Anyone can play guitar, says singer-songwriter Kunal Basu. The inspirational guitar teacher has created a new portable guitar coaching tool that feels like you are holding the real thing

He taught himself how to play the guitar after being told by a tutor, when he was just 10, that he had "no music in him". "The guitar went into the cupboard and stayed there until I was 21, when I was studying to be an engineer," says Kunal Basu, musician and music teacher extraordinaire.
u00a0


The 28 year-old has released two eclectic albums Too Late To Press Rewind, and Two Plunketts and a Boy from Bombay. "The second album is a collaboration with brothers Richy and Phil Plunkett from Scotland, recorded at an abandoned car park. I met them while performing in the UK this year," says Kunal, who teaches guitar privately, at workshops and several international schools in Mumbai.

Unlike his childhood tutor, he believes anyone can play the guitar if it's made fun and you practise 15-20 minutes. Proof in point is 70 year-old complete beginner from Russia who became Kunal's student with grandson in tow. "Unless it's made fun, it's not interesting, both, to me as a teacher and to the student."

"Fun and interesting" is also how one would describe his coaching tool: The Guitar Chord Wizard. Ideal for complete beginners and useful for guitarists, it's a far cry from the big boring music books in the market. It's uncomplicated, portable and concise. There is no technical jargon and the language is simple.

u00a0
"The book has been designed to look like a standard 6 string acoustic guitar. You can learn about 50 chords on the booklet, by holding the book like you would hold an actual guitar. So, you could be on the bus or at your desk and learn the chords even if you don't have the guitar with you!" says Kunal. The dimensions of the head, the neck, the frets and the distance between the strings give it a very real feel. The page thickness mimics the thickness of a guitar neck, enabling you to grip it comfortably, just as you would an actual guitar.

The first few pages introduce you to the book and teach you how to read chord frame diagrams. Each page after that is dedicated to teaching a particular chord.

On the front of the page is the guitar fretboard with finger positions and finger numbers. This teaches you how to hold or grip that particular chord shape and which finger to use while doing so. The page behind has useful information about that particular chord and the corresponding chord frame diagram. Kunal has interspersed the gyaan with helpful hints, tips and reminders.

Once you are done learning a particular chord, flip the page to put the next chord on top of the stack. The ring binding ensures that any chord you choose to play will always be on top, while the thickness of the "neck" stays the same. Kunal has listed commonly used chord progressions at the end of the book "to help you once you transition from basic chords to playing songs".

To listen to Kunal's music visit http://www.myspace.com/kunalbasu

The Guitar Chord Wizard is available for Rs 399 at Bhargava's Musik, opposite Amarsons, Bandra (W); Sardar Flute, SV Road, Santacruz (W); Rhythm House, Rampart Row Building, Kala Ghoda and BX Furtado & Sons, Dhobi Talao, Marine Lines.

Or contact Kunal for a copy, or guitar lessons on 9819758134