Guitar lessons for blues, rock, jazz, acoustic, fingerstyle and slide guitar

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ACOUSTIC U

ACOUSTIC U is the first quick-learning system for guitar to employ a "cognitive" format, which adapts itself as well to beginners as it does for advanced players. Eight semesters of top-notch instruction cover every style, technique and nuance of acoustic guitar. This study course is unlike anything you've ever seen. Students may cherry-pick their starting point. You don't need to read music. You don't need to learn theory. Each semester includes over 2 hours of audio instruction, 40-60 hours of practice material and is formatted in MP3 (audio), PDF (tab) and Power Tab — which allows you to "see" and "hear" tab played out at any tempo in perfect pitch. Semesters are packaged on CD and include an interactive manual and a free full version of Power Tab software.

ACOUSTIC U is really all about the instructors and artists behind it. In short, the best in the biz. We're talking Chet Atkins, Joe Pass, Adrian Legg, John Renbourn, Happy Traum, Bob Brozman, Andy Ellis, Chris Whitley, Rick Payne, Steve Elliot, Sharon Isbin, Eliot Fisk, Dan Crary, Martin Simpson, Michael Hedges, Richard Thompson, Mark Hanson, Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, Ry Cooder, Keith Richards, Merle Travis, Django Reinhardt, Pat Metheny, Charles Chapman, Adam Levy, Pino Marrone, Roger Ferguson, Joe Deloro, David Grissom, Rory Block, Jude Gold, Benjamin Verdery, Harvey Reid, Jimmy Brown, Robert Phillips, Guillermo Juan Christie, Stacy Phillips, Mark Nelson and dozens of other top pros.

The ACOUSTIC U 8-CD course spans 25 modules of study and 141 individual lessons. You'll learn to master Travis picking, banjo licks, cascade arpeggios, fingerstyle, Celtic fingerstyle, fingerstyle blues, bends, faux lapsteel, alternating bass, arranging, drop-2 voicing, chord melodies, slack key, slide, fingerstyle slide, Latin-style (flamenco, bossanova, salsa and more), trills, cross picking, hybrid picking, modal harmonies, Dobro, polymeters, flatpicking, bluegrass, open tunings, songwriting, Dellashaw, improvisation, chromatic runs, killer bass lines, pedals, classical, unorthodox capo techniques, nail maintenance and everything else you'll need to build your repertoire and take your acoustic chops to the next level.

Superior fingerpicking is the common strength that all acoustic pros share whatever their style - country, blues, folk, rock, or classical. Time to build up all those little muscles in your right hand - they've probably been getting fat and lazy working only a pick. that pick. Some of the finest pluckers in the biz, including Chet Atkins and Happy Traum, drop by to help get your right-hand in great shape in this workout of a semester.

Module 1: Travels with TravisTravels with Travis - Themes and variations on the timeless Travis Picking technique.

Module 2:Thumbthing Special- Most of the time, your picking thumb is busy covering a ton of territory all by its lonesome. Give the little guy a break and some

special attention with these useful techniques.

Module 3: Tricky Fingers - Two deep lessons on tone and technique, followed by a handful of real finger-twisters. Includes two lessons written for electric that will shimmer on your acoustic.

This semester focuses on how important a contribution the guitar makes in the crafting and performance of great songs. Getting your rhythm in the pocket; avoiding clichés; arranging a part that sits right in the mix….this is how you put your playing to work. we look first at playing solid rhythm parts. Then we examine what pros like Bob Dylan and Neil Young have baked into their tunes and suggest some tasty elements you might use, right up to African-inspired split-brain polymeters. Yeah, we said it — split-brain polymeters.

Module 1: Rhythming - For songwriters and accompanists,
the song just won’t fly without a solid foundation. Learn how to lay it down right.

Module 2: Song Building - Learn the fine art of tweaking various elements, including those Split-Brain Polymeters to help turn an idea into a song, from folk-rock thumps to exotic rhythmic cadences. Bonus licks from Neil Young round out this crash course in song development.

Now it's time to hone in on two critical techniques to put that razor's edge on your song crafting. First up is flatpicking, and we’ve tapped virtuosos like Dan Crary and Mark Hanson to show you why practicing this precise art is essential for both building your solo-guitar repertoire as well as spinning heads playing country, folk, bluegrass and pop songs. Then we’re on to open tunings, where we learn that tuner-twirling is not just for slide players and fingerstylists. Take it from Joni Mitchell, Ry Cooder or Keith Richards: these open tunings can be a real can opener for both creativity and composition.

Module 1: Flatpick Precision - Eleven lessons of dazzling plectrum work. There's enough tricks, licks and fingerpicks in this module to keep you sounding fresh for a very long time.

Module 2: Open Wide - Open tuning is the secret ingredient of many of our favorite tunes. And it's easier to learn than you might think. Best of all, your sound and composition skills will explode with new possibilities. Put standard tuning to the side for a bit, start twisting those pegs and take a walk out into the open.

Get ready for a bone-shakin’ stove-pipe rattlin’ po boy’s down-home fingerstyle blues jubilee. Blues and the guitar are deeply rooted to each other. Our instrument of choice reflects the soul and emotion of this timeless style. And there are few things in life sweeter and more satisfying to play than fingerstyle blues. So kick back and lets have some fun this semester. We cover a bit of technical stuff, tweak your bottleneck skills and then stoke up your repertoire. Dig in.

Module 1: Fingers to the Bone -
Gots to pay your dues. Let's start with essential techniques and work our way up to the tough stuff.

