I'm currently teaching general music classes for the second year at a Middle School in North MS.
This year I have three sections of General Music. Two of them are 7th and 8th graders and the third is 6th grade. This is my first year to teach 6th graders with guitars in General Music and although I didn't expect them to pick it up as quickly as the older kids, I'm surprised by how much more instruction they need.
We're using these little Excel EX 36NBK guitars which we purchased last year mostly with $$ from the class fee paid at the beginning of the school year, being that funds are very limited. We generally get less than $200 per teacher in Mississippi (yes, that's for the year) to spend in the classroom. So, everything else we have to raise ourselves.
They're nylon-string 3/4 size guitars which we were able to purchase for about $40.00 a piece. They retail for $60.00 but we were able to get a discount because we bought 13 of them. They're really sound great for the price.
I've found that the nylon-string instruments' mellow tone and softer volume help minimize the irritation of beginner clanking and minor intonation problems. Although they probably don't stay in tune any better than a cheepo steel-string, they're much easier on the ears. Listening to a classroom full of cheepo steel-strings played by beginner middle school students is enough to make anyone lose it!
Also, in this price range I think the nylon-stringed instruments hold up better. Truss-rods to support the neck of a steel-string are just not great for a $60.00 guitar. After a few years they tend to bow in under the string tension. This makes them harder to play and intonation horrible.
I think that the 3/4 size is great for beginners of all ages because the students can easily see what they are doing without craning their necks over so much. And for middle school ages it's a must to have 3/4 size.
We're finishing up our second week of school and I'm very excited about what these kids are going to do this year. We've learned the one-string version of "Twinkle Twinkle", begun note reading, and are strumming "Every Rose Has It's Thorn" and "Amazing Grace" using Matt's famous EZ chords G, C and D. (More on that later)
This year I have three sections of General Music. Two of them are 7th and 8th graders and the third is 6th grade. This is my first year to teach 6th graders with guitars in General Music and although I didn't expect them to pick it up as quickly as the older kids, I'm surprised by how much more instruction they need.
We're using these little Excel EX 36NBK guitars which we purchased last year mostly with $$ from the class fee paid at the beginning of the school year, being that funds are very limited. We generally get less than $200 per teacher in Mississippi (yes, that's for the year) to spend in the classroom. So, everything else we have to raise ourselves.
They're nylon-string 3/4 size guitars which we were able to purchase for about $40.00 a piece. They retail for $60.00 but we were able to get a discount because we bought 13 of them. They're really sound great for the price.
I've found that the nylon-string instruments' mellow tone and softer volume help minimize the irritation of beginner clanking and minor intonation problems. Although they probably don't stay in tune any better than a cheepo steel-string, they're much easier on the ears. Listening to a classroom full of cheepo steel-strings played by beginner middle school students is enough to make anyone lose it!
Also, in this price range I think the nylon-stringed instruments hold up better. Truss-rods to support the neck of a steel-string are just not great for a $60.00 guitar. After a few years they tend to bow in under the string tension. This makes them harder to play and intonation horrible.
I think that the 3/4 size is great for beginners of all ages because the students can easily see what they are doing without craning their necks over so much. And for middle school ages it's a must to have 3/4 size.
We're finishing up our second week of school and I'm very excited about what these kids are going to do this year. We've learned the one-string version of "Twinkle Twinkle", begun note reading, and are strumming "Every Rose Has It's Thorn" and "Amazing Grace" using Matt's famous EZ chords G, C and D. (More on that later)
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