Perfect for diverse styles ranging from classical to rock, the guitar is one of today's most popular instruments. With this invaluable guide, written by a professional concert guitarist, beginners will find all the knowledge they need to start playing, plus plenty of tips on purchasing and caring for their instrument. A "Learning to Play" section introduces musical notation, left and right hand technique, and a simple version of "Malagueña" to play. With the introduction of chords, players can proceed to classical pieces, and then to a variety of popular styles, including blues, jazz, bossa nova, folk, pop/rock, and flamenco, all illustrated with examples.
Carlos Bonell studied at the Royal College of Music with John Williams. He was appointed the youngest ever professor there in 1972. He has played in many parts of the world, including most European capitals, and has appeared regularly with all the major British orchestras and at many international festivals. His 1981 recording for Decca of Rodrigo's Concierto de Aranjuez with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra and Charles Dutoit has been repeatedly singled out as the finest version available. Carlos Bonell has also recorded for EMI, ASV, CBS and Upbeat Classics.