Packed with music, charts and photos, this easy-to-use guidebook provides lessons for playing electrics and acoustics by some of the guitar world's top teachers - pros like Arlen Roth, Rick Gartner, Happy Traum, and Dan Crary. Topics range from the basics to "getting serious," and include: reading music, fretboard positioning, chords, strumming, bass runs, flatpicker's rhythm licks, fingerpicking, playing the blues, barre chords and their variations, techniques for practising based on listening, and more. The companion CD contains 12 lessons in the book, from stringing and tuning the guitar to playing the blues scale in all positions and keys. Plus - readers get tips on how to shop for a guitar and amp, glossaries of basic guitar and amplifier terms, and an inspiring album discography of master players representing all walks of guitar music.