Which way is UP????

  • Thread starter Thread starter Aaron Cheney
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Aaron Cheney

Aaron Cheney

Favorite Chord: C 6/9
I teach guitar. I'm constantly running into this problem:

I tell the student to play the "lower" string, and instead of going to the next thicker string, they go to the next thinner string, or the string closer to the ground, or technically "lower". Then I have to say "No, by lower I mean "note-wise".

Other times I say "slide one fret lower", and they go from say the 5th fret to the 6th, and I have to say "No, by lower I mean note-wise... go the othe way".

I'm so weary of this scenario that I could pop a vein. Any other teachers frustrated with this?

What do you condsider "higher" and "lower"? What do you consider "front" and "back"? "Top"/ "Bottom"?


Aaron
http://www.voodoovibe.com
 
I think of it the same way as you do.Ya just gotta give them little punks some learnin'.Bitch slap 'em when they go the wrong way, they'll catch on soon enough.


Aaron Cheney said:
I teach guitar. I'm constantly running into this problem:

I tell the student to play the "lower" string, and instead of going to the next thicker string, they go to the next thinner string, or the string closer to the ground, or technically "lower". Then I have to say "No, by lower I mean "note-wise".

Other times I say "slide one fret lower", and they go from say the 5th fret to the 6th, and I have to say "No, by lower I mean note-wise... go the othe way".

I'm so weary of this scenario that I could pop a vein. Any other teachers frustrated with this?

What do you condsider "higher" and "lower"? What do you consider "front" and "back"? "Top"/ "Bottom"?


Aaron
http://www.voodoovibe.com
Click to expand...
 
I've been thinking of starting to teach, it's good to know about that in advance...

To me the only really coherent way is to consider "higher" and "lower" to be consistent with pitch.
 
Seriously, though, I've tried that.

It takes months before most kids even respond to calling a string by it's name. You send them home with all kinds of hand-outs and charts, and it never means squat.
If they weren't paying me , I flunk them all!

Aaron
http://www.voodoovibe.com
 
LOL.. I can totally relate. When I was teaching, I would use string names and fret numbers and just be patient. Eventually they'll catch on. Just don't give them an alternative and that way they'll have to learn it to communicate with you. Sometimes you want to wop them upside the head, but hey.. what can ya do, eh?
 
The prob with calling it by note is you can play the same note at different positions on different strings.

Be that as it may, I've also run into the "lower" prob. The good thing, Aaron, is you recognize the problem. This will make it easier to calmly tell your student that by "lower" you mean lower in pitch.

I like JR's idea. FORCE 'em to learn.
:D
 
Btw, great job on Bad Luck... Good Story!

Nice harmonica and I loved that outro guitar riff.
 
Scales go up or down.

Everything else is irrelevent!

The best thing you can do for your students is get them thinking in terms of tones and scales as opposed to string and fret position.
 
your first day with em should be strings and there names... if they cant get that by their second lesson... then send them home with their strings around their fingers
 
One of the first things I do with a student is define a few things... one of those things being "when I say up or down, I am referring to pitch, not space..." and after a few reminders, they never forget.
 
up... as in higher pitch. Smack 'em in the head with a pitchfork, and they won't make that mistake again.
 
Yes, I go through that, too.

I (attempt to) clear that up on the very first lesson in the "about your guitar"
discussion.

I let them know it's all about pitch, not physical location.


BTW, did you ever have a student
put the foot stool under his left foot
to raise his leg
to support the arm and hand he frets with?

That's a sight to behold!
 
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