The O,Mandolin Guitar

~ ESTABLISHED 1882 <. .. THE I NDEPENDENT ORGAN OF THE PROFESSION AND TRADE VOL. XIX NO. } MARCH. 1902 WHOLE NUMBER. 1}5 Proprietor ... nd Editor-in-Chief-FRED S '- STEWAR. T A ssis.a.nt Editor- LEMUEL S STEWAR. T Associate Editors { MiSS EI ~ ie Tooker Messrs. C . S. Patty. C . F. Elezear Fizet. Bert S. House and Charles Morris 'If I~~~~---------------------------r--~I ~ .' It must be a matter of g reat ?ati sfaction to the thoughtful teacher or lover of the banjo. mandolin and g-uitar to note the increased interest in these instrument s during the past ten years. By " interest" I am not refer 11 ring exactly to the numbcr \\'ho 1,avc taken lip th e study of these in stru ments, but rather to the disc ussions whi ch are taking place regarding the matters theoretical- discussions whi ch re \"('a l th e fact that' science and art are being introduced as fac tors in their study. It has become no longer a mere mattet'" o f a pupil's str11mming on all instrument, but of hi s playing with expression and with a due sense of the musical sig nificance of a piece of music. Just as ··confession is good for the soul ,.' discnssion-is good for the banjo, mandolin and guitar, because when people get their thinkmg ca ps 0 11. it always reveals earncst sincerity. and that is th e g reat factor in advancemcllt of <1 11 y kind. Let me call the s p~c i a l att ent ion of tlw J ULi1",.IL readers to the articles in this issue. O ne is thc second in stalmcnt of ~lr. Thomas ] . .-\rmstrong·s "Class T eaching ·' series of talks. ~r r. .-\ rmstrong is probably the pioneer in this particular ti eicl of in struction. and I assure you that 1 read the manu script of this second artick with the grcatc!' t interest. If there c\'er was a \\-Titer On a tccilnical subject like lllusic who got dowll to saying what he wi shed to say. that writ er is ::\ Lr. Armstrong, and we can alllt:a rn much from him. The other article is one 0 11 th e tlIning of the mandala. written by a prominent teacher in Buffalo, ~ [r. \V. lter A. Boehm. This lI"il l he f011 nd to be a teacher's vIew of mandala tuning. I shall present, I hope. the views of some prominent manufacturer in the April issue. In lthe meantime, J OUR:-IA L readers should read carefully M r. Boehm's article. so as to be prepared to compare his vi cII"s lI"ith those of other experts. ., " 2 STEW ART'S JOURNAL CHAPTER II. A few moments' c·onversa ti ull g-c nl'r a ll ~ ~ri g ht est membcr in the cl ass. The others \VlllS over a hesita ting applicant JUr IlH.: I1l w ill observe "OUf instructions, and as each As to the financial result of class teaching, bership. one is takell' ill rOl ation this prelim in ary it has proved far more profitable, to the pr.o 1n o tfering i ndll c~ nH.. · n i~ to juiu a cl a :i~ be \\ ork hct:omcs easy. fessional teacher, than private pupils. ""'here pr ecise c:.nu cxact III your sla t ~ 11l e nt s. and In starting a class to play the fi rst scale, a teacher values his time at so much per don't offer im possible things. \'ariO ll s wa\'s are llsed bv different teachers. I-Ionest and conscicntious mcth ods w in the The g-c neral plan is as fo ll ows: hour, say $1.00 an nour for private lessons, respect of th e class. lly gaining the cO n :\ few minutes' lecture to the enti re class he frequently secmes fom and five times as fid ence of· th e members. a teacher ca n dri ll aholl t music, showin g the position and names much per ~, o ur for class l e~so n s, according a class w ith w·onderfl11 Sll ccess. o f 'notes 0 11 the staff. .-\ conven ient means to the number of members in the class. As the progress of forIllin g- a class au oi explai ning thi s i.s wi th a black-board. With an increased number of scholars, he v·ances and thc applicants present them A ft er th is . commence w ith the mandolins. obtains more opportunities to sell instru selves for membership. it \\· ill be scen that takin g th e open string's as an exercise. 