I wish I had a nickel for every time that I have heard someone say "I would give anything to be able to play the guitar. In reality, they would give anything but, an hour a day to practice. There are two main roadblocks to learning to play. First you must commit to go through a month of practicing, at least three times a week. Second you need to have a guitar that is actually playable. If you are trying to learn on uncle Roy's hand-me-down Harmony guitar, that has been sitting in a closet without a case for 30 years, your best bet is to take it outside set fire to it, open the wine and roast some marshmallows, because that is the only satisfaction that an unplayable guitar has to offer.

Before you torch uncle Roy's guitar, take it to a reputable music shop and tell them that you are trying to learn to play the guitar, and please examine it to determine if it is playable, if yes then purchase a set of light gauge strings and ask them to install them (most of the time free), if it is not playable, ask if they have a good guitar under $100; that is playable. Remember, just because a guitar has a famous makers name, it doesn't mean that it is playable. Most of the brand name guitars are mass produced and, mass production does not allow the time to set up a guitar for optimum performance. If you are buying used, keep note that you do not know who owned the guitar before. Look at the general condition and it should tell you how the previous owner treated it, also note when buying a electric guitar, that the majority of them are sold to teenagers who think nothing of grabbing the head stock and bending the neck to get what they think is a cool sound. They could care less that it destroys the guitar; Daddy will buy them another one.

Guitar teaching tools have made an unbelievable transformation from the time that I learned to play. Starting out, I had to take a songbook which was supposedly written for guitar/piano and make the best of the situation. The piano parts were perfectly written, and were very helpful; what they gave you for the guitar parts, were strictly generic cords, and if you did not have the piano person playing with you, no one could tell what you were playing.

Sometime in the late 70's, a new tool called tablature arrived, which showed you exactly where to place your fingers and which strings to strum or pick. later in the 80's, you had guitar lessons on video, which was also very helpful. With the addition of DVD, it has never been easier to learn to play. It has gotten down to the point that you only face the two roadblocks mentioned above; practice and playability.

If you have committed to the practice time for a month, and have a playable guitar. then get ready to fulfill your dreams.

I have had the pleasure of reviewing "Learning Guitar- Step 1" from Icons of Rock. I don't know how they can make it any easier learn.

This is a DVD, that will show you how to tune the guitar, how to fret basic and barre cords, numerous scales, finger and cord exercises and a few hot lead guitar licks.

If you are looking for an HBO movie of the week presentation, this is not it. Although it is leaps above the PBS learn to paint shows, and it has a lot higher quality than the other guitar instruction videos that I have seen.

The lessons are hosted by Patrick McCormack, who does an excellent job of working at the comfortable pace of the beginning player, all the while, not talking down to the listener. The instruction is better suited to the beginning electric guitar player, although it will give you a great starting ground for the acoustic guitar. I have played with many acoustical players, who simply know how to keep rhythm to the lead player. It is a rare occurrence when you hear an acoustical player who knows anything about going back and forth from rhythm to lead. The basis for doing just that is on this DVD.

Patrick first walks you through tuning your guitar, on next to basic open cords, then to some not so basic cords. I would have liked to have heard him say that the F cord is going to take you a while, and not just treating it like any other cord. It is one of the hardest for the beginner, also he never mentioned that the F and D cords can be moved up and down the neck in whole steps to make for great strumming practice. What he did mention that suppressed me, was the easy to understand scales, and the note bending from half step to full step. This is not normal beginning guitar playing fodder, although he has made it as easy to understand, as the basic open cords. Also he has a good explanation of the primary and secondary cords with the seventh and minor cords noted. This will enable you to take any song that you can hum and be able to play it by ear or change it to a key the you can sing.

It is easy to play armchair quarterback, and pick away at what they should have included or not included, but the bottom line is that they have produce an A+ DVD, that will more than start you on your way to fulfilling your dreams of playing the guitar.

As a side note, what you will get from Learning Guitar Step 1, is nothing that you have ever envisioned. If you are willing to devote the month of time; you will be gifted with one of the greatest therapy tools that you can ever receive. I remember 30 years ago saying that I would give anything to be able to play the guitar. I gave that first month. Just being able to sit down and bang away making noise is something I wouldn't trade anything for.

Are you willing to give that first month? Get this DVD and realize how easy it can be.

  ( 5 Stars out of 6 )

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