The "Twist and Shout" chart has a few new elements in it that you will be responsible for on the written quiz such as: Coda (end), Segno (sign), and D.S. al Coda (go to the sign and then to coda) as well as review of first and second endings, one and two-measure repeat signs. The written quiz will also ask you to point out the key signature, time signature and clef. Above all, be sure you can follow the "roadmap" of the piece - i.e. What measure do you go back to after the first ending? When do you go to the coda? A good way to study this is to listen to a recording of the piece while looking at the lead sheet. Do it a few times to get familiar with the form.
The "Twist and Shout" lead sheet gives the Tab for the opening riff, and the solo after the second ending. You are responsible for playing both in class for a grade as well as playing the chord progression with the new chord "A". Here's the main riff as it appears on the lead sheet I passed out in class:
The performance critera are based on possible points for:
10 Guitar in tune.
10 Keeping a steady beat while playing the example.
10 Correct fingering for chords and single note lines.
10 Following the chart correctly.
10 Clarity of notes and chords.
50 points is a perfect score.
Good Luck!
Friday, March 7, 2008
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Unit 6: Tablature and the A Chord
Tablature is one of the oldest systems of music notation. It's easy to learn, and it's quite helpful to guitarists who do not read standard notation. Tablature does have two major flaws- One, there is no rhythm indication. One has to be familiar with the tune in order for the Tab to make any sense. Two, the Tab doesn't suggest a logical fingering to play the piece, only what fret the correct notes appear on.
In this lesson, I explain how tablature works. To summarize:
Tablature is a graphical representation of the strings on the guitar. As there are 6 strings, a staff of tablature has 6 lines. The lowest line is the Low E string, the highest line is the high E string. The notation to play one of these strings (open strings) would be a O on one of the lines. The following example is Tablature for playing the low E string 3 times followed by the A string 3 times:
---------------
---------------
---------------
---------------
----------0-0-0
----0-0-0------
In order to indicate a fret number rather than an open string, a fret number appears on the line. Like this G Major scale:
-------------------
-------------------
-------------------
--------------2-4-5
--------2-3-5------
----3-5------------
The homework assignment on this topic is for students to go online, or to a guitar magazine, music store, friend, etc. and find some tablature to a song. Bring the song to class and play a portion of it for us.
I will pass out a lead sheet in class for the Beatles song "Twist and Shout" with the main guitar riff written out in tab to reinforce the tablature lecture. Students are expected to be able to play the main riff by next class.
Twist and Shout is a I, IV, V progression in the key of A, so we need to learn how to spell (and play) an A chord. This is included in the lesson as well.
In this lesson, I explain how tablature works. To summarize:
Tablature is a graphical representation of the strings on the guitar. As there are 6 strings, a staff of tablature has 6 lines. The lowest line is the Low E string, the highest line is the high E string. The notation to play one of these strings (open strings) would be a O on one of the lines. The following example is Tablature for playing the low E string 3 times followed by the A string 3 times:
---------------
---------------
---------------
---------------
----------0-0-0
----0-0-0------
In order to indicate a fret number rather than an open string, a fret number appears on the line. Like this G Major scale:
-------------------
-------------------
-------------------
--------------2-4-5
--------2-3-5------
----3-5------------
The homework assignment on this topic is for students to go online, or to a guitar magazine, music store, friend, etc. and find some tablature to a song. Bring the song to class and play a portion of it for us.
I will pass out a lead sheet in class for the Beatles song "Twist and Shout" with the main guitar riff written out in tab to reinforce the tablature lecture. Students are expected to be able to play the main riff by next class.
Twist and Shout is a I, IV, V progression in the key of A, so we need to learn how to spell (and play) an A chord. This is included in the lesson as well.
Unit 5: 5th Chords
How appropriate that our 5th meeting is a discussion of 5th chords- and some practice of "Love me Do" and "Saving Grace".
At the end of "Saving Grace", the guitarist plays the I,IV,V chord progression as 5th chords- AKA power chords. They have no third, so therefore have no tonality (Not major or minor)The notation looks like this C5,F5,G5 instead of C,F,G.
