Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

The student will learn the fundamentals of playing the guitar and bass.

1. The student will be able to play basic chord progressions in open keys.
2. The student will be able to strum patterns appropriate for a variety of styles.
3. The student will be able to fingerpick simple songs.
4. The student will be able to play rhythm accompaniment for the 12-bar blues.
5. The student will be able to improvise melody lines using the minor and major pentatonic scales.
6. The student will be able to play simple bass lines using position scale patterns.

The type of assessment will be determined by the individual instructor. Assessment methods may include:

1. Group activity
2. In-class participation
3. Qualitative and/or quantitative examinations
4. Practical examination
5. Practice diary
6. Student self-evaluation

COURSE CONTENT

1. Guitar anatomy
2. Beginning music theory
3. 1st position chords
4. Simple chord progression
5. Fingerpicking and strumming patterns
6. 12-bar blues form and rhythm patterns
7. Minor and Major pentatonic scales
8. Improvisation
9. Bass scale tones
10. Developing bass lines
11. Practice routines

COMPETENCIES AND SKILLS

1. Perform basic chord progressions in open keys utilizing 1st position chords.
2. Use appropriate strums or fingerpicking patterns.
3. Apply major or minor pentatonic scales to improvise over chord progressions in several styles.
4. Perform bass lines to support chord patterns in several styles.