by Glen McCarthy | Oct 28, 2014 | Classroom, News, Principles, Tips + Tricks, Uncategorized
Nothing looks easier than strumming, but that’s because great players make it look easy. In reality it takes a some work to sound great when you strum a guitar. You have to have rhythm, a good sense for patterns, and good form. Reasons to learn strum patterns...
by Glen McCarthy | Oct 28, 2014 | Classroom, Education, News, Principles, Tips + Tricks, Uncategorized
Rob Pethel Warm Up Video In this video Rob Pethel demonstrates a warm up pattern for playing a major scale on a single string. Other benefits: • The scale pattern is the same on all six strings, so students will hear/play five major scales (and E major in twice)! •...
by Glen McCarthy | Oct 21, 2014 | Classroom, Education, News, Principles, Tips + Tricks, Uncategorized
Being a classroom guitar teacher is a great! You get to play music, think music, and breathe music, but the day-to-day can be challenging. Fortunately, when you are trying to motivate and help a classroom full of kids become a classroom full of awesome guitarists, you...
by Glen McCarthy | Sep 30, 2014 | Classroom, Education, Principles, Success Stories, Tips + Tricks
Jason Venesky, Director of Bands, Ford City High School TRIBLive, a local paper in Western Pennsylvania, recently published a story about Jason Venesky, the Director of Bands at Ford City High School, and his school’s purchase of $5000 worth of guitar products...
by Glen McCarthy | Sep 29, 2014 | Classroom, Education, Principles, Tips + Tricks
There are not many kids who like learning scales. Why would they? Think about having to learn all the unique fingerings, whole steps, half steps, etc. on a piano. But on guitar, you only have to teach scale “shapes” (at least to start) freeing you up to...
by Glen McCarthy | Aug 6, 2014 | Classroom, Education, Principles, Tips + Tricks
There are so many chords, how do I remember where to put my fingers? Easy: Barre chords! One of the best short cuts in music has to be the barre chord in which you place your index finger over a whole fret and make an E major or E minor shape with your middle, ring,...