Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 46
 Truly a jewel November 23, 2004
Raj (India)
128 out of 130 found this review helpful
Mark Hanson is considered to be amongst the top instructors today in the fingerstyle domain. He regularly holds fingerstyle workshops and has authored over 30 books and videos, all on the same subject - fingerstyle guitar. He has also interviewed several fingerstyle authorities such as Leo Kottke and James Taylor.
This book is considered by many as the leading fingerstyle instruction book. There are several very good reasons for the high number of votes Mark's books receive; and WHY you should buy this book.
1. Travis picking (alternate bass with melody) is the foundation of fingerstyle guitar. Nearly every fingerstyle guitarist from Rev. Gary Davis to Muddy Waters to Robert Johnson to Leo Kottke and Chet Atkins has used the Travis picking method. This book is the bible of Travis picking.
2. The book requires no knowledge of the instrument. I couldn't switch chords comfortably when I received this book. In fact I only knew the C and G chords. With some patience and determination I learnt more than 30 chords by the time I was at the end of the book, and obviously I also learnt to switch between them effortlessly.
3. Mark lays out very logical examples throughout the book to ensure you are progressing the right way. There is a practice song after every chapter to make certain you are comfortable maintaining the rhythm and will face no difficulty if you encounter a similar pattern in any other song outside of the book. The instruction is very clear and there is absolutely no ambiguity even for a novice. It's almost like the author is holding your hand throughout. I am no dazzling guitarist (read no natural flair) and had no teachers while I was using this book. I waded through it without any major hold-ups. There is also a CD included where Mark plays the pieces at both half and full speeds. If you have heard `Dust in the Wind' by Kansas; after only a week with this book you'll be able to play that song, albeit not at performance speed.
4. The book has a sequel; the Art of Solo Fingerpicking. The sequel is for intermediate/advanced fingerpickers only. The sequel ensures you get to learn the most complex fingerpicking techniques, including breaking out of pattern playing (i.e. Travis Picking). Once you have mastered both the books playing fingerstyle guitar in any genre (blues, jazz, classical, country, folk etc.) will be unchallenging. Of course this is not easy and will take time; but the results will leave you fulfilled.
5. Mark is a wonderful person. I had a query regarding the use of thumbpicks and fingernails and shot him a mail. He immediately replied back and addressed the query in detail. It's nice to know you can repose faith in the author/instructor and he is there to tackle any issues you have. Further, he runs a website accentonmusic.com which carries articles on fingernails, amplification of acoustic guitars, contemporary music, newsletters, etc. all of which are really useful. There are tons of resources on the web, but only so few are reliable. Also, it's tough to judge an author by a single book. Every book of Mark is really enjoyable and he has a truckload of material to offer. I was a big zero with music theory and Mark has promised to write a book on that (he's graduated in Music). Can't wait to get hold of it.
6. I own as many as 8 other `bestselling' fingerstyle books for beginners and intermediates and a few videos too. Only one book comes anywhere close - Beginning Fingerstyle Blues - by Arnie Berle. Even that one does not specify how many fingers to use, right hand position, thumbpicks or not etc. You will certainly require answers to these once you take the plunge. Fortunately Mark's book takes good care of the reader here. His passion for fingerstyle is contagious.
When you buy an instruction book, the most important investment you make is your time. You don't want to follow an instruction book devotedly for 6 months only to realise there is a better book out there; it leaves you in self-doubt and may hinder your progress. You will never be in a quandary with this book. Very few books have information pouring out of every page. Such books are priceless and will stand the test of time. The Art of Contemporary Travis Picking is one such book. Written in 1986, it works wonders even today - nearly 20 years later.
If fingerstyle guitar eludes you, buy or borrow this book. I promise you will be grinning ear to ear after carrying out the instructions. It's easy, many have done it, and so can you!
Very highly recommended!
Mark is tops: this book is like taking lessons with him! January 12, 2002
Catherine (San Jose, CA United States)
40 out of 41 found this review helpful
I had the privilege of taking weekly lessons for a year and a half with Mark. He brought me to the point of not only easily picking James Taylor, John Denver and CSN tunes but also playing the complex instrumentals of Leo Kotke, William Ackermann and others. All in 1.5 years!!Mark is a patient, thorough, kind and absolutely top notch teacher. He first started me out on this book (I could only play basic chords before then). How the book is written is as careful and clear as he is in person. Learning guitar could be very frustrating. Before meeting Mark, I had invested in many guitar books and instructional videos. I now rate them all a C+ compared to this book which is a solid A. Going through "The Art of Contemporary Travis Picking" is like taking lessons directly with Mark. It's that good.
There are instruction books - and then there's Mark Hanson April 28, 2004
15 out of 15 found this review helpful
If you have been playing guitar for a bit and have learned the standard 5-6 chords, but are no longer satisfied, then this book can get you to the next level. Fifteen years ago, I picked up this book and tape set after a year of strumming away at Beatle, Dylan, etc.. tunes. It provided a simple and enjoyable entry into learing fingerstyle guitar. I have bought dozens of other guitar books and can say that this one was the best 'teaching' book I read. No jargon, no complicated charts, just a few simple practice patterns and some fun tumes to play. Also don't miss the companion book The Art of Solo Fingerpicking, which picks up right where this one leaves off. I still get a lot of kudos when I play the The Art of Solo Fingerpicking tunes to other musicians. No doubt, the best two book music instruction set I ever bought.
Excellent educational tool February 2, 1999
12 out of 12 found this review helpful
Hanson is a uniquely gifted teacher who doesn't condescend to the beginning guitarist and doesn't quickly lose the beginner like Kieth Wyatt. Step by step he takes you through difficult arrangements, so that with some practice you have some beautifully original tunes under your belt. He quickly disposes with standard open chords and opens up the neck of the guitar to exploration and discovery to a range of sounds. He doesn't go into theory which is either an advantage or a disadvantage depending on how you look at it. Personally, I would like to know some of the musical theory and couldn't think of a better tutor than Mark. I'm slowly acculmulating all his books. If you are going to buy a guitar book, let it be a Mark Hanson book!
A truly ...starter book for finger picking February 7, 2003
Joseph A. Twiraga (Quincy, MA United States)
12 out of 12 found this review helpful
Greatest book ever if you want to learn fingerstyle. I'm about three quarters of the way through now, and can't believe I'm playing some of this stuff. You have to know some basic chords (open A, D, G, etc.) to get going, and towards the end of the book some Barre chords come into play, but it's nothing too difficult. I just wish I had found this book years ago.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 46
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