A lot of beginner players have been frustrated and have abandoned their quest for learning the guitar. One of the primary reasons for this is the lack of simple-to-follow music books that will make learning easier for them. On this note, we have thought it wise to present our list of excellent, result-oriented guitar books to you. The books have been tested and proven to produce the desired result by helping beginner player to start playing in no time.
Read Also: Budget Classical Guitar, Electric Guitar, Bass Guitar, Bluegrass Guitar, Travel Guitar, Mini Guitar, Kids Guitar
What are the Best Guitar Books to Buy?
2) Hal Leonard Guitar Method Complete Edition
- Easy to Follow & Understand
- Audio Examples for Demonstration
- Designed for Acoustic or Electric Guitarists
1) David M. Brewster’s Teach Yourself to Play Guitar
- Bright Illustrations
- Uncomplicated & Practical Guitar-Playing Fundamentals
- Ideal for Beginner Guitarists
- Pocket-Friendly Price
3) Tom Kolb Music Theory for Guitarists
- Easy-to-Understand Illustrations & Terms
- Scales Mode Chords Ear Training
- Optimal for All Level of Guitarists
Interested to Learn Guitar Online? Check These Websites!
We have come up with the reviews of 20 great guitar books that are perfect for anyone willing to become an excellent guitarist. In these reviews, you will discover what each of the books is set to offer as well as other relevant information you will like to know. Therefore you could pick from any of the books.
What should a good guitar book cover?
Before buying any guitar book, you must understand what is expected from an excellent guitar book. Apart from that, some subjects are beginner-focused, and you should be on the lookout for them if you are a beginner player. Below are some essential topics that a good guitar book should cover:
- Full beginner chords
- Proper fingerstyle
- Holding the musical instrument properly
- Theory of guitar
- Chord changing by learning of songs
- General guitar anatomy
- Simple of Popular songs
- Reasons some chords sound good in chord progressions
- Learning real tunes
- Practicing timing and rhythm
- More songs
It is essential that a beginner guitar book covers the above subjects else; the player won’t have the necessary knowledge about the musical instrument. Most times, beginner players that are not exposed to the rudiments of guitar playing will not be motivated to keep practicing. Furthermore, you know that there are more topics as far as guitar training is concerned. Each book has its own approach; it is your responsibility to look for the right book that comes with all you need as a beginner player.
20 Best Guitar Book Reviews
1) David M. Brewster’s Teach Yourself to Play Guitar
Are you interested in a book that teaches you how to play guitar without any hassle? If that is the case, then this excellent guitar book by David M. Brewster is an excellent choice. The book is specially designed for anyone who wants to learn the musical instrument independently. It comes with bright illustrations and examples of the active learning process. Even if you don’t have a music-reading background, you will find this book helpful. Some of the topics you will come across are guitar anatomy, power chords, fretboard organization, hand and finger position, among others.
The book also includes a collection of musical styles like folk, classical, country, rock, and many more. It comes with diagrams, photos, as well as illustrations that are easy to understand. The book is published on April 1st, 2004, by Hal Leonard, and it contains 48 pages. If you are looking for a simple-to-understand book that deals with the fundamentals of guitar, you should go for this unique book.
2) Hal Leonard Guitar Method Complete Edition
If you need a book that explains the rudiments of a guitar in a way that everyone will understand, then you don’t have to overlook the Hal Leonardo Guitar Method. It is a book designed to make every excellent player. The Guitar Method Complete Edition is based on years of practical teaching. Therefore, it contains some of the best methods of teaching this subject. The book is written in English, and Hal Leonard published it in 1994.
The book is described as a perfect guide for self-teaching. It is not only designed to help you learn the musical instrument but also guide you in reading music. If you seek a book that is super easy to follow, then the Hal Leonard Guitar Method is your best bet.
3) Tom Kolb Music Theory for Guitarists
This book is a compendium of practical experience and is designed for guitarists at all levels. It comes with online audio access for enhanced learning. It was written by Tom Kolb, who is a veteran guitarist and a prolific author. It comes with recordings that feature ear training, scales, 94 tracks of music, chords, modes, and many more. The book was published by Hal Leonard on May 1st, 2005, and it is written in English.
Music Theory for Guitarists contains easy-to-understand illustrations and terms. If you are an intermediate player looking to improve your guitar skills, this result-oriented book by Tom Kolb is a perfect choice for you.
