A world of possibilities on 3-string guitar.
A frustrated guitar pupil of mine once memorably summed up his problem as: “too many strings, too close together”!
He was not entirely in earnest of course, but it did get me thinking that “fewer strings, further apart” might not be a bad idea for a beginner.
The “Three Strings Attached” project is inspired by exactly that thought.
For a 1-minute introduction to the concept, watch this video.
For more detail on the thinking behind it, read through this pdf.
This project sets out to create an open-access resource bank of simple materials for learning 3-string guitar. There are already 26 pieces of music in the resource bank, starting from complete beginner level. You can find pdfs and necessary information on the Resource Bank page, and there are video demonstrations of all the pieces on the Three Strings Attached YouTube channel.
If you are a teacher who would be interested in using these ideas, or in contributing to the project, please get in touch via the email address below.
There are 3-string instruments all over the world - from American cigar box guitar to Cuban tres, from Greek bouzouki to Turkish baglama, from Russian balalaika to Japanese shamisen. Each has its own history and culture, and the Three Strings Attached channel has a very international playlist to whet your appetite for all things three-stringed!