Ten Guitar Programs
Beginning Guitar
Level 1*Most students start here. Basic chords, note names, strumming, and playing melodies are introduced. Learning to read music is encouraged for students with that inclination**. Book: Hal Leonard's Beginning Guitar Superbook. (Classical students, see below.) Beginning Guitar
Level 2*More chords and strumming patterns are introduced. Switching chords quickly and keeping a steady beat are emphasized. More notes are introduced, including F sharp and B flat. Students who are reading music learn more about key signatures, time signatures, eighth notes, and rests**. Beginning Guitar
Level 3*Important Level 3 skills include basic fingerstyle (PIMA) accompaniment and down-up picking. Level 3 students can tune their own guitars, name all the strings, play 20 chords, and play along with many of the CD tracks that come with their book. Most students will be able to interperet guitar TAB (short for guitar tablature) which has become the guitarist's lingua franca--in lieu of--or in addition to--standard notation. Students who are reading music will sight read most songs in Hal Leonard's Superbook**. Intermediate and Hobbiest Guitar
Level 4*This loosely structured program is designed to guide the advancing guitar player toward building broad and strong foundation of skills, knowledge, and experience. Performing and managing a repertoire can also be objectives. Level 4 is open ended, and students with general interest can stay in the program indefinitely. Advanced techniques and music theory are common topics covered in lessons: Fingerpicking techniques, neck tapping, playing the blues, soloing, advanced strumming techniques, scales, keys, altered chords, etc. Many handouts in musical notation, TAB, and fretboard diagrams. Level 4 is good preparation for the following programs. Independent Study
--Adult--Kind of like "Level 4," above, but with adults in mind. Adults tend to be more self-directed, often have special interests and goals, and often bring in many of their own questions which can direct and fuel their lesson time and material. Master Guitar Rock Emphasis
Level 5The Rock Emphasis program requires focused study and practice to pass a series of skills, knowledge base, and song tests. Skills tests include alternate picking and neck tapping. Knowledge tests include music theory topics like scales and chord building. Song tests require students to perform songs with original recordings of classic rock, pop rock, and songs of choice. Master Guitar Singer-Song-writer Emphasis
Level 5This program has its roots in the folk and folk-rock traditions founded by the likes of Bob Dylan and kin, but it also includes up to a dozen songs of student choice. Students learn 25 songs by some of the great singer-song-writers from the past and present, and they also try their hand at writing their own songs. Styles can range from the blues to country to folk to alternative. Advanced strumming and fingerstyle techniques may be encountered. Using a capo, mastering bar chords, understanding keys, and more are covered. Master Guitar
Jazz Emphasis
Level 5Jazz Emphasis is a good program for students who want to play in their school jazz band or explore the genre for personal reasons. Jazz Emphasis requires students to learn the rhythm and melody parts to 24 tunes: 12 jazz standards and 12 jazz songs of choice. Extended chords, altered chords, scales, modes, arpeggios, and more are covered, and the students earn the degree by passing tests which include playing songs by heart and improvising. Books by Jamey Aebersold and others are used to help the student get it together. Students will need to purchase a few books. Classical Guitar
101
Classical Guitar I follows Christopher Parkening's Volume I and uses the Frederick Noad Book 1 as a supplement. This program requires approximately one year of study and intentionally includes some exploration of other genres like pop, folk, or country to broaden the student's experience base. An alternative book might be suggested for younger students.
Classical Guitar
201
Classical Guitar II is guided study and follows Christopher Parkening's Volume 2 and is open to the student's study of compositions of interest outside the book. Supplemental material in Classical Guitar II includes books such as Scott Tennent's Pumping Nylon, appreciation of the guitar and it's construction and history, and some DVD recommondations. While your instructor did study classical guitar for two years in college, you will be learning and performing songs outside his current repertoire. *Notes About
Beginning
and Intermediate
Lessons*A note private guitar lessons: Every student's path, their first songs, will be different. Lesson content and pace are very student-driven. This is one of the benefits of individual, private lessons. In addition to helping you learn to play songs you like, lessons are intended to be educational, interesting, rewarding, and fun. There can and will be cross-over of content and skills between programs.
**A note about reading music: While your teacher feels that reading music is a useful and important skill, he also recognizes that it is not a required first-step to playing songs you want to play. Some students seem to take to reading music and enjoy it, and some lose all motivation at the sight of the written note. Classical students must read music. Jazz students must read lead sheets.