4) The Practical Guide to Modern Music Theory for Guitarists
Do you need a book that teaches guitar theory in a language that is not complicated? If you answered yes to this question, then this excellent music book is your indispensable companion. The book comes with exercises and guides that are aimed at making you a better player. Furthermore, it contains the complete theory of the guitar, and help you master the guitar scales and modes. It is designed to teach you the theory of music in a way that is easy to follow, so you can start playing on your own without wasting time.
Some of what you will learn from this book are secrets of triads, platonic scales, arpeggios, complete guide to chord naming, forming of guitar modes, and how to use them, scale harmonizing, among others. The book has 112 pages, and www.fundamental-changes.com published it. Also, you are going to be exposed to numerous guitar licks, 200 downloadable audio tracks, a guide to roman numeral notation that will help you master shorthand songwriting, and many more.
5) Damon Ferrante Guitar Scales Handbook
This music book comes with features that will make you an excellent guitar player. It comes with everything you need to learn the musical instrument. It was written by an experienced guitar instructor and a professor of music theory, Damon Ferrante. He structures the book in a way that is easy to comprehend. He takes you through the lessons and streaming video to improve your playing stream, thereby helping you achieve your dream of becoming a better player.
Among the things you are going to learn from this book is the note of the fretboard. You will have access to more the 200 lessons, streaming videos, guitar licks, scales over chord concepts, and numerous exercises. Some of the topics covered by the book are Music theory, Intervals, Warm-up exercises, Jam tracks, Blues Scales and Modes, Technique Building Exercises, and lots more.
6) Ultimate Guitar Chords by Damon Ferrante
This is an excellent guide book that comes with over 400 lessons, chord theory, guitar licks, illustrations, exercises, and many more. The Ultimate Guitar Chords is the right book for learning chords, guitar scales, arpeggios, as well as how to effectively apply them to enhance your playing skill. The book was written by a music professor and an experienced guitar instructor, Damon Ferrante. This book showcases the experience of the author by taking you through the streaming video and lessons in a pragmatic way.
The lessons and instructions in the Ultimate Guitar Chords are structured to improve your guitar technique and boost your understanding of music theory. The idea here is to enhance your playing and songwriting skills, making it easy for you to express yourself with music. If you need a comprehensive guide about scales, then you should opt for this excellent book by Damon Ferrante.
7) The Guitar Handbook by Ralph Denyer
Are you in need of the most comprehensive guitar book available for both beginning and experienced players? If that is true, then your search for an excellent guitar book is over. This book comes with lessons, illustrations, and guides you need to hone your guitar skills. Whether you are looking to learn an electric guitar or acoustic, this book is designed to help you fulfill your desire. It will interest you to learn that this unique book is entirely redesigned with more attractive and illustrative colors.
It was written by Ralph Denyer, who was a guitarist and vocalist. The book is written in English and was published by Knopf on October 2nd, 1992. It contains 256 pages. If you need an easy-to-understand book on guitar techniques, you need The Guitar Handbook by Ralph Denyer.
8) Guitar Chords by Jake Jackson
Do you need a music book that comes with lots of helpful exercises and illustrations designed to make you a top player? If your answer to this question is yes, then the Guitar Chord is all you need. The book is flexible, comprehensible, and effectively teaches anyone how to become an excellent guitar player. The book is compact, and it is designed to fit into a gig bag.
The book was written by Jake Jackson, who has written, edited, and contributed to several music books like Play Flamenco, How to Play Classic Riffs and The Beginner’s Guide to Reading Music. The book was published by Flame Tree Publishing, and it is written in English. It is a voluminous book that has up to 384 pages. If you are looking for an excellent chord book to learn, don’t underestimate the work of Jake Jackson.
9) The Complete Guide to Playing Blues Guitar
If you need a music book that will teach you how to play any blues song perfectly, then you should give this guitar book a try. Furthermore, it boosts your understanding of scales and techniques, making you play the right tone always. If you desire to play solos, but you don’t know how to get started, this book will be a helpful guide that will assist you in achieving your dream faster. It was published by CreateSpace Independent Platform on April 25th, 2014.
The Complete Guide to Playing Blues Guitar was written by Joseph, a prolific author who has written twelve books for guitar students. Here are some of what you will get from the book: more than 400 notated audio examples of exercise, over twenty backing tracks, over 245 pages containing melodic phrasing, mastering of blues guitar, and many more.
10) Guitar Fretboard by Guitar Head
Are you finding it challenging to learn all the notes on the fretboard? Then the Guitar Fretboard is an excellent choice for you. With five easy-to-follow steps, this fantastic book will unlock the entire notes for you. You will learn how to arrange notes on the fretboard, create different visual references for comfortable playing, and also enable you to navigate through the fretboard quickly by creating a mind map.
