Debbie Cracknell studied guitar and piano at Trinity College of Music in London and graduated with licentiate diplomas in both instruments. Since then she has been teaching as a peripatetic guitar teacher for Buckinghamshire County Council. Her very successful series, Enjoy Playing Guitar, has been followed by many solo and ensemble works aimed mainly at beginners and those in the early grades.

Can OUP improve upon Debbie Cracknell's tried and tested book? The answer is yes. There is no padding here: everything is useful. New techniques are introduced logically, as are notes, rhythms, performance directions and other symbols, and printing is clear. This is one of the very best general classical guitar tutors. Al Summers, Music Teacher, August 2011

• THE BASICS; THE REST STROKE; THE FIRST STRING; COUNTING: CROTCHETS AND MINIMS; THE SECOND STRING; COUNTING RESTS; TUNES USING THE FIRST TWO STRINGS; COUNTING: DOTTED MINIMS AND SEMIBREVES; THE THIRD STRING; THE OPEN BASS STRINGS; INTRODUCING QUAVERS; THE FREE STROKE; FREE-STROKE TUNES USING FINGERED NOTES; INTRODUCING F SHARP; FOURTH-STRING NOTES; INTRODUCING G SHARP; DOTTED RHYTHMS; INTRODUCING C SHARP AND B FLAT; FIFTH-STRING NOTES; PLAYING THUMB AND FINGERS TOGETHER; SIXTH-STRING NOTES; MORE PLAYING IN TWO PARTS/VOICES; ANOTHER (BASS) F SHARP AND C SHARP

Debbie Cracknell studied guitar and piano at Trinity College of Music in London and graduated with licentiate diplomas in both instruments. Since then she has been teaching as a peripatetic guitar teacher for Buckinghamshire County Council. Her very successful series, Enjoy Playing Guitar, has been followed by many solo and ensemble works aimed mainly at beginners and those in the early grades.

Can OUP improve upon Debbie Cracknell's tried and tested book? The answer is yes. There is no padding here: everything is useful. New techniques are introduced logically, as are notes, rhythms, performance directions and other symbols, and printing is clear. This is one of the very best general classical guitar tutors. Al Summers, Music Teacher, August 2011

• THE BASICS; THE REST STROKE; THE FIRST STRING; COUNTING: CROTCHETS AND MINIMS; THE SECOND STRING; COUNTING RESTS; TUNES USING THE FIRST TWO STRINGS; COUNTING: DOTTED MINIMS AND SEMIBREVES; THE THIRD STRING; THE OPEN BASS STRINGS; INTRODUCING QUAVERS; THE FREE STROKE; FREE-STROKE TUNES USING FINGERED NOTES; INTRODUCING F SHARP; FOURTH-STRING NOTES; INTRODUCING G SHARP; DOTTED RHYTHMS; INTRODUCING C SHARP AND B FLAT; FIFTH-STRING NOTES; PLAYING THUMB AND FINGERS TOGETHER; SIXTH-STRING NOTES; MORE PLAYING IN TWO PARTS/VOICES; ANOTHER (BASS) F SHARP AND C SHARP