The Suzuki Method and the guitar

[ instrument | position | rhythms on open strings | left hand | repertory | learn a piece ]

The method, born for the violin, was soon adapted for the cello and the piano. For the guitar instead we had to wait the beginning of the Eighty years. The first experiences date back almost at the same time in France, United States (California, South Carolina), Germany and Italy.
The initial repertoire, identical like general plant for all the instruments, has constituted monody from passages, pulls from famous very families popular songs to the children. These songs have rhythm, melodic line and intervals adjust to the ability of memory, of attention and of perception of a child of 3 years. In this way, that is also in line with most modern methods [Here are some examples: Mauro STORTI, Il primo libro di chitarra, ed Musicali Nuova Carisch, Milano; Ruggero CHIESA, Guitar Gradus, Suvini Zerboni, Milano; Charles DUNCAN, A modern approach to classical guitar, Hal Leonard, Milwaukee.]. You avoid the immobility of the left hand and the obligation for the right hand in the initial phase of developing an almost only arpeggios role.

The instrument

Key factor is the availability of instruments of reduced dimensions and with excellent quality. Until to any years ago, the use of a normal guitar was justified because the reduced ones were of poor quality. Today this is no more. The industrial production offers excellent "half" guitar (diapason 55 cm) while to luthery level of any guitar-maker has a complete production so subdivided:

These instruments, both of industrial and luthery production, have more than satisfactory quality as concerning the bending of the neck, the distance of the strings from the keyboard, the equilibrium and the overall quality of sound.

The position

Ten didactic unities foresees the attainment of the first objective of the child: "I' am ready to play with the open strings." They are:

(without guitar)
1. how to sit down
2. the position of the back, of the neck, of the head
3. the position of the feet
4. the footstool
5. how to handle and hold the guitar

(with the guitar)
6. rest position
7. sat with the guitar 
8. foot on the footstool
9. guitar over the heart
10. ready to play

The presence to the inside of the single didactic unity of numerous objective intermediary is apparent from this description. They are mainly reported to the ability from part of the child of dissociation of movements: births of the more and more small body move little at a time independently from the rest of the body with more and more precision and control. This process has called from the researchers "gradual approximation" and it is the walk that must end for each new acquisition.

The rhythms with open strings

When the child is ready to play, he can start pinching the first string initially with the index, then with the middle, then alternates them using the apoyando stroke.
In this phase the child is let free from the rhythmic point of view.

In a second phase he could be proceeded to propose the five rhythms with which they begin all the instruments that use the Suzuki method [For an approach that proposes rhythmic ability immediately see: Aldo MINELLA, La moderna tecnica del tocco appoggiato, Ricordi, Milano 1974; Ricardo IZNAOLA, The path of virtuosity. a technical workout manual for all guitarists, Chanterelle, Heidelberg, 1993].

rhythm 1	rhythm 2	rhythm 3

	rhythm 4		rhythm 5

They are proposed with the touch supported on the three first strings and intercalating of the pauses. He needs to be not in a hurry and leave all the necessary time to arrive to the correct performance of the various rhythms without the need of pauses. If the child is accustomed from the beginning to this gradual way of proceed, his progress will be rapid.

The formulation of the left hand

The first objective for the left hand is: "I am ready to play the H" (second string).
The principal didactic unities for arriving to it are:

1. the kennel of the thumb. A sticker is applied on the neck. This will represent the kennel within which from now on the thumb will always stay.
2. the house of the four fingers. The four fingers come cutleries all together on the second string near to the bars and in arched position.
3. the tunnel. Verification of the tunnel that is formed between the palm of the hand and the neck.
4. the umbrella. Hold the fingers to umbrella towards the keys like the umbrella is held towards the head when it rains.
5. I press and I remove the finger from the H-string. The teacher in a first moment helps the child to lower the string up to when he will be able to perform it alone.

At this point he will start to perform the first sounds with the two hands and the first melody. [For the paragraphs "The position," "The rhythms on open strings," "Formulation of the left hand" see particularly E. GALVAGNO, Il bambino e la chitarra, Italian Suzuki Institute, Turin]

The repertoire

The first book, whose progression is simply of the possible, begins with any melodies in the tonality of G-major, followed by other in the tonality of D-major that explore the 2nd position.

May Song

The book finishes with six melodies in the tonality of you better. In the first three the child begins to use the thumb alternates it to the index and to the middle, while in the last three the thumb comes used simultaneously to the other fingers.

	Allegro	S. Suzuki

In the first volume the two hands intervene with the following modalities and progressions:
a) the right hand pass through the followings three stadiums

b) the left hand explores the sounds of the three tonality of G, D and A within the first five keys preparing only a sound at a time with an exception:

10. J. YELIN, Dalcroze Eurhytmics and the Suzuki Method, Summy-Birchard, Secaucus (USA); E. PINDLEY, Rhythm and movement. Applications of Dalcroze Eurhythmics, Summy-Birchard, Secaucus (U.S.A.).

How a piece is proposed and is learned

Before the real performance of the piece on the instrument, the Suzuki method proposes the following phases of learning:

1. Singing of the text accompanying each piece. Usually it is a nursery rhyme.

2. Learning of the combined choreography, couple to the piece  (many suggestions come to this aim from the Dalcroze method).

3. performance of the rhythm of the passage with the hands or with percussion instruments.

4. performance of the pulse of the passage while another student performs the rhythm.

5. Learning of the sounds and song of the passage with the guidonian syllables .

6. Learning of the route done by the right hand (singing the sounds one mimes on a drum the route of the index and the middle)
7. Learning of the route done by the left hand: while the passage is sung with music, the finger that must play goes against the thumb, simulating the playing.

8. for each passage are characterized an image that any underline the musical form. The ABA form, for example, could be represented as a "sandwich" or a "cake" that comes designed and colored.
9. Learning of the passage on the instrument phrase for phrase.

When the child succeeds to perform the passage correct rhythmically, also if he doesn't have the full mastery of it, he is requested to play it by the heart and the soul like when he speaks. Then we can tell him a fable, first with a monotonous inflection, then leaving betray instead clearly thing feels and tries in the tell it. The same sequence will be offered again by the teacher with the instrument, he in succession will take care of itself the issue of each I play and they will get in the first dynamic contrasts.
Each passage in repertoire will have a history to oneself. They for any won't be necessary all the described activities; they for other won't be instead sufficient. Here he will conform, then to the demands and to the results of each child.

The main point is avoid, according to the happy intuition of the American teacher Watch Colas (violinist), the "Syndrome of Pinocchio" she affirms in fact that we teachers could be unawares of the Geppetto that they manufacture of the splendid puppets. Important È then understand together- teacher, parent, child- that the technique, the rhythm, the style is essential, but most precious reason for behavior music, you/he/she/it perhaps sole her, it is the autoexpression.