Module 2: Doggone Slide - The truly blue notes come with the bang, rattle and moan of bottleneck playing. A workout for purists.

Module 3: Repertoire - Now that you’ve got some chops, here’s some fingerstyle blues you can work into your performances.

Now it's time to explore the art and personality of fingerstyle guitar. The elegance of fingerstyle really shines in solo settings where the instrument alone is responsible for melody, harmony and rhythm. This semester guides your learning of techniques that players like Leo Kottke, Davy Graham, and Adrian Legg have mastered to drop jaws for decades. You'll travel from fundamentals to fingerstyle fury with instruction from the top cats in their respective fields.

Module 1: Ambidexterity - More so than any other guitar technique, fingerstyle demands precision coordination between the left and right hands. Here's the low-down on the technique along with a few finger tricks to accelerate your learning.

Module 2: Broader Thinking - Expand the margins of your fingerstyle by employing open tunings and imitating other instruments.

Module 3: Legg Up - Adrian Legg reinvented fingerstyle with technique that you gotta see to believe and a musical vision that crosses over all styles and flavors. Legg is a genius picker and your solo instructor for this entire module.

Module 4: Master Strokes - In-depth studies of techniques used by Michael Hedges, Chet Atkins and Richard Thompson. Could you possibly ask for more?

Module 5: Repertoire - John Renbourn and Preston Reed help fill out your set list with a choice selection of tunes for solo guitar.

Jazzers may plug in today more often than not, but jazz guitar is all about acoustic techniques, feel and sound. The polished craftsmanship of Django, Joe Pass, Pat Metheny and dozens of other top jazz players is based in the acoustic arts. The lessons selected for this semester, many taught on electric hollow-bodies, reveal new dimensions for acoustic players whatever their preferred style. Learn these techniques, licks and fretboard acrobatics to start hearing new colors and a new found confidence in your playing.

Module 1: Chords’n Melodies - Jazz giant Joe Pass leads the charge with his fingerstyle approach to improvisation. Also includes indispensable tips for arranging chord melodies.

Module 2: Gypsy Voodoo - Do the Django tango with these lessons on the gypsy master along with a few tasty exotic modes for your jazzy acoustic bag of tricks.

Module 3: Comps and Leads - Think like a pianist, think like a bassist…think like John Coltrane. Now put your head and hands to work with this set of rhythms and lead lessons.

If you want that something special to radiate from your playing, don't even think about skipping out on this semester. These modules are not about teaching you classical guitar. We'd highly recommend Julliard for that. Rather, these lessons will embed essential techniques and a "classical" voice in your playing. And if you think about it for a minute, it all dates back to classical guitar. So here's a shortcut course that will open up a whole new palette of colors to choose from.

Module 1: Chop Shop - Let's head straight for the woodshed. These four lessons kick things off with some majorly wicked chops-busters.

Module 2: The Finer Things - Mastering trills, triads and tone control will take your playing to higher ground.

We'll also cover proper posture and nail maintenance — musts for any acoustic player.

Module 3: You Call That Legit? - Let's have some fun. These four lessons are guaranteed to give you a good time and get you kicked right back out of Julliard.

Arrribahhh! Time to reward yourself with a well-deserved vacation in the sun. The influences of Spanish guitar are heard far and wide, crossing paths with other genres to create bossanova, bolero, flamenco and of course, classical guitar. And then these traditional styles gave birth to modern variations across rock, jazz, fusion and pop. This semester examines the style's undeniable acoustic roots. So, lets dance the wild fandango, rock the rumba, and discover a dozen new ways to challenge our rhythmic sensibilities.

Module 1: The Forbidden Fandango - Romantic and proud, the fandango’s heart-quickening pulse is still felt some 600 years after it was first played. Having trouble getting a date? Nail this stuff.

Module 2: South of the Border
Salsa, bolero, bossanova, flamenco, rumba — bite into these hot peppers from all over the Spanish-speaking world.

Module 3: Hawaiian Holiday - Side trip! We’re borrowing this semester’s border-crossing theme for two outstanding lessons covering the steely, slippery, slack-key guitars of the Hawaiian islands.

Individual ACOUSTIC U Semester CDs are $16 each. Each Semester CD includes over 2 hours of audio instruction, 40-60 hours of practice material, an interactive manual and MP3 (audio), PDF (tab) and Power Tab files for all Modules and lessons. To cherry-pick the semesters you're interested in, click on the single CD order links.

Pick up the entire 8-CD ACOUSTIC U course for $79 and save yourself over $49. You'll get all 8 Semester CDs with 25 Modules and 141 individual lessons. The entire course includes over 16 hours of audio instruction, 320-480 hours of practice material, interactive manuals and MP3 (audio), PDF (tab) and Power Tab files for all Modules and lessons. A free full version of Power Tab for Windows is also included.

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Order by Phone: Call 1-800-222-3366 during business hours

If you're not completely blown away with ACOUSTIC U, we'll refund every penny of your investment and let you keep the bonus TrueFire Cash just for checking the course out. Square deal? Pick it up!

Delivery: Add $4.00 shipping and handling for single CDs, $1.50 for each additional CD. Add $7.50 for the complete 8-CD course.

Payment Methods: We accept Visa, MasterCard & American Express. Checks and Money Orders also accepted.

System Requirements: Semesters are packaged on CDs and formatted in MP3 (audio), PDF (tab notation) and Power Tab. Any computer with sound and a printer will work just fine. No big system demands - this is very friendly stuff. Power Tab is only available for Windows but all other components work great on Mac.