LESSON PLAN: Spanish Guitar
Objective
Students will be able to use an E chord to play a traditional style of Spanish Guitar using Maleguena and Flamenco sounds by moving an E chord shape up and down the fretboard.
Resources
Guitars, Picks.
Procedures
- Show students that you can play a normal E
chord and then move it up the fret board a half step to get a “Spanish” sound heard in a lot of traditional Spanish pop and classical music. Play each chord for 4 or 8 counts (Figure A).
- Ask students to play their E chord the way they normally would. Then have them “slide” the E chord up the fret board 1 fret again strumming all of the strings.
- After Students understand how to move this E chord
shape up and back, have them do it in time while you count. You can give them 4 counts on each chord, or to play this with a more traditional sounding rhythm
count up to 6 on each chord since that is the type of “feel” music using this progression uses. (Figure B)
- Ask students to come up with a melody to play over this by adding some extra notes to the open E minor pentatonic scale (Figure C) These extra notes help the melodies sound more traditionally Spanish and can make some fun compositions!
Extension
This same chord shape can also be moved up the fret board to the 4th fret as an additional chord in this “Spanish Music Jam Session” when students have got the basic chords down (Figure D).
Ask students to come up with a melody to play over this by adding some extra notes to the open E minor pentatonic scale (Figure E). These extra notes help the melodies sound more traditionally Spanish and can make some fun compositions!
You can also play this traditional bass line underneath their chord changes (Figure F)
National Core Arts Standards (Music)
Anchor Standard 2: Organize and develop artistic ideas and work. Example: General Music MU:Cr2.1.4 a. Demonstrate selected and organized musical ideas for an improvisation, arrangement, or composition to express intent, and explain connection to purpose and context. Anchor Standard 10: Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural, and historical context to deepen understanding. Examples: General Music MU:Cn10.1.(PK-8) a. and Harmonizing Instruments MU:Cn10.0.H.(5a-IIIa) Demonstrate how interests, knowledge, and skills relate to personal choices and intent when creating, performing, and responding to music. Common Core Correlation: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.11-12.7 Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media (e.g., visually, quantitatively, as well as in words) in order to address a question or solve a problem.Follow precisely a multistep procedure when carrying out experiments, taking measurements, or performing technical tasks.