Apart from simplifying the entire fretboard learning process five easy steps, it features over 35 tips and exercises to enable you to get quick results, numerous memory techniques to streamline the process, and it gives the detailed theory behind all the concepts learned.
CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform published the book on May 13h, 2018. It is written in English, and the book is highly recommended for beginners as well as advanced players who want to have a better understanding of the fretboard. Some of the exciting features of this book are the free bonus materials like flashcards, diagrams of fretboards, reference materials, and many more. Others are high-quality pictures, a result-oriented approach, and many more.
11) Hal Leonard Guitar Method Bk 1/Online Audio (2nd Edition)
The Second Edition of the Guitar Method Book 1 a popular choice among serious music teachers because it makes their work easier. The book comes in a format that is easy to follow. If you need a solid music foundation, you should not underestimate this unique book. It uses the popular method adopted by Schmid and Greg Koch. Furthermore, the book was published by Hal Leonard in 1995, and it contains 48 pages.
Some of the Features of Hal Leonard Guitar Method Book 1 are chord chards, instructions for beginner players, first position melody playing, as well as traditional songs. Some of the songs you will find in the music book are When the Saints go marching in, Amazing grace, among others.
12) Essential Element for Guitar – Book 1 Comprehensive Guitar Method
This is another excellent book published by Hal Leonard in 2007. It is written in English, and it comprises 98 pages. The essential element for guitar is the book you need if you aspire to take your playing skill to the next level. It is a highly recommended book, especially for a music tutor that wants to teach effectively. It contains the result-oriented teaching methods of Schmid and Bob Morris. The book is ideal for beginners as it introduces them to the subject in the simplest possible way.
You will be interested to learn that the Essential Element for Guitar is structured to meet the National Standards for music education. Some of the concepts covered in this book are guitar chords, getting started, basic music theory, and many more. Furthermore, the song in this book include Hound Dog, You Got Me, Let It Be, Dust in the Wind, Stand By Me, and so on.
13) Guitar All-in-One for Dummies Book Plus Online Video
Are you keen on learning guitar in the most effective way possible? If yes, then consider this excellent music book. It comes with everything starting from the basic chords and positioning to guitar playing styles and theory. Apart from that, the book also contains some maintenance tips or advice for your musical instrument. If you are a beginner player or an advanced guitar player, you will find this book helpful as it comes with lots of resources that will bring out the best in you.
The book will enable you to make your composition, and express yourself, understand the guitar playing techniques, take practical exercises for dexterity, memory, and memory. When you open this book, you will discover a lot of things such as chord rhythm techniques, deciphering tablature and music notation, numerous music examples. They are structured to help you develop your skills quickly and start playing classical, blues, rock, and acoustic guitar.
14) Mr. Joseph Guitar: The First 100 Chords for Guitar
Do you desire to use chords to make songs instantly? If that is your desire, then you should not look past this excellent book by Mr. Joseph. The book is packaged to teach the entire essential chord on the guitar. Not only that, you will master strumming and learn how chords work. Furthermore, the book will expose you to chord progression building, and you will be able to apply what you learned to make songs without stress. The book is perfect for those who find it difficult to learn guitar chords. Apart from that, it enables players to strum rhythm effectively.
The First 100 Chors for Guitar contains 88 pages, and it is published on November 19th, 2016, by www.fundamental-changes.com. Some of what the book offers are tricks to subconsciously move your fingers, effective practice routine, playing chord the right way, among others.
15) Bert Casey Acoustic Guitar Primer Book for Beginners
The Acoustic Guitar Primer Book for Beginners features eighteen songs that are explained using three speeds, each with vocals as well as acoustic bands. It comes with audio access and online video designed to help beginners learn the basics of guitar. Furthermore, the book is designed to teach student players to lead playing and rhythm. It kicks off by exposing you to the beginning concept like chords, finger positioning, understanding parts of the guitar, and how to read guitar tabs accurately. As you progress, you will learn more advanced techniques and how you can play simple songs.
The courses in this music book are designed for progressive learning; they include one-hour video instruction, a complete chord chart, among others. Some of the songs that you will come across in this book are Amazing Grace, Dark Hollow, Pallet on Your Floor, Worried Man Blue, and so on.
