Much of the music written before 1900 is in fixed meter, that is one meter (or time signature) per piece. When the meter changes, frequently or infrequently, from one time signature to another within the same piece, it is called mixed meter. Â
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Music Concept
Scordatura
“Scordatura,” in Italian literally meaning “discord,” refers to retuning the standard tuning of a string instrument.Â
Pizzicato and Syncopation
This Invention in E major is in open position and features slurring, rhythmic syncopation, pizzicato, glissandi, ponticello, and p golpe (tapping on the soundboard).
Rubato and Glissando
Prayer is an intermediate-level piece that features sections of flexible rhythm, meter, and tempo in a playing style called rubato, a piacere, or ad libitum
Irregular Meter
When compound- and simple-subdivided beats are combined together, the result is irregular meter.Â
Kenya
Kenya is a very accessible (open-position) hemiola study in the style of African folk music.
Welsh Folk Song
Suo-Gân is a traditional Welsh tune, first appearing around 1800 with lyrics set by the Welsh folklorist Robert Bryan.Â
Hemiola
A new rhythm arises when the accent pattern in 6/8 meter shifts from two groups of three’s to three groups of two’s. This is called hemiola.Â
Rhythm Study
Kalimba is an easy rhythm study featuring 16-note patterns with off-beat stress. It was written to imitate the sound of the south African instrument by the same name
Developing alternation with a
Remembrance is a p,i,a,i,a,i arpeggio study. Before playing, make sure you’ve mastered free-stroke alternation on two strings. This requires two important techniques: the sympathetic and opposed finger motions.
Developing the p,i,m,a,m,i arpeggio
The p,i,m,a,m,i arpeggio works most efficiently when organized as two sympathetic motions: i,m,a followed by m-i, with an opposed a,m in between.
Exploring Rest-Stroke Position
Free-stroke position is the foundational position for the right hand. On average, guitarists use free stroke about 80% of the time when playing solo.
New Music: Solace and Lyric Tune
Two new beautiful studies composed by Alan Hirsh featuring rest-stroke melody with free stroke accompaniment–Solace in 5/8 and Lyric Tune in A major. Listen to a recording while you view and download them both.
Ornamentation
This article is from the Online Supplement, Book II. An ornament is a note or group of notes that decorates and gives character to a melody. The simplest of all ornaments is the grace note…