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Guitar… a retrospective

Guitar… a retrospective. One year into the project. Why Guitar?. Artistic Reasons Reach “alternative” (non BOC) kids New blood in the program Raise coolness factor Inject some “fun” Pragmatic reasons Fill schedule (pull-out lesson battles, “empty” periods Teaching load (# of students)

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Guitar… a retrospective

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  1. Guitar… a retrospective One year into the project

  2. Why Guitar? • Artistic Reasons • Reach “alternative” (non BOC) kids • New blood in the program • Raise coolness factor • Inject some “fun” • Pragmatic reasons • Fill schedule (pull-out lesson battles, “empty” periods • Teaching load (# of students) • Access to potential band recruits • Keeping up with the Jones’s

  3. All the basics • Instruments… • Student owned? (pro/con) • School owned ($$$!) • Brands? Costs… • El Cheapo vs. Quality (4 or 5 to 1!!!) • Local stores vs. online retailers • GSO’s • How much time can you devote to them? • When do you have to pull the plug? • Triage clinic afterwards…

  4. Basics cont. • MATERIALS!!! • Lots out there... Web, print, etc. • Very easily disseminated (text tab) • Shaped by class philosophy (see later) • Home grown vs.= time • Electric? Acoustic? Nylon? Steel? • Ideals… vs. reality • If they own it, they want to play it • Uncle Frankie’s Axe • Dealing with the beast

  5. Philosophy • ALL NOTES (ANTI-TAB) • What do they know? • Prior music classes • Is TAB bad? Or just misunderstood? • ALL CHORDS (NO SINGLE NOTES) • TAB/NOTE HYBRIDS (guitarplayermag, etc.) • BLENDED METHODS • Some blended differently than others… • POP vs. FOLK vs. ???? • What are your goals

  6. What Works for Me… • My Philosophy: • “Functional” guitar • Some songs, recognizable • Variety of SONGS • Some melody (solos, improv) • Have fun, encourage further learning • TAB is good. Yes it is. • They already know it. • It IS musical notation. • Historical • HYBRID notation • Chords YES • You can play “songs” • Simple chords • Single note reading is.. Meh. • Not enough prior music knowledge • Not many “band” kids yet • Cunfuzzled. • Ensembles? • Sounds good but…. • What's a part? What line? • Go back to letter what? • The “Perfect Book” • I DON’T HAVE TIME FOR THAT!!! • Can’t reinvent the wheel… • Turnkey curriculum (like a “real” teacher!)

  7. Books • Gazillions of them… • Lots of different approaches • If there's money to be made someone will publish it… • What I used… • Mastering Guitar by Bay/Christiansen • PROS: some TAB, CD, Ensembles • CONS: no pop music, drilly. Ensembles. NEVER TAB and notes. • BETTER (shoulda) • SUPERBOOK • A little of everything… • 5 books in one • Same cost as other books • POP songs, Beatles and Elton John are at least… poppier. • Some melody tunes, simple • Drills • Pentatonic scales, solo licks • TAB • CD’s

  8. Tunage • ULTIMATE GUITAR.com! • Take a song and transpose to a key they know • Play along MIDI’s (vanBasco) • ESSENTIAL in my philosophy (must have songs they know and want to play) Metallica trumps Molly Malone EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK • Variety.. Examples all use G, C, D, Em, Am or variants • Unforgiven • Mad World (transposed) • Hey Soul Sister (transposed, good for Uke!) • Wonderwall (transposed) • Good Riddance • The Joker (Steve Miller, with editorial discretion)

  9. Extensions • Several experienced students • Some basic students • UKULELE!!! • Lazy…. • FUN!!!!!!!! • Baritone Uke and guitar • TOP 4 (DGBE) • Reentrant tuning vs standard • Span • Nylon • Mandolin • Closely related to violin • EASY 2 finger chords (C,G,D,A,Em) • Bluegrass, folk, rock • MULTICULTURAL+++ BUZZ • CHEAP • IDLE HANDS, etc. • BASS • Good for basic kids • Good for a “band” feel • Barre Chords/ Capo • Electric Violin+Distortion=ROCK!

  10. DEALBREAKERS • Not many…. • The F chord • Barres • Note reading??? (I have mixed opinions…) • Hacking… • Pick Loss… where the heck do they go? • Calluses (ouchies)

  11. Easy Fun Stuff • Get a Pedal (digitech, $50) • Electric Guitar • Some things MUCH easier (barres!) • COOLNESS FACTOR • Pentatonic Scale • Power Chords • Palm Mute • Rock chords are EASIER than “legit chords”

  12. NEXT YEAR!!! • Units/ proficiencies/ structure • More tunes • Set the stage for more note reading in Guitar 2. • Level better (hope?) • More Guitars…. DonorsChoose here I come! • ROCK BAND??? • More Band kids? • FUTURE: Bluegrass (All-state Jug Band?) • SUCCESS?!?!

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