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With its latest package, eMedia goes beyond the drills and tutorials of its earlier eMedia Guitar Method, instead targeting players who already have a familiarity with their instrument. Song-based and fully interactive, eMedia Intermediate Guitar Method covers a lot of ground in its single CD and thus just skims the surface of some topics. It also seems a bit lackluster when compared to Voyetra’s exciting, rock and roll-inspired Teach Me Guitar Deluxe. Nevertheless, the program offers a barrage of mid-level and advanced chording, soloing, and picking techniques that should assist any student who seeks to become a more knowledgeable and skillful guitarist.

Divided into six categories–left-hand techniques, barre chords, strumming styles, scales, solos, and fingerstyle guitar–the program delivers no less than 175 individual lessons and 41 appendices featuring most every popular musical scale in both open and closed fingering patterns, and a handy virtual chord dictionary. Most lessons allow you to adjust the speed of the music to suit your personal preference and loop certain sections for repetitive replay. Several sessions also offer optional narratives and video, though the narratives are too abbreviated to be truly informative and the video snippets, where veteran instructor Kevin Garry offers personal advice on certain techniques, are equally condensed and confined to a small window.

eMedia has provided several additional perks to make your job a bit easier, including an integrated metronome to help keep the beat, an optional tablature display for those who can’t read musical notation, and an animated fretboard that graphically demonstrates each lesson’s fingering positions in both left- and right-handed formats. The program’s tuner isn’t quite so impressive, behaving just as erratically as most computer tuners, and certainly not a replacement for a handheld digital or quartz unit. A small but serviceable audio recorder allows you to build a library of your own efforts and even jam along with self-penned arrangements.

The program concerns itself more with clean and semi-clean acoustic and electric guitar rather than heavily distorted hard rock. A valuable but curious assortment of songs dominates its many lessons, in particular Grand Funk Railroad’s mysterious “I’m Your Captain/Closer to Home,” The Grateful Dead’s “Touch of Grey,” and Jim Croce’s exquisite “Time in a Bottle.” Several complex classical pieces end the proceedings, culminating in the celebrated but extremely demanding arpeggio masterpiece “Romanza.” It should be noted that although none of the selections are original recordings, all are capably translated and played.

Although eMedia Intermediate Guitar Method isn’t especially high-spirited, it does offer a deluge of material that will ultimately benefit any guitarist with the talent and the drive to successfully take it on. With a ton of challenging musical passages and cool licks, some nifty utilities, and plenty of guitar exploration, it is recommended to novice players with virtuoso desires. –Gordon Goble

User Ratings and Reviews

4 Stars more challenging than looks
I found the software more challenging than I expected. I have also been studying with another kind of software which has a totally different approach to the study of the electric guitar. At this point I haven’t made enough progress to be more thorough in my remarks.

5 Stars awesome way to learn more advanced guitaring
After completing the first volume, I was nothing but impressed with the emedia material. I’d conquered campfire chords! Now is where the cool stuff starts, Volume 2, and it too is excellent. The great thing about Emedia’s approach is how it breaks down the teaching of a new technique. After explaining and demoing the technique a short, usually interesting (but not always), song is presented that exactly covers that technique being taught. It avoids the pitfall of other guitar teaching material, which is use some ultra-mind-numbing, hardly melodic bit to practice the execution of the technique. The well paced introduction and progression of technique building really suits me well. My only concern is that I’m potentially developing bad habits, this is where a good teacher is a must. The chord and scale directories are great, but it would’ve been nice if the scale directory took better advantage of the guitar’s range. I find I use the metronome quite often too. Good stuff!

1 Star A complete software failure
I am an intermediate guitarist and this method is meant for beginning guitarists and not for those who have played a few years. First off the video is bad bad bad. You can only view the instructor in a small box and seldom is he seen. You mostly see typed songs, chords and hear audio.What is really horrific is that the syncopation of the audio meter and the graphics are not in sync.Rather the graphics meter is ahead by 3 counts of the audio.Thus it is impossible to follow along.What you are really learning is how to play simple 3 chord songs that beginners should learn. This is a TOTAL waste of money. PLEASE DO NOT BUY THIS PRODUCT

5 Stars you will be able to play some great stuff
eMedia intermediate guitar method is an excellent system to expand on your beginner skills. I have now been playing guitar for four months and have gotten better than some of my friends that have been playing for over a year. I finished the CD so I am lending it out now to these same friends.