The F chord is in the first fret, and I illustrate how the F major voicing they learned last week fits on top of the Root and the Fifth of the F5 chord. Together, they form a complete 6 string voicing.
We play a bunch od classic 5th chord tunes too- Smells Like Teen Spirit by Nirvana, and Iron Man by Black Sabbath.
At the end of "Saving Grace", the guitarist plays the I,IV,V chord progression as 5th chords- AKA power chords. They have no third, so therefore have no tonality (Not major or minor)The notation looks like this C5,F5,G5 instead of C,F,G.
The F chord is in the first fret, and I illustrate how the F major voicing they learned last week fits on top of the Root and the Fifth of the F5 chord. Together, they form a complete 6 string voicing.
We play a bunch od classic 5th chord tunes too- Smells Like Teen Spirit by Nirvana, and Iron Man by Black Sabbath.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Unit 4: The F Chord
This chord is a beast to new players. The traditional voicing that appears in all the guitar instruction books involves holding down the first fret on the B and E strings at the same time. They call this a barre. It's hard for beginners to do this, so I don't require it- that's right.
Armed with the knowledge of chord theory, we diagram and spell the F chord and discover that the F note (root) is doubled in this voicing. One of the F's can be eliminated! This makes for greater comfort, and warm fuzzys about putting theory to good use.
The song that reinforced the F chord is "Saving Grace" by the Cranberries.
Another concept that comes up in Saving Grace is the use of the F chord as a G chord. Yes that's right. Since the F chord doesn't use open strings, we can slide it up a whole step and it becomes a G chord. If we went up another whole step it would be an A chord. Cool right?
Here's an example of me playing C,F and G (in the new position). It's the same chord progression to "Saving Grace", and lots of other songs- "La Bamba" for example.
Armed with the knowledge of chord theory, we diagram and spell the F chord and discover that the F note (root) is doubled in this voicing. One of the F's can be eliminated! This makes for greater comfort, and warm fuzzys about putting theory to good use.
The song that reinforced the F chord is "Saving Grace" by the Cranberries.
Another concept that comes up in Saving Grace is the use of the F chord as a G chord. Yes that's right. Since the F chord doesn't use open strings, we can slide it up a whole step and it becomes a G chord. If we went up another whole step it would be an A chord. Cool right?
Here's an example of me playing C,F and G (in the new position). It's the same chord progression to "Saving Grace", and lots of other songs- "La Bamba" for example.
Monday, February 25, 2008
Unit 3: Three Chords and a Chart
Today (after the quiz) I draw chord diagrams on the board for two chords: G and C. First we spell them G=GBD and C=CEG. Then we diagram them using finger numbers and a chord frame, then we play them. Beginners need only play the root (but with the correct finger) More advanced players in the class can play these voicings in other positions on the guitar.
Next, I pass out the chart to "Love Me Do" by the Beatles. The entire first half of the song can be played with these two chords. The diagrams on the board appear in the chart along with some new stuff- like music notation. Concepts covered in order to read the chart-Key signature, time signature, clef, barlines, measures, beats, repeat signs, first and second endings.
Armed with this knowledge, its time to practice to get ready for your first performance! Don't worry, you have a few classes to practice.
Next, I pass out the chart to "Love Me Do" by the Beatles. The entire first half of the song can be played with these two chords. The diagrams on the board appear in the chart along with some new stuff- like music notation. Concepts covered in order to read the chart-Key signature, time signature, clef, barlines, measures, beats, repeat signs, first and second endings.
Armed with this knowledge, its time to practice to get ready for your first performance! Don't worry, you have a few classes to practice.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Unit 2: Tuning and the Circle of 4ths
Today (after the anatomy quiz) I introduce the circle of 4ths and we spell all of the major scales out on the board. Quiz soon.
Within the scale or key, the 1st, 3rd, and 5th scale degrees sounding together make a chord. It's important to realize what notes and what scale degrees are in the chords we play so that we can make alterations to the basic chord shapes later. You can't exactly "lower the third" of a chord that you know if you don't know where the third is.
