Music

The 9 Best Sheet Music for Guitar of 2022

Sheet Music for Guitar – Buying Guide, Opinions and Analysis

To learn to play any instrument, practice is paramount. However, it can be a more pleasant activity if easy melodies are interpreted, which are to the student’s liking. If you are taking your first steps in playing chords, a book like The First 100 Guitar Chords may be what you need. In 86 pages the author, Mr Joseph Alexander, explains in a simple way how to master the basics of guitar performance. Another good option is the Easy Songs for Guitar book, an edition with a small selection of pop and rock melodies in English, with very simple tablatures.

The 9 Best Sheet Music for Guitar – Opinions 2022

Each instrument needs its own scores, which specify the important aspects of the performance and are adapted to the level of knowledge of the performer. We present our selection of the best guitar sheet music of 2022; perhaps among them is the compilation that best suits your expectations.

1. The first 100 guitar chords

There is more than one style to play the guitar, but the most common to accompany songs is the one that uses chords. To learn about this, Mr Joseph Alexander’s book is a great tool, designed to better understand how these combinations of notes are created on the guitar.

The most outstanding thing about it is that it has been designed by a guitar teacher with extensive experience, which allows him to get closer to the readers and give them advice, as well as fundamentals that will be essential to continue advancing their knowledge of this beautiful instrument.

It should be noted that it is designed for beginners. In this sense, those who start their learning with the instrument and need clear explanations will find it very useful.

For those who are looking for the best guitar sheet music, based on chords, Mr Joseph Alexander’s book may be the best choice.

Pros

Basics: It not only shows how to play chords, but also the theory to be able to combine note sounds and make them sound good.

Digital resources: The book includes the possibility of downloading audios that complement the teachings.

Rhythms: At the end of the book an interesting chapter is added focused on explaining how to apply rhythms, something that users also appreciate.

Cons

Tuning: Some topic related to the correct tuning of the guitar is not included, which is considered basic for beginners.

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2. Easy Guitar Songs

One of the first drawbacks that guitar learners face is that they do not find scores adapted to their level, so that it is easy for them to interpret the songs that interest them.

To solve this inconvenience, Luis Pérez’s book has brought together, in this edition, a compilation of well-known pop and rock songs. However, he has simplified them in such a way that they can be played by people who are just beginning their learning.

The book makes use of didactic resources, such as illustrations and graphs that will help to easily interpret the chords. In addition, it is based on the tablature method, which is one of the easiest to understand for those who cannot read notes on the staff.

If you like the pop and rock style, you may find the best guitar sheet music in this book. Check out more highlights below.

Pros

Level: It is designed for beginners who have little or no guitar knowledge.

Didactic resources: Its graphics and illustrations allow a very simple interpretation of the knowledge that is transmitted.

Songs: It offers well-known melodies, which makes the project of learning them more pleasant.

Cons

Number of songs: Due to the fact that several pages of the book are devoted to explaining basic notions, the compilation of songs is not very extensive.

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3. First 50 Rock Songs: You Should Play on Electric Guitar

Although some might say that playing acoustic and electric guitar is the same, the truth is that there are notions that the electric guitar player should not ignore. For this reason, there are alternatives such as Hal Leonard’s book, which is specifically focused on this variation of the guitar.

The book shows in a very clear way the chords that are needed for each song. In addition, it includes the tablatures of some song introductions that are played by means of digitizations. It also adds special annotations to give interesting nuances to the performance.

The best guitar sheet music of the moment is one that adapts to the style and level of knowledge of the performer. Learn more about this special book for electric guitar.

Pros

Nuances: Some notes are clearly specified that will help the interpreter to give greater prominence to the interpretation, such as hammer on or pull off.

Songs: The selection includes hits from groups like Nirvana, Green Day and The Beatles. Well-known and representative rock bands.

Size: The printed version offers a very practical size to comfortably read the tablatures.

Cons

Level: To play some of the songs, you need to have a medium level of guitar skill.

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4. The Guitar Chord Book

To learn to play chords, you don’t have to invest a lot of money. As a sample we have this book, which is one of the cheapest. However, it is well written and well presented, so that anyone who is interested in learning the guitar can use it as an aid. 

His approach is special for beginners, but it will help to reaffirm knowledge, if you already have some notions. Plus, it’s designed by veteran guitarist Pauric Mather, who shares some interesting personal tips.

