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Phoenix College
Course Overview
Abstract
This course is designed for beginning to intermediate guitar students at Phoenix College, but the resources can be used by anyone who wants to grow as a musician. Enrolled students are expected to follow the course timeline and regularly participate in all course activities to maintain adequate progress. The timeline assumes a schedule of a 2.5 hour class once a week on Mondays for 15 weeks.
Course Competencies
- Display proper sitting and hand positions when playing the guitar
- Define basic fundamentals of music and musical terms
- Use efficient techniques to learn new guitar music
- Read music using the first position in standard and tablature notation
- Transpose simple songs
- Use the capotasto (capo)
- Perform simple standard solo and ensemble pieces
- Use basic strumming techniques and folk-style arpeggios
- Perform arpeggios, major and minor chords in first position, major chords in first position, major and minor scales in sharp keys, and ascending and descending slurs
Progress Reporting
Success in this course will be measured primarily by growth and meeting course competencies.
This course is designed for beginning to intermediate guitar students at Phoenix College, but the resources can be used by anyone who wants to grow as a musician. Enrolled students are expected to follow the course timeline and regularly participate in all course activities to maintain adequate progress. The timeline assumes a schedule of a 2.5 hour class once a week on Mondays for 15 weeks.
Course Competencies
- Display proper sitting and hand positions when playing the guitar
- Define basic fundamentals of music and musical terms
- Use efficient techniques to learn new guitar music
- Read music using the first position in standard and tablature notation
- Transpose simple songs
- Use the capotasto (capo)
- Perform simple standard solo and ensemble pieces
- Use basic strumming techniques and folk-style arpeggios
- Perform arpeggios, major and minor chords in first position, major chords in first position, major and minor scales in sharp keys, and ascending and descending slurs
Progress Reporting
Success in this course will be measured primarily by growth and meeting course competencies.
2021 Fall Calendar
Aug. 30: 1st day of classes
Schedule
Course intro and syllabus
Instrument/accessories check
- guitar, case, tuner, pick, laptop/tablet, headphones
Goal setting
Practice schedule
Intro to guitar
- key terms
- technique
- maintenance
Strumming
- open D tuning
- picking/fingerstyle
- I-IV-V progressions
Tuning
- standard tuning
Chord diagrams
Chord progressions
Sep. 6: No class - Labor Day
Sep. 13
Schedule
Tuning
- standard tuning
- app share
Chord diagrams
- C major
Chord progressions in C major
- strumming
- PIMA fingerings
Break
Theory
Intro to notation
- tablature
- Western
Sight reading
Sep. 20
Schedule
Tuning
- standard tuning
Chord diagrams
Chord progressions in C, G major
- strumming
- PIMA fingerings
Notation
- tablature
- Western
Sight reading
Ode to Joy
Break
Theory
Pentatonic scale
Intro to improvisation
To Practice
Sight reading on two strings
C pentatonic scale
PIMA chord progressions in Cmaj and Gmaj
Sep. 27
Schedule
Chord diagrams
Chord progressions in C, G major
- strumming
- PIMA fingerings
Tablature
- riffs
Western notation
- Sight reading
- Ode to Joy
Break
Theory
Pentatonic scale
- patterns 1-5
Improvisation
- pentatonic scale
- chord progressions
To Practice
Sight reading on two strings
C pentatonic scale
PIMA chord progressions in Cmaj and Gmaj
Oct. 4
Schedule
Riffs
- Another One Bites the Dust
- Under Pressure
Pentatonic scale
- patterns 1-5
Improvisation
- pentatonic scale
Western notation
- Sight reading
- Ode to Joy
Break
Chord progressions in C, G major
- strumming
- PIMA fingerings
Pop progressions
- Hallelujah
- Good Riddance
- Let it Be
- Wake Me Up
To Practice
Sight reading - #1-20
C pentatonic scale - all positions
PIMA chord progressions in Cmaj and Gmaj
Riffs - your choice
Pop progressions - your choice
Oct. 11
Schedule
Riffs
Pentatonic scale
- patterns 1-5
Improvisation
- pentatonic scale
Western notation
- Sight reading
- Ode to Joy
Break
Chord progressions in C, G major
- strumming
- PIMA fingerings
Pop progressions
- Hallelujah
- Good Riddance
- Let it Be
- Wake Me Up
To Practice
Sight reading - #9-20
C pentatonic scale - all positions
PIMA chord progressions in Cmaj and Gmaj
Riffs - your choice
Pop progressions - your choice
Oct. 18
Schedule
Chord progressions in C, G major
- strumming
- PIMA fingerings
Pop progressions
Break
Pentatonic scale
- patterns 1-5
Improvisation
- pentatonic scale
Western notation
- Sight reading
To Practice
Sight reading - #9-20
C pentatonic scale - all positions
PIMA chord progressions
Pop progressions - your choice
Oct. 25
Schedule
Chord progressions in C
- strumming
- PIMA fingerings
- alternate voicings
- fretboard ID
Pop progressions
- alternate voicings
Happy Birthday
Break
Theory review
Western notation
- Sight reading
Ode to Joy
First Day of Spring
To Practice
Ode to Joy
First Day of Spring
Alternate voicings
Fretboard ID
Nov. 1
Notation practice
First Day of Spring
Notation review
Break
Happy Birthday
Three Little Birds
Pop progressions
Nov. 8
Off week
Nov. 15
Song selection guides
Theory
First Day of Spring
Nov. 22
Progressive Progressions
Performance prep
- Ode to Joy
- First Day of Spring
Nov. 29
Performance plan
Performance prep
Dec. 6
Performances
Dec. 13: Final Exam