Guitar Percussion

Guitar percussion has roots that can be traced back to 19th-century flamenco with techniques such as golpe (hitting the soundboard) and tambura (hitting the strings).  In recent years, pioneering guitarists—Michael Hedges, Andy McKee and others— have added slapping/tapping on the body, strings and/or frets to the percussion toolbox, transforming the guitar into a mini drum set.

Rhythm is often one of the most challenging musical skills for students. An engaging and effective way to learn is through percussion ensemble because students can more internally feel rhythms with their hands/arms, than fine motor movements of fingers.   This is first introduced in the guitar percussion ensemble, Knock on Wood (K-O-W) from the Shearer Method Classroom Guitar, Year 2 .  Free from distractions of pitch reading and finger technique, this study effectively teaches rhythm with  4 simple sounds:

To supplement Classroom Guitar, the K-O-W Kollection offers 8 exercises and 5 ensembles, each with three guitar parts.  The Kollection uses 15+ percussive sounds, which vary depending on technique and where on the guitar it's produced.   Each effect is notated on the staff, mapped at a specific line or space with unique noteheads.

To understand staff mapping, first review the "anatomy" of the guitar and it's playing zones.

Guitar Orientation

• Bass string side (left)—play with p
• Treble String Side (right)—played with fingers (often with c, if alternating with p)

Soundboard zones

The soundboard produces different resonances depending on where you play:

• Upper bout—has the least resonance.
• Middle (waist)—medium resonance.
• Lower bout (including the bridge)—fullest resonance.

Neck zones

As a solid woodblock, the neck produces minimal resonance and effects.  However, there are a few useful ones:

• Anywhere on the neck's side—slap or tap.
• Above the nut—strumming
• On the strings—slapping or scraping.
• To the side of the neck (body's right shoulder)—L.H. tapping or slapping.

Each effect is notated by staff location and notehead type.  A complete list is catalogued in the  KOW Key below.  In addition, if two hands are used, the L.H. plays stems up, and R.H. plays stems down.

• No. 1 alternates p and c, shifting from one zone to the next—lower bout, middle, and upper bout.

• No. 2 shifts from one zone to the next, with p & c (stems down) alternating with a L.H. tap (stems up).

• No. 3 focuses on p tap on bridge alternating with c tap on lower bout, alternating with a L.H. slap on right shoulder (stems up).