Guitar Class Assessment

Guitar Class Assessment
by Jerry Snyder

I have found that the following individual testing method worked very well in the Guitar Class. The student starts with 30 points. Points are then deducted in the six categories; each category is worth 5 points. At the end of the test, the student knows what needs to be improved. If the score is poor, I offer the student the chance to be re-tested. The five categories are: • Posture, • Right Hand and Arm Position,
• Left Hand Position, • Alternating & Proper Stroke , • Note Reading, • Rhythm

These are the things that I would be assessing as the students plays some assigned song.

POSTURE
If you are using the classical position with your students, I would be noticing the following:
• does the student sit properly with the instrument
• the left leg is elevated but the guitar sits awkwardly
• posture with the guitar needs only slight improvement
• posture is correct for the hands to play properly
If the student is using an adapted sitting position; that is, the guitar is on the right leg, I would be looking for the following:
• left arm is on the left knee – not good
• the guitar is in an awkward position – might be tilted or the neck is pointed downward
• posture with the guitar needs only slight improvement
• posture is correct for the hands to play properly

RIGHT HAND & ARM POSITION
The assessment here is different depending on whether the student is playing fingerstyle or pickstyle.
fingerstyle
• the wrist too close to the face of the guitar
• the wrist is not straight or is arched too much
• the forearm is not resting on the edge of the guitar above the saddle or bridge base
• wrist position is good, finger motion is from the knuckle nearest the hand
• hand position is perfect with relaxed and proper motion
pickstyle
• pick is not held properly; middle finger is touching the pick
• the wrist is not straight or is arched too much
• the forearm is not resting on the edge of the guitar above the saddle or bridge base
• moving the thumb and index finger into the hand instead of moving from the wrist
• holding the pick properly with correct hand position
LEFT HAND POSITION
• thumb is over the neck; fingers are tense and not playing on their tips
• thumb is over the neck but fingers are playing with less tension; fingers not always on the correct fret
• palm of the hand is touching the neck of the guitar
• thumb is behind the neck but fingers are not on their tips
• thumb position is behind the neck and the fingers are playing on their tips on correct frets
ALTERNATING & PROPER STROKE
fingerstyle (alternating the index and middle fingers)
• not using proper stroke (rest stroke or free stroke)
• not alternating on rest stroke
• alternating done infrequently
• alternating most of the time
pickstyle (alternating up and down strokes)
• not alternating on 8th notes
• alternating done infrequently on 8th notes
• alternating most of the time on 8th notes
• always alternating
• using downstrokes on down beats and upstrokes on up beats when play 8th notes
NOTES READING
• can not play any notes of the song
• can play about a third of the notes in the song
• can play most of the notes
• can play all of the notes
RHYTHM
• can not play and keep the beat steady
• can keep the beat better but the note values are not always correct
• the beat is good with a few deviations in the rhythm of the song
• the beat is good and the rhythm of all the notes is correct

Snyder_assessment.xls