Basic Idea
As guitar teachers or simply guitar aficionados we know that reading music on our instrument can be a challenge, which is probably the reason that tab is everywhere these days. Being able to read traditional notation is a big advantage however and – after the initial learning curve – means a big forward step in achieving proficient musicianship. Standard notation can be read by any serious amateur or professional, whereas tab is only shared among fellow guitar aficionados. A guitarist who can read will also have access to a vast body of guitar literature.
Overview and details
- A total of currently 81 duets with 162 individual guitar parts can be auditioned and ordered.
Once your order is paid for you will receive a custom made PDF booklet with all of your ordered duets. Bulk discounts at checkout! - All duets come with 7 playbacks each, embedded into a standard PDF. A printer friendly page without coloured playback buttons is included. Adobe Acrobat Reader DC on any desktop/laptop computer can trigger the playbacks
- ezPDFReader is required to trigger the playbacks on Android and IOS tablet or smartphone devices (available on PlayStore and AppStore for a few dollars).
- List of embedded playbacks:
- (2) omit gtr 1 or 2 for practice at home (both provided)
- (1) bass and drums (omit both guitars) for playing together
- (1) demo with all instruments played (guitars recorded by the author).
- (3) versions of above (except demo) at slower (70-80%) speed
- Keys: include E,A,D,G,C,F,Bb in Major and F#,B,E,A,D,G,C in Minor
- Metres: include 4/4, 3/4, 2/4, 6/8
- Styles: include Rock, Pop, Blues, Jazz, Latin, Folk, Funk, Classical
- Range: from open position to Bb on high E-String (with a few exceptions)
- Grades: easy | easy to medium | medium | medium to more advanced | advanced
- recommended for students from 2nd to 10th semester (minimal reading proficiency is a prerequisite). Start with an easy duet and progress to more advanced ones over time.
- Part 1 (melody) is generally easier to play.
Duets are a great device for teaching/playing at home because..
- ..it’s music, not dry scales, chords and theory (although these matter of course).
- ..use the duets for teaching, playing at home, alone or with a fellow guitar player
- ..the playbacks enforce strict timing and help with acquiring a good sense of rhythm. This can be unwittingly neglected, when playing without bass and drums.
- ..a well developed sense of rhythm prepares for ensemble and band playing.
- For guitar teachers: consistently working through one of these in the first five to ten minutes of most lessons will have your students read music sooner rather than later. The duets are mostly kept short and thus won’t take up much lesson time and won’t be considered a difficult task (depending on the grade). Last but not least as teachers and guitar players we have to offer our students pieces they like to play (and we like to teach!).
You will find at least a dozen and probably many more duets among the available pieces which will please your student’s ears. They will be eager to play their chosen ones.
All guitar parts have been recorded by the author (no midi!), whereas bass and drums have been created electronically. A wide variety of keys, meters and styles characterise these pieces (for details see above).