On the other hand, the illustrations are very clear and well elaborated, to give a valuable visual aid to the students. Among some of the topics covered, you can find how to quickly change chords and play barre chords, which are some of the most sought-after content by beginners.

This book competes to offer the best value for money guitar sheet music, as it has outstanding features that we summarize below.

Pros

Content: Not only the 100 most common chords are included, but also tips on correct finger placement for a clearer sound.

Seminars: The purchase of this book includes access to live seminars, so you can ask questions.

Easy: It has obtained good comments because it is very easy to interpret the notions explained.

Cons

Theory: Compared to other books, this may have less theoretical input, but it will be of interest to those who want to focus on chord playing.

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5. Classical Guitar: Easy Parts

Not all guitar players rely on tablature to help them read music. Especially when it comes to playing classical guitar. In this sense, you will be able to find in this book the traditional scores, without neglecting the tablature type, to play with them melodies such as “Para Elisa”, “La danza de las flores” and much more.

It is a very well done and simplified compilation of 18 relevant classical music themes, which basic-intermediate level students will find very useful to practice and gain skill. On the other hand, a varied selection of the most beautiful and representative themes is considered.

As for the presentation of the book, it should be noted that the size of the print makes it very comfortable to read and it comes properly bound. Thus, it can last for a long time.

These scores are among the cheapest in our selection. However, they are well presented and adapted for basic and intermediate level students. Read more about this product.

Pros

Reading option: You can choose the music notation you prefer, either with staff or tablature in each of the melodies.

Progressive: Certain melodies imply a higher level of knowledge, to challenge the student to improve.

Selection: They are beautiful and well-known pieces, which are considered basic for any music student.

Cons

Level: Some of the pieces are not as easy to interpret as expected, being considered medium level.

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6. The beatles complete guitare

The legacy of “The Beatles” lives on. Due to this, many authors expose their songs with different arrangements, depending on the level of difficulty or the interpretation they want to make of them.

Auteurs Divers shows us an interesting selection of 155 songs with the scores of the melody and its chords. Thus, you will not only be able to accompany the melody, but also play it on the guitar through the fingering technique. 

This last quality is the main reason why several users recommend the book when asking what is the best “The Beatles” guitar sheet music, since it can also be used for other instruments.

If this option has caught your attention, you should review our analysis of pros and cons.

Pros

Easy: It can be considered among the simplest “The Beatles” songbooks. 

Level: Highly recommended for fans of the band who have a basic level on the guitar.

Notation: Each song includes the staff with notes and the chords of the melody, which gives the book versatility and allows it to even be used for other instruments.

Cons

Arrangements: Special notes are not included to give nuances or many arrangements in the songs. However, they are the basis for you to make the changes you want. 

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7. 25 Essential Guitar Riffs

Motivation is essential for any guitar student to feel interested in continuing their musical education. This is particularly important for beginners, who need to see results quickly. In this sense, riffs are a resource with a lot of potential, since by pressing a few strings, you can accompany a melody.

This is what the book that we analyze in this case exploits, since it offers 25 of the most used riffs in songs and classifies them according to their degree of difficulty in 1, 2 and 3. In fact, there are riffs that are offered in two versions, one simpler and one more difficult, to choose the one that suits the skill level of the performer.

For those of you who don’t know what guitar sheet music to buy, but want to develop your skill quickly, we recommend taking a closer look at this book.

Pros

Difficulty level: Very easy riffs are included, but also slightly more complex versions, so you always have a resource at hand that suits your skill level.

Second Edition: If you manage to master the 25 proposed riffs and want to continue learning, the second edition of this book is now available.

Cons

Digital resources: The book does not add downloadable supplements, something that many students appreciate in other editions of sheet music.

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8. 10 essential studies for guitar

Although playing familiar melodies can be motivating, studies are never too much, musical pieces specially designed to develop technique. On this occasion, we analyze a sheet music book with staff notation and also in tablature, so that you can choose the one that best suits your preferences.

Regarding the presentation, it should be noted that graphics are also shown, which are very useful visual resources to better interpret the positions of the fingers. Also, you will be pleased to know that the studies are easy to memorize and with an attractive harmony, which will improve the experience of performing them frequently.

On the other hand, those who have used these studios speak of the good experience they have had with them, given that they have allowed them to gain speed in execution, which is one of the objectives that beginners set for themselves.

Now we present a summary of the highlights of this product.

Pros

Difficulty Level: Recommended for any skill level as it includes progressive studies.

