"Guitar-Intro" is a Three-Book series developed after 20 years of guitar teaching in many different situations by the Montes-Kircher guitar Duo. Volume One is in 2 versions - German and International. All books have CDs and can be used independently of each other - a teacher's manual is in preparation.
"Guitar-Intro II" - THE ENSEMBLE BOOK is not only the companion volume to volume 1 of the series, it is an extraordinary book of 70 works for 1-5 guitars with the theme "building musicianship and technique in ensemble playing". It includes the colour stickers so popular in Volume 1 of the series. Contains a broad palette of original compositions, Pop songs, Hits from Musicals etc. etc., contains 2 practice CDs. Ideal for home or class. Builds on your dexterity as a bass player and develops your ability to play in all styles and handle all rhythms. Includes: The Walking Bass, Bass Format and Chord Variations, Cross String Studies, Two Finger and Left Hand Dexterity, Finger Control, and much more… The real book is extremely accurate, neat and is designed above all, for practical use.

This new second edition contains tunes that are re-arranged and re-transcribed so that you may study and play these works accurately.

This book comes complete with play-a-long CD. It contains a collection of contemporary music which is fun to play and equally enjoyable to listen to . It gives the opportunity to improvise within a variety of musical settings including latin, modal jazz, funk, new age and calypso. The material included in this excellent book/CD set is challenging and exposes the guitarist to new styles and techniques. The official syllabis of The Royal Conservatory of Music are essential references for all teachers, students, and parents. Carlos Pérez, Frank Martin's Quatre Pièces Brèves (Part 2), The European Guitar (Part 3), Rincón Flamenco, The Guitar in Iberoamerica, Events, Festivals & Competitions, Concert Diary, Teachers & Societies Directories, Letters.

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At last! Here are Paolo Bellinati’s long-awaited solo guitar arrangements of 10 of the 12 compositions featured on the Mel Bay Publications DVD, Paulo Bellinati Plays Antonio Carlos Jobim. Written in standard notation only with brief performance notes for each piece, these arrangements would best be approached by the intermediate to advanced classic guitarist.

In this collection, masterful Brazilian guitarist Paolo Bellinati has meticulously transcribed his solo guitar arrangements of ten melodies by his beloved countryman and pioneering bossa nova composer, Antonio Carlos Jobim. Bellinati particularly labored over his arrangements of Jobim’s instrumental compositions, i.e., songs without lyrics as these “reveal a much more sophisticated Jobim, closer to his favorite classical composers…”

The book also contains arrangements of lyrical songs “of a more introspective and romantic character,” including “Luiza” which Bellinati regards as “the most beautiful and perfect Brazilian song ever written.

The book also includes substantial biographies of both the author/arranger and the composer, plus a notation key illuminating the special techniques needed to effectively render these arrangements- all lending additional insight to the music itself.

Sittin’ In with the Big Band: Jazz Ensemble Play-Along is written at the easy to medium-easy level. It provides an opportunity to play along with a professional jazz ensemble to improve your playing 24/7. As you play along and listen to the outstanding players in the band, you’ll learn about blend, style, phrasing, tone, dynamics, technique, articulation, and playing in time, as well as a variety of Latin, swing, ballad and rock styles. Performance tips and suggestions are included in each book. Books are available for alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, trumpet, trombone, piano, bass, guitar and drums.

Titles include: “Vehicle,” “Sax to the Max,” “Nutcracker Rock,” “Fiesta Latina,” “Now What,” “Goodbye My Heart,” “Two and a Half Men,” “Burritos to Go,” “Drummin’ Man,” “Swingin’ Shanty” and “Play That Funky Music.”

