Spy Tune Introduction

This video demonstrates how to teach "Spy Tune" to students on the first day of class. Spy Tune is a piece that allows students to apply their newly acquired technical skills in an expressive musical context on the first day of class. At this point, teachers must fight the urge to teach extraneous information (e.g. complete notational system, time signature, extra notes, etc.) Although these things are very important, it is not the place to start. The lesson plan for Spy Tune is a detailed task analysis assist teachers to effectively teach this piece to students. Please familiarize yourself with this lesson plan attached to the score in the music library, print it, and have it with you as you observe how this piece is taught.

Fundamental Techniques: (see Spy Tune Sequence Document)

Position:

The Index Finger (“I finger”) Stroke

Dynamic Execution:
Crescendo is executed when the right hand stroke gradually pushes through the string with more force causing the string to travel further from its original line. It is important that students do not “swipe” at the string to create a louder sound, but push through the string with correct stroke and minimal tension. Establishing an extremely quiet piano dynamic will allow for a more effective crescendo and decrescendo.

Common Pitfalls for Beginning Students:
There are three common pitfalls for beginning students of classical guitar in both private lesson and classroom settings. In the classroom the obligation on part of the teacher to help students avoid these problems is simply magnified because there are more students!

These three problems are closely related. Often a student exhibiting one of these, will also show the others.

1. I finger pulls up and away from the guitar instead of pushing inside the hand, past the thumb.
2. Right wrist is angled instead of straight.
3. Right Wrist is too low.

1) The I finger pulls up and away from the guitar instead of pushes through the string, past the thumb and under hand. This is usually a product of the wrist being too far back or too low because if the wrist is low or back, a finger pushing “through” will encounter extra strings leading students to alter their stroke up and away.

2) The right wrist becomes angled down instead of straight allowing the fingers travel perpendicularly through the strings instead of diagonally (approximately 45 degree angle). Ultimately, a straight wrist allows students to project with more robust tone and play with less tension. One of the main reasons most students angle their wrists is that they unconsciously seek to minimize resistance to the string by traveling perpendicularly instead of obliquely through the string. This incorrect impulse is strongest in students who A) try to play too loud (hard), B) are using too much finger under the string, Students should be reminded to play “softly” or “easily” if they show these problems and must be constantly corrected and reminded.

3) The right wrist of many students will “collapse” and lay almost flat to the soundboard of the guitar. This encourages the student to pull up with I stroke creating a slapping sound.

The purpose of “Spy Tune” is to give the students a successful, expressive, joyful music making experience on the very first day of class. While establishing sound technique on day one is very important, the overall goal of our lesson should be that the students leave class excited and motivated to be playing a very cool tune while prioritizing tone and expression.