Using The Guitar As A Teaching Tool

I use the acoustic guitar in my Music class on a regular basis, not just as part of teaching guitar material, but also as a General Music teaching tool.

Since I am primarily a classical guitarist, I end up using a nylon string most of the time. It is true that nylon string guitars are softer than steel string guitars, but I prefer nylon so I keep my fingers, and my right-hand fingernails in good shape.

I find the use of the instrument for the following activities quite beneficial:

           

            • accompanying class songs

            • accompanying recorder pieces

            • demonstrating chord construction

            • aiding students with small composition song-writing projects

The fact that the guitar is so affordable, so portable, so practical, and oh, so much fun to play, makes it an ideal choice for a classroom instrument.

An additional benefit is that one can practice small sections of repertoire pieces, short etudes, and short technique excerpts, while waiting for the next class to show up :O)

Of course, there is a full size piano in my room also, and I use it quite often. The guitar, however, is quite different, very personal, and it allows me to move freely around the room.