A Modern Approach to Classical Guitar Book 3 - Second Edition - Book with Audio by Charles Duncan

There are many classical guitar method books on the market today. But Charles Duncan's series of books, "A Modern Approach to Classical Guitar," continues to lead the pack. Hal Leonard just released the updated second edition of Book 3 (with audio).Duncan is, without a doubt, our foremost pedagogue of classical guitar technique. His book, The Art of Classical Guitar Playing, is the bible of university guitar pedagogy classes.Book 3 is for late-intermediate students who are teaching themselves or learning with a teacher. The range of topics the book covers is stunning. It covers barre chords, learning the notes in 5th, 7th, and 9th positions, slurring, ornamentation and articulation, damping techniques, harmonics, flamenco techniques, tremolo, and countless other topics.Duncan's text is concise and thorough. The quality of his explanations goes way beyond those in other method books. Clear explanations are essential if you don't have a teacher and are learning on your own.One of the wonderful aspects of all of Duncan's books is the selection of top-notch pieces for the student to learn the techniques Duncan explains.Duncan's fingerings are outstanding. But he also provides dynamic markings in each piece so the student not only learns good technique but also learns to play expressively.Duncan also provides his own compositions to focus on particular techniques. Usually, when I see studies written by the author of a method book, I cringe because they are typically terrible compositions. But Duncan's compositions are excellent and worthy of inclusion in a student recital.The audio examples, recorded by Judy Handler, are excellent. They closely follow the written examples' fingerings, dynamics, and articulation. The examples give the student a clear audio picture of what they are striving for. I strongly recommend the student take advantage of the audio examples. The online audio player is easy to use and provides playback at reduced speeds.While there is a tremendous amount of information in the book, it is not overwhelming due to Hal Leonard's (the publisher) outstanding text layout, illustrations, and musical examples.

I wholeheartedly recommend Charles Duncan's method books. This new edition of Book 3 is excellent! As with book 2, it is jampacked with useful information for improving one's technique as well as for playing musically. The pieces progress in difficulty in a very logical way, allowing one to apply the techniques being taught. And, as with book 2, the pieces are ones that are enjoyable to play and excellent for expanding one's repertoire.

This book could be subtitled ¨secrets of mastering the classical guitar explained in plain English." There are numerous helpful insights and exercises that were new to me, even after over 25 years of study. The music selections are also excellent, the sound tracks provide inspiration on how to play them, and the overall layout of the book makes it easy and enjoyable to use. Highly recommended for serious students who want to move up from an intermediate to an advanced level of proficiency.

I learned from Charles Duncan's books and have used them in my own teaching for over 30 years. Best classical guitar method on the market.

Duncan is a master teacher who has an uncanny insight into how musical learning works. Over the years his books have become essential reading for my students of all levels, and the Modern Guitar series leads the pack in effective pedagogical literature geared toward the beginning and progressing student. Book 3 carries on the series' no-nonsense teaching style and concise explanations paired with carefully scaled and enjoyable repertoire. If you've gone through the first two books, you'll have no reason not to keep it going with the third. I highly recommend this series both for the student and teachers looking for a clear path through the woods of gaining technical and musical competence.

Charles Duncan's long-awaited second edition of Book 3 presents us with another tour de force. Indeed, it is what we have come to expect from him.The opening pages provide a carefully considered explication of the dynamics of guitar playing such as preparation, staccato and synchronisation. A discussion of Barre Chords follow and one can find a wealth of advice to master this fundamental technique. In his coverage of the fifth and seventh position playing Duncan draws on pivotal concepts from cello techniques to help the guitarist shift with ease on the guitar. The well-known Leccion in Am by Fernando Sor is an excellent choice for a guitarist to practice position shifting and Duncan's advice here is critical.The secrets of optimal pull-offs and hammer-ons are covered with appropriate exercises. Later, Duncan's section on ornaments is carefully laid out with clear examples. Following that various damping techniques are discussed with a famous Andantino from Purcell's ouvre as the practice piece. Duncan's measure-by-measure practice tips bellow the piece will prove very useful for guitar students as will the section on left hand development featuring the infamous Spider exercises.Following an excellent presentation on harmonics/artifical harmonics the ninth position is introduced with the most famous guitar piece in the world. The anonymous Romance de Amour. The title as well as the piece itself takes several variations but Duncan contents himself here with the most traditional version. It might be helpful to watch the 1952 film Forbidden Games to understand why the Romance caught on around the world. Indeed, the Spanish guitarist Narcisco Yepes who performs the Romance for the film really outdid himself there. The Romance after countless performances is now considered a little hackneyed with guitar aficionados. It is, however, still loved by the general public which is the point for guitarists who might like to be asked to perform an encore.In sum, a treasure-trove of gems is waiting to be discovered in Charles Duncan's Classical Guitar Book 3 2nd.Bravo and Thank You Mister Duncan for your latest outstanding contribution to the world of the Classical Guitar.Louis Lawlor