Fundamental Music Instruction

Welcome to the

Fundamental Music Instruction

First Songs for Band – a beginner’s “starter kit”.

The goal of this booklet (and the Supplement Book) is to help the very beginning student explore the first sounds, begin a study of basic rhythmic playing, learn to play in a smooth, pleasing fashion and master several notes appropriate for this level of study.

To make the most progress possible, a student must find a quiet place to practice and get in the habit of truly listening to the sounds being produced. Learning to critique one’s sound is the best tool for building a lasting mastery of musicianship on every level. The music in this book is sequential from initial sounds to songs that are appropriate for the first performance. It is designed to go along with the Supplementary Workbook so students should work through both books together – many concepts are repeated from book to book to help reinforce important aspects of musical development.

Ed Kelly, Fundamental Music Instruction Administrator

Acustic Guitar - Due to its versatility, portability, and the fact that it can be used to play almost any type of music, the guitar is one of the most popular instruments to learn how to play. Whether you're interested in folk, country, rock, jazz, or any number of other musical styles, learning how to play the guitar can give you the ability to play and perform your favorite songs, or even write some of your own.

But just like any instrument (or anything worth learning for that matter), learning to play the guitar can take a good deal of patience, perseverance, and good old-fashioned practice. For those who stick with it, though, learning how to play the guitar can be an extremely rewarding experience and can provide endless hours of personal enjoyment.

A successful student exiting this program at any level should be able to do the following: 1. Identify and/or define basic terms related to acustic guitar and music notation 2. Sit with proper guitar position:

• Lay guitar across left thigh (right thigh is less preferable but acceptable • Relax shoulders • Raise the head of the guitar about 45 degrees from legs • Face guitar straight up and down, not angled back • Lay right arm on the edge of the guitar, just in front of elbow • Position right hand just behind the sound hole • Curve and relax right hand fingers • Straighten right wrist • Place left hand thumb up-and-down, not sideways, on back of neck • Straighten left wrist, not bowed in or out • Situate left hand so that knuckles are parallel to strings

3. Play with efficient, accurate right hand rest strokes and free strokes from as well as beginning pic technique 4. Play with consistent, robust tone 5. Place left hand fingers accurately and efficiently on the fret board 6. Connect musical phrases (legato) 7. Perform level-appropriate repertoire accurately 8. Play 3 and 4 string chords and basic “power chords” 9. Sight-read with accurate rhythm, pitches, and dynamics 10. Exhibit proper, efficient practice techniques

Fret Bars

A “Fret” is usually referred to as the space between 2 fret bars

You will see charts like this when playing “Chords” (several notes played at the same time

Things to Remember

1. Keep your fingernails short by trimming them regularly. This will allow your fingers to hold down the notes easier and produce a better sound. 2. Your fingers will start to hurt a little as you begin to play. This is normal. Eventually, with time and practice, your fingertips will develop calluses and

the pain will go away. 3. Take some time in between lessons to make sure that you've mastered each part. Practice each lesson for a few minutes before moving on to the next.

Strings A normal guitar has six strings, each of which has a different size and note value. In standard tuning, the bottom string (also the skinniest and highest sounding) is an E note. This is also known as the 1st string. The 2nd string up (a little bit thicker and lower sounding) is a B note. The 3rd string up is a G note, 4th is a D, 5th is an A, and the 6th string (thickest, lowest sounding, and closest to your body) is also an E note. When in tune, playing the 1st and the 6th strings open should produce the same note, (different “octaves”)

Frets While the strings divide the guitar from left to right; frets are small metal strips that divide the guitar into sections from top to bottom. If you look at your guitar from above, you can begin to see that the strings and frets together form a kind of grid that covers the entire neck of the guitar. Placing your finger on a string in between two of the frets is what enables you to play a note. The higher up you get on the frets (0r the closer you move toward the main body of the guitar), the higher the notes sound. In general, each fret is a “half-step higher” than the previous fret.

• TIP: Since you don't actually put your finger directly on each fret, guitarists usually describe frets as the space on the neck between each metal strip. So, the 2nd fret would refer to the second gap between frets that is found on the neck, rather than the second actual metal piece.

This angle is incorrect – the neck is pointed down and will eventually cause wrist pain

Positioning

1. Start by finding an armless chair to sit in. Make sure that you're sitting comfortably and that your back is well supported. Also make sure that you have plenty of room on either side in which to move your arms and hold your guitar.

2. Place the guitar in your lap with the back of the instrument facing (or even touching) your chest. Let the body of the guitar rest on your left leg (this is optimal) – many people perfer resting on the right leg (acceptable although not optimal) – if you do this be sure to keep the angle of the guitar neck up and not let it drop down. Most acoustic guitar bodies will have curved indentations on either side that are perfect for resting the guitar on either leg.

