Reported by:
Khoo Xin Yi Jr3Z(6)
On the 28th of December, an Introduction to the Guitar for Beginners was held, featuring Mr. Frankie Lam as the guest speaker. Frankie has achieved the highest possible grade in guitar playing, namely a diploma grade, and he also teaches the Guitar Club of Sin Min Independent Secondary School.
Frankie started with some basic information about guitars, claiming that it is one of the most complex instruments to learn. However, on the bright side, guitars are very versatile. One can play both the melody and accompaniment with a guitar, and the genres covered are endless. Guitars can be played as a solo instrument or in an ensemble. While most guitars have 6 strings, some can range up to 10.
Frankie also stated that there are different styles of guitars such as classic, acoustic, folk, electric etc. He showed two different styles of guitars for the participants to see, one being classical and the other being folk. He said that classical guitars have a larger fingerboard compared to folk guitars. The strings of classical guitars are made of nylon while folk guitars use metal strings, both not being interchangeable.
Mr. Frankie Showcasing a Classical and Folk Guitar
In music, a good melody is key to creating a lasting tune, and so is an accurate tempo. Frankie talked about chords, which are multiple notes (usually 3) being played together in harmony. He then performed a short jazz rendition of “Santa Claus is Coming to Town”, showing how chords are meant to piece a song together. Answering a question from a participant, Frankie explained tonic triads and major 7th’s.
Frankie also suggested using a capo to clip into the fingerboard, changing the major scale and making it higher. It is especially important when singing along to songs. He taught participants how to read music notes as numbers, each corresponding to their position on the major scale. For easier self-learning, Frankie shared a Classical Guitar Method E-manual by Bradford Werner. The e-manual included practice pieces and basic notes.
Afterward, Frankie stressed on the importance of placing one’s thumb on the correct position of the guitar neck along with using the correct finger for each note. He even got a member of the Guitar Club to play a practice piece from the e-manual and reminded participants to always balance the volume of each note when playing.
Guitar Club Member Playing a Practice Piece
Then, the participants were given the chance to try guessing the chords of “Santa Claus is Coming to Town”, with only a few participants managing to guess correctly. During a Q&A session, Frankie was asked about the different types of wood used to make guitars. He suggested using spruce, cedar or mahogany wood. Plywood was said to be cheaper and produce a less sonorous sound. He recommended brands like L. Luthier for folk and classical guitars along with Lava Me 2 for ukuleles and acoustic guitars.
A participant even asked about the amplifiers on guitars, the response being that amplifiers are quite expensive and usually unnecessary for beginners. Participants were also advised to get opinions from their guitar coaches before buying their own guitar. Before ending the seminar, Mr. Frankie Lam recommended listening to guitarists like Jacob Collier, Tommy Emmanuel, Marcin Patrzalek, Ana Vidovic, Kyuhee Park and Johannes Moller.
