The Mel Bay Guitar Method is a venerable approach to our beloved instrument, and I have reviewed it for your consideration. As great as it is, without the proper guidance through it, I firmly believe it will cause more harm than good with most people.

This is no fault of the author. He wanted to put together a comprehensive and progressive order of material that really teaches someone the guitar in a complete musical way. He couldn't do that AND teach you everything you need to know about how to really be SUCCESSFUL in learning the material! 

I will teach you that. Everything on this site, and most especially, everything in The Principles, is what it takes to be successful with this book, or any other guitar book. 

If you are using the Mel Bay method, there are a number of basic things you should already be familiar with and developing, without which, you WILL NOT LEARN PROPERLY! That means this:


You will struggle with and never really be able to play or feel comfortable with the music.

OR

You will manage to get the notes, but you will be building in many limitations to your abilities and potential for future development as a guitarist. 

 

Here are the basic concepts and skills you must know to be successful with this book:

The need for attention while practicing. The concept of Muscle Memory. The concepts and experience of The Heavy Arm, The Floating Arm, The Light Finger, and The Firm Finger. Ability to use a metronome and The Basic Practice Approach in daily practice.

These concepts and skills are exhaustively treated in The Principles. Armed with this knowledge, you will be able to make great use of the instructions I will give you here concerning how to deal with many of the difficulties you will have as you work with this book.