Mastering the Guitar is an innovative, exciting new way to learn the guitar. Co-authored by William Bay and Michael Christiansen, this extremely comprehensive method applies the internationally acclaimed Mel Bay teaching concept to the vast array of musical styles and techniques found in today's music. Written in notation and tablature, it covers guitar solo and accompaniment styles ranging from Celtic to Classic to Cajun; from Flamenco to fiddle tunes to rock; from Baroque to blues to bluegrass; and from Latin to jazz to Reggae. A special feature of this method is that it teaches both flatpicking and fingerstyle solo and accompaniment techniques.

The two books in level 1 present essential foundational studies for contemporary guitar performance. Book 1A covers the keys of C, Am, G, and Em in great depth, presenting over 155 solos and duets and more than 140 scale and picking studies, chord etudes, and accompaniment pieces. Book 1B covers the keys of D, A, E, F, Dm and Bf. In addition, Book 1B has over 130 solos and duets and over 40 comprehensive scale and picking studies. Numerous chord progression studies and chord accompaniment pieces and etudes are also included.

A Technique Studies book is available which will bring an added level of flatpicking and fingerpicking excellence to each key presented in Book 1A and Book 1B. The advanced levels of this method introduce a creative and unique approach to learning and mastering the higher positions on the guitar fingerboard. We feel that Mastering the Guitar is the most comprehensive approach to guitar technique, repertoire, and performance to be found anywhere. Includes access to online audio and video.

A Minor Blues      
A Poor Wayfaring Stranger      
Acres Of Bluegrass      
Allegro       M. Giuliani
Andante       Carcassi
Anitra's Dance Theme       Edvard Grieg
Anna's Axe      
Arcadian Melody      
Arkansas Traveler      
Arpeggio Picking      
Ashley's Song      
Baby Don't Love Me      
Bahia Tranquilo      
Ballad      
Barcelona      
Bass Line Lead/Bluegrass Style      
Bending The Blues      
Black Is The Color Of My True Love's Hair      
Blow Away The Morning Dew      
Blow, Ye Winds      
Blue Elegy      
Blue Rain      
Blue Ridge      
Bottleneck Joe      
Bransle Double       Michael Praetorius
Brighter Side      
Buena Vista      
Bury Me Beneath The Willow      
Caleb's Gorge      
Call The Ewes      
Cara's Farewell      
Casa De Grout       Habanera
Celtic Dawn      
Chanson      
Chimes      
Classic Boogie      
Classic Rock Boogie #1      
Cripple Creek      
Cruisin' Sunset      
Cruising Down The Super Highway      
Cumberland Ridge      
Danny Boy      
Don't Step On Alligators      
Double Stops      
Down In Yon Forest      
Down Shift      
Drivin' Pick      
Early American Hymn      
Early Christmas Morn      
Echoes      
Eleven Mile Canyon      
English Maiden      
Estudio       Dionisio Aguado
Far From Home      
First Gear      
Flatt Shuffle      
Flyin' South      
Four-String Blues      
French Carol      
Gavotte       M. Praetorius
Gilotte      
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen      
Good Mornin' Blues      
Greensleeves      
Half Past Midnight      
Hammer-On Blues      
Hard Drive      
Hard Luck Street      
Heavy Weight      
Hiking Up The Mountain      
Hills Of Eire      
House Of The Rising Sun      
House Of The Rising Sun      
How Pleasant It Is To Dwell In Harmony      
Hungarian Dance #4      
I Don't Know Why      
In The Pines      
Interlude      
Irish Mist      
Jamaican Shoreline      
Jazz Breakdown      
Jimmy's Shuffle      
Johnny Has Gone For A Soldier      
Kentucky Rise      
Lonesome Blues      
Lord Randal      
Man Of Constant Sorrow      
Marianne      
Memories Past      
Menuet       Johann Quantz
Mexican Lament      
Midnight Drive      
Midnight Special Blues      
Midnight Walk      
Minor Song      
Minuet       Johann Sebastian Bach
Minuet       Henry Purcell
Misty Morn      
Molly Malone      
Moon Drops      
Morning Song      
Morrison's Jig      
Na Pali Coast      
Nepal Sunrise      
Not Forgetting Her      
O Come, O Come, Emmanuel      
O Mio Babbino Caro       Giacomo Puccini
Octave Chorale      
Oh, Sinner Man      
On The Banks Of That Lonely River      
Parson's Farewell       John Playford
Past Midnight      
Picardy      
Red Rocking Chair      
Renaissance Dance      
Rollin' In My Sweet Baby's Arms      
Rondeau       J. Mouret
Room 124      
Running The Strings      
Sakura      
Salt Creek      
Same As You      
Sao Paolo      
Shabat Shalom      
Shady Grove      
Shaker Dance      
Silent Night       Franz Gruber
Slane      
Smithfield Boogie      
Soldier's Joy      
Soliloquy      
Song Of Joy       Ludwig Van Beethoven
Sourwood Mountain      
Spanish Dance      
Spanish Groove      
Spanish Knights      
Spanish Nights      
Spanish Romance      
St. James Infirmary      
Star Of The County Down      
Sugar In The Gourd      
Swallowtail Jig      
Swamp Buggy      
Sweet Sunny South      
Tambourin       Jean-Philippe Rameau
Tango Guitarra      
That Distant Shore      
The Ash Grove      
The Clergy's Lamentation       Turlough O'carolan
The Clock       Turlough O'carolan
The Cuckoo       Turlough O'carolan
The Flowers Of Sweet Erin The Green       Turlough O'carolan
The Marsh Of Rhuddlan       Turlough O'carolan
The Sally Gardens       Turlough O'carolan
The South Wind       Turlough O'carolan
The Teetotaller's Reel       Turlough O'carolan
The Tie       Turlough O'carolan
The Water Is Wide       Turlough O'carolan
Three Fishermen       Turlough O'carolan
Three Past Midnight       Turlough O'carolan
Three Ravens       Turlough O'carolan
Toll Free       Turlough O'carolan
Trev And Tom       Turlough O'carolan
Triplet Blues       Turlough O'carolan
Two-Part Estudio       Turlough O'carolan
Two-String Solo       Turlough O'carolan
Walking Guitar       Turlough O'carolan
Washed In That Beautiful Pool       Turlough O'carolan
Will The Circle Be Unbroken?       Turlough O'carolan
Xiomara       Turlough O'carolan
You're The Cure       Turlough O'carolan