Madeline Dunsizer – Osceola Middle School (Pinellas)

dunsizerm@pcsb.org

GUITAR RESOURCES
Guitar Music Websites – Mostly Free:

 www.finaleshowcase.com/showcase - fee free music

 www.sibeliusmusic.com – click on the Education tab for fee free music
 www.forrestguitarensembles.co.uk – all free material – some are better than others and a few have MP3
recordings
 www.derek-hasted.co.uk – both free & purchased music – information about ensembles, articles & tips
 www.8notes.com/guitar - 50 free downloads – free lessons, popular guitar riffs & groove generator
 www.hochweber.ch/guitar.htm - free for teachers – PDF with MIDI
 www.gmajormusictheory.org – high quality PDF sheet music for all ability levels – some are TAB – all are free and
have audio recordings
 www.sycamore-series.ndirect.co.uk – has free ensembles of both original compositions and transcriptions
 www.classicalguitarschool.net – lots of good material – most of it is free
 www.amberroseguitarmusic.co.uk – solo, duo and ensemble material at all levels and some free samples – links to
other useful websites

Guitar Music Websites – Nothing Free:

 www.music4classicalguitar.com – cost between $2.00 - $7.00, but you can listen to the majority of them prior to
purchase
 www.guitarensemblemusic.com – music by Alan Hirsh – recordings of all – cost between $3.00 and $12.00
 www.guitaronline.it – the Araniti Foundations is the first e-book publisher of guitar music in the world (according
to their site)
 www.guitarinensemble.com – music using guitar orchestra and duos with other instruments
 www.productionsdoz.com/c215888.2.html - classical guitar sheet music for solo and ensemble performance

Guitar Music Websites – TAB:

 www.guitarinstructor.com – song tabs, jam tracks and video lessons – most downloads are .99 cents
 www.chordie.com – tabs, chords, lyrics, free online lessons and public books
 www.ultimate-guitar.com – song tabs, lessons, all the latest news and reviews of everything guitar related

Other Music Home Pages:

 www.fretnoteguitarrepair.com – articles and photos on repairs and how to do many of the repairs yourself
 www.guitarteachermagazine.com – articles covering a variety of subjects for both the private and classroom
teacher
 www.guitarrabrava.com – a fine website for classical guitarists, students and instructors – lots of material here,
not just a list of links – all about the classical guitar
 www.rudolphsmusic.com – free public domain sheet music of all categories, easy to find by composer, style or
instrument
 www.everynote.com – world’s largest digital music library – sheet music download
 www.classical.com – offers listening, downloads, custom CDs and a large resource of entertaining information to
expand your classical music knowledge
 www.juststrings.com – bulk string orders and really good prices
Method Books:

 H.O.T. – Hands-On Training – First Year Guitar – Nancy Marsters

 Hal Leonard Guitar Method, Book 1
 Essential Elements for Guitar, Book 1
 Alfred’s Basic Guitar Method, Book 1
 Jerry Snyder’s Guitar School, Method 1
 21st Century Guitar Method 1

Supplemental Materials:

 Hal Leonard:
o Easy Pop Melodies (Green)
o More Easy Pop Melodies (Yellow)
o Even More Easy Pop Melodies (Pink)
o Easy Pop Rhythms (Blue)
o More Easy Pop Rhythms (Purple)
o Even More Easy Pop Rhythms (Teal)
o Modern Rock Hits
o Easy Classical Guitar Duets
o Christmas for 1, 2 or 3 Guitars (Schmid)
 Essential Elements Ensembles:
o Rock Classics
o Pop Hits
o The Beatles
o Jazz Ballads
o Christmas Songs
o Flash Cards
 Alfred:
o Jerry Snyder’s Guitar School – Ensemble Books 1 & 2
o Festive Collection for Guitar Ensemble (Morley)
o Folk Collection for Guitar Ensemble (Morley)
 Mel Bay:
o Jazz Guitar Ensembles – various levels – some with improvisation
 Class Guitar (H.O.T.)
o CGR20 – Beginning Guitar Ensembles (Darker Blue)
o CGR21 – Beginning Guitar Ensembles (Light Blue)
o CGR40 – Advanced Beginning Guitar Ensembles (Yellow)
o CGR22 – Christmas Carols and Tunes (Leo Welch)

Replacement Strings to Have On Hand:

 Low E – 20
 A – 20
 D – 30
 G–5
 B–5
 High E - 20
Fret Buzz, Buzzing At Nut, Buzzes At Bridge
Types of Guitar Buzzing Problems

Fret Out or String Buzz - This happens when a string comes in contact with a fret and a buzzing sound occurs. This is the
most frequent cause of annoying buzzes. See chart for diagnostics.

