Classical Guitar I Schedule
Here's a tentative schedule for the class--Ron will be changing some details as necessary.
Each topic relates to A Modern Approach to Classical Guitar unless otherwise noted
Treat each week's scheduled material like a checklist for each time you sit down to practice; don't spend the entire 30 minutes (or more) on one or two things--
- touch on several items each time you sit down to practice, including studying the textbook.
- Always review older material
Happy practicing!
Schedule
Week 1
Introduction to the guitar and classroom study environment
- Playing Position
- The Right Hand
- The Rest Stroke with Index and Middle Fingers (we will not use rest stroke for thumb yet)
- Reading Music: Pitch notation, Rhythmic notation
- Open Strings 1, 2, and 3
- Introduce Free Stroke Thumb
- The Open Bass Strings
- Beginning Left hand exercise
Week 2:
- Combining Thumb and Fingers: Ex 1, 2, p. 15
- Complete Music Review
- The Left Hand: Notes on the First String
- write in note names (for this exercise only - you must memorize all notes we study within a day or two of introduction), practice saying and playing
- Notes on the 2nd string
- write in note names, practice saying, playing
- Combining Strings 1 and 2
- Melodic Movement
- Cross fingering
Week 3: Test 1, Thursday Week 4
Topics:
- Begin chord playing and strumming: C, E minor: Chord Chart, Song 1
- Read about Tuning, and watch video
- continue practicing p free strokes on open strings
-
warmup: i-m on open strings, left hand exercise
-
Begin all songs, p. 21
- Begin string 3, p. 22
By the end of week three, you should
- be able to consistently sit properly, hold the guitar correctly, and demonstrate correct hand positions
- demonstrate correctly played free strokes with p for all the music we are working on
- use proper left hand technique and fingerings for all the music we are working on
- have fluency reading notes on the 1st, 2nd strings, open 5th, 6th strings, be familiar
with 3rd string
- Ron will not allow you to use music with note names written in for tests.
- be very comfortable with all meters and rhythms we have studied, and be able to count out loud for all the music we are working on.
- be able to strum evenly while moving from the C to E min, and be able to form each chord so that it sounds clearly.
Week 4:
- Review all songs for strings 1 and 2
- Continue string 3
- Begin Twinkle, Yankee Doodle, Au Clair de la Lune
- Continue Eeanor Rigby with up-down strum
Thursday: Mid-term exam
Week 5
- Begin Melody with Bass Accompaniment: p. 24
- Etude, Slavonic Dance
- Rests, Ties, p. 26-27
Week 6:
- Rests, Ties, Pickup Notes
- written exercise
- For He's a Jolly Good Fellow, Down in the Valley, When the Saints Go Marching In
- Eighth Notes
- counting exercise
- Bingo. Good King Wenceslas
- 2/4 time
- Music in Two Parts (read about Bass Stopping)
- Etude, Chanson Russe
Week 7:
- Dotted Quarter Notes p. 32
- Deck the Halls, Alouette, Auld Lang Syne
- More Advanced Solo Playing
- Berceuse, Song of the Silk Road
- 1st and 2nd endings
- Begin 4th string:
- Written Exercise p. 38
- Fourth String Estudio, p. 38
- The Riddle Song, p. 39
- "swinging" strum, in key of Am
- The Chord Progression
Week 8: Friday--last day to drop with W
Mid-term: Tuesday - pieces TBD
Thursday:
- Notes on the 5th String, p. 40
- written exercise
- Soriana, Hymn, Asturias Theme
- Summertime chord song
Week 9:
- Sharps and Flats, p. 44, the Natural Sign, p. 46
- first string, second string, chromatic scale, Aura Lee
- Alman
- Accidentals on String 3
- We Three Kings
- written fingering exercise
- Two-octave chromatic scale, p. 54
- Key Signatures, p. 50
Week 10:
- Right Hand Development, p. 51
- The Coventry Carol
- Romanza, p. 55
- Playing Beyond the First Position
- Joy to the World, Two Octave Chromatic Scale
- Notes on the Sixth String, , p. 56
- Lullabye, p. 56
- Noche en Espana, p. 57
Week 11:
- Notes on the 6th String, Cont.
- Noche en Espana
- Accidentals on String 6, p. 58
- written Ex.
- Malaguena Theme
- New Finger Combinations, p. 60
- Greensleeves
Week 12:
Finals -- no class meetings
Final Exam for Spring 2019 Thursday, June 27, 11:30-1:30
Final Exam TBD