Switching from chord to chord creates a chord progression- the basis of a song. These chord progressions are notated using roman numerals for example, the I, IV, V progression is very common in popular music.
We spell out a I, IV, V progression in various keys. in the key of A, the I, IV, V will be I=A, IV=D, V=B.
After all of this brain-melting theory, I demonstrate how to use an electronic tuner, and how to tune by ear. Most students get the gist of the electronic tuner right away, and I encourage their use. Tuning by ear takes some practice. Listen to this audio file for my lecture on tuning.
Within the scale or key, the 1st, 3rd, and 5th scale degrees sounding together make a chord. It's important to realize what notes and what scale degrees are in the chords we play so that we can make alterations to the basic chord shapes later. You can't exactly "lower the third" of a chord that you know if you don't know where the third is.
Switching from chord to chord creates a chord progression- the basis of a song. These chord progressions are notated using roman numerals for example, the I, IV, V progression is very common in popular music.
We spell out a I, IV, V progression in various keys. in the key of A, the I, IV, V will be I=A, IV=D, V=B.
After all of this brain-melting theory, I demonstrate how to use an electronic tuner, and how to tune by ear. Most students get the gist of the electronic tuner right away, and I encourage their use. Tuning by ear takes some practice. Listen to this audio file for my lecture on tuning.
Monday, January 28, 2008
Unit 1:Anatomy
In our first class we name the parts of the guitar- body, neck, head, tuning pegs, nut, bridge, etc. There will be an anatomy quiz on day 2. You have to name the parts correctly if your going to play the instrument.
After we can name the parts, we look at posture, and the correct way to hold the instrument. We give our left hand fingers numbers (index=1, Middle=2, Ring=3, Pinky=4), and learn how to hold a pick. You'll have to name your finger numbers for the quiz too.
Next, we name the open strings (EADGBE) and come up with a neumonic device to remember them by (Eddy Ate Dynamite Good Bye Eddy) This will also be on the quiz.
Once we know the names of the open strings, we can name all of the notes on each string.
Each string can be though of as it's own chromatic scale, so we write the chromatic scale out and apply it to each string. The description includes the function of the sharp and the flat, and our first two intervals- the half step (one fret. Notes that are next to each other on the fingerboard are a half-step apart.) and the whole step (two frets. Play a note, skip a fret, and play the next note. That's a whole step).
The dots on the fretboard are a whole step apart (my guitar has a dot on the first fret, but I've seen many that don't) until the 9th fret.
It's a bit much to memorize all of this at once, so I break it down to the Low E string and the A string, and relate the notes on each of those strings to the dots that appear on the neck. Students are responsible for naming the notes on the E and A strings up to the 7th fret.
Good luck!
Mr. Rabuse
After we can name the parts, we look at posture, and the correct way to hold the instrument. We give our left hand fingers numbers (index=1, Middle=2, Ring=3, Pinky=4), and learn how to hold a pick. You'll have to name your finger numbers for the quiz too.
Next, we name the open strings (EADGBE) and come up with a neumonic device to remember them by (Eddy Ate Dynamite Good Bye Eddy) This will also be on the quiz.
Once we know the names of the open strings, we can name all of the notes on each string.
Each string can be though of as it's own chromatic scale, so we write the chromatic scale out and apply it to each string. The description includes the function of the sharp and the flat, and our first two intervals- the half step (one fret. Notes that are next to each other on the fingerboard are a half-step apart.) and the whole step (two frets. Play a note, skip a fret, and play the next note. That's a whole step).
The dots on the fretboard are a whole step apart (my guitar has a dot on the first fret, but I've seen many that don't) until the 9th fret.
It's a bit much to memorize all of this at once, so I break it down to the Low E string and the A string, and relate the notes on each of those strings to the dots that appear on the neck. Students are responsible for naming the notes on the E and A strings up to the 7th fret.
Good luck!
Mr. Rabuse
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