I started out with the eMedia beginner guitar method and soon after bought this CD. I had attempted to play guitar for perhaps two days before this present time. From this series, I am now comfortable with chords, barre chords, bass walks, finger picking (arpeggios and travis style), hammer-ons, pull-offs, trills, and reading notes. The method has gotten me excited to buy my first electric guitar, practice bends, and learn more about lead guitar playing.

The stuff you learn to play on this CD simply sounds cool. There is a sweet Grateful Dead tune, All Along the Watch Tower, several classic rock pieces, an excellent 12-bar blues solo, there is some country/bluegrass, a few classic guitar pieces (Bach, Pachelbel), and an amazing Jimi Hendrix solo for All Along the Watch Tower. All the songs are recorded from a live guitar player so you will know how each song will sound. When I first browsed through the CD, I thought to myself “There is no way I will be able to sound like that”. And yet after much practicing, I got through the CD, can play all the pieces well, and am so happy that I am now a decent guitar player.

I continue to be excited to learn. I think the Fretboard Logic series will help me develop a better understanding of the fretboard and build up my lead guitaring skills.

I wanted to add this review to show that this system is still a great way to learn. I am thankful to eMedia for putting out a product that is showing me that it is never to late to learn to play guitar. To add to the pluses as detailed elsewhere: many great pieces that you will be excited to learn, both standard and tablature notation so that you can learn both methods of reading, etc. The minuses: does not cover fretboard/CAGED organization.

5 Stars I Love This Program
I have read a gazzillion books, visited as many web sites and the guitar has always been a damn mystery to me. Sure I can bang out a few chords and play House of the Rising Sun, but that’s about it. This program has clicked with me more than anything else I’ve ever tried. After about a month, I really feel like I can play the silly thing! Now I can go back and understand what all the other books were trying to tell me! Get this: I went into a guitar store and plugged in an expensive Strat and played it without feeling stupid!

The approach appeals to my nonlinear thinking. You can work through the lessons, skip ahead and then go back. I won’t say I’ve mastered anything yet, but I’m playing and enjoying! I’m recommending this to everyone! I if you can read tabs and understand basic open chords START with this program! Mostly I’ve been working on Crying and screaming lead techniques (bends, hammer-ons, pull offs slides, etc.) and barre chords.

I’m going to get the advanced programs when I’m done with these!

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Designed for the beginning to intermediate guitar player, eMedia’s Guitar Method 2 gives you plenty of new techniques to boost your playing chops and extend your range of musical styles. With over 60 lessons on solo guitar licks, rhythm guitar, blues, and fingerpicking techniques, this CD-ROM is a great choice for musicians seeking to extend their range and craft.

The lessons in Guitar Method 2 build up new playing techniques, beginning with hammer-ons, pull-offs, trills, and vibrato techniques. Short musical excerpts using blues, rock, folk, and even classical tunes let you practice these skills for yourself. You can play along with a recording while viewing the score (both in guitar tablature or in standard music notation). The CD-ROM bundles plenty of short video and voice tips, too.

Besides playing leads, Guitar Method 2 has a lot to say about learning new rhythm techniques, particularly for blues and rock (including an excellent introduction to barre chords, a must for any serious guitarist). You’ll learn the essence of 12-bar blues, shuffle rhythms, and the like. The final set of lessons concentrates on finger-style guitar, illustrating a variety of picking techniques.

With songs by many of the greats–including Willie Dixon, Eric Clapton, Jerry Garcia, Jeff Beck, Bob Dylan, and Jim Croce–Guitar Method 2 lets you learn from the best. Many lessons end with links to the Online Guitar Archive (OLGA) for songs by newer artists who use the same playing techniques.

