Are there any guitar teachers out there?

I just wondered what tutor books you use for beginners, I use Guitarists Way and the books by Debbie Cracknell, but I've recently started teaching a girl of 14 who finds them babyish.

Can anyone recommend any good books for teenage beginners which cover basics of melody and chords using contemporary examples. As at the moment I'm writing my own work sheets for her made up of Beatles, Mcfly and Avril Lavigne songs and a few chord charts, but would like to get her to do some melody playing.

Heck if I don't find anything maybe I should write my own book!!

Any suggestions would be great!

Have a search on ebay for sheet music, guitar You may, or may not, find something there.
If you want it purely in notation, be sure to exclude; tab tablature tabs; from the search, otherwise you will have a zillion results.
And if I could ask you something off topic?
I know you have the Tarrega/ David Russel CD. I just wondered if his rendition of 'Pepita' is at a similar tempo to the midi version I am playing it at,
Which can be listened to here. The music from the book is not blessed with a MM mark, but I don't want to be to far off the pace.
By the way, the midi site is always an handy resource for listening to some obscure pieces.
midi site alphabetical composers

Hi Fletch
How are you?
Thanks for the link to that midi website - I will definitley be using it in the future.
I've had a listen to both versions of Pepita and there is quite a difference in tempo. The midi file is more moderato whereas the Russel recording has a lot more movement and is more allegro. I understand it's a midi file and it's difficult to get any expression in the sound, but it really does move at quite a wooden pace compared with the CD.

I really enjoy Russel's performances of all the Tarrega, but I do think that some of his performances feel a little hurried, the Capricho Arabe is over in the blink of an eye and that's one that I really enjoy at a more relaxed pace. As the piece doesn't include a MM mark I suppose it's just down to personal choice, but he does sound like he's got to catch a bus sometimes!!

If you don't have a copy of this CD, I'd consider getting it Fletch, it's really worth it. Do you know of any other guitarists who have recorded such a large amount of Tarrega?

I'm currently working on Sueno, also by Tarrega and the Soleas form Homage a Tarrega by Turina (which is absolutely gorgeous!) how about yourself?

sorry for the abundance of questions!

I am fine thanks
Thanks for the prompt on the tempo. I will go a little faster than the midi, but I don't want to blur the edges of the notes on it, so i don't think I will try allegro....Better safe than sorry I think.
I have two performances of Capricho Arabe, one by Segovia, the other by Antonio De Lucena, both of those are moderato and if it's good enough for Segovia that'll be fine for me
I think Russell is the only one to put a whole album of Tarrega together. Certainly, there is a lot of Tarrega stuff out there, and Segovia recorded plenty of pieces. But the trick is to put them all in one place like Russell has done.
I believe it would be unique in that sense.
At the moment, I am (hopefully) trying to advance my awful sight reading to somewhere around the same postcode that my playing is, because I can feel another 13/21 coming otherwise.
And in between times, Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring from Cantata 147 J.S. Bach.
I don't think I have heard the Turina piece, but I will try to find it on Kazaa

oooh i know what you mean about sight reading. I recently set up a guitar ensemble with 3 other guitarists and we were all sightreading new pieces. We had a two hour rehearsal of renaissance dances and I was quite embarassed with how many silly mistakes I made - I was exhausted afterwards!

I definitely need to get more sightreading practice, especially in fifth position and above

You mention marks there too, are you going to sit an exam soon? good luck if so

By the way, you can hear a midi version of the Turina on the site you sent me a link for.

QUOTE (AmyB @ May 24 2005, 11:24 PM)

You mention marks there too, are you going to sit an exam soon? good luck if so  :D

I have about 6 weeks to wait yet before I am in. I am ok with the pieces, so I am using the time to improve my reading skills. I am consistent at the 13 or 14 mark at sight reading, and I am none to confident with it in exam situations. I tend to sacrifice the performance just to try to get the notes accurate, along with a half decent attempt to getting the timing correct. which is probably why I always lose the 7 marks for performance.
I now count 14 as a par But I will improve
I always take the attitude, it is the pieces that matter. If your performance of those as good as you can get it, you will almost have passed on those alone.

Thanks for the pointer to the Turina......Somtimes I can't see the wood for the trees