access to online audio.

Content:

First Lessons Fingerstyle Guitar

The Art & Science of Practice

Keeping a Practice Journal

Vocabulary of Essential Guitar and Musical Terms

Reading Music

Natural Notes Reference Chart with Tablature and Fractionalization

Spelling the 15 Essential Chords

Rhythm Reference Chart

Pre-reading & Reading Checklist

Right Hand Exercises

Right Hand Variations for Scale Practice

Finger Picking Patterns for Accompaniment

Finger Picking Patterns for Skill Building

Building a Fingerstyle Solo

Lessons

Lesson One: Scale in half notes and quarter notes on strings 6 & 5; reading on strings 6 & 5

Solo, Early in the Morning

Lesson Two: Scale in eighth notes on strings 5 & 4; reading on strings 5 & 4

Solo, Down By the Sally Gardens

Lesson Three: Scale using the “walk-running” rhythm on strings 4 & 3; reading on strings 4 & 3

Solo, O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

Lesson Four: Scale using the “running-walk” rhythm on strings 3 & 2; reading on strings 3 & 2

Solo, Jingle Bells

Lesson Five: Scale using the “walk-running” rhythm on strings 2 & 1;

reading using the “running walk” rhythm on strings 2 & 1

Solo, B-I-N-G-O

Lesson 6 - Scale: The 17 Natural Notes; reading on all strings using peripheral vision

Solo, Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star

Lesson 7: Scale using “syncopation”; reading using syncopation

Solo, Greensleeves

Lesson 8: Scale using the dotted quarter “heart-beat” rhythm; reading using the heart-beat rhythm

Solo, Scarborough Fair

Lesson 9: Scale using the “syn-co-o rhythm”; reading using the syn-co-o rhythm

Solo, Malaguena!

Lesson 10: Scale using a “fixed finger”; reading combining rhythm figures

Solo, Carol of the Bells

Templates for Writing Your Own Exercises

Staff Paper Template

Tablature Template

Small Grids and Staff Template

About the Author