The School Guitar Class:
A Need for
Redirection
When a public school student
signs up for study on the violin,
trumpet, piano, or any other instru-
‘ment, he is taught basic technique,
not “pop” violin, “western” trumpet,
or “folk” piano. When he signs up
for study on the guitar, what is he
taught?
‘When a student requests informa-
tion on the purchase of a violin,
trumpet, piano, or is loaned an
instrument by his school, he is put
in touch with basie standard models.
Student violins and trumpets are
standard instruments with manu-
facturers offering different models
to suit individual taste. What gui-
dance does a student receive about
the purchase of @ guitar? What
kinds of guitars are purchased by
school systems? What school guitar
models are available?
It would be logical and educa-
tionally honest to offer students
instruction on basic classical tech-
nique on the guitar as we do on
other instruments. A beginning
trumpet player learns to form a
‘good embouchure, to develop good
breathing habits, to work for a good
tone production, to read from a
(Clare Callahan is assistant professor of
classical guitar at the College Conser-
vatory of Music of the University of
Cincinnati, She received her masier’s
degree in musicology from Ohio State
University where she was @ National
Defense Fellow,
Clare Callahan
musical score (not charts or dia-
grams). Why not also require good
posture, proper muscular move-
‘ment, good tone, and note-reading
skills from guitarists?
Curiously, a number of guitar
classes begin (and end) with chord
study, Playing position tends to be
casual or at random, right-hand
skills are not even touched upon.
The student is given a plectrum to
hold or is told to brush his right-
hand thumb across the strings.
Rarely is the proper joint and knue-
ke position of either hand discussed
or demonstrated. There is seldom
any progressive approach to ac-
quiring proper physical control of
the instrument.
Listed below are the three main
problems associated with school
guitar instruction, together with
suggested solutions:
[7 1. The discovery that guitar is
| enthusiastically received by the
students has resulted too often in
scheduling classes without guitar
specialists to serve as teachers or
scheduling them before staff music
teachers have had opportunities to
learn the instrument properly them-
selves.
Methods courses in
1, private lessons, and
seminars are being offered by a
growing number of college music
departments. The steady introduc-
tion of guitar degree programs at
Reprinted with permission of The Instrumentalier wine 1078
colleges throughout the country
means that guitar specialists and
courses given by guitar specialists
are multiplying. Accessiblility to
solo concerts, specialized courses
in repertoire, pedagogy, and guitar
ensemble are not just dreams any-
more. The Guitar Division of the
American String Teachers Associa-
tion is committed to assisting in
every possible way with the dis-
semination of information about
programs, methods, colleges, pub-
lishers, and all matters related to
teaching guitar at public school and
college levels. (Write to: Educational
Chairman, ASTA Guitar Division,
2596 Princeton Pike, Lawrenceville,
New Jersey 08648)
(2. Basic guitar techniques rooted
in classical guitar technique. For
some reason, this realization can
elicit a fear from teachers and
students that they will have to play
the classics exclusively. Classic
technique is equated instantly with
classical repertoire and dismissed
as too difficult or irrelevant. This
attitudeis not found in the beginni
study of any other instrument, but
on the guitar itis allowed to prevail
Solution: A foundation technique
for the guitar does exist. It is
sometimes referred to as “classical
guitar technique” or “classical/folk
technique.” With classical/folk tech-
nique one learns to sit ina balanced
position, move both’ hands in a
natural and productive way, use
right-hand as well as lefthand
fingers, and make full use of the
instrument's resources. With the
use of right-hand fingers, the player
has four possible picks at his dispo-
sal, not just the plectrum. A be-
ginning student learning guitar in
this way has all other options open
to him in the future. He may want
to play twelvestring guitar, jazz
guitar, concentrate on intricate folk
strums, or he may want to pursue
classical guitar. But, ikea beginning
violinist or trumpeter, he is given
valid musical base upon which to
build. Basic technique brings him
to terms with his instrument.
(—_ 3. There is no standardized in-
strument on the market for use in
the classroom. School purchasing
agents, music supervisors, and
music teachers are confronted with
a plethora of guitar models when
they go to instrument dealers.
Everything from electrie, acoustic,
to nylon-stringed folk guitars are
laid out in front of them. UnlessSCE
they are well-informed, they play
» game of chance, hoping their
archase choices will work out.
~ ‘Solution: The core instrument of
the guitar family is the classical/folk
guitar. It is the one with its roots
dating back to ancient Assyria and
Renaissance Spain. There is a size-
able repertoire of fine music for this
instrument with modern editions
becoming increasingly available
Several hallmarks identify the clas-
sical/folk guitar:
+A soundhole, not holes on each
side of the top.
*A flat top and back, not arched
as in a violin or cello (exception:
rounded fiberglass backs.)
*A fingerboard that is 134-2 inches
wide. Guitars with narrower finger-
boards make contrapuntal playing
difficult,
+Six nylon strings. It is possible
to use classical/folk technique on a
stecl-stringed guitar but steel strings
are hard on the fingers and sound
better when played with a plectrum,
A guitar originally strung with steel
strings can be re-strung with nylon
strings for guitar class study, but
this accomodation is not recom-
mended
+No amplification. The quality of
the sound of a classical/folk guitar
depends upon the instruments fine
construction and the player's skill
*Varying sizes to fit individual
physical differences. Just as violin
teachers have found that 44 and 34
size violins greatly assist young
players in their study, so guitar
teachers are increasingly aware of
the need for a greater variety in the
sizes of student guitars available. A
full-size classical or folk guitar is
usually too large for elementary
school hands to manage
The guitar class is a relatively
new phenomenon. Its great success
means that we must move to the
next step and consider long-range
goals. The instructional efforts we
exert in guitar teaching should
parallel those we exert in other
instrument studies. Guitar students
may choose to continue studying
the guitar but they may also choose
to study other instruments and move
into bands, choruses, and orches-
tras. A balanced school music pro-
gram strives to offer quality instruc-
tion in every area. It is time to take
the guitar class seriously. 7