Beyond the main lessons, additional sections show how to read music and the scales used for a variety of music styles. Added perks here include an electronic metronome, a nifty electronic dictionary of over 150 chords with diagrams, plus a utility to help you tune up. In all, Guitar Method 2 can make you a better guitarist as you learn at your own pace and gain exposure to an appealing range of styles and new techniques. –Rich Dragan

User Ratings and Reviews

4 Stars Guitar 2 is No Guitar 1
Unless you’re really dedicated to self-taught guitar techniques, and are prepared to spend hours trying to figure out what’s being said on this self-instruction computer video, don’t bother.

I found Guitar 1 very useful and user friendly. Not so with Guitar 2. I bought this a long time ago and am writing this review to get it off my list, but if I knew then what I know now, I wouldn’t have bought it. I’m just waiting for someone to ask me, “Do you know where I can find a video to teach me how to play a guitar?” When that happens, I have a great two-piece gift for them – Guitar 1 and an (almost) unused Guitar 2.

5 Stars Be careful
Although this product is extremely helpful you need to know that this is not the latest version. The latest version is Intermediate Guitar Method and its in any interested customers best interest to consider, before perchasing this older version.

5 Stars The easiest …..the best.
If you’ve ever thought about playing the guitar.. If rock riffs and guitar solos seem hard to you.. this is definitely what you need. An incredible product that makes everything as easy as it possibly could be, with user-friendly software and a superb assortment of styles- try this out and surprise your family and friends with Media Guitar Method 2!

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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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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So you want to learn to play electric guitar? Fender, the world’s leading electric guitar manufacturer, has teamed up with G-VOX to create Guitar 101, an easy-to-use CD-ROM tutorial that covers the basics of electric guitar playing. The program consists of 30 sequenced lessons, which are divided into six categories: mechanics of the guitar, the right hand, the left hand, combining hands, music basics, and music theory. Each of the lessons has six parts to it: introduction, textbook, movie, styles, exercises, and a quiz. The movie, a demonstration by a guitar teacher, and the textbook form the crux of the lesson. The exercises allow you to practice the techniques of the lesson, and the quiz is a multiple choice review of the concepts covered.

Guitar 101 is specifically targeted for beginners who want to play rock or pop styles on the electric guitar with a pick. The lessons are logically ordered and are easy to understand. Each lesson analyzes only one concept, and you might find it easy to master several early lessons in one sitting. Moving through the lessons is as simple as point and click.

In addition to the lessons, Guitar 101 also has a feature called Hot Spots, which includes tuning the guitar, playing along with prerecorded beats and classic rock songs, and an extensive glossary. There is also a short history of the Fender Stratocaster. Though Guitar 101 is designed for use as a stand-alone product, it can also be used in conjunction with G-VOX’s Guitar software, which converts a regular electric guitar signal into a MIDI instrument. This makes it possible to play along with various lesson exercises as well as with the prerecorded Hot Spots music. –Matthew Kohut

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From basic technique to progressive chording Instant Play Guitar Express on CD-Rom gets you in the groove for accelerated PC-based guitar fluency. An interactive musical basics primer teaching everything from hand position to simple strumming. System Requirements:Windows 98 or higher Pentium IBM-compatible PC 233 MHz or faster 64 MB or RAM 90 MB HD 16-bit color screen 800×600 resolution or higher 2x or greater CD-Rom drive 16-bit Sound Blaster-compatible sound card Speakers or headset Printer (optional) Internet access recommended for activation and updates Format: WIN 98MENT2000XPVISTA Genre:

Designed for the beginning to intermediate guitar player, eMedia’s Guitar Method 2 gives you plenty of new techniques to boost your playing chops and extend your range of musical styles. With over 60 lessons on solo guitar licks, rhythm guitar, blues, and fingerpicking techniques, this CD-ROM is a great choice for musicians seeking to extend their range and craft.

