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General Information

Course ID (CB01A and CB01B)
MUSID016A
Course Title (CB02)
Beginning Acoustic Guitar
Course Credit Status
Credit - Degree Applicable
Effective Term
Fall 2023
Course Description
A beginning level course covering basic guitar technique, such as strumming, fingerstyle picking, and open and moveable position chords. Both tablature and music notation are covered. No previous musical experience is required. Ideal for learning folk song accompaniment and basic melodies, as well as simple "riffs" and improvisation. Highly recommended for those pursuing music education or primary school teaching certificates and degrees.
Faculty Requirements
Course Family
FD - Guitar Class Applied Performance

Course Justification

This course is UC and CSU transferable. It is part of the °®¶¹´«Ã½ College Music AA degree. It offers basic instruction in popular/acoustic guitar and music literacy.

Foothill Equivalency

Does the course have a Foothill equivalent?
No
Foothill Course ID

Course Philosophy

Formerly Statement

Formerly Statement
(Formerly MUSI D056A.)

Course Development Options

Basic Skill Status (CB08)
Course is not a basic skills course.
Grade Options
  • Letter Grade
  • Pass/No Pass
Repeat Limit
0

Transferability & Gen. Ed. Options

Transferability
Transferable to both UC and CSU

Units and Hours

Summary

Minimum Credit Units
1.5
Maximum Credit Units
1.5

Weekly Student Hours

TypeIn ClassOut of Class
Lecture Hours1.02.0
Laboratory Hours2.00.0

Course Student Hours

Course Duration (Weeks)
12.0
Hours per unit divisor
36.0
Course In-Class (Contact) Hours
Lecture
12.0
Laboratory
24.0
Total
36.0
Course Out-of-Class Hours
Lecture
24.0
Laboratory
0.0
NA
0.0
Total
24.0

Prerequisite(s)

Corequisite(s)

Advisory(ies)

ESL D261. and ESL D265., or ESL D461. and ESL D465., or eligibility for EWRT D001A or EWRT D01AH or ESL D005.

Limitation(s) on Enrollment

Entrance Skill(s)

General Course Statement(s)

Methods of Instruction

Lecture and visual aids

Discussion of assigned reading

Discussion and problem solving performed in class

Homework and extended projects

Collaborative learning and small group exercises

In-class individual and small group practice of assigned material

Assignments

  1. Reading assignments as required
  2. Daily individual practice of assigned music and exercises
  3. Written exercises for scale, chord, and progression construction

Methods of Evaluation

  1. Mid-term and final written and performance examinations to assess student's integration of course materials
  2. Ongoing assessment of student progress and preparation through in-class observation, including ability to count while playing, and ability to keep up with group practice of material with minimal errors.
  3. Graded written assignments to assess practice and understanding of music fundamentals

Essential Student Materials/Essential College Facilities

Essential Student Materials: 
  • A steel or nylon stringed acoustic guitar, either owned or rented; access to Internet
Essential College Facilities:
  • None.

Examples of Primary Texts and References

AuthorTitlePublisherDate/EditionISBN
*Horne, Greg. "Beginning Acoustic Guitar." 2e. Alfred Publishing Co., Inc. 2015
Snyder, Jerry. "Guitar School: A comprehensive Method for Class and Individual Instruction." Alfred Publishing Co., Inc. 1998.

Examples of Supporting Texts and References

AuthorTitlePublisher
None.

Learning Outcomes and Objectives

Course Objectives

  • Demonstrate basic techniques
  • Demonstrate music fundamentals as they relate to the guitar
  • Identify basic song forms and major styles of acoustic guitar tradition

CSLOs

  • Perform several chord progressions in different keys using both strumming and fingerstyle techniques.

Outline

  1. Demonstrate basic techniques
    1. Right hand techniques
      1. Strumming--flat pick or fingers
        1. basic up-down strumming
        2. syncopated strumming patterns
        3. alternating bass patterns
        4. mute technique
      2. Finger-style
        1. basic arpeggios using p, i, m, and a fingers
        2. alternating bass-chord
      3. Single-note flatpick technique: down-stroke, alternating up/down strokes
    2. Left hand techniques
      1. Open position chords: major, minor, and 7th, chords
      2. Single-note playing: scales,note-bending techniques
  2. Demonstrate music fundamentals as they relate to the guitar
    1. Concepts of pitch and harmony
      1. Pentatonic minor scale and "riffs"
      2. Western musical alphabet: whole step and half step in scale construction
      3. Major, minor scales and key signatures
      4. Chord construction
        1. concept of tertian harmony
        2. major and minor thirds in constructing chords
        3. chord inversion--"slash" chords
      5. Transposition to closely related keys
      6. Chord progression: numeric system for labeling chords
      7. Reading music
        1. standard notated pitches in the first position
        2. basic notated rhythms--whole through eighth notes and rests; time signatures, ties, dots.
        3. chord symbols and chord charts/lead sheets
        4. the tablature system
    2. Tuning: fretted tuning, using electronic tuners
  3. Identify basic song forms and major styles of acoustic guitar tradition
    1. Identifying song sections AB, ABA, repeats, first and second endings, etc.
    2. Eight, twelve, sixteen-bar blues

Lab Topics

  1. Students will practice strumming techniques
  2. Students will practice fingerstyle techniques
  3. Students will practice music reading
  4. Students will practice chords -- open position strumming and finger-style arpeggio
  5. Students will practice assigned songs and song forms
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