Book excerpt: The guitar is the most popular instrument in the world yet most students of the guitar are self taught. This book is a comprehensive for guitar students who have no prior musical training. No matter what type of guitar you play, this book will give you the information you need, and trouble shoot the various pitfalls that can hinder the self-taught musician. The author knows from over 25 years of teaching experience that students form most of their good and bad habits in the first six months of practicing. It is therefore extremely important to use a method book that clearly and concisely covers the important subjects of proper playing technique, tuning, picking, strumming, music theory and rhythm. Furthermore, the only way a student can remember the information learned is to apply it. The hardest part of learning the guitar for a student is switching between chords. This unique method book contains chord progressions using both "open" and "barre" chords that gradually take a student from a beginning level to an advanced level. The publisher's website also has mp3 and midifiles to be played along with, for developing the strumming, time and feel for each chord progression. The chord progressions presented are commonly found in hard rock, rock, folk, blues and country, giving the student a solid harmonic foundation in all these styles. This method book not only gives you pages of pictures but also gives you access to video clips via the publisher's website to demonstrate playing basics in action. The Muse-eek Publishing Company believes the education of a student shouldn't stop with the purchase of a book, therefore our website, offers a FAQ page where students can write in to the author with questions that may and a free "member's section" where students can download other learning materials to further their education.