'I'hi s ments and strings. His sale of music and vCi iioll S stages of ability arc bro ug ht to may be tirst played by each mandolin sepa g (ther among the proposed members. ratch' and a fterwards in unison. musical merchandise expands, too, thereby Some may be fairly good readers and T lie do,,'11 and up strokes of the pick must increasing his incot11!'" H e will also have pl ayers, others \\' ill have a sli ght know ledge he expl ained and illustrated to every man many thusiastic persons, acting as self of the instrument the" wish to pia,'. \\'h ile ,:"Iin pu pil in the cl ass. appointed agents, trying to form new others may kn ow nothing aboll t Illu sic o r Then COI1lm en ce w ith the scale o f C classes. either mandolin , banjo or g ui tar. major. taking each mandolin pupil separate It then becomes necessary to arran ,!:.;c the h' as hefore. Some of our prominent teachers have members into two o r more classes. accord . Fi na ll y take the entire group o f \"an hesitated entering the fi eld of class teaching, ing to their knowledge. Qolins and have them play this scale in uni- because of their doubts as to its benefi cial Two or th ree classes. of di fferent grades, 5011 . results to the scholar. m~ly thus he organi ze d fo r separate study. T h is shoul d be played several times. No T hese classes should meet on different l;ce each player during- th e progress of the Class teaching is not an experiment. evenings. so as not to conAict wi th one an scale and correct th e fi ngering wherever It is a safe and legitimate road to success, other. ncccssarv. and secures to the student the services of a In assigning eacll appl ica nt for a ce rta in As the music is used fo r lhis scale, ca ll good teacher at a moderate cost. grade or class, the thoughtful teacher \\' ill tllci r attention to the fi g llres marking the Success is certain when the class is started exercise considerable ' tact and nicety of fi ngerin g'. Also explain the necessit ), of right and properly graded exercises used. judgment. looking at the 111 usic, and not at til e man It is unnecessary to impress the members dolin. "Vithout these two vital points it becomes a that several di ffe rent grades of classes are All lhis would seelll to occup)' consider failure. being formed. 1t is better to j tl st assig n ahle time. but it is really surpris in g how As the sC:hles for mandolin . banjo and a pup il to the proper class. This. of course, ci uickly a number o f beginners accompli sh guitar difrer, in both their compass and fin is done a fter di scoverin g ho\\" fa r adva nced ~oo d resul ts on the mandolin. gering, it becomes necessary to employ ....I1C is. D uring thi s primary in struct ion for man T he fa ct that there are di ffe rent grades of dol ins is is presupposed the teacher has the music that overcomes this difficulty. c!asses can be revealed later in the season , enti"e class un de r control ant d that he fol The American system of notation fQr \\'hn an exceedingly bri ght pupil mar be I() \\" ing' cond itions preva il : .banjo calls for the key of A major as the promotec1 to a hi gher class. That there is 11 0 talking or wh ispering natural key. This scale harmonizes with C A regular oreler of promotion can thus among the members. ma,jor on mandolin ami guitar. This key, h,' established. This encourages the studi 'That the entire class is g-i\·i ng- th eir atten GUS pupils and incites th e others to. attain tio n to the teacher. and all the other keys and exercises. must promoti on. That the banj o and g- uitar pl a"ers are not be arranged so that the three diffe rent in. T he second and third grade cl asses offer idl.·.. picking the strings o f their in strument s. struments blend in harmony for class use. ilO seri o tl s difficult \· to a teacher. He knows 1t is im possihl e to ohtain good result s if It will therefore be seen that, with such the proper metho<1 of directing a c1uh of the class becomes inattentive. piayers. \~ r h c n th e menlhers consist o f fa ir music, class teaching is not SUcil a compli Ca ll th eir attention to this fact. h· good rea<l ers and pla "ers \\' ho understand They have paid their money fo r th ei r in cated affair a·fter all.

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