Guitar

Falcon Guitar - (Beginning Guitar)

The Beginning Guitar class at Hilltop Middle School is open to all students grades 7 and 8. It is a one-year (2-semester) class and there are no prerequisites. There are a limited number of guitars available for student use, so students who own their own acoustic guitars are encouraged to use them in class. Electric guitars are not used in this class. The curriculum includes learning to read traditional notation (not tablature) and home practice is expected of all students. Guitar students perform in a concert for the parents at the end of each semester. Please be sure to read the Class Syllabus andPractice Plan below to learn more about the class.

All guitar students should be practicing a minimum of 15 minutes each day at home, or 30 minutes every other day in order to keep up with the lessons in class.

Students all have books, guitar folders, and access to play-a-long tracks on Jupiter Grades to listen to and practice with at home.

How to practice for success:

1. Identify the notes on the musical staff by saying the letter names. Do this one measure at a time, then all the way through.

2. Practice the fingerings of the notes so your fingers learn the pattern. Do this one measure at a time.

3. Practice saying and playing the notes slowly and carefully. Repeat each measure until you can play the entire song without stumbling.

4. Practice counting the beats in each measure along with using your metronome app. The rhythms will become clear to you if you practice counting and soon you will be playing the correct rhythms with confidence!

Resources

How To Hold A Guitar Pick & How to Choose One - Andy Guitar

How to Tune A Guitar for Beginners - Andy Guitar