Audios: You can listen to the correct interpretation through the audios to download, which avoids errors.

Sound: The studies have a pleasant harmony, so you can enjoy them while you study.

Cons

Quantity: You may soon master the studies offered in this book. Fortunately, there is a second version with more options to experiment with.

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9. First Pieces for Classical Guitar

Not knowing how to read the notes on the staff is not an impediment for a person to play beautiful melodies. There are simpler methods, such as tablature, that easily bring students closer to music. However, if you want to learn both notations, you can use this book that shows the two options for each of the studies it proposes. 

It consists of 20 studies, each one with an introductory note that makes clear the concepts and techniques to be used, as well as the benefits that could be achieved by studying said melody. Also, a small conceptual framework for the song is offered, which may be of interest.

Rob Thorpe could be considered the best guitar sheet music publisher, due to his compilation of pieces, which students will be able to enjoy while improving their ability and skill.

Pros

Progressive: At the end of these studies you will notice a great advance in your abilities to play the guitar.

Double notation: You can read the score on the staff or on the tablature, depending on which is more comfortable for you.

Notes: It not only introduces guitar concepts, but music in general. In the same way, it gives context to each melody.

Cons

Level: It is necessary to have certain basic notions and ability to be able to play the melodies.

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Shopping guide

When choosing sheet music there are many aspects that you must take into account, which will affect whether you have a good experience when playing or, on the contrary, you feel that you have invested your money badly. With our guide to buying the best guitar sheet music, we help you make an objective choice. Continue reading.

Difficulty level

It is possible that, at first, your interest in buying a sheet music is directed towards the editions that contain the songs that you like the most. But before you look at this, you need to be honest and assess your level of guitar playing ability and previous knowledge of music.

Starting from this fact will help you to make a comparison of guitar scores more in line with what you need. This way, you won’t fill your shelves with issues that won’t be useful.

music notation type

Professional musicians affirm that the best way to read a composition and give the interpretation the nuances with which it was created is to know the traditional reading. That is, the one in which the notes are on the staff. However, this is not the only way to read music written for the guitar. The tablatures and the ciphers are another simpler way, very appropriate for those who have not studied music theory and want to be autonomous to learn.

In this sense, you will be able to find alternative books with scores that show both notations. These books can be considered the best, because in addition to being useful for you to get acquainted, little by little, with traditional notation, they will give you the option of playing the same melody with other instruments. Something that does not happen with tablatures, since they are specially adapted for a single instrument in particular. For this reason, we have different tablatures for the same song, which are adapted for guitar, ukulele, banjo, etc.

melodies

Now yes, we will focus on the type of melodies that the book of your choice contains. If you wonder how much a sheet music book costs, the answer is that, generally, these editions are around 10-20 euros. However, there are very complete editions of famous artists whose compilations for guitar are a little more expensive, due to the high demand for them.

In this sense, a good and cheap sheet music is one that is written in the notation you prefer and adapted to the level of ability you have, without being excessively expensive. If it meets these qualities, the experience of being able to perform the song is more likely to be worth what you paid for the sheet music. In addition, with each new song project you will be able to inspire and challenge yourself to be able to perform that piece of music that you like so much.

Annexes

Currently, sheet music books not only include printing, but also the opportunity to download audio and other teaching resources that will complement the learning experience. This is something that users greatly appreciate, because it adds value to the edition. This will be especially useful for textbooks, as they deal with melodies that are not known, and are intended to increase the skills of the performers. By listening to the audios, you will avoid playing the songs in the wrong way, which would result in little success when studying.

Presentation of the book

At this time, it is very easy to have access to guitar sheet music books in digital formats. In fact, they may be slightly more affordable versions than the printed ones. However, you should evaluate which is the most practical option for you. Remember that the size of the sheet music in a digital format will be limited to the dimensions of the device on which you will read it. Which may not be comfortable if you must see the notes or numbers clearly.

On the other hand, if it is a book with a very rigid binding, you may have to mistreat the book a bit to be able to place it on the bookstand and comfortably read the notes.

Type of instrument

Playing classical guitar is not the same as playing electric guitar. Therefore, however similar they may be, the sheet music books for one instrument and another will not be the same either. Thus, it is better that you acquire the appropriate edition, because it will show you useful tips and guides for each case. In addition, we recommend that you give importance to the author, since if it is a remarkable guitar teacher or performer, the shared experiences of him in the book will always be valuable.

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