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Consonus Music Institute

Professional Development & Curriculum for Classroom Guitar

Professional Development and Curriculum for Classroom Guitar
  • Blended Learning for Guitar
    • What is Blended Learning
    • What is Layered Learning
  • Professional Development
    • Workshops
    • Building a Classroom Guitar Program
    • Webinars
    • Blog
  • View Our Courseware
    • Beginning Guitar Complete
    • Intermediate Guitar Level 1
    • Intermediate Guitar Level 2
    • Guitar Ensemble Collection
    • Basic Ukulele
  • Purchase Courseware

Beginning Guitar Complete

A First Course for Classroom Guitar

Beginning Guitar Complete 2nd Edition

This fun and engaging 46 lesson, blended learning classroom guitar course is a paced to be taught over two semesters. The curriculum is standards based and also includes lessons on   core creative skills including composing chord progressions and beginning improvisation.

Like all Consonus courses there’s a focus on ensemble playing with 18 guitar ensemble arrangements that are perfect for concert performance. Ensembles include audio backing tracks and bass accompaniment parts in tablature for live performance. There are numerous solo pieces and lead sheets as well. All repertoire integrates with the curriculum and emphasizes the diverse capabilities of the guitar as an accompaniment, solo, and ensemble instrument. Styles include folk, country, blues, rock, latin, swing, and classical.
ensemble-book-1
blended-learning
Blended learning enables teachers to use the same audiovisual material to aid classroom instruction, that students  access outside of class to review, model, and accompany home practice. Consonus courseware is the first classroom guitar method that supports teachers with the additional lesson content they need including supplemental video on types of guitar, how to practice, instrument maintenance. In addition the Online Learning Site provides learning management tools such as online practice logs, student lesson progress, calendaring and messaging.
Finally in addition to a pedagogically correct curriculum with it’s many self-teaching and distance learning features, numerous teacher training resources are available to assist teachers in the best practices of classroom guitar instruction.

What's Included:

Click on the tabs below to learn more about what the CMI blended learning course for intermediate guitar has to offer.  To fully experience and appreciate everything that is included you should really click here to start your 60-day free trial.

  • Online Learning Site
  • View the Workbook
  • Course Syllabus
  • Hear the Ensembles

Online Learning Site

Subscription

  • 11-month subscription to the Consonus Online Learning Site with related online course content.
  • Every exercise, solo, and ensemble piece is presented in its own review and/or practice video, demonstrated by the author and utilizing rhythmic audio backing to develop student timing and ensemble playing skills.
  • Online content mirrors the Course Lesson Plans and Student Workbook. Non-lesson related videos cover topics such as stringing and care for the guitar.

Instructor Development & Teaching Aids

  • Full Lesson Plans
  • Videos suitable for classroom demonstration and instruction
  • Supplemental teacher training videos which will help you get  your class started right and progressing with topics including:
    • How to teach a blended learning course;
    • Layered learning techniques for differentiated learning;
    • Ensemble rehearsal techniques and more.

View the Workbook

Course Syllabus

The curricula begins with foundation skills including single note playing, basic strum patterns, open position chords, reading rhythmic notation and tablature. Tablature is used as a means to initially teach 2 of the 3 components of reading which are reading measured music, and rhythms. The transition to reading standard notation is a natural progression and actually occurs more easily when tablature is taught first. Another important reason for teaching tablature is that it allows students to play music that would otherwise be too advanced to read including ensemble parts and solo pieces outside of the open position. As the course progresses more advanced chord forms, strums, rhythms, and standard notation are introduced. Music theory is approached through the cycle of 4ths in the form of a chord clock that illustrates the concept of diatonic harmony and chord progressions. Guitar-istic techniques such as hammer ons and pull off are presented as well. The accompaniment sequence is tought beginning with strum patterns and concludes with alternating bass which sets the stage for finger picking patterns and classical guitar technique in Guitar Fundamentals – Intermediate Course. Finally the course concludes with level appropriate approach to improvisation with begins with the pentatonic scale applied to the blues progress, and then utilizes chord target tones, rhythmic motives, and call and response techniques to bring structure to students soloing. The supplied skill videos and audio tracks make it painless for teachers to present these skills in class, as well as fun for students practice improvisation on their own. Beginning Guitar Complete was written to take advantage of the power of blended learning and the Online Learning Site as a tool to deliver customized instruction to students of different levels. In classroom guitar this is a critical need as guitar classes attract “beginners” in a wide range of levels. Consonus addresses that disparity by providing a layered learning component of skill lessons that can be assigned to those students who are too advanced for the basic course material. This alternate lesson material is only available in the online portions of the course and truly makes Consonus Blended Learning Courseware unique in the field. Here’s the table of contents for the course:

Hear the Ensembles

The Beginning Guitar  Complete course has 18 guitar ensembles in a variety of styles.  Every ensemble has a playalong track for the entire ensemble or with one of every part removed so students can practice along at home or in the classroom.

01. First Time Around Register for a Free Trial to hear this track.
02. Spanish Trio https://cmilearn.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/B1-Spanish-Trio-Complete.mp3
03. A Minor Thing Register for a Free Trial to hear this track.
04. A New Day https://cmilearn.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/B1-A-New-Day-Complete.mp3
05. 6 Spanish Strings Register for a Free Trial to hear this track.
06. Greensleeves https://cmilearn.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/B1-Greensleeves-Complete.mp3
07. Moonset Register for a Free Trial to hear this track.
08. In the Mirror https://cmilearn.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/B1-In-the-Mirror-Complete.mp3
09. Puerto Escondido Register for a Free Trial to hear this track.
10. Blues for Four https://cmilearn.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/B1-Blues-for-Four-Complete.mp3
11. Hang Loose Register for a Free Trial to hear this track.
12. Late Winter https://cmilearn.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/B1-Late-Winter-Complete.mp3
13. Up All Night Register for a Free Trial to hear this track.
14. Hidden Passage https://cmilearn.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Hidden-Passage.mp3
15. Greensleeves 2 Register for a Free Trial to hear this track.
16. Swing It https://cmilearn.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/B1-Swing-It-Complete.mp3
17. Groovin’ Register for a Free Trial to hear this track.
18. Klezmer https://cmilearn.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/B1-Klezmer-Complete.mp3

Purchase Options

For Classroom Teachers

Classroom Courseware Bundle

Online teacher’s license & connected student licenses bundled with course workbooks.
as low as $25/student

Buy Now

Online License

Online teacher’s license with connected student licenses.

as low as $10/student

Buy Now

Classroom Guitar Books

Beginning Guitar Complete

Individual course workbooks for students and teachers.

$15

Buy Now

See everything this course has to offer.

Try it FREE for 60 Days

Get a full 60-day free evaluation of our course
including unrestricted online access and a PDF copy
of the complete course workbook.

Register Now!
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