Search - Hal Leonard Guitar Method DVD: For the Beginning Electric or Acoustic Guitarist on DVD

This and the method books are a great way to start

Damon K. Tanner | Tooele, Utah USA | 06/21/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I bought this in order to supplement the method books I am currently studying. Its much more informative than the "Dummies" dvd and you will learn more. My only complaint is when using it to do chapter searches(get to a specific point) it is very confusing. It also would be better with a supplemental book that contains the songs you learn. Still buy it you will be glad you did.I would also recommend Hal Leonards Method books as well. Enjoy!!!!"

This is a good choice!

A. Bailey | New York, NY | 06/15/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This course (DVD + Books) may not be the most fun, but it does cover all the bases better than any other SINGLE course out there. To tell you my honest opinion if having fun while learning the guitar is what you want to do, then I would say go with "Guitar Basics" by Bruce Buckingham and work your way up through the Musicians Institue series of courses. The main difference between these series is that Guitar Method starts with reading music and picking out "lame" melodies, where as Guitar Basics starts you out with playing chords and chord progressions. So the decision is really in the hands of where you want to start. Chords or notes?"

No method, no teaching

J. Williams | 05/08/2008

(1 out of 5 stars)

"As a professional musician (not guitar) and teacher, it is possible that I approach this with a higher expectation of what should happen in an educational setting than most; but I am hard pressed to find a "method" to this DVD, or really to identify where any actual teaching occurs. All this DVD contains are mediocre demonstrations with no explanations as to how to do things or why they work. If actually taught, the material in this DVD would be great, but its really nothing more than a play-along DVD that leaves figuring out the why and how to the student. Further, there is no technique taught past elementary tips on holding the guitar ("most people hold it kind of like this ...") and holding the picking ("grab it like this and then make fine adjustments"). I've encoutered guitar lessons with better content and clearer instruction on youtube and am very sad to have spent money to purchase this DVD. Look elsewhere!"

Useful, but only along with the book

M. Keisling | Fairfax, VA USA | 05/26/2008

(3 out of 5 stars)

"I recently purchased the Hal Leonard Guitar Method book, packaged with a CD and this DVD. The DVD is good, because there is a brief explanation by Kolb before each song, but a beginner needs to work on the book alone before jumping in to the DVD. The DVD should probably only be sold together with the book. One other catch: the written music that scrolls along the bottom of the screen is sometimes too slow and often doesn't appear until Kolb begins to play. The viewer needs to see the music to begin the song. I had to get a quick look at the beginning of the song, then rewind before I could play many of the songs. Stll worth while, but get the book also."