Beginner Guitar · PLECK lesson

PLECK lesson 33 · suggested week 7, day 3

Find clear chord tone gently

Objective. Demonstrate this observable music task: Pluck every allowed Em string twice in a slow check, then play both bars once; log one adjustment without increasing painful pressure.

Enlarge/print text, speak or dictate written responses, use parent scribing, quiet practice and a visible score. Left-handed hand roles are equivalent. A hearing/one-hand or temporary-instrument limitation can use an explicitly documented alternative target; do not claim an unobserved auditory or two-hand playing skill. Parent may consult an appropriate music/access professional; no medical diagnosis is made.

Start any clip at a low comfortable volume. No headphones or amplifier are required. Pause and tell an adult if it is uncomfortable. A download is not browser playback, and the clip is not a recording of a person playing.

About 45 minutes. The due date is chosen by a parent.

Materials: An available ordinary six-string acoustic/classical/electric guitar in standard tuning; no amp required, Pencil/paper or on-site text area, A nearby parent/teacher for live observation OR an optional private recording device, Optional existing pick, dry cloth, free reference tones/tuner or metronome; no purchase or account required.

Comes after GTR-L032.

A melody places notes in order with an intelligible rhythm. A chord combines compatible pitch classes; an arpeggio spreads chord tones over time. Em contains E G B and Am contains A C E. Learn each new shape from its explicit fret strip, first sounding allowed strings individually. For Em the full strip is 022000; for Am it is x02210. Complete reduced options are available and must be named if they change the bass. Do not strum an x string. Count written rests and let held notes occupy their time without automatic reattack. Prepare a difficult boundary slowly, relax, then put it back into the phrase. Clear repeated practice at a manageable pulse is preferable to an unannounced speed test. Today: If a fretted note buzzes, first move the fingertip closer behind the wire and check adjacent fingers. Extra force is not the first solution. Compare one clear note with the same note after releasing and resetting the hand. Use fretting/plucking hand roles for either handedness; string numbers stay fixed. Play in short comfortable blocks with breaks. Stop for pain, numbness or unsafe peg uncertainty; tell a responsible adult. No forced stretch, amp, purchases or new account is required.

Worked example

Original worked score GTR-EX033 (em-ring). First event: string 6 fret 0 (E2), string 5 fret 2 (B2), string 4 fret 2 (E3), string 3 fret 0 (G3), string 2 fret 0 (B3), string 1 fret 0 (E4), lasting 4 quarter beats. Sound each event once, allow its duration to pass, and count rests without a new attack. Numbers aligned within a column belong to the same event. The following duration row, not character spacing, specifies time.

Bar 1 (4/4, quarter=1 beat)
beats |  4  |
1 E4 |--0--|
2 B3 |--0--|
3 G3 |--0--|
4 D3 |--2--|
5 A2 |--2--|
6 E2 |--0--|
r=rest in all strings; dash=do not attack that string; each column is one event.
Bar 2 (4/4, quarter=1 beat)
beats |  2    2  |
1 E4 |--0----r--|
2 B3 |--0----r--|
3 G3 |--0----r--|
4 D3 |--2----r--|
5 A2 |--2----r--|
6 E2 |--0----r--|
r=rest in all strings; dash=do not attack that string; each column is one event.

Bar 1, event 1, 4 beats, string/fret 6/0 sounding E2; string/fret 5/2 sounding B2; string/fret 4/2 sounding E3; string/fret 3/0 sounding G3; string/fret 2/0 sounding B3; string/fret 1/0 sounding E4 Bar 2, event 1, 2 beats, string/fret 6/0 sounding E2; string/fret 5/2 sounding B2; string/fret 4/2 sounding E3; string/fret 3/0 sounding G3; string/fret 2/0 sounding B3; string/fret 1/0 sounding E4 Bar 2, event 2, 2 beats, rest

Find clear chord tone gently — play, record and check

  1. 1. What should you check before squeezing harder to remove a buzz?
  2. 2. How many quarter-note beats are in bar 1 of the supplied worked score? Show the sum of its printed durations.
  3. 3. Pluck every allowed Em string twice in a slow check, then play both bars once; log one adjustment without increasing painful pressure. Actual playing: a parent hears the live guitar, or a private clip under 4 MB. Writing this answer does not replace the playing.
  4. 4. Spiral review from GTR-L018: perform only bar 1 of its supplied worked score once at a comfortable pulse. Name one location or timing feature you remembered; if playing is unavailable, record that performance is pending rather than claiming it. Actual playing: a parent hears the live guitar, or a private clip under 4 MB. Writing this answer does not replace the playing.
  5. 5. Record three things for this lesson: (1) actual task and chosen tempo or count method, (2) one specific audible/observed result, and (3) one safe next action. If already accurate, name a checked feature instead of inventing a mistake. Label support, adaptation or missing performance; do not invent minutes. Practice record. Text, a photo, or paper is enough for the log.

Feedback bands. R-THEORY. Music/instrument understanding. Answers the exact supplied question; Correct string/fret/pitch/rhythm or safety meaning; Clear labels distinguishing sounding/written pitch. 0: No relevant evidence yet. 1: Partial recognition with a material confusion. 2: Meaning mostly accurate with a correctable labeling gap. 3: Requested facts/calculation are accurate and clearly labeled. R-PERFORM. Actual guitar playing. Pitch/chord/string choices required by the visible task; Counted rhythm, rests and continuity at an agreed comfortable tempo; Clear intentional sound/phrasing within the stated task; Safe feasible movement and honest support/adaptation labels. 0: No usable observed/audible playing evidence yet; pending or access-adapted, not inferred from text. 1: Some assigned sounds evident; substantial location/time support needed. 2: Required task mostly recognizable with a few gaps and labeled supports. 3: Required notes/chords and rhythm are clear, with intentional starts/ends and safe control at the chosen tempo. R-ARTIFACT. Readable notation, design and original music. Exactly the features/counts visible in the task; Usable string/fret and duration/form labels where assigned; Consistent bar totals and actual performed version; Original/arranged/source and adaptation labels. 0: No inspectable artifact. 1: Some relevant work but key requested labels/counts missing. 2: Mostly reconstructable with limited inconsistencies. 3: Visible task complete, readable and musically reconstructable; labels honest. R-PRACTICE. Honest practice and reflection. Names actual task/attempt and tempo/count method; Specific observable result; Feasible safe next action. 0: No relevant record. 1: Vague record with little inspectable evidence. 2: Specific observation and plausible next step. 3: Clear evidence-linked observation and a feasible safe next action.

Acceptance checks

A student may explain aloud to a parent. Written/diagram tasks: on-site text, readable photo, print-and-hand-in or private scan. Playing: a parent hears actual live playing and logs the named task/bars, or submit short private audio/video clips each strictly below 4 MiB (4,194,304 bytes), using an app-supported format. Split by labeled phrases; check actual bytes. No face, legal name, home view, public account, ZIP or code upload is required. Actual upload formats/UI are unverified; use the live-parent route if unavailable. Text/photos alone do not establish playing. Label adaptations/support and allow resubmission.

Optional extra. Optional, not a grading requirement: make one new two-bar variation of the em-ring model using only already taught notes/chords and its meter; explain one changed rhythm or ending, or increase tempo slightly only if still relaxed.

Name ____________________ Date ____________________