Features:

Eleven big-band charts arranged by a variety of top writers

Play-along CD with demo track

Solo improvisation opportunities

Performance tips/suggestions

This second volume of classic guitar solos from Argentine virtuoso, Jorge Morel, presents five intermediate to advanced pieces dedicated to fellow guitarists: Ricardo Iznaola, Augustín Barrios, Eli & Ann Kassner, Liona Boyd and Raphaella Smits. Two of the five pieces are in drop-D tuning. Standard notation only with detailed left-hand fingering provided. Titles are: 'Aire de Gato', 'Recordando A Barrios', 'Barcarole', 'Little Serenade', 'Rondo a la Latino'. This book contains authentic record transcriptions of Buddy Holly’s greatest hits. The 15 songs in the collection include vocal line, lyrics, chords, rhythm guitar parts and transcribed guitar solos. Titles are: 'Heartbeat', 'I'm Lookin' for Someone to Love', 'It's So Easy', 'Listen to Me', 'Lonesome Tears', 'Love's Made a Fool of You', 'Maybe Baby', 'Not Fade Away', 'Oh Boy!', 'Peggy Sue', 'Rock Me Baby', 'That'll Be The Day', 'Well All Right', 'Words of Love', 'You've Got Love'. Learn and explore the music of one of the most respected and pioneering jazz guitar players of our time. This book/CD pack provides a hands-on analysis of 13 great performances: ‘Affirmation’, ‘Billie's Bounce (Bill's Bounce)’, ‘Body Talk’, ‘The Borgia Stick’, ‘Breezin', ‘C-Smooth’, ‘Clockwise’, ‘The Cooker’, ‘Easy Living’, ‘So What’, ‘Stormy Weather’, ‘Take Five’, ‘This Masquerade’. The CD includes full-band examples of all the exercises. Part of Latarski's 'The Progressive Guitarist' series in which each book concentrates on a particular area of jazz guitar. 'Introduction to Chord Theory' presents a practical, step by step approach to the fundamentals of chord construction, analysis and function. This DVD recording of John Abercrombie and Andy LaVerne is the most recent in a musical and personal relationship that has spanned some 25 years. In the past, John and Andy usually played some standard material; but for this project, only original songs by the two of them were recorded. In this way, the performance of the duo is more personal than ever. The emphasis here is the interaction and blend of the instruments, as opposed to just the individual solos. In the duo, things become more exposed and the responsibility of each player becomes greater. It's a challenging and also extremely rewarding situation. A collection of concertos and works by Mauro Giuliani performed by virtuoso guitarists Pepe and Celedonio Romero. Titles are: Guitar Concerto No. 1 in A Op. 30’, ‘Gutiar Concerto No. 2 in A Op. 36’, ‘Variations on ‘I Bin a Kohlbauren Bub’ Op. 49’, ‘Gran Sonata Eroica in A’, ‘Guitar Concerto No. 3 in F Op. 70’, ‘Introduction, Theme with Variations and Polonaise, Op. 65’, ‘Grande Overture, Op. 61’, ‘La Melanconia’, ‘Variations on a Theme by Handel Op. 107’, ‘Variazioni Cencertanti, Op. 130’. This volume brings together what is known of Aguado's life, and gives full details about the publication of his music. It also includes the full text of José Romanillos' article 'Dionisio Aguado - the man'. Also included are the following two publications: The 'Colección de Estudios' of 1820, which contains 46 studies and an explanatory text. Aguado's earliest known work, it is the fruit of his intensive study of the guitar in Spain. It was previously thought lost and has only recently come to light. The 'Nuevo Metado de Guitarra, opus 6, which is a much simpler method than the elaborate one which Aguado had previously published. It consists of 70 pages, with short musical passages and explanatory text in Spanish and French. D'Addario J97 Bouzouki strings are designed specifically for the Bouzouki. The sets are made up of plain steel loop end strings as well as nickel plated steel wound loop end strings. J97 strings provide a bright tone. 19 songs transcribed for bass: ‘Blues for D.P.’, ‘Blues for Two’, ‘Bottoms Up’, ‘Doom’, ‘Eight’, ‘Einbahnstrasse’, ‘Fill in the Blank Spaces’, ‘First Trip’, ‘For Toddlers Only’, ‘Fragile’, ‘Last Resort’, ‘Little Waltz’, ‘Nearly’, ‘New Waltz’, ‘No