Beginner Guitar Method Book
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The Method for Beginning Guitarists Kale Good Part I. The Basics 2 Lesson 1 Adduction • The object of this exercise is to adduct the fingers, that is to pull them toward each other as you use them, and topass smoothly from finger to finger with no excess motion. • Only the very tips of the fingers should touch the strings. • The arm should hang relaxed directly below the hand at all times, the wrist should remain as unbent as possible throughout, much as it is when the arm hangs at rest at your side. • The lower finger is slowly placed on the string while the higher note is still sounding and the higher finger isgently relaxed just as the lower note is played. (lower and higher = pitch!) • Each time you cross to a new string the arm moves slightly up or down from the elbow, carrying the relaxed finger over the new string, while the previous note is still sounding; the arm’s motion will carry the thumb along with it. • The thumb will remain lightly held approximately behind the second finger, the thumb’s tip joint unflexed! • The thumb should not be opposed, that is rolled inward toward the center of the palm, if the thumb is pressed atall it should roll slightly away from the center of the palm, so there is no pressure on the carpal tunnel. 4 4 2 4 4 2 4 2 4 2 4 2 2 ��� 2 4 2 4 2 4 2 4 2 � ��� ��� � 2 � � � � � � � ��� 3 2 1 2 3 ��� 8 4 � 5 4 4 5 � 6 �� 6 �� • This example is about as high a fret as is practical on an acoustic or classical guitar. One may begin on even smaller frets with an electric guitar or a guitar with a cut-away. • Continue on the next lower fret: 4 4 2 4 4 2 4 2 4 2 4 2 2 �� � 2 4 2 4 2 4 2 4 2 �� �� � �� � �� 2 ���� �� �� ���� � ��5 � 3 2 1 2 3 ��5 � 8 4 ��6 � 4 4 ��6 � • Move down one fret at a time until you you finish at the first fret: 4 2 4 2 4 2 4 2 4 2 4 2 �� � 2 �� �� � � �� 1 8 4 ��4 �� 2 ��5 �� 3 ��6 � 7 4 2 4 2 4 2 4 2 4 2 �� � � �� �� 8 2 ��4 �� 3 ��5 �� ��6 � 3 1. Adduction • When appropriate, continue high on the neck in whole tones, moving gradually down the neck as above. Most people can play 4 to 1 in whole tones almost immediately. 4 4 1 4 4 1 4 1 4 1 4 1 1 � � 1 4 1 4 1 4 1 4 1 � � � � � � 2 � �� �� �� � �� � �5 � 3 2 1 2 3 �5 � 8 4 �6 � 4 4 �6 � • 3 to 1 will take a little longer, 3 3 1 3 3 1 3 1 3 1 3 1 1 � � 1 3 1 3 1 3 1 3 1 � � � � � � 2 � �� �� �� � �� � �5 � 3 2 1 2 3 �5 � 8 4 �6 � 4 4 �6 � • And finally, 4 to 2 will take considerable time and patience to progress to the whole tone, 4 4 2 4 4 2 4 2 4 2 4 2 2 � � 2 4 2 4 2 4 2 4 2 � � � � � � 2 � �� �� �� � �� � �5 � 3 2 1 2 3 �5 � 8 4 �6 � 4 4 �6 � • Eventually, you will want to master 4 to 1 at a minor third. 4 1 4 1 4 1 4 1 4 1 4 1 4 1 4 1 4 1 4 1 4 1 � 2 � � � � � � � � 4 �5 � 3 2 �� 2 �� � �5 � 8 �6 � 4 1 3 � �4 � �6 � • These exercises are only played with the non-adjacent pairs of fingers; 4 to 2, 3 to 1, and 4 to 1. Once fluent theycan be reverse; 2 to 4, 1 to 3, and 1 to 4. 4 Lesson 2 lilypond-book –pdf –latex-program=xelatex –lily-output-dir=ly-pdf $$i 2.1. A Song on Two Strings Ode To Joy Beethoven � = 100 0 0 1 3 3 1 0 0 0 � 3 1 1 3 3 3 � � 5 0 0 1 3 3 1 0 0 � 3 1 1 3 3 1 1 � � 9 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 � 3 3 1 3 1 3 3 1 3 � 0 � 13 0 0 1 3 3 1 0 0 � 3 1 1 3 3 1 1 � � 2.2. Tuning the guitar There are three basic pieces of knowledge you need before you can tune your guitar successfully. In addition to these three pieces of knowledge, there are some tips and pointers that will help you succeed in tuning your own guitar. First, you need to understand how to read a tuner. The fuel-gauge graphic Figure 2.1 shows a typical tuner. The string is in tune when the tuner is centered. If it is on the left, the string is flat. This means it is too low in pitch and Figure 2.1.: A Basic Tuner needs tightening. If the string is on the right, the string is sharp. It is too tight and needs loosening. Next, you need to know the names of the strings. Figure 2.2 has the name of each string listed at the top. Finally, you need to know how to adjust the tension on the strings. This is done by turning the tuners, located on the headstock. Turning the tuners counter-clockwise tightens. Clockwise motion loosens the strings. Basic Procedure 1. Play a string. 