Guitar Class Study Guide Mr. Schopp Included is all the information that we use on a daily basis to play and communicate about playing the guitar. You should make yourself very comfortable with everything, and ask about anything that does not make 100% sense to you. The Staff: The five lines that we use to demonstrate pitch are called the staff. Pitch tells how high or how low a note is. Melody is a single line of notes that make up the familiar tune of the song. Harmony is the combination of simultaneous musical notes in a chord. We use harmony to accompany the melody and make it more interesting and pleasing to the listener All notes played in Guitar class are on the treble clef: The lines of the treble clef signify the following notes: The spaces of the treble clef spell FACE: The notes directly below the staff are called Middle C and D: The notes directly above the staff are called G A B & C:
Alterations: # - sharp raises the note one fret - flat lowers the note one fret - cancels out a flat or a sharp returns it to its normal fret Names of the strings: string 1 = high E (highest pitch, thinnest string, closest to ground) string 2 = B string 3 = G string 4 = D string 5 = A string 6 = low E (lowest pitch, thickest string, closest to ceiling) Elephants And Donkeys Grow Big Ears! 6 5 4 3 2 1
In addition to knowing what the letter name is for each note, the student must know which string, which fret, and which finger to play each note.
Rhythm and Timing Correct timing is and essential aspect to every musician s playing. The student must demonstrate the ability to figure out the correct rhythmic patterns by counting the notes out in time. Rhythm is when and how long you play each note. Beat is the steady pulse that we use to measure out time and the notes Tempo is how fast or slow the beats are. In Guitar I, we limit ourselves to and meter signatures. These tell us: Top number How many beats per measure Bottom number What type of note equals 1 beat So, tells means: A note means sound for the proper number of beats. A rest means silence for the appropriate number of beats!
Rhythm Counting Taking the notes and fitting them into the ruler of time meaning counting them out! Always count in the smallest note value included in each measure, and then perform the notes when they occur. Also called subdividing! Each bar line divides the song into measures. Notice your counting restarts with one at the beginning of each new measure. A measure or measures with double lines with dots means that you REPEAT the measures within them:
Dotted Notes: A dot after a note adds HALF the value of the note to it. Dotted note = x +x/2! Therefore, a equals 2 +1 = 3 beats! A equals 1 ½ beats, or more importantly, 3 eighth notes worth of time Chords We learn an assortment of basic chords this semester. You should be able to play and recognize all of these: Em, am, F, C, G, D, A7, A An assortment of strumming and picking styles will be utilized! What chords would the following fingerings be? Dynamics
Pianissimo Very soft.. Piano Soft. Mezzo piano Medium soft. Mezzo forte Medium Loud Forte Loud. Fortissimo Very loud. Parts of the Guitar Tied Notes Note that are tied together last the equivalent of the two notes together!
How to learn a new song The step-by-step approach Melodic example: 1) Clap and count the rhythm, keeping a slow and steady tempo. Be sure to be tapping your foot the entire time through this process! 2) Say the letter names in the same rhythm. Keep it slow to start! 3) Play each measure, saying either the rhythm counting, the letters, or a combination of both! Proper fingerings and motes are a must! 4) Put measures together into full lines.until you have the whole piece put together. 5) Practice and increase speed until you are at the proper tempo and can play it consonantly without mistakes! Chordal Accompaniment: 1) Play each chord included in the piece, using proper fingerings 2) Play the chords using just simple strums in the proper order of the song. 3) Play the chords in time, using the proper timing (Whole notes, half notes, whatever fits the song) 4) Put the appropriate strumming or picking pattern in, first slowly, and then working up to speed. Always use a steady tempo even if it is slow!
5) Practice and increase speed until you are at the proper tempo and can play it consonantly without mistakes!