Guitar Method
eMedia’s Guitar Method 4 is a new version of the world’s best-selling beginning guitar CD-ROM! Over 160 comprehensive lessons cover everything from the basics through chord strumming, playing melodies and fingerpicking. New modern rock chapter includes various strumming styles, movable power chords and power chord riffs. Now with over 50 videos! Multi-track audio gives full band accompaniment on many of the hit songs. There is a variable-speed MIDI track option allowing students to practice any song or exercise at whatever tempo they want. There is also the option to learn using either tablature or standard music notation. Additional features include a built-in automatic tuner, digital metronome, recorder and 250-chord dictionary.
User Ratings and Reviews
3 Stars HELPFUL FOR A BEGINNER
This is a good way to get started and familiarize yourself with guitar. It’s easy to use, though doesn’t load as smoothly on a Mac as on a pc. It’s easy to follow and gets you strumming right away. Not very strong on technique–it’s a big help to have someone show you the right way to hold your fingers, change strings, tune your guitar, etc. Overall, a good value for the money.
5 Stars Great way to learn guitar.
I got a guitar and this program for Christmas and am progressing in my guitar playing really well. The lessons are very well laid out and progress in a very logical way. It includes videos of both hands demonstrating techniques. Techniques are then incorporated into popular songs. These same techniques translate into other songs. I got a few song books to go along with Guitar Method. I’m getting into some of the harder songs now and I really like how you can slow down a song while practicing it. This is a good product for someone who likes going at their own pace, and mine seems to be fast.
2 Stars DISAPPOINTED
I purchased this with a new guitar as a beginner. After a few weeks, I find myself disappointed that I have learned more from free advise on the internet then what this software has offered. Here are my biggest gripes:
1) Flashback to 1976. I don’t know if the video instruction was filmed in the 1970’s, or the instructor just refuses to update his wardrobe and hairstyle, but it feels like I am stuck in a bad re-run of Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood. Also, it almost feels like he filmed it himself. I can almost see him running back to the camera after a take to stop the camera.
2) Breezes over some very important fundamentals. Without realizing, I was picking up some bad habbits b/c the instruction does not emphasize some key tips on fingering chords, using the pick, etc. After browsing the net later on some guitar sites, I realized I had developed some bad habbits that could have been prevented with just more time and tips spent on some basics.
3) Unrelatable – the songs you practice to work on chords are absolutely horrible. Too much dumb folk music. I like a variety of music, including some Peter, Paul and Mary. But this is just too much folk and it’s depressing. I find myself not learning b/c I don’t want to hear myself play that aweful music. Some searching on the net revealed I could be practicing some Johnny Cash (who played a lot of 3 or 4 chord songs).
4) Not so user friendly. I found it difficult to move around in the software. The product doesn’t have the user-friendly feel that should be expected this day and age. This software could have been written in early 90’s for all I know. Not impressive.
I have some more gripes, but I think you get the point and I am tired of typing about a product I probably won’t use much more. Basically, I am just DISAPPOINTED. I would recommend some on-line lessons which I have found much more modern and useful. This software costs about 4 months worth on unlimited online lessons. I found it’s worth going that route instead.
4 Stars Solid Unexciting Instruction
I have been using this software for several months now and have learned a lot from it. It definitely builds up your chording skills and knowledge and starts you on the road to melodies. I have found it quite bland, however. The music selection is pretty boring and the program is slow to incorporate stuff other than just another chord and another chord. For example, I have yet to see any discussion of scales, which I have learned elsewhere are fundamental components of playing guitar. The strumming patterns are also very limited, and this too is a vital skill. When I learned a dozen chords or so and wanted to start playing from some other songbooks, I found that the strum patterns I’d learned would only allow me to play one or two songs in a typical beginner songbook.
My advice would be to consider this as one tool in your guitar learning arsenal. It will teach you the chords and how to play in time (the play along guitar is very useful for this purpose). Also, if you just want to learn to play chords around a campfire, this would be your program.
One last thing I have found irritating, that at least one other reviewer has commented on, is the fact that some of the songs seem way out of proportion difficult to what comes immediately before or immediately after. I was trying to play each song perfectly before moving on, but it actually helped to just move on and come back later.
5 Stars Well thought out guitar curriculm
I’m a guitar instructor who teaches a once a week high school guitar class. I’ve started recommending Emedia to my students as a great at home guitar program. As an instructor, I really like the step by step approach to the lessons. The video are very helpful in demonstrating techniques between lessons. Kids that are using the program progress a lot faster than those that don’t. This is a fine program either for those that want to learn on their own or that are also taking lessons.