5 2. lilypond-book –pdf –latex-program=xelatex –lily-output-dir=ly-pdf $$i A A � /B � B C C � /D � D D � /E � E F F � /G � G G � /A � A Table 2.1.: All The Notes 2. Make sure that the note indicated on the tuner is the correct note for the string you are tuning. 3. Observe the tuner’s reading and adjust accordingly. Repeat until you are in tune If the tuner displays an incorrect note, use Table 2.1 to correct it. The table lists all the notes from low (flat) to sharp (high). If you are tuning to E and the tuner reads D, you’re very flat. Tighten the string until the gauge reads E, then use the basic procedure until you are in tune (notes joined by “/” indicate a single note that has two names). Tips • Tuning your guitar every day will make the tuning task eas- ier and faster, as well as making you sound better. • Make sure that you are turning the right tuner! This can be done by following the string up to the correct tuning peg. I advise doing this until you are very comfortable. If you don’t, you might have the same experience that I had when I was learning: Broken Strings! • Some tuners don’t have a gauge, but use blinking lights in- stead. The faster the light is blinking, the further out of tune you are. As you get closer to in tune, the blinking will slow down. 2.3. Using the Metronome Figure 2.2.: String Names Talk about how to use a metronome and metronome marks. This should really come after the exercise, but I’m having some formating issues. 2.4. Finger Independence The Creepy Crawler Exercise � = 80 � � 10 9 8 7 9 8 7 6 8 7 6 5 7 6 5 4 6 5 4 3 5 4 3 2 � 6 2. lilypond-book –pdf –latex-program=xelatex –lily-output-dir=ly-pdf $$i 2.5. Technical Goals of Book 1 Exercise Completion Adduction Exercises Tuning Using an Electric Tuner Chromatic Finger Permutations 7th Chords: A7, E7, D7 D Major Scale Using a Metronome Strumming Patterns: 8ths & Ties Alternate Picking Major Chords: A, D, E Major Chord G Scale: C Major Strumming Variations: Boom-Chuck 7 Lesson 3 i 3.1. Developing Pick Accuracy Prelude Kale Good � = 88 3 3 2 2 5 5 3 3 � 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 � 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 � 5 7 7 5 5 8 8 7 7 � 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 � 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 � 9 10 10 12 12 10 10 7 7 � 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 � 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 � 13 8 8 5 5 2 2 3 3 � 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 � 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 � 3.2. Lateral Independence 5 Chord Prep Exercises: Level One 2 2 2 3 2 � 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 2 � 2 2 2 2 � 2 2 2 Achieve buzz tones and bell tones while switching between note-pairs within a bar. Note that these are three separate exercises rather than one continuous exercise. 3.2.1. Under Pressure I can still vividly remember my time in college driving to my guitar instructor’s house for our weekly lessons. Most of the year I drove there with the heat blazing, trying to make sure my fingers stayed warm so that I could play my best. Regardless of how well I had prepared, I always seemed to play the small (and large) mistakes that I fixed over the course of the week. Now that I’m a teacher, I see this often with my own students.