To study this book, you will only need a basic knowledge of chords and scales. The methodology of study in this book is to help teach the aspiring guitarist in a manner that is much faster than traditional methods. The main purpose of this course of study is to save time. You will be shaving time off of what is traditionally a very time consuming process. Apophenia is making sense of seemingly random data and applying a quickly recognizable pattern to random things. The task of learning all of the notes on the fret board becomes a fifteen second exercise and applying this concept to chord tones, and chords, works amazingly well. The circle of fifths and the modes are explained in an easy to understand format. By using the methods in this book you will learn the notes up and down the neck, and chords that are usable all over the neck. Additionally, you will increase your improvisational skills with your new knowledge of the neck. Applying the methods in this book to your study, the speed at which you can learn, process, and retain information will surprise you! This method breaks down the task of learning the guitar into "little pictures." It is easier to learn in parts, rather than digest the large pieces of the puzzle. This method is meant to open doors and spark your own creativity. The intention also is to show you ways to aid you in improvisation, comping, memory retention, and also song writing. Musical notation and guitar tablature are not used in this method. This concept is strictly a quickly learned visual approach for the guitar.There is no overwhelming music theory, but rather harmony is the key to understanding.
About the Author: Ric Criste began his musical adventure at age five with piano lessons. Drums kicked in at eleven, bass at fifteen. Finally at sixteen, guitar just clicked. Music study at Penn State and guitar studies with Ed McGuire, a Mel Bay author and local legend. A position in a local jazz/rock band led to landing the guitar spot in a band from Boston which toured internationally. Ric has taught hundreds of students. He has always been involved in a musical project. "Guitar Apophenia" came about because Ric has been teaching this concept for twenty years. The idea is based on "as easily, as fast as possible." "It took me years to learn much of what I know about guitar. If I had come up with the Apophenia concept of learning sooner, I would be years ahead. This is an easier way. Many of my students asked me to do this in a book format, so I did it. It is my contribution." Ric is currently studying with Garth Webber, former guitarist with Miles Davis, and teaches guitar at Penn State University.