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Conference napalm::guitar

Title:	GUITARnotes - Where Every Note has Emotion
Notice:	Discussion of the finer stringed instruments
Moderator:	KDX200::COOPER

Created:	Thu Aug 14 1986
Last Modified:	Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:	Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:	3280
Total number of notes:	61432

2259.0. "Guitar Academy, London England." by KERNEL::FLOWERS (I think Nuno is quite good) Fri Jul 12 1991 07:08

	Well I went and did it..........I went to the Guitar Academy in London
      on Wednesday for an assesment and ended up joining a course that started
      last night.

	The course I am on is what they refer to as their foundation course,
      this is designed for people who can 'play a bit' but may have gaps in 
      their knowledge.....it is also designed to bring you up to the level 
      where you can go on one of their more advanced courses.

	I attended the first class last night and so far so good, Ed (the 
	instructor) started by explaining intervals and getting us to listen
	to various ones (3rd's, 5th's, b5th's etc) and seeing if we could name
	what interval he was playing.........none of us were very good at this.
	We have a tape with all the intervals on it being played on a piano,
	he suggests listening to this and working out what intervals are being 
	played and writing them down. Already I can see where the ability to 
	hear intervals will be really useful when working stuff out.

	We also started working around the fretboard, we have some hand-outs 
	that show where the location of the intervals are and where your octaves
	are we have some handouts that are a little difficult to explain but
	basically you have to label the notes on the B string and the top E 
	string, they way we have been told to do it is to time ourselves writing
	the notes in, we have also been told to do it as quick as poss but not
	do it by starting with the E and then work from there, rather to put
	down as many as you 'know' and then fill in the gaps by using octaves
	5th's whatever to work out the ones you are missing. Sounds like a good
	way to learn the notes to me.

	We did some stuff on guitar position, and left hand position, the 
	verdict was that you don't want to get hung up on worrying where your
	thumb is etc, as Ed said there was no 'wrong' way to use your left
	hand, classical position is ok, thumb hooked over the top is ok,  the
	thing he did stress was not to get stuck in one position. The line
	of the evening was 'Your thumb is there to help you, you can move it
	wherever you need to to achieve whatever it is you are trying to play'
	
	I think the main point of the evening was to get us using our ears and
	to actually listen to what we were doing as opposed to getting hooked
	on technique as there is no one 'right' technique.

	Well I doubt that anybody actually wanted to know any of that but I'm
	sort of chuffed that I am there and it is great to be surrounded by
	muso's who do session work, world tours etc. You meet some dead 
	interesting people!!!

	J.

