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General Information

Course ID (CB01A and CB01B)
MUSID017.
Course Title (CB02)
Beginning Guitar
Course Credit Status
Credit - Degree Applicable
Effective Term
Fall 2023
Course Description
This course will provide students with beginning instruction for playing both acoustic (steel string) and classical (nylon string) guitar. No prior musical experience is required. Topics include basic note and tablature reading on the first four frets of the instrument; right-hand techniques, including free strokes, rest strokes, fingerstyle/arpeggio technique and pick technique; chords, chord progressions, and various strumming techniques; and music fundamentals, including scales and chord construction. These elements are especially suited for learning folk song accompaniment and basic melodies and are highly recommended for students who are pursuing music education or primary school teaching certificates and degrees.
Faculty Requirements
Course Family
FD - Guitar Class Applied Performance

Course Justification

This course is transferable to the CSU and UC systems. It belongs on the °®¶¹´«Ã½ College Music AA Degree. This course is the first in a sequence and offers basic guitar instruction and music literacy. It also serves as preparation for students choosing guitar as their major instrument and is foundational for those planning degrees in music therapy or education.

Foothill Equivalency

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

Course Philosophy

Course Philosophy
Six strings, 19 frets; what could go wrong?

Formerly Statement

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

Other: 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
  4. Concert attendance and written report

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. Includes proper execution of both left and right hand techniques, as well as a high degree of accuracy, as measured against the students' existing musical experience, and objectively.
  3. Graded written assignments to assess practice and understanding of music fundamentals

Essential Student Materials/Essential College Facilities

Essential Student Materials: 
  • Personally owned or rented nylon or steel string acoustic guitar (some instruments available for loan)
Essential College Facilities:
  • None.

Examples of Primary Texts and References

AuthorTitlePublisherDate/EditionISBN
Stang, Aaron. "Belwin's 21st Century Guitar Course, Book 1"), 2e. 2016.
*Duncan, Charles. "A Modern Approach to Classical Guitar." Book 1, 2nd ed.Hal Leonard Corporation. 2010

Examples of Supporting Texts and References

AuthorTitlePublisher
Video and recorded materials, °®¶¹´«Ã½ College Library and Music Department.

Learning Outcomes and Objectives

Course Objectives

  • Demonstrate basic techniques
  • Demonstrate music fundamentals as they relate to the guitar
  • Identify structural elements and major styles of acoustic and classical guitar

CSLOs

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

  • Employ proper rest and free stroke techniques for basic classical guitar exercises.

  • Read music for guitar at a rudimentary level.

Outline

  1. Demonstrate basic techniques
    1. Right-hand techniques
      1. Rest strokes
      2. Free strokes
      3. Flat pick technique
        1. syncopated strumming patterns
        2. basic up-down strumming
        3. single-note melodic flatpick technique: down-stroke, alternating up/downstrokes
      4. Fingerstyle/arpeggio technique
        1. basic combinations of p, i, m, a fingers
        2. alternating bass-chord
    2. Left-hand techniques
      1. Single-note playing: scales and easy melodies
      2. Open position chords: major, minor, and 7th, chords
  2. Demonstrate music fundamentals as they relate to the guitar
    1. Concepts of pitch and harmony
      1. Basic concept of pitch and instrument tuning
      2. Identify and play notes within first position on all six strings
      3. Western musical alphabet: whole step and half step in scale construction
      4. Major, minor scales, and key signatures
        1. concept of tertian harmony
        2. principal and secondary triads
      5. Chord construction
      6. Chord progression: numeric system for labeling chords
      7. Tuning: fretted tuning, using electronic tuners
    2. 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
  3. Identify structural elements and major styles of acoustic and classical guitar
    1. Identifying song sections AB, ABA, repeats, first and second endings, etc.
    2. Twelve-bar blues
    3. Classical compositions using single and multiple voices

Lab Topics

  1. Students will practice flat-pick techniques: strumming and single note playing
  2. Students will practice right hand fingerstyle techniques: rest strokes, free strokes, and arpeggios
  3. Students will practice music reading: pitch recognition and rhythmic accuracy
  4. Students will practice chords -- open position strumming and finger-style arpeggio
  5. Students will practice assigned pieces, exercises, and song forms
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