Rigor and Relevance:
Guitar in the general
music classroom.
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Agenda
Class procedures
Technique vs Concept
Maximizing Learning
Cooperative Learning
Answers to FAQ’s
I use picks.
We all play right handed. (With some
exceptions)
I keep the guitars on a rack, not in cases.
I start in third grade.
We play once a week, the other day is
general music. (Orff, movement, etc.)
I do more chording than single note playing.
An Unlimited Supply of Picks
Before You Pass Out Guitars…
How to Carry Guitars
Two hands on neck, guitar in
front.
No Chords Needed.
Things That Will Break Your Guitar
Lay it on the floor! I’ve had one fall over,
but I’ve never had one stepped on.
More Things That Will Break Your Guitar
•Letting your brother/sister/friend play your guitar.
•Leaving it in the car on a hot day.
•Letting your uncle/brother/friend tune it.
•United Airlines.
Technique/Concepts
What is your end goal?
What is your timeline?
How much time to you have per week?
Technology Tricks
Use your webcam to make closeups of your
hand.
Use the video out of your camcorder into
your LCD projector to get a “players eye
view”.
Powerpoint tricks.
Single String Warmup
E
m
1
2
Use Your “Rotate Image”
Feature
Use Simplified Chords
Use only strings 1,2,3,[4]
(red fingers and strings) .
Place painters tape on
strings 4,5,6.
Advanced students can
use the blue fingers.
12 Bar Blues - Rhythm/Solo
12 Bar Blues
3rd Grade Vocabulary
crescendo
conductor
decrescend
ostinato
o
posture
pianissimo
unison
fortissimo
timbre
Presto
whole note
whole rest
dotted half
note
half note
half rest
measure
bar line
final
barline
What’s Missing?
\C
w
\C
wQ w
|C \G
qQ w
\
Q
VG
w
B|G
MetDemo and MusiSync
Fonts
\ C\ \
w
w
C
\ C\ \
w w
C
\ G\ C \
w w w
G
Try it like this…
V Gw
B|Gw
\CW G\ wC\ W\
\CW C\ WC\ W
\
|CW \G w C\ wG\ w
C\
:
\\w
MetDemo and MusiSync
Fonts
Song Analysis
Name ________________ Teachers Name
____________________
Song Name/Composer
________________
Form:
___________________________________
V=Verse, C=Chorus, B=Bridge, Intro, Coda
Circle the dynamic marking: pp, p, mp, mf, f, ff
Circle the tempo marking: Largo, Andate, Allegro,
Presto
Lead Singer: Bass, Tenor, Alto, Soprano
Cooperative Learning
How to find a partner.
Games with chord cards.
Mini Ensembles.
Card Games
Partner A picks card,
partner B plays chord,
partner A checks it.
Partner A arranges cards
in any order, Partner B
plays.
Sit back to back. Partner
A arranges and plays.
Partner B tries to guess
what order cards are
placed.
Practice and Play for the
Class
A / / / |A / / / |
E / / / |E / / / | D
/ / / |D / / /:||
Ways to take it to the next level:
Switch Parts.
Both partners play every chord.
Add a quarter and eighth note rhythm.
Useful Resources
MIMF – Musical Instrument Makers Forum. They’re really picky about following their posting rules in the forum, but it’s an enormous
treasure trove of instrument knowledge. Any sort of stringed instrument, and even percussion and winds. From removing necks to
changing tuners, whatever, someone there will know how to do it.
Frets.com – run by California luthier Frank Ford, full of pictures of how to fix guitars, banjos, whatever. Very cool tricks, tips, and
homemade tools.
Guitar Attack – little bit of everything, guitar repair for the novice, repainting, playing tricks and tips, gallery of Saga guitar kits people
have built.
Guitar Nuts – Great electric guitar wiring site, and how to banish all hum from your guitar, single coils included!
Backing Tracks, Tabs, Chords, Lyrics.
Guitarbackingtrack.com – Just like it says, song tracks minus guitar, some have vocals some don’t but most are really good, some are
just midi’s but most are spot on copies.
Ultimate Guitar – One of the biggest tab sites online.
How to Videos
Three Chord Guitar – Lots of easy guitar lessons by Mojo, Three chord songs and how to play them, licks “in the style of”, simplified
licks and songs. Check out his YouTube channel too. He sort of leans to the the Southern Rock/Country genre, but he’s got everything
from U2 to Miles Davis.
Justin Sandercoe, Justin on YouTube – hailing from Britain, this is one of the best series of YouTube lessons out there. Everything from
rock to jazz, chords, scales, solos, techniques, and more. No matter what your level you can probably get something from this.
Rock On Good People. More good videos, some of everything here, much like Justin Sandercoe’s, but with many different instructors.