Ukulele in the General Music Classroom, Pt. 1

     Here is a link to the latest article "Ukulele in the General Music Classroom, Pt. 1"  I have co-authored for Tempo - the magazine for the New Jersey Music Educators Association.

     This is a two part article which offers music educators insights into using the ukulele in their classroom. The article is on pages 38 - 40 of the digital version.

Educational Material Review – The Guitar Wheel

         This month I will be diverging from beginning exercises to review a music theory reference tool called the Guitar Wheel – a product which I am proud to endorse. The Guitar Wheel is essentially an “all in one” music theory reference tool that musicians (regardless of instrument) can use. However, it is specifically geared towards guitarists – hence the name. 

         The first thing one must know about the Guitar Wheel is that the product has a great deal of information in a very small package. That being said, if one is new to music theory and is using this reference tool I recommend beginning slowly because not only is it jam-packed with information, but there is a bit of a learning curve with understanding how to unlock that information. The folks at Guitar Wheel realize this and include a “Quick Start Guide” to help navigate all the information. Additionally, their website has insightful videos to clarify and expand upon what the Guitar Wheel can offer.

The Guitar Wheel - video

       There are two sides to the Guitar Wheel – the Music Theory side which has a keyboard reference picture and the Guitar side also has music theory but is specific for applying it to the fretboard of a guitar. The “wheel” portion of the name pertains to the circular tab which can move clock and counter clockwise adjusting to various musical keys. Each side of the Guitar Wheel is divided into sections which detail specific aspects of music theory such as: intervals, major/minor keys, diatonic triads and various chord structures. These sections are “color-coded” to make for easy referencing – Green/Major, Red/Minor and Orange/Diminished. 

       The Music Theory side of the product contains information that all musicians can use – some examples are: a picture of the “grand staff” (both treble and bass staves) with note names of lines and spaces written in, enharmonic equivalents of sharps and flats and even a keyboard diagram with note names on the keys (with enharmonics). Additionally, this side outlines: major/minor/diminished scales and triads, intervals, the circle of 4th & 5ths, chromatic scales, I IV V chords and even transpositions from Eb, Bb and F instruments!

      While the Guitar side of the wheel does contain some of the same information, it is laid out differently and there is a section with a curved guitar neck for easy reference. A guitarist can then “visualize” how various triad inversions, scales and bar chord shapes are laid out on the fretboard. Furthermore, it provides “number schemes” (1, b3, 5) for major/minor triads, minor 7th/dominant 7th chords, Roman numeral scale degrees and chord inversions . As I stated earlier – the product is jam-packed with information.

       If there is a downside to the Guitar Wheel, it is that there is so much information in a small space that if one is on the outset of learning music theory it may seem overwhelming. Moreover, because of the way the material is presented on the Guitar Wheel sharp and flat keys may be confusing at first. By this I mean because of the reference wheel’s layout, the Music Theory side is built for flat (b) keys and as such a G major scale will be listed as:

G A B C D E Gb G
1  2 3  4  5  6  7   8

The Guitar side however, is arranged for sharp (#) keys and a G major scale will be listed as such:

G A B C D E F# G  

1  2  3  4  5 6  7  8

That being said, as a musician is developing knowledge the topic of “enharmonic equivalents” will eventually come up, so this may be good a place to navigate those waters. 

            The Guitar Wheel is a wonderful reference tool for those just starting out or even those who have a working knowledge of music theory. I have found it to be an ingenious device that should be in the hands of all teachers and students of the guitar. 

First Exercises, Pt. II - Left Hand Finger Independence

Last month I began discussing beneficial right hand picking exercises guitar teachers can use with new students. This month I’ll exam an exercise for the left hand which helps promote finger independence and use of the pinky/fourth finger – a highly under used commodity by many guitarists.
 

 

Video - Fingers 1 & 2                Video - Fingers 1 & 3

Video - Fingers 1 & 4                Video - Fingers 2 & 3

Video - Fingers 2 & 4                Video - Fingers 3 & 4

                                      

 

There are several ideas to keep in mind when doing this exercise: first, each exercise is done separately – it is not meant to be one continuous exercise. Second, keep the fingers "arched" (diagram 1) as they play each note – finger-tips should not “collapse” (diagram 2).This is because the natural weight of a curled finger will lessen the amount of pressure to push down on a note and have it ring clearly; a collapsed finger will require more pressure resulting in excess tension in the hand. This is not to say that as a player advances they will never collapse their finger, of course they will, but the idea is to develop good habits with the least amount of tension from the start.

Third, make sure fingers are playing on their tips and not the pads. If a finger is properly arched the finger will be playing somewhere in the middle of the fingertip. Fourth, always keep the finger playing the lowest note down on the string – do not lift it to play the next note. This helps promote finger independence and understanding that fingers playing lower sounding notes do not need to be lifted off a string if they are be played soon after a higher sounding note on the same string.

Fifth, the thumb should be placed on the neck behind the first finger and should be “collapsed” (diagram 3). Some students tend to “arch” their thumb joint which can cause excess tension. Sixth, check the students’ fingernail length! It may sound funny, but if the nail is too long it will cause the finger to collapse, resulting in the finger playing on its pad and not the fingertip. Whereas, the nail touches the fingerboard and not the flesh of the finger so the finger must then collapse back so that the flesh of the finger can play the string.
I hope this has given you some new ideas about approaching finger independence for the left hand.

Next month I’ll continue with an exercise to help the student transverse the fretboard and help create a legato sound.