Looking for the Best Guitar Books and Music Theory Resources… Any Suggestions?

General
1

I’m on the hunt for books that can cover everything about guitar and music theory (if that’s even possible lol). Any recommendations?

2

I usually recommend the Hal Leonard books. They’re pretty solid and easy to follow. Here’s a link to one: Hal Leonard Guitar Method Book 1

3

@Wynn
I have the Hal Leonard book ‘Pocket Music Theory’ that I got for $3 at a thrift shop. It’s not a guitar book, but it covers the basics of music theory.

4

Rory said:
@Wynn
I have the Hal Leonard book ‘Pocket Music Theory’ that I got for $3 at a thrift shop. It’s not a guitar book, but it covers the basics of music theory.

Yeah, most Hal Leonard books are pretty solid and easy to digest. A Pocket Theory book is definitely a great one to have around.

5

I’d recommend James Shipway’s ‘Music Theory for Guitarists’ with quizzes to test your knowledge. Also, the YouTube channel ‘Absolutely Understand Guitar’ has a great presentation of theory applied to the guitar. If you’re interested in books, ‘First, Learn to Practice’ is a great one about efficient ways to practice, and ‘Single Note Soloing for Jazz Guitar’ is fantastic for understanding thought processes in jazz guitar. You can also find tons of guitar books on 1lib dot sk (just remember to support the authors if you like them).

6

Here are some of my own resources (beginner friendly):

Barisaxo.github.io

Auraltech.itch.io/guitar-lessons

And my favorite books (not beginner-friendly but worth checking out):

  • Joe Pass Guitar Chords (pdf available)
    • Advanced in execution, but easy to understand once you get the hang of it
    • Great for chord voicing and melody
  • Mark Levine’s Jazz Theory Book (pdf available)
    • Intermediate/advanced level, covers concepts like intervals, but not super beginner-friendly
    • Great for chord/scale theory
  • Gary Lindsay’s Jazz Arranging Techniques (no pdf available)
    • Very advanced, you’ll need strong music theory basics for this one
    • My personal favorite resource
7

The Guitar Handbook by Ralph Denyer is the book I wish I had when I started learning.

8

Check out this book: Modern Music Theory for Guitarists.