Step into Music for Guitar

Patrick Van Mil was a freelance writer in Banff, Alberta.

In her introduction to this volume, Mary Helen Tremain states that she anticipates “this book Step into Music for Guitar will be of value for guitarists.” Her hope may be realized if the budding guitarist is a child. If, however, the novice is an adult, then he might be better off to skip this book, since its simple style will probably bore rather than challenge.

The volume introduces three scales, a dozen easy chords, and many standard simple tunes popular in childhood. Christmas carols are also included. Very little theory is offered. Only strumming and simple melody lines are introduced. Perhaps simple and effective finger accompaniment patterns should also have been mentioned. The style of language is simple and the progression of exercises is slow and repetitive. For example, four pages are spent covering the simple four-string chords of G, G7 and C.

Criticism should be given to certain features of the book. There is not one fully labelled diagram of a guitar. Standard chord window diagrams and symbols, which could help the student expand his or her interest beyond the present volume, are not used. Lastly, guitar tuning, one of the most basic operations, is explained quite well into the book and not at the beginning where it belongs.

In spite of the above, the book is not a horrendous product. Ms. Tremain states that “available [guitar] books started at an advanced stage of learning, leaving the student with a frustrating gap, that was usually too wide to jump across.” In her fervour to avoid writing such a volume, the author has created one that is very, very simple. Small children will appreciate this, and that fact is indeed meritorious. Others may want something a bit more challenging.