Beginner Guitar · PLECK lesson

PLECK lesson 120 · suggested week 24, day 5

Unit 8 original solo and scale

Objective. Demonstrate this observable music task: Perform the A pentatonic chart once and two different two-bar 3/4 improvisations from its set; add a note comparing one change.

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-L119.

A major scale follows whole whole half whole whole whole half steps. The first-position C-major octave is C3 D3 E3 F3 G3 A3 B3 C4; G major here is G3 A3 B3 C4 D4 E4 F-sharp4 G4. An A-minor pentatonic octave uses A2 C3 D3 E3 G3 A3: five unique pitch classes plus a repeated root. A scale supplies notes but does not force every melody to run straight up or down. Improvisation makes choices during playing; a small set of two or three notes can support real musical decisions. Describe rising/falling contour without claiming exact transposition unless interval sizes are preserved. Keep the meter and clearly label written planning versus spontaneous choices. Today: Combine a prepared scale and a limited improvisation without claiming spontaneous skill from a written composition alone. Label which part was planned. Different choices on a second improvisation are welcome when the pitch set and meter remain clear. 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-EX120 (a-pent). First event: string 5 fret 0 (A2), lasting 1 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 (3/4, quarter=1 beat)
beats |  1    1    1  |
1 E4 |---------------|
2 B3 |---------------|
3 G3 |---------------|
4 D3 |------------0--|
5 A2 |--0----3-------|
6 E2 |---------------|
r=rest in all strings; dash=do not attack that string; each column is one event.
Bar 2 (3/4, quarter=1 beat)
beats |  1    1    1  |
1 E4 |---------------|
2 B3 |---------------|
3 G3 |-------0----2--|
4 D3 |--2------------|
5 A2 |---------------|
6 E2 |---------------|
r=rest in all strings; dash=do not attack that string; each column is one event.

Bar 1, event 1, 1 beat, string/fret 5/0 sounding A2 Bar 1, event 2, 1 beat, string/fret 5/3 sounding C3 Bar 1, event 3, 1 beat, string/fret 4/0 sounding D3 Bar 2, event 1, 1 beat, string/fret 4/2 sounding E3 Bar 2, event 2, 1 beat, string/fret 3/0 sounding G3 Bar 2, event 3, 1 beat, string/fret 3/2 sounding A3

Unit 8 original solo and scale — play, record and check

  1. 1. May two improvisation attempts differ in rhythm and ending?
  2. 2. Read the supplied worked score, not a different composition: name all sounding pitches in its first event (or identify a rest).
  3. 3. Perform the A pentatonic chart once and two different two-bar 3/4 improvisations from its set; add a note comparing one change. 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-L085: 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.
  6. 6. Listen to three synthetic notes. Describe the direction from note 1 to 2 and from note 2 to 3, without needing absolute pitch names. Sound file: student-support/audio/ear-24.wav. Synthesized original sound; not an actual guitarist demonstration. If hearing/device access is unavailable, request the separate parent visual alternative and label it; unobserved ear skill remains pending. Listening. Label whether the sound was heard, replayed, supported, or replaced by the visual alternative. Reading the page does not prove hearing.

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. R-EAR. Explicit listening evidence. Requested comparison/count/contour understood; Requested feature answered or uncertainty honestly labeled; any replay/support documented; Independent versus supported/visual alternative labeled. 0: No auditory evidence yet; visual alternative recorded separately. 1: Partial feature recognition with substantial support. 2: Requested feature mostly recognized, replay/support documented. 3: Requested limited feature accurately identified with support status clear.

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 a-pent 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 ____________________