Flowers Please’, ‘One Bass Rag’, ‘Tail Feathers’, ‘Tear Drop’, ‘The Third Plane’. On this excellent CD the great classical guitarist Stefano Grondona pays homage to three of the baroque periods finest composers Froberger, Bach and Scarlatti. Titles are: ‘Tombeau fait à Paris sur la mort de Monsieur Blancheroche’, ‘Suite No. 2 in D minor’, ‘Suite No. 6 in D Major’ (Froberger), ‘Suite No. 4 in G Major BWV 1010’ (Bach), ‘Sonata in A minor K 431’, ‘Sonata in A Major K 175’ (Scarlatti). Learn Bossa Nova technique and play 15 Brazilian standards. A selection of the most beautiful and well known bossa nova songs, nowadays regarded as an international success. These twelve 'mechanical studies' for guitar are intended as an atmospheric modern counterpart to the classical arpeggio study, a fundamental aspect of right-hand training. Accordingly, the left hand is kept relatively in the background while the right hand explores a particular pattern, texture, or technique. After playing the theme por “Bulerías” called Yaiza, there follows a detailed study of the seven falsetas and the finishing off, demonstrating a wide variety of rasgueos. Each falseta is played: 1) at a slow pace accompanied by metronome (finger rapping and clapping) and with a choice of audio (group, solo guitar, or just finger rapping and clapping) 2) at the full speed of the Bulería, accompanied by clapping, cajón and bass, and with the possibility of choosing the audio (group, solo guitar, highlighting the bass, without guitar or without bass). There is also the option of choosing several tracks of video (the whole group, solo guitar or bass solo) so that guitarists and bass players may practice. DVD is in Spanish, English, French, German and Japanese and both PAL and NTSC (one on each side). It includes a booklet with standard notation and tablature. Guitar: José Manuel Montoya, Cante: Curro Cueto, Bass: Tomás Guero, Cajón: Fco. Manuel Prieto, Clapping: José Merino, Carlos Chamorro, David García, Dance : Carlos Chamorro. The material in this method, when absorbed will teach the student the essentials of the jazz and rock idioms. The author has endeavoured to present an approach which will guarantee a musical foundation and an expertise in teaching and theory that is applicable to the needs of all bass players. Reading and rhythms are stressed throughout the book. The material deals in great depth with the construction and function of all scales, modes and harmonies along with many patterns and ideas using the major, minor, two diminished, augmented, major pentatonic, minor pentatonic and blues scales. The ultimate learning tool for all jazz guitarists. Six legendary jazz performances carefully chosen and transcribed by Jack Grassel in standard notation and tablature. Follow the music, hear all the solos and the on the CD, and play along with the backing tracks. Recorded before a Nashville studio audience, Alex de Grassi in Concert captures the solo artistry of one of the world’s finest steel-string fingerstyle players. Known for his flawless technique, inspired compositions, and melodically inventive style, de Grassi demonstrates his richly orchestrated sound on a dozen standards and originals.

Alex de Grassi is a treasure. I’ve admired his recordings for more than 20 years, but it’s his live performances that really shine. This DVD gives an intimate feel for his technical wizardry as well as his vibrant and poetic music-making which make him one of the most distinctive steel-string guitarists performing today.

David Spelman, Founder & Director of The New York Guitar Festival®

New from Hal Leonard and for the first time available in English, The Art and Craft of Making Classical Guitars presents master luthier Manuel Rodríguez's thoughts on the history of the instrument he loves, and how the guitar attained its prominent position among musical instruments. Filled with fabulous historical photos, priceless memorabilia, abundant diagrams and more, the book covers topics such as the art and development of the guitar, materials used in construction, and much more. Essential for all admirers of the guitar.