nafmeadmin.
nafmeadminHi! My name is Traci Bolton and I am your January mentor. I am a guitar teacher in west St. Louis County in Missouri and I am excited to talk some guitar!
nafmeadminHappy New Year Traci.
nafmeadminHi, Traci, I have an after-school rock band program that’s gathering steam after a successful winter performance. I want to change the focus slightly for winter, focusing on individual instrument skill-building. Is there a method book that you would recommend for beginning guitar students? I have some bass players as well so it would be great if there’s a corresponding one for them. Thanks for your reply!
nafmeadminCongratulations on a successful performance! When it comes to picking a method book, you need to look at your specific program. How much time are you going to have with the kids and what do you want for them to know by the end of the year? Once you know the answer to those questions, then you can look at methods. There has been an explosion of method books in the past few years so you have several options. I am fortunate that I have build up a library over several years so I use several different methods with my classes.
Hal Leonard has a couple of good method books: Guitar for Kids (geared at elementary) and Essential Elements which can be used for elementary, middle or high school.
Alfred has Jerry Snyder’s Guitar School.
Class Guitar Resources also has 2 method options. First Year Guitar is a full year class and Explore It! Guitar and Style is an exploratory method for a shorter period of time.
These are just a few options. Looking at them will give you the best idea of what you will like. I haven’t found a book that teaches guitar, bass and drums together like a band method.
Christopher M. Johnson, Professor of Music Education and Music Therapy, is currently the Chair of the Music Education and Music Therapy Department and Director of the Music Research Institute at the University of Kansas. Johnson earned his Ph.D. from the Florida State University.
Since his arrival at The University of Kansas, Johnson has taught courses in Instrumental Conducting, Teaching Instrumental Music, Managing Behaviors in the Music Environment, Psychology and Acoustics of Music, and Research Methods in Music Education and Music Therapy. Johnson served two terms as the editor of the International Journal of Music Education: Research, the research publication of the International Society for Music Education. He is currently serving his second term on the National Association for Music Educations Executive Committee of the Society for Research in Music Education. He also served on the editorial board of the Journal of Research in Music Education, and one earlier term as the Chair for the MENC Executive Committee of the Society for Research in Music Education. Johnson also served as the Chair for the Research Commission of the International Society for Music Education.
Johnson’s research interests include applied research in music education, and basic research in all aspects of the psychology of music. He has published articles in many journals including the Journal of Research in Music Education, the International Journal of Music Education, the Journal of Music Therapy, Journal of Band Research, Contributions to Music Education, and the Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education, among others. Johnson has also been an active member and contributor to the Research Seminar of the International Society for Music Education and World Alliance for Arts Education.
Johnson received a university teaching award – the Ned N. Fleming Award for Excellence in Teaching and received the recognition for Graduate Teaching Achievement from the Center for Teaching Excellence. Johnson was also awarded a lecturing & research award as a J. William Fulbright Scholar and recently received the Ella Scoble Opperman Citation for Distinguished Achievement from the Florida State University College of Music.
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