My friend has just begun to take guitar lessons. While listening to him practice I took notice of the book he was learning from. In my opinion, a beginner’s book about learning a new instrument should contain visuals. This book had no visuals. It described the strumming techniques in brief technical details with no pictures to show an example. The first problem is if this is a beginner’s book, how would a beginner understand musical terms. For example, one of the exercises tells the beginner to play the strings alternating “index and medius, and then medius and annularis.” How would a beginner player know that the medius is the middle finger and the annularis is the ring finger? (Index is understandable). There should be a picture of a hand that names each finger. The thumb is called the pollex, and how would a beginner know that pollex is thumb unless he understood Latin? In my opinion, this is a poor excuse for a beginner’s guitar book and I wonder how this book ever got published.Denise
I know what you mean. I once tried teaching myself to play the piano using my friend’s beginner’s manual that accompanies her lessons. There was no place in the book that says you need lessons, but it did have pictures to show which finger goes where. Unfortunately, it doesn’t teach you how to read the notes…I guess that’s a whole other book. Either way, they should have had an introduction on that for those who of us who are REAL beginners.
Anywho, I’ll stick to writing…hey, maybe there should be a manual on how to digest technical information…
Hey guys,
I play both piano and guitar and I’ve attempted to learn both from books so I know your plight. The one thing I would have to say, and I’m sorry for all you die-hard technical writers who have to hear this, I don’t think certain things can truly be conveyed via technical and instructional writing. Things like guitar and piano, painting, teaching, speaking etc. Sometimes hands on really means hands on and the only way to pick something up is to do it or be guided along by a teacher. That’s why online degrees are worthless and we’re not just reading about how to complete technical writing.
Peace