Book excerpt: "This approach really works. It holds my student's interest." These are typical comments on the effectiveness of William Bay's Guitar Class Method. As no other instrument lends itself to so many moods and styles of music (blues, folk, rock, country, classical, flamenco, jazz, etc.), playing the guitar as a popular mode of expression and the instrument itself have become an integral part of American life. The Guitar Class Method was written with the hope it would expand the range of people of all ages who would be exposed to the guitar through a meaningful, authoritative method that is easy to follow. Volume 1 of this method for individual or group study offers an overview of the various styles of guitars and playing techniques with advice on purchasing and caring for the instrument, selecting guitar strings, and playing positions. Includes special sections devoted specifically to chord strumming, blues structure and style, fingerstyle technique, note reading, and music theory. The individual sections can be used simultaneously in any order to take the class in any direction it wants. Written in standard notation and tablature with chords presented in both diagram and photo format. Lyrics are included for many songs and a few melodies are presented as duet arrangements. Includes access to online audio.