Pupil: Robert Hamilton
Date: 05/03/08
Evaluating Time: 2hr
The pupil became more relaxed and at ease with this lesson when as he was expecting to be filmed this time. As the lesson went on the camera was not even noticeable and the pupil was able to relax and be himself.
This lesson aided in refreshing two subjects from last lesson, the fingering techniques and interval notes. The former of the two was practiced and scrutinised so that the end of the lesson saw an improvement of Robert’s fingering techniques. Without good hand form, learning a new topic becomes futile.
Lesson Objectives:
1.) To persist with working on the pupil’s correct fingering techniques with both hands, this time concentrating on the right hand (plucking hand), using exercises such as walking across the strings (as seen in lesson 3, objective 2) to aid with the pupils string crossing.
Outcome: With the left hands finger flow improving and less fret resonance (buzzing) occurring, Robert’s right hand form was analysed for improvement. First thing first, Robert needed to cut his fingernails a lot shorter on his plucking (right) hand as these kept getting caught on the strings. Robert also had a tendency to ‘kick out’ with his second plucking finger so that he manages to catch the intended string to play, before he comes back to pluck it, this can be demonstrated in Figures 1 and 2. Once this was discovered and observed, Robert was told to utilise the previous string as a rest for the inactive finger, otherwise his inactive finger just hangs in the space between the strings and causes further mistakes.
(Figure 1 – where the finger first catches the intended string)
(Figure 2 – where the finger then plays the intended string)
To improve Robert’s string crossing technique and to aid his fifth and eighth interval notes, the pupil played the root note of G. He was then instructed to cross to the next string, playing G’s fifth interval, D and then again to the next string to play the higher pitch eighth interval note of G, (refer to Figure 3).
G -|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
D -|-------------------------------------------------------5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-----------------------|
A -|-------------------------------5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-----------------------------------------------|
E -|-------3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-----------------------------------------------------------------------|
(Figure 3)
This was persisted until the pupil managed to improve his walking technique with his right plucking hand.
After this an insight in fret board notation was given. Robert advised that he had not had a chance to look over his fret board diagram as of yet. To encourage this, the notes of the E string were named to the pupil, from the open E to the E found on the twelve fret.
2.) To continue with the explanation and demonstration of fifth and eighth interval notes, so that the pupil captures a better understanding of what they are and their purpose.
Outcome: This was Roberts second attempt with interval notes and he was not expected to remember the patterns that were taught last lesson. Making the same mistake as the other pupil, Robert got the two intervals mixed up and played an eighth when asked to play a fifth interval. However at this stage the important thing was that he was able to remember the patterns, even if the two were confused.
3.) At this point it is important to give the pupil a basic understanding of music theory, so that they can progress rhythmically as well as technically. During this lesson the pupil will be taught the principles of beats and bars and the most common of timing signatures 4/4.
Outcome: With Roberts music experience as a dance DJ, he understood the concept of beats, as being a drum sound and bars, as being a grouping of beats. With it not being necessary to explain these further, the concept of time signatures was explained, as these can be a little trickier.
After mentioning the term time signature and initially neglecting to describe this, Robert queried this and asked what a time signature was. A time signature was explained as a method of describing to a musician how many beats are located in a bar, for a piece of music. The most common time signature in western music, 4/4, was used as the example in the explanation. Robert managed to grasp this fairly quickly and was able to play along to a 4/4 drumbeat with the bass to demonstrate four beats in a bar, (which was represented by the top number in time signature). Robert continued with this music theory subject and began to learn the first five note lengths that exist (these a sixteenth, eighth, quarter, half and whole note).
Robert did a lot better than it was initially expected. He was able to grasp all the music theory topics quickly and without confusion. This will hopefully continue when music theory is progressed later on in the lessons.
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