Guitar and Music Appreciation

Week of Nov. 23-27

Gr 7

You are starting your 3rd week of guitar and music appreciation.  So far in guitar, you can:

name the open strings on the guitar, hold a guitar properly, name the parts of the guitar, play C and G7  chords.  Some of you are already trying to play the full C chord and read the EFG notes on the estring.

In music appreciation, you have listened to videos on what music is, what is the purpose of music, different genres of music (jazz, rock, pop, classical, etc.) and you are learning the notes on the staff, rhythm values and time signature.

Gr 8

You are starting your 3rd week of guitar and music appreciation.  So far in guitar, you can:

name the open strings on the guitar, hold a guitar properly, name the parts of the guitar, play C and G7  chords.  Some of you are already trying to play the full C chord and read the EFG notes on the estring.

In music appreciation, you have listened to videos on what music is, what is the purpose of music, different genres of music (jazz, rock, pop, classical, etc.) and you are learning the notes on the staff, rhythm values and time signature.

Gr 9

You are starting your 3rd week of guitar and music appreciation.  So far in guitar, you can:

name the open strings on the guitar, hold a guitar properly, name the parts of the guitar, play C and G7  chords.  Some of you are already trying to play the full C, G and G7 chords and can read the EFG notes on the estring.  

In music appreciation, you can identify notes on the staff, add barlines, explain 4/4 time signature, clap rhythms using whole notes/rests, half notes/rests and quarter notes/rests.

Week of Nov. 2-6

Gr 7  

You are mastering the spider finger 0 1 2 3 pattern. In class, you are doing so well at playing the pattern together at the same tempo.  Bravo!   You are practicing the B C D E F G notes on the guitar.  You reviewed the C and G7, G and D7 chords and played them in songs from the binder, including Jamabalaya, He's Got the Whole World, #16 on pg 10.  We also reviewed all the songs on pg 10 and played them in small groups.

Gr 8

You are learning the 0 2 1 3 spider pattern.   You are mastering # 32 Ode to Joy or # 33, The Blues, which will be your final playing test on Friday.  You are also trying the full C and G chords.

Gr 9

You should have videotaped your final playing piece by Thursday, ready to show the other Gr 9 classes and teachers what you have accomplished.   The CD cover is now considered overdue.

Week of Oct. 26-29

Gr 7  

You are learning the spider finger 0 1 2 3 pattern.  You are practicing the B C D E F G notes on the guitar.  You are practicing naming notes, and you learned the half rest and the whole rest.

Gr 8

You are learning the 0 2 1 3 spider pattern.  You have a test on # 29 on Monday (postponed from Thursday Oct. 29)  You are learning # 32 Ode to Joy, which will be your final playing test next Thursday.

Gr 9

You are working on an independent study of your choice on guitar.  This could mean learning the full chords for C, G and G7, along with the D7, a riff of your choice (Seven Nation Army, Smoke on the Water, for example), a duet # 45 Au Clair de la Lune, # 32 Ode to Joy.  These will be videotaped starting at the end of next week or sooner, if you are ready.  The CD cover should be done now and submitted for evaluation.

Week of Oct. 19-23

Gr 7

Hand exercises

Spider Exercise 0 1 2 3 starting on low E string up to high e string, and back down to low E string

Metronome speed is a minimum of 120 per note

Music writing using E F G and given rhythms.  Compositions were 4 measures long.

In the book, we are learning the G and D7 chords and playing them with songs, including Bruce Springsteen!

Gr 8

Hand Exercises

Spider Exercise 0 3 2 1.  Metronome speed minimum is 120.  Test coming up next Thursday Oct. 29

C, G and D7 chords with "This Land is Your Land".  Learned a bit about Woody Guthrie and how important this song was to the working class.  

Halloween dance playlist 10-20 songs on Spotify.  PLUS, the reasons why you chose these songs using as much musical vocabulary as you can.

Gr 9

Hand Exercises

Spider Exercise 0 3 2 1.  Metronome speed minimum is 120.  Test was on Friday

C, G and D7 chords with "This Land is Your Land".  Learned a bit about Woody Guthrie and how important this song was to the working class.  

Saw two soundtracks from the CBC's "Under the Influence" on advertising, specifically in regards to Album Covers to prepare for the CD for the LifeEvents soundtrack.  Front cover design is hand-drawn and submitted for approval.  The back cover includes the soundtracks and artists in a font and colour of your choice done on a Google Doc.  The doc is sent to Ms. Robillard to be printed.  The CD cover assignment must be handed in by Thursday at the very latest.

Week of Oct 13-16

Gr7

We learned some hand exercises to use before we start playing the guitar.  Use for about 5 minutes.  We also learned the first spider finger exercise which is also a good warmup on guitar.  the pattern is a 0 1 2 3 pattern starting on the low E string and working up to the high e string.  We are also working in the book on pg 10 # 13-17, using E F G in melody lines.

Gr8

There is a spider finger exercise test tomorrow. (Wednesday)  We will continue to work on the G and D7 chords and the B C D melody notes.

Gr9

The create a melody sheet using B C D E F G is due this week.  As well, the Life Events Music rough copy is to be sent to me for editing by the end of today. Please use the chart formation, and include links of the songs that you have chosen. In guitar, I introduced hand exercises that should be used at the start of every class for 5 minutes before moving on to the spider exercise (O 3 2 1).  We will be using the G and D7 chords with a Bruce Springsteen song (so much fun!) 

Week of October 5-9

Gr 7

Students continue to practice the C and G7 chords, the E F G on the high E string on the guitar. Say the notes first, then say and play, and then finally play the melodies on pg 10 and 11. For the theory, students are learning how to write notes on the staff as half notes, quarter notes and whole notes.

Gr 8

Students continue to practice the C, G7, G and D7 chords, and the E F G notes.  Warmup is the spider finger exercise 0 1 2 3 and will be tested next week.  For the theory, students are learning how to write notes on the staff as half notes, quarter notes and whole notes and adding pitch to create a melody.

Gr 9

Students continue to practice the C, G7, G and D7 chords, and the B C D E F G notes.  Warmup is the spider finger exercise 0 1 2 3 and will be tested next week.  For the theory, students are learning how to write notes on the staff as half notes, quarter notes and whole notes and adding pitch to create a melody using B C D E F G.