Learning Guitar

Criteria of CAS – Creativity

Time - 8 hours

Venue – D Y Patil International School, Nagpur

Activity Started: 16 August 2014

Activity Ended:  30 October 2014

"My guitar is not a thing. It is an extension of myself. It is who I am." - Joan Jett

First week: I always wanted to learn guitar. I will develop a new skill, playing guitar. I was very excited for my first class, Sir started with explaining me parts of guitar. 

Then he taught me finger exercises. Our index finger is 1, middle one is 2, ring is 3 and little finger is 4. These should be kept on 1, 2, 3, 4 frets and thumb should be used for support.  He gave a sheet of paper in which there were 11 exercises which he asked me to play and practice for the whole week. After I learned every exercise he asked me to play it to him twice. First time with eyes open and then second time with eyes closed. This week I attended 5 classes, 1 hour class everyday, except weekends.

Second week: Last week completed the finger exercises. This week we started with 'C' major scale, 5 shape, 3rd string root, one octave scale. This had 10 exercises with very long notes. He gave me the notes with marking of A1, B3, C*4, E1, F2, G4, C1 and D3. a, b, c, d represents notes and 1,2,3,4 represent fingers which should be kept on notes. This week completed 5 exercises. This week I attended 5 classes, 1 hour each.

Third week: This week i completed the rest of the exercises. And now have become very much comfortable with my guitar. There is a note, that always tap your feet with playing. This week I attended 5 classes, 1 hour each.

Forth week: This I did learned notes value. First is a Full-note, where you play C (or any note) and tap your feet. And tap it more tree times but don't play the note, it is called blank note. Second is Half-note, where you play C then a blank note then D then another blank note. Third is 3/4-note, where you play C then 2 blank notes then D. Forth is Quater-note where you play C, D, E, F and tap your feet with each note. Fifth is Eighth-note where you play 2 notes in 1 tap for eg CD, EF, GA, BC. Sixth is Sixteenth-note, where you play 4 notes in 1 tap for eg CDEF, GABC, CBAG, FEDC. With help of these Sir taught me Notation study. Notation is the name given to ways of writing music. I practiced all the exercises this week. This week I attended 5 classes, 1 hour each.

Fifth week: This week I learned short songs containing minor and major notes. Those songs where Happy Birthday, Twinkle-twinkle, London bridge, Jingle bell and Papa loves mama. I also learned a great composer's composition, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's C major composition. This week I attended 5 classes, 1 hour each. From next week I will start Hindi songs.