The lessons in Guitar Method 2 build up new playing techniques, beginning with hammer-ons, pull-offs, trills, and vibrato techniques. Short musical excerpts using blues, rock, folk, and even classical tunes let you practice these skills for yourself. You can play along with a recording while viewing the score (both in guitar tablature or in standard music notation). The CD-ROM bundles plenty of short video and voice tips, too.

Besides playing leads, Guitar Method 2 has a lot to say about learning new rhythm techniques, particularly for blues and rock (including an excellent introduction to barre chords, a must for any serious guitarist). You’ll learn the essence of 12-bar blues, shuffle rhythms, and the like. The final set of lessons concentrates on finger-style guitar, illustrating a variety of picking techniques.

With songs by many of the greats–including Willie Dixon, Eric Clapton, Jerry Garcia, Jeff Beck, Bob Dylan, and Jim Croce–Guitar Method 2 lets you learn from the best. Many lessons end with links to the Online Guitar Archive (OLGA) for songs by newer artists who use the same playing techniques.

Beyond the main lessons, additional sections show how to read music and the scales used for a variety of music styles. Added perks here include an electronic metronome, a nifty electronic dictionary of over 150 chords with diagrams, plus a utility to help you tune up. In all, Guitar Method 2 can make you a better guitarist as you learn at your own pace and gain exposure to an appealing range of styles and new techniques. –Rich Dragan

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Rock Guitar Method shows you how to rock out by teaching you the classics. Pick up an ax and start covering your favorite rock, blues, country and folk songs with the roar and energy that only an electric guitar has. Follow along with 165 different step-by-step lessons, covering the basics like holding & stringing your guitar — then move on to reading notation and fingerpicking styles. On-screen lessons from a noted guitar expert provide clear and user-friendly instruction. Start playing the guitar more easily than you ever thought possible! The digital metronome is for setting your own tempo, to work on your picking speed, rhythm and timing Use the Digital Recorder to play yourself back and hear how you’re doing

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars I’ve been playing for awhile now
So me getting this was kinda moot, but all in all it’s really beneficial if you’re just starting out. For anyone who’s played more than 2 years even… Don’t get this. I give it a 5 star for the beginner, cause this thing is packed with some really beneficial stuff for you all to learn. Everything from chord finder “all the decent sounding ones anyways” and a built in tuner and a good deal of lessons are what you’ll find on this disc. You have to have the disc in order to access alot of the video and audio, but it’s still alright… All in all I’d endorse it for anyone wanting to learn the guitar. This’ll have you playing some pretty good sounding progressions within’ hours.

3 Stars it is ok but metal method with doug marks is better
I would really prefer a lesson were the video plays most of the time. This is mostley reading the screen, which is very small and they are so paraoid that you will copy it that they disable printing, The video really does not help much and i have been through half of the course. I personally would reccomend metal method with doug marks over this.

5 Stars eMedia Rock Guitar Method
The best product I have ever found for learning guitar, almost better than paying for lessons!

5 Stars What a Surprise!
I got this software for my husband along with a new guitar for Christmas. After about 1/2 an hour he had the guitar tuned (using the automatic tuner included in the software)and was playing the begining of a real song. I was very surprised. I had been expecting to hear alot of Mary had a little lamb, but with this program, he was able to rock right out of the box. This is a must for anyone who would like to learn a little recreational guitar playing.

4 Stars Definitely get your $’s worth, but not as good as the Beginner CD-ROM
I began with eMedia’s beginner CD-ROM and next moved to the Rock Guitar. One of the things I enjoyed most about the former was that it taught lessons with entire songs. However, in Rock Guitar, you only learn bits and pieces of songs–and fewer ones at that. Many are not titled songs, but something like “a Nirvana-like song.” So if you loved the amount of music on the beginner CD, you may be a little dissatisfied. Additionally, some chords are taught with different fingering than in the beginner CD.

All in all, I learn very quickly with emedia. I really enjoy playing along to their riffs and pieces of songs. Putting the voice to the songs to play with is probably my favorite feature (don’t tell anybody that I sing along while playing in the privacy of my room).

This is certainly a really great step towards learning the basics of rock guitar, but should not be your first eMedia CD-ROM (buy the beginner one first!).

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