T.R	Title	User	Personal Name	Date	Lines
2259.1		USPMLO::DESROCHERS	I Want More!!!	`Fri Jul 12 1991 09:58`	13
	A Major third sounds "happy" A Minor third sounds "sad" For fifths, think of that ever present country bass line that goes "boom chicka boom, boom chicka boom" For a fourth, think of Pinball Wizard by the Who For a seventh, think of da blues, man For a major seventh (see "happy"), also think of the Carpenters "We've only just begun" Can anyone describe a sixth or ninth (second) ??
2259.2		SNAX::LECLAIRE		`Fri Jul 12 1991 12:05`	4
	A sad reflection of the present state of the guitar where at a guitar academy they teach intervals using - a PIANO! mad andy who dislikes keyboards, except the kind that pluck
2259.3		KERNEL::FLOWERS	I think Nuno is quite good	`Fri Jul 12 1991 12:49`	7
	Yeh I kind of wondered about that but if I close my eyes I can sort of see what you have to do to gets those gaps on a keyboard, I have more trouble imagining what would be going on on a guitar, J
2259.4	not that bad of an idea	HAVASU::HEISER	more than a man	`Fri Jul 12 1991 12:55`	4
	I think intervals are easier to picture on the piano because of its layout. Mike
2259.5		RGB::ROST	My Baby Bass is my baby	`Fri Jul 12 1991 13:12`	9
	Re: .1 Yeah, a sixth is the first two notes of "Walking to New Orleans". Or about two million 60s soul bass lines. A ninth is the thing in those chords that all the cool jazz and blues guys use but the guys in my band can never play 8^) 8^) Brian
2259.6		SNAX::LECLAIRE		`Fri Jul 12 1991 13:22`	8
	I think if you learn the intervals on the guitar then they are easier. Understand it is a small point, and if they show you enough about the guitar so hat you enjoy playing and have no frustration, it's good. But intervals are no different on guitar than piano, once you learn them! I was talking to a music teacher a while back, and he was saying it is now considered proper pedagogy to avoid refering to minor sounds as sad. Music is wierd, musicians are Real Wierd ! :-)
2259.7	Here come de judge	STAR::SALKEWICZ	It missed... therefore, I am	`Fri Jul 12 1991 14:54`	12
	re: > For fifths, think of that ever present country bass line > that goes "boom chicka boom, boom chicka boom" All I'm getting is this image of Sammy Davis Jr. with a judges gown and wig on... :-) Sorry,.. coldn't resist /Bill
2259.8		SMARTT::TRICKEY	Van Halen Junkie	`Mon Jul 15 1991 09:56`	3
	-1: Ha! That's great! trickey
2259.9		USPMLO::DESROCHERS_P		`Mon Jul 15 1991 11:09`	12
	ok, how about this instead? For 5th's, think of the only riff a tuba player ever did... Or how about the classic "wop, wah-ooh" 50's tunes... 1 6 4 5 oooh, oooh, wop, wah-ooh, oooh
2259.10	Duh Dah...	KERNEL::FLOWERS	I think Nuno is quite good	`Mon Jul 15 1991 11:19`	7
	I've found the easiest way to hear 5th's is to think 'Last Post'. J
2259.11	Can you keep us posted...	YOROWN::WALTERS	On Water, Under Water, Splutter...	`Fri Jul 19 1991 12:25`	17
	Great to hear from a British guitarist, especially one who's brave enough to make the step and go to such a well known place of study. A few questions from one who'd often thought of testing this route to guitar superstardom, but never quite plucked up the courage: 1) What standard were the class, and was there much range in the standard 2) Was there a wide range of guitars present, or were they in the main electric. 3) How much does it cost (if I may be so bold!!) 4) What are the aims of the course, what styles of playing are taught. 5) Do you enjoy this learning environment. Hope that you can answer me some of these questions, and that you can keep us up to date on how you're getting on. Happy plucking/strumming/widdling/tapping... Chris Walters
2259.12	Go for it..	KERNEL::FLOWERS	I think Nuno is quite good	`Fri Jul 19 1991 13:02`	80
	Ok lets hope I can answer some/all of your questions. >What was the standard of the class?< Well I am doing what they call a foundation course which is not the lowest class they do but not far from it, it is aimed at people who have been playing a while (ie. not total beginners...in fact they don't do a course for total beginners.) the idea is to get everybody up to a certain level on theory/playing ability before they go on to the next level. As for range in the standard I feel like probably one of the better players in the class (this is not my ego talking honest) but this course appears to be mainly tailored towards getting our theory up to scratch and not on who has the best chops. It is a fairly mixed class of 7 people all with different tastes so it makes the class interesting with people asking how it can be applied to thier favourite brand of music. >Was there a wide range of guitars?< Err..not really, 4 people have Squire type strats, one guy brought an acoustic, one guy has a Les Paul and I have my turbo-nutter Charvel pointy thing, but as I said earlier it is not aimed at thrash metal or classical it is really just learning why things work and how to use them. >How much does it cost?< 165 quid for a ten week course, the course is run every Thursday between 7 and 9.....which works out at 8 quid an hour, thats 2 quid less than the guitar instructor who comes to my house charges. Also the 7 start is definate but I have now been twice and have not got out until about 9:30/9:45 so I don't think its bad value >What are the aims?< I think I have covered most of this, the general aim is to help you get to know your guitar better, some of it you may use, some of it wont, but it is nice to have the knowledge there for you to draw upon. >Do I enjoy this learning enviroment?< A most definate yes! You are surrounded by session musicians, people who have supported on world tours etc,etc. In effect you are talking to people who have given their life in the pursuit of playing their instrument. It rubs off.....I have such a buzz when I leave there, these people really want to help you play the best you can and the best you can is as far as you want to push yourself.....if you are serious about playing the guitar I guess (I certainly do) you want to soak up as much info as you can about it, these chaps will impart the knowledge they have on to you, it has to help your playing. Things to sum up with, 1. There was not one pair of spandex or one bleached blond head of hair in the place, not one speed freak I was worried they would all be trying to be Van Halen clones...it wasn't true....maybe it's because it's England? 2. There is a lot of work to be done at home, I have just joined a band at that is proving to be a bit of a problem. 3. Things I have covered so far, Intervals (both ear training and where they are on the fretboard...I'm still waiting for that fax number?) Major Scales Harmonizing Major Scales Major,Minor,Augmented,Diminshed triads. Modes (only how they apply to the harmonized major scale. ie, playing a Dm with an E on the bass sounds different compared to playing a Dm with an A on the bass....and how it is related to intervals.) Left and Right hand positions. Holding the guitar. J.