3. Take a look at the strings on the guitar. If you are holding it correctly, the thickest string (or 6th) should be closest to your chest, while the thinnest (or 1st) string should be clos est to your feet.

4. Take your fretting hand and grip the neck of your guitar gently Your thumb should be resting behind the neck of the guitar, supporting your hand while your other fingers float above the strings, ready for action.

5. Take your right arm and rest your bent elbow on the edge of the body. Let your hand come across to the strings comfortably – stay just behind the tone hole (see picture)

Playing Notes Start by using your thumb andpluck the 6th string (the one closest to your chest) without using your fretting hand at all. This will produce an E note. Playing a string without fretting any of the notes is called playing it "Open."

1. Next, move down the strings and play each individual one "Open." This will produce the notes A, D, G, B and E respectively (pluck the A and D with your thumb, but use your pointer finger to pluck the thinnest 3 strings – G, B and E). Notice how each one sounds a little bit higher than the one before.

2. Now, go back to the 6th string and place the index finger of your fretting hand on the first fret (the initial space between the nut and the first fret). Hold down the note with the tip of your finger, rather than the whole first joint. While holding your index finger down firmly on the first fret, use your picking hand to pluck the 6th string. If done correctly, the sound produced should be slightly higher (by a half-step) than plucking the 6th string alone.

3. Next, use your middle finger up on the second fret (the space between the first and second frets) and pluck the 6th string again. This should produce a slightly higher pitched sound than the one before.

4. Repeat this exercise with each of the strings. Start by playing the string open, then with your finger on the first fret, and then again with your middle finger on the second fret. If the notes start to sound muffled, off-key, or just plain bad, take a look at your fretting finger to make sure that you are holding down the note firmly and your finger is placed directly in the center of the fret. Also, be sure you are pressing with the tip of your finger! Do this until you are comfortable making individual notes.

TIP: It is important to keep your finger directly in between the frets, as this will produce a "truer" sound. Try not the let your finger slide too close to either fret.

Rest stroke: After playing a note the right hand finger rests on the string that is right above the one that was just played. Example. If the 1st string is played with the index finger, right after releasing the 1st string, the index rests on the 2nd string. Free Stroke: After playing a note the right hand finger does not touch another string. The debate about using rest stroke or free stroke or both has been going on for centuries. The use of both free and rest strokes are mainly for tonal contrast. Chords are always played with free strokes. The rest stroke is used most often when playing melody lines or scales that require emphasis on the expression.

Rest Stroke vs. Free Stroke

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First Songs for BandPreliminary Songs

Flute

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Inch Worm 2

Vitamin A

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It takes 3

B A G Song Section

Hot Cross Buns

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Apache Warrior

French Song

Christmas Chimes

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Mary Had a Little Lamb

Down by the Station

Gotcha Cha Cha

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To be awarded this level you must: Know the Notes, Fingerings and Rhythms. You must also play with a pleasing Tone, use Breath Control and Style.

Belt Level Awarded______________________

Hot Cross Buns

Apache Warrior

Mary Had a Little Lamb

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G A B C Song Section

March

Indian Song 1/2 Scale

Rockin'

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Whose on First

Peter Piper Picked a Peck of Pickled Peppers Polka

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Ladders

Circular Motion

Looney Tunes

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Indian Song

Rockin'

Whose on First

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Oats Peas and Beans

Rain Rain

Joyful Joyful

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Jingle Bells

Dreydle Dreydle

Old English Song

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Small World

Sweetly Sings the Donkey

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Good King Wenceslas

5/8 Scale

Cuckoo

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Rain Rain

Joyful Joyful

Good King Wenceslas

To be awarded this level you must: Know the Notes, Fingerings and Rhythms. You must also play with a pleasing Tone, use Breath Control and Style.

Belt Level Awarded______________________

Elements of Music Whole Note: Four beats OR Four evenly timed taps of your foot

Half Note: Two beats OR Two evenly timed taps of your foot

Quarter Note: One beats OR One note for each evenly timed foot tap

Fine Does Boy Good Every

Always Fine Do Boys Good

Grass Eat Cows All

E C A F

Some helpful terms: Allegro: a quick and lively tempo Andante: a moderate tempo Adagio: a slow and relaxed tempo Piano (p): soft Mezzo forte (mf ): medium loud Forte (f ): loud Fortissimo (ff ): very loud

Fermata: hold note for longer than its value

Sharp sign: raise note 1 half tone

Natural sign: note returns to unchanged pitch

Flat sign: lower note 1 half tone