Mel Bay's Modern Classical Guitar Method, Grade 1

from Mel Bay Publications
review by Richard Turner

The just released Mel Bay's Modern Classical Guitar Method, Grade 1, by Stanley Yates is an important new contribution to classical guitar methodology. Mr. Yates, director of the classical guitar program at Austin Peay State University in Tennessee, brings his vast teaching experience to bear here in creating a method book that is incredibly thorough and well thought out in terms of the essential elements of the early stages of classical guitar study. It has been my experience as a university level guitar teacher that virtually all entering students have to be completely retrained in basic sitting position, hand positions, and especially in the correct movement of the right hand. Hopefully, placement of this new method book in the hands of good teachers and students will help alleviate this situation.

The intent of this first volume is to take students with no knowledge of the guitar or musical notation to the point of developing really good counting and reading skills in the 1st position. The extremely important technical elements stressed are proper sitting position, good positions for both hands, and solid basic movements of the hands. To this end, the author does not introduce the use of the right hand rest stroke in this volume. This is a very wise choice. If the rest stroke is introduced too early in a student's playing it becomes very difficult to develop correct right hand movement for the free stroke. The studies, pieces and other materials used in this edition are well chosen and should hold a student's interest. Included with the volume is a CD which provides accompanying parts to most of the exercises and pieces in the book. These accompaniments are also written out in the book for the teacher to play along with the student.

Mr. Yates starts with a brief section illustrating the parts of the guitar, determining the playability of the instrument, and the correct way to attach strings to a classical guitar. All of the illustrations are simple line drawings which are very clear and instructional, and actually more informative than photographs would be. The following pages present basic finger and string notation for classical guitar, sitting position, and basic positions for the right and left hands. The accompanying drawings are helpful and the text clearly describes the essentials of these positions. It is excellent that the author immediately discusses the correct movement of the right hand fingers. If this is not done correctly from the earliest stages of playing, it is one of the most difficult technical habits to change.

In this introductory material the author also presents several good beginning left-hand exercises using simple placements and lifts, nothing drastic or too strenuous. Also discussed are the concepts of minimum left-hand pressure and efficient placement of the left-hand fingers. The student is encouraged to experiment with tone color with the right hand and to discover the full tonal range of the guitar.

Departing from common pedagogical procedure, the author then devotes several pages to the development of very basic pulse and rhythmic skills. Using only the most basic note values, we are given many exercises for developing these fundamental skills. These first counting exercises are meant to be done not by playing the guitar, but rather just by tapping. This is an excellent idea. Most players of "solo instruments" really lack basic counting skills. I always thought it was only guitarists who were rhythmically challenged, but in speaking with one of the piano professors where I teach I discovered that piano students also tend to have a weak sense of pulse and rhythm! For some unknown reason, that information made me feel much better.

In the Yates method, once we have developed some sense of pulse and counting we are then taught the basics of tuning the guitar. The author provides a system for relative tuning and suggests the use of the electronic tuner to double check. With the guitar in tune we are taught two chords, C and G. These are the simple 3-string versions of the chords but we are at least allowed to strum our basic rhythms! Now that I can strum and count, I am already starting to feel like a "dude of the guitar."

It is not until these preliminary steps are taken that the elements of staff notation are presented. Two pages are devoted to these basics and the notation for the open strings is also given.

In presenting basic right-hand plucking movements the author always advocates playing from a prepared (or pre-placed) position. With the thumb plucking whole notes it is recommended that the thumb be placed back on the string on count 4. When the fingers are added to the thumb and 4-note chord exercises are presented, it is also recommended that the fingers and thumb find their places ahead of time. If this habit is formed early in the student's playing it will save endless struggle later.

New (still small) versions of chords are gradually added and titled pieces such as Mazurka, Pavan, and Sea Shanty begin to appear. These are short chordal pieces which sound quite good, especially when combined with the teacher/CD accompaniment. After some basic information on shaping and smoothing the right-hand fingernails, the student is given instruction in basic arpeggio playing using simple patterns such as pim, pimi, and pmim. These combine already familiar chords with occasional new chords. Here too, Mr. Yates is adamant about pre-placement of the right-hand fingers.

Eighth notes are now introduced along with the idea of right-hand alternation in simple melodic passages. Most pieces are preceded by a series of short melodic fragments which are used in the actual piece. While many "old school" methods would switch to rest strokes at this point, Yates stays with free-stroke technique here. Fingered notes on the upper strings are gradually brought into the mix and we now are given pieces by composers that the student is likely to have heard of, such as Mozart, Beethoven, Haydn, and Paganini. Even I have heard of most of these fellows! The melodies are fun by themselves but when filled out with the teacher/CD accompaniment they sound positively concert-worthy! In this section the author gradually introduces new ideas such as altered notes and key signatures.

In the next section, Back to the Thumb Mr. Yates uses the opportunity to present the fingered notes on the bass strings as well as to begin to develop the concept of polyphonic playing. In the Bach Minuet and Bourée the student is given the bass part and the teacher gets to experience the fun and glory of playing the melody. The Alberti bass is explained and we are also led into melodic playing which transitions from thumb to fingers. Yates reminds the reader that these concepts will require some time for the student to master.

Some of our basic small chords are now enlarged by adding lower notes and many more arpeggio pieces and studies are presented. At this point, Mr. Yates is writing in polyphonic notation, clearly showing duration of melody and bass. These arpeggio pieces are both enjoyable and instructional

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Another major technical idea in the book is the simultaneous playing of right-hand thumb and fingers. This is presented first with four short exercises and then in the context of several pieces. Several really enjoyable pieces which nicely summarize the materials in this method appear in the last part of the method. The student is given a short version of Malagueña, Leyenda, and Fur Elise. Placing melodies over arpeggios such as Alberti bass patterns is explored, and compound meter is explained with a short Canarios given as an example.

With the new Modern Classical Guitar Method, Grade 1, Mr. Yates has hit many bulls-eyes which experienced guitar teachers should love. The emphasis placed on pulse and rhythm, good hand positions, and right-hand movement and pre-placement are really welcome and will hopefully help raise the musical and technical standards of the early stages of classical guitar study. This book could be used as a self-tutor but I would very strongly advise the serious student to get both this book and a teacher who really appreciates it and understands guitar pedagogy. I also very much look forward to seeing the second volume of this method.

Editor's Note: A companion DVD will soon be available for The Modern Classical Guitar Method. Please see the April Classical/Flamenco Guitar Column for extensive text, audio, and video samples.

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About the Author

After demonstrating an early interest in music with the clarinet and folk guitar, Richard Turner studied classical guitar with George Sakellariou and José Rey de la Torre and received Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Music from San José State University.

Since 1994 Mr. Turner has taught in the large classical guitar program at California State University at Fullerton. Several years ago he revived his early interest in American roots music and developed a course in the history of American folk music which he also teaches at Cal State Fullerton. His instrumental interests are diverse, including classical guitar, slide guitar, banjo, and steel-string fingerpicking and flatpicking styles.