1. Fingerings

    Be aware of all right and left hand fingerings. Make sure you play the D on the B string with your 4th finger. This will free up your 3rd finger for the bass notes.

   In measure 4 play the A on the G string with your 3rd finger.

2. Bass Notes

     Be aware of the length of the Bass Notes. There is a 4 bar pattern in the bass. The 1st note is low A, the second note is F on the D string, the 3rd note is C on the 3rd fret of the A string and the last note in the pattern is B on the second fret of the A string. Keep your fingers down to let the bass notes ring.

3. Tempo

    Go slow and steady at first. Use the metronome on the webpage at a slow setting first then speed it up as you get more comfortable.

4. Right Hand

    Play the melodies using rest strokes when possible.

Rubric for Testing

 

A = Changes are smooth

      All Notes are clear and correct (Maybe a small buzz)

      Correct right and lefthand fingering (Right hand arpeggios played properly as indicated in the music)

      Excellent right hand technique (Hand position, arm position as indicated in the book)

 

B = Changes are a bit slow and sloppy (A small delay or break between chords and in transitions)

      A couple of wrong notes (1 – 2)

Some mistakes in fingerings (Sometimes not holding the Left hand fingers down for the bar creating a choppy sound, the arpeggio in  the right hand is not smooth)

      Bit sloppy right hand technique (resting a finger on guitar)   

 

C+ = Changes are slow (time between the chords)

      Some wrong notes (3-5)

      Mistakes in fingerings (Not using the proper fingerings with the left hand),(not using correct arpeggio in right hand).

      Sloppy right hand technique (resting hand or fingers on the guitar)

 

C = Very sloppy and slow changes (Time between the chords, very slow and broken up)

     Many wrong notes (5 – 10)

     Many mistakes with fingerings  (Using a wide variety of right hand fingers to play the piece.)(poor technique for example: Using 1 finger in the left hand to play the piece)

     Very sloppy right hand technique (resting hand and fingers on the guitar) (not alternating right hand fingers)

 

C- = Very slow and broken up changes (Piece rhythm very uneven)

    Wrong notes everywhere (10 + student does not know piece)

    Mistakes everywhere with left hand fingerings

    Extremely sloppy right hand technique (resting hand and fingers on the guitar)

    Sound needs improvement

 

D = Song hardly recognizable