Search - Beyond Basics: Fingerstyle Guitar on DVD

Not much explanation

chungking | California | 10/21/2006

(2 out of 5 stars)

"I am close to a beginner - have had a few months of jazz and classical guitar lessons, and hoped to get some new insights from this DVD. I was disappointed:

- On the right hand, the patterns Mark teaches are very simple - not really taking advantage of the video medium. The Travis picking he demonstrates is very elementary - you could learn more on youtube. He makes few comments about technique, and his own technique (judging from the few classical lessons I had) was not that great either.

- More disappointing was the left hand: Mark walks us through some compositions he has created for this DVD, but for the most part, he doesn't explain what he is doing, or why. So you can, if you want, learn to play exactly what he is playing, but if you want to vary in any way, or use this knowledge as a building block for your own development ... well, you can't.

On the plus side, Mark has a friendly, open teaching style. The video production is good, and the small accompanying booklet helps. This video might help someone who has no experience whatsoever of the guitar. All the same I have to think that there are others (with better explanations) out there."

Excellent intro to fingerstyle guitar

W. G. Moore | Clinton, SC | 09/04/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I have really enjoyed and benefited from this DVD. I also bought the Fingerstyle Guitar book in order to gain from both teaching media. The DVD is well produced, and the teaching is excellent.

One of the difficult matters in learning fingerstyle is getting those picking hand fingers functioning properly. The songs in Hanson's DVD are fun to learn and helpful in training picking patterns and muscle memory."