Chunking: Breaking a Guitar Song Down to Fit the Individual

Students come into my guitar class with varied backgrounds and skills.  My goal of "engagement of all students" is accomplished by teaching the students how to "chunk" the material. 

Students should be encouraged to find their "learning edge", and working at the level where they can succeed.  In guitar class all these levels may occur simultaneously.  I will give two examples.  The first is on a sing-and-strum song, and the second on a written melody.

Chunking and Sing-and-Strum Song

1. Finger the left hand only

2. Strum the right hand only, while muting the strings with the left hand.

3. Finger pick the right hand only

4. Play the bass notes only

5. Strum whole notes, half notes or quarter notes, while fingering the chords

6. Strum the rhythm pattern only.

7. Strum the rhythm pattern and finger the chords.

8. Sing only, with goal of memorizing the words and melody for later use.

9. Sing and strum.

10. Sing and strum by memory.

Chunking a Melody or Ensemble (simultaneously)

1.  Play the key tones only.

2.  Play the first note of each measure only.

3.  Spell the notes.  (A,B,C etc....)

4.  Play the rhythm only on muted strings.

5.  Play the rhythm only on the key tone.

6.  If there are multiple parts, students focus on one part until they move to the next part.  7.  The advanced students can play through all the parts sooner.

8.  Advanced students can play two parts simultaneously.

9.  Remedial students can take time to write out the note names and fingerings using a reference chart.

10.  Advanced students can focus on tone, or playing in higher positions.

Ask you students to define chunking: Breaking a song down into skills that fit the individual.