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Mr. Midgley

Guitar for the Elementary Music Teacher

by
Herbert M. Midgley, M.M, M.Ed.
SFA Lecturer of Music/Music Technology and Guitar


For more information about Mr. Midgley, visit his faculty web site, or you may contact him via email.

The guitar is a great instrument for the elementary music teacher to use in their classroom.  When I taught elementary music, I used the guitar almost every day in the classroom.  Here are five reasons that the guitar is a great instrument for elementary music teachers:

  1. It is transportable, even more portable than a keyboard.

  2. You can see your students over the guitar.

  3. You can play near your students.

  4. The guitar blends well with all voices.

  5. The guitar is an easy instrument to learn how to play.

There are three one finger EZ Chords that you can play many songs with (EZ C, EZ G and EZ G7).  Check out the Basic Guitar Chords to learn these EZ Chords.  Then use the Guitar Songs in the Key of C to play three favorite songs.  If you have a guitar, try these songs out in your classroom!

After you have develop some skills with the EZ Chords, then use the Basic Guitar Chords to learn some other open position chords.  You can then use the Guitar Songs in the Key of G and Guitar Songs in the Key of D to learn the three songs in these keys.

If you want to learn how to play notes on the guitar use the Guide to Basic Guitar Methods to learn where the notes are on the guitar and music staff.  Use the Notes Page One and  Notes Page Two to learn the natural notes with on the guitar with these string studies.

Here is a Guide to Learn Some Basic Guitar Skills:

A Guide to Basic Guitar Methods Download the PDF file

Notes Page One

Download the PDF file
Notes Page Two Download the PDF file
Basic Guitar Chords Download the PDF file
Guitar Songs in the Key of C Download the PDF file
Guitar Songs in the Key of G Download the PDF file
More Guitar Songs in the Key of G New! Download the PDF file
Guitar Songs in the Key of D Download the PDF file

Here are Some Guitar Quartets: New!

Aura Lee

Download the PDF file Download the PDF file
Download the PDF file Download the PDF file
Download the PDF file Download the PDF file

Some Guitar Links:

Guitar.com

About: Guitar
On-Line Guitar Archive (OLGA) Guitar Man Acoustic Guitar Tips

Visit Mr. Midgley's personal web site to view his Guitar Studies (compositions for guitar).


If you would like to be added to the TSMP Email Mailing List and receive periodic notifications of new articles and updates to this website, then please email TSMP.

The Texas School Music Project is a source for ideas and information concerning pedagogical practices in the music classroom or rehearsal hall. The TSMP is a service provided to all music specialists by the faculty of the Department of Music at Stephen F. Austin State University. 
For questions about this site contact [email protected].

Copyright ? 2002, Department of Music at Stephen F. Austin State University