The Full-Blast, Take-No-Prisoners Guitar Method!

Comprehensive 11 Volume guide covering everything from basic chords to advanced techniques.

The Full-Blast, Take No Prisoners Guitar Method evolved to address the shortcomings of commercially available methods. The music is written in the various styles of American popular music (primarily the many different styles of rock, blues, folk, R&B, funk and jazz). There are lots of tunes to play at each level, so that you're on solid ground when you take the step to the next level. And finally, it will eventually take you to a very advanced level of play (it's presently 11 volumes and still growing). All of the exercises and tunes have been "battle-tested" by thousands (!!!) of patient victims students. You learn to read music in standard notation, and play all basic chords and scales. Rhythm is thoroughly covered. The method includes common-sense explanations of both technique and music theory (there's even a companion series "Music Theory for the Guitarist" for an in-depth look at the application of music theory and improvisation on the guitar).

What it doesn't have is a lot of squirming around, in misguided attempts to try and avoid the "hard stuff", thereby avoiding the "actually learning how to play stuff". If you want to play music, you need to learn about music… and learning to read "notes" is the easy part (you only need to learn 'em 2 or 3 at a time). The things that take most of the practice are getting your fingers to do what you want them to do, and learning to play in rhythm. All the "tabs' off the internet", YouTube videos and "enclosed CD's" aren't going to help much with that... But it is easy if you just take it one small step at a time…

Volume 1 – An introduction to the “music stuff” you want learn to play, and the weird-looking secret code for it – “notes”. The parts of the guitar, how to hold and tune it, and other basic stuff (like which fingers are which). Then learn to read and play notes on all six strings (adding one string at a time). You also learn basic 2 & 3-note chords, and play duets.

Volume 2 – “Get moving” with eighth note rhythms and learn about sharps and flats (the notes we skipped over in vol.1). Tempo, dynamics and articulations (how fast, how loud, and how long) are covered. Then “get funky” with eighth note syncopations. Finally, multi-part solos (you become a one-person band! Also covers 4, 5 and 6-string chords

Volume 3 – Along the first part of “Music Theory for the Guitarist”, learn about intervals and scale construction, and apply that to learn about key signatures (1-sharp & 1-flat). Then get flashy with sizzling sixteenth notes. Finally, Move on up to 2-sharp & 2-flat key signatures.

Volume 4 – Start off with 2, 3, 5 and 7-beat rhythms., and then play triplet eighth-note rhythms. Learn the basic full-bar chords and eighth-sixteenth note rhythms. Chord types and movable chords are covered. Finally, do syncopated accents and muted notes.

Volume 5 – Get “swingin’” with shuffle rhythms and triplet quarter notes. Start moving up the fingerboard with second positionnotes and chords. Learn intricate syncopated sixteenth-note rhythms, and finally, start “cuttin’ up” with cut time and related rhythms.

Volume 6 – Starts with an introduction to slurs (hammer-ons & pull-offs), and then covers 3-sharp & 3-flat key signatures. Then it’s compound time rhythms, and finishes with Add9, Sus4 & Dominant 9th Chords.

Volume 7 – Move up into third position notes and chords. Learn slides and finish with 4-sharp & 4-flat key signatures.

Volume 8 – Learn 5th & 4th position notes and chords. Then it’s an introduction to grace notes. Finally, “pedal to the metal” with sextuplets & triplet 16th note rhythms.

Volume 9 – Starts with an introduction to 7th & 6th position notes and chords. Then play with 5-sharp & 5-flat key signatures, 32nd note rhythms and finish with trills

Volume 10 – “Max out” with 6-sharp & 6-flat key signatures. Then “take it higher” into 9th, 8th and finally 10th positions (notes and chords, of course)

Volume 11 – String Bends, Vibrato, 12th & 11th positions and 8va notation