Jazz guitar great, Julian Lage, visiting my classroom.
What leading guitar educators are saying about
Introduction To Guitar For Ensemble:
"Joe Sweet's introduction to guitar is an effective, no-nonsense method that produces great results! Innovative approaches to rhythm, chords, scales, and note reading make this method engaging and easy to use with large guitar classes. Mr. Sweet provides essential information and exercises within the text. The accompanying website provides complete lesson plans, student assessment exams, and additional repertoire. This is a must have book for anyone teaching a large beginning guitar class!"
Dr. Julie Goldberg, Guitar Professor, VanderCook College of Music
"I highly recommend this introduction to guitar as a primer for making aspiring guitar players into musicians."
Bobby Broom, Jazz Guitarist, Bandleader, Recording Artist and Educator
"Finding new and effective ways to reach and teach students is a quest all great teachers aspire to accomplish. In his book, Introduction To Guitar For Ensemble, Joe Sweet focuses on innovative methods and steps in achieving those goals. I've also had the pleasure of watching Joe teach his guitar ensemble while utilizing his book and the results were a thing of beauty to witness in person. Congratulations Joe… Bravo on being such a wonderful teacher and such an inspiration not only to your students, but to all the students who will receive the substantial benefits of using your book!!!"
Paul Wertico, Seven-time Grammy Award-winning Percussionist and Professor of Jazz Studies, Roosevelt University's Chicago College of Performing Arts
"I've observed Joe Sweet's guitar classes several times and am very impressed with the organization of his method. Taking a class of up to fifty guitarists takes a lot of thought and energy. Joe has, in this book, distilled essential information in a logical, well-thought out way for a beginning musician playing the guitar. And, the results I've heard in the young guitarists coming from his classes are remarkable. They are very prepared after his class to take whatever further steps they want in their future endeavors."
Scott Hesse, Head of the Guitar Program at Eastern Illinois University
"Joe Sweet's Introduction To Guitar For Ensemble makes the process of learning guitar a lot easier for the aspiring guitarist. Every step one needs to become a complete musician is covered: rhythm, sight-reading, chord formation, scales, soloing structure, and song exercises. His engaging, well thought-out method prepares the young student to further pursue the musician career. I highly recommend it."
Paulinho Garcia, Brazilian Jazz Guitarist, Recording Artist and Educator
"Joe has been invaluable to International House of Blues Foundation by leading our orientation sessions and explaining (to other teachers participating in our program) how to best engage their students. He has been generous in sharing the curriculum, which he developed, to help students in both beginning and advanced guitar classes. His time and commitment to his students and our entire guitar initiative have been invaluable. Mr. Sweet has showed a remarkable ability to reach students and get them excited about music."
Francine Pope, Founding Program Coordinator for the International House of Blues Foundation
"Joe Sweet's Introduction to Guitar for Ensemble is an innovative and highly organized method for teaching musicianship, technique, and repertoire to beginning guitarists in a classroom setting. I have had the pleasure of working with Joe's classes, and seen the effectiveness of his course firsthand. I would highly recommend this book to teachers looking for a blueprint for their beginning guitar classes."
George Turner, Professor of Guitar, Western Illinois University
"I am very thankful for Mr. Sweet's time, energy and knowledge that he has presented in this easy-to-follow guitar instruction book."
Anna See, Current Coordinator for Chicago's International House of Blues Foundation