Garfield High School – Guitar Lab 1/2

Mar 2026 · 2nd Semester

Students in this class learn the basic skills and concepts to gain a rudimentary proficiency performing on a guitar. Students learn correct body posture, how to tune the instrument, and the physical aspect of the instrument. Students learn technical skills including left hand finger exercises, left hand chord formation, strum patterns, and melodic finger picking technique. Students learn to recognize and notate music in tablature, chordal, and traditional note head notation. Students listen to, analyze, and describe music from a variety of genres, which may include Classical, Rock, Folk, and Jazz. Audio and visual examples of guitarists and music from various historical periods and world cultures will be included.  This course may be repeated for credit. Guitar 2- In this class, advanced finger ability exercises, note reading, chord construction, sight-singing, improvisation, and music theory will be introduced. Students help choose the style/genre of guitar music they wish to study with the instructor. Students listen to, analyze, and describe audio and visual examples of guitarists and music from various historical periods and world cultures in order to broaden their understanding of music in its relation to history and culture. Students gain experience in improvisation and in composing music within specified guidelines. Students perform alone and with others a varied repertoire of music.