Classic Guitar Technique -- Supplement 1: Slur, Ornament, and Reach Development Exercises (Shearer Series) Paperback – March 1, 1985

I turned 60 years old when my daughter for my birthday asked if I would like to have guitar lessons, that she would pay for---absolutely yes. This was one of the items I purchased for my classes which lasted several weeks. This was and is still very helpful for me today. I may never play as well as anyone who is truly gifted, but this book was certainly something that got me plucking on my acoustic guitar, even if only one-string notes at a time. Anyone who loves music and would like to learn to make some on a guitar---go for it. And get this book as part of your supplies to help you enjoy playing a guitar, even at beginners level like me.

I've used this book for over two years, with a professor of classical guitar. The book is excellent, and requires a lot of work and dedication to doing those boring exercises that accompany any serious study of a musical instrument. There are exercises that you may never think you would have a use for, yet they are necessary to develop finger independence and reach to play serious guitar pieces. I find these exercises well worthwhile, and sometimes even motivating.

Very good book, but its strictly for proficient note readers.

I've messed with guitar for 50years, play by ear and am largely self-taught. Mostly folk and country classics. I prefer fingerstyle to flat pick and pretty much gave up singing to play melody. After some success with melodic picking I decided to learn to read and play "real" music. Two of the best teacher-performers in the business recommended the Shearer series. I am working my way through volume one and playing along with the CD and finally understand what I have been mystified by all these years. It's a Lego set for aspiring players that puts the building blocks together in a challenging but satisfying way. But you gotta start with the beginning, even if you've been playing awhile. You may breeze through the early parts, but soon you'll find the slope is steeper and you're having to work at it. That's when it starts to pay off. Have fun.

It is a good extension to a classic classical guitar teaching manual. Still the one since before world war II.

Required for any serious guitarist of any style, the reach development exercises are worth the price of the entire book. Non-classical guitarists might not get much out of the ornament development section, but the slurs and reach development are invaluable as daily drills. Written in standard notation only, so you have to be able to read a little music.

I am (at best) and intermediate player who has returned to the instrument after many years. This book yields many exercises to help refine one's slur and ornament technique.

This book is a classic by a master teacher. Comments by anyone less talented and experienced should carry little value. That said, it is very helpful to this relative beginner.