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©2000-2023
Bruce Emery

Skeptical Guitarist Publications

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Online lessons available. Email me!
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Click on the book covers for AUDIO FILES,
list of topics and sample pages


Latest Publication

To the musician who is worn out from trying to learn basic music theory from bland, unsympathetic instruction manuals and sketchy YouTube videos: Consider giving it one more try. Music Theory for the Weary connects the dots from notes to scales to chords to the Circle of Fifths with clarity, consistency and a cordial regard. You'll find no gaps in the narrative, and you'll benefit from plenty of relevant examples and worthwhile exercises.

In Standard Notation on the treble clef.



Instructional Books

guitar from scratch uke mandolin bass book baratone uke
scratch sequel streamlined fingerstyle blues travis
music principles vol 2 jazz xmas xmas
cover uke for teachers uke chord melody uke blues mandolin blues
uke Xmas cover baritone Uke Carols mandolin xmas cover


Chord Charts

useful guitar chords cheat sheet cheat
Useful
Guitar Chords
Ukulele
Cheat Sheet
Baritone Uke
Cheat Sheet

Welcome to the Skeptical Guitarist Publications Web Site. Bruce Emery here, Author and Publisher.

Since 1997, I've been offering the most straightforward and friendliest instructional music books on the surface of the planet, starting things off with the guitar and moving on to ukulele, baritone uke, mandolin and electric bass.

Just click on a cover image and you'll be shown to the individual page for the book of interest, which offers a brief description, table of contents, a downloadable zip file with audio tracks, and sample pages.

There's a Testimonials page, which offers some very nice comments from readers about my teaching materials, and an Ordering page, which provides links to both online and brick-and-mortar music dealers where you can procure the goods.


Here are five reasons to consider buying my books:

(1) Continuity. I offer a spoon-fed, step-by-step approach. There is a steady flow of information, rather than the Hit-and-Run School of Thought. No gaps, no loose spots, no quantum leaps.

(2) Clear Page Layout. I’ve tried to design each page to be inviting to the eye, not clogged with information. Paragraphs are short and the margins are contoured so that the eye is swept along from line to line. Thoughts and sentences never spill over onto the next page.

(3) Simple Notation. Instead of relying on Standard Music Notation (the dots, beams and flags), I prefer to emphasize the language of the fretted instrument itself, a combination of Fretboard Diagrams and Tablature (Tab): simple pictures of which strings to hold down at which frets with which fingers.

(4) Friendly Exercises, Examples and Diagrams. This is the heart of the matter. We learn best by doing, so I’ve included straightforward educational activities along with easy-to-read graphics.

(5) Coil Binding. The books lie flat when placed on a table or music stand---kind of a big deal!

In short, I’m not sure what I could do to make this material any clearer, more comprehensive or more fun to read.