16) Damon Ferrante Guitar Book for Adult Beginners
Published by Steeplechase Arts in 2017, the Guitar Book for an Adult beginner is a must-have for every serious player. It was written by Damon Ferrante, a renowned music professor with several years of experience in teaching students how to play the guitar. It features step-by-step lessons that teach adult players how to play the musical instrument. The method employed in this book is useful as it adopts an approach that is easy to understand, making guitar learning an engaging, fun, and interactive exercise. The book is designed to enrich your knowledge and improve your playing skills.
This is an excellent book for you, whether you are learning with a music tutor or you want to teach yourself how to play the musical instrument. The book, along with its video course, will help you achieve your dream of becoming an excellent player in no time. Furthermore, the books and its video course will teach you how to play famous songs like Amazing Grace, Silent Night, When the Saints go marching in, Take Me Out to the Ballgame, Aura Lee, among others.
17) Advanced Arpeggio Soloing for Guitar
If you desire to create sophisticated sound without stress, then you should opt for the Advanced Arpeggio Soloing for Guitar. Apart from that, the book is designed to improve your arpeggio vocabulary. It takes you beyond the conventional licks and drills to more advanced techniques t improve your playing skills.
In this book, you will learn more than 130 arpeggios licks that are ready for use, create high-speed lines and melodic phrases that are perfect for many playing styles, and many more. The book contains 100 pages, and it was published on November 18th, 2018.
The Advanced Arpeggios Soloing for Guitars is a unique book that draws inspiration from advanced jazz theory, teaching you what you might never come across anywhere. You will have the opportunity to learn triad stacks, triad pairs, scale integration, as well as extended arpeggios.
18) Triumph Studio Guitar Lessons for Beginners
This book was written based on several years of experience in teaching students how to play guitar; it is one of the most informative books you can get on guitar. It is worth noting that the book is designed for a total beginner. Meaning that the book can be used effectively by those without a music background. The Triumph Studio Guitar Lesson is published on July 20th, 2019, and it is written in English. It contains about 159 pages.
The book is enriched with the experience of the author as an experienced guitar player. It is packaged to teach you the basic things you need to know when it comes to playing the musical instrument. You will learn how to play some famous songs; there are also some useful resources that will help you become an excellent guitarist. If you need a guitar guide book that is designed to help you achieve your dream, then consider the Triumph Studio Guitar Lessons.
19) Fearless Fingerstyle by Dan Thorpe
Do you need an excellent book that will teach you the correct fingerstyle? If yes, then consider this unique book by Dan Thorpe. The book is designed for all categories of players. Whether you are a student, an intermediate player, or an advanced player, you will find the book rewarding.
Furthermore, the Fearless Fingerstyle is designed for those who are stuck with their guitar progress. It will present hem with an easy-to-adopt method that will help them fulfill their quest. The book was published independently on May 26th, 2019. It was written in English, and it contains 96 pages.
When you get this great book, you will learn how to play your favorite guitar songs, add expression and excitement to your music, and lots more. The book comes with eight essential techniques that will you achieve your desire to become good at fingerpicking. Each method is demonstrated with five examples each, showing you the simplest way to play complex music with high-quality MP3 and tab.
20) Guitar Scales for Beginners by Guitar Head
With this excellent guitar book, you can master your first guitar scale without any hassle. Many players become frustrated while learning scales; this book is designed to put an end to the difficulties associated with learning the guitar scale. Furthermore, the book adopts an easy-to-follow approach. It features different exercises to get you started quickly, numerous lick ideas that will enable you to put what you have learned into practice, backing tracks that will allow you to play along, and many more.
The book was published independently on May 27th, 2019. It was written in English and contained 113 pages. It comes with the required tool you need to create music of your dream. If you want to learn guitar scales in the most natural way possible, then consider the Guitar Scales for Beginners.
Choosing the Best Guitar Books
The books we have reviewed come with different subjects, and they are designed to make your learning process easier and faster. They employ methods that are beginner-friendly and simple to follow. So, if you are a beginner player looking for an excellent guitar book to get you started, then take note of the subjects we highlighted above and select the right music book for you.
2) Hal Leonard Guitar Method Complete Edition
- Easy to Follow & Understand
- Audio Examples for Demonstration
- Designed for Acoustic or Electric Guitarists
1) David M. Brewster’s Teach Yourself to Play Guitar
- Bright Illustrations
- Uncomplicated & Practical Guitar-Playing Fundamentals
- Ideal for Beginner Guitarists
- Pocket-Friendly Price
3) Tom Kolb Music Theory for Guitarists
- Easy-to-Understand Illustrations & Terms
- Scales Mode Chords Ear Training
- Optimal for All Level of Guitarists