Hardware Buzz - Parts can also cause buzzing. Probably the most common items which buzz on acoustic guitars is loose
input jacks and loose tuning machine bushings. Pre-amps and pickup components that are not seated well can also rattle.

Sympathetic Buzz - Thankfully this is not too common. Certain frequencies can set off strange rattling and vibrations. These
types of buzzes differ in that they occur only when certain frequencies are played.

Loose Brace Rattle- Braces that split or come loose in an acoustic guitar can sometimes be heard rattling against the top or
back when playing or tapping.

Causes of Fret Buzz

Symptom Possible Cause Remedy

Open String Buzz Nut Replace nut or shim

to add height. Set up
Buzzes when played Worn or poorly cut nut slot is placing instrument properly.
open, stops when the strings too close to the frets near
string is fretted. the nut.

One Spot Buzz Frets Secure all loose frets,

level and dress. Fret
Buzzes on one note, Frets are not level, one or more is too leveling and/or
or one area but stops high/low. Loose or sprung fret is rising replacement of worn
when moving away out of the fingerboard. Hump in frets.
from that spot. fingerboard. Wear or deep grooves in
frets.

Upper Fret Buzz Fingerboard Evaluate for dryness,

humidify if necessary.
Buzzes where the On acoustics, section of fingerboard
neck attaches to the that is glued to the top may rise/fall Frets near f/b
body. Notes seem to with temperature/moisture extremes extension may need
fret out when playing due to changes in the top. leveling.
near the body.
Fingerboard is warped in a way to In rare cases the
render the end too high (most board must be planed
common on archtop's). to remove hump.
Buzzes When I Strum Hard Set Up Adjust truss rod.

Buzzing occurs when strumming or Insufficient relief in the Set up instrument

picking aggressively but can be neck. properly.
silenced when playing lightly.
Poor set up. Use heavier strings.

String gauge too light.

Buzzes Everywhere Frets Replace frets.

Buzzes nearly everywhere even Frets may be worn out

though it is set up properly, will or too low.
often disappear if string is fretted
hard or closer to the fret and Very small fret wire
plucked softly. used.

Frets Out Neck Set up instrument

properly.
Buzzes nearly everywhere all the Truss rod may be way
time, strings are literally touching too tight back bowing Adjust truss rod for
the frets in the center or other area the neck. more relief.
of the fingerboard.
Neck could be a Use heavier strings if
warped, or have relief can not be
excess back bow even created thru truss rod
after truss rod is adjustment.
loosened.

www.fretnoteguitarrepair.com
 How to Change Nylon Guitar Strings

Thing’s you will need:

 Nylon guitar strings
 Peg winder with cutter

1. Remove the old string by unwinding the tuning peg with a peg winder and untying at the
bridge.
2. Insert one end of the new string into the bridge hole, with about 2 inches of slack through the
back of the bridge.
3. Pull the slack end up toward the bridge, loop around the underside of the string and pull back
toward the rear of the bridge.
4. Loop the slack end around the string 2 or 3 times, working from the top loop to the rear, and
pull the long end of the string to tighten the knot, forming and open-ended multiple “figure 8”
pattern.
5. Insert the top end of the string into the tuning peg string hole, leaving about 3 inches of slack
string on the neck.
6. Loop the end of the string around the tuning post, inserting it into the hole again to form a
single loop knot by pulling taut.
7. Wind the string using the peg winder until the proper pitch is reached, while pulling on the
slack to assist with tension. You will turn the tuning peg away from you to tighten it.
8. Stretch the string by pulling with gentle pressure until it will no longer go out of tune. Nylon
strings require more stretching that steel strings, and the guitar may slip out of tune for several
days until the strings “settle in”.
9. Clip the excess string with the cutting end of the peg winder.

This is what your bridge should look

like. Note the “figure 8” pattern.