This morning’s block one rehearsal of this week’s song, “All Along the Watchtower,” written by Bob Dylan and popularized by Jimi Hendrix. (You can view 12″ of block two’s rehearsal yesterday by clicking here.)
Through playing and discussion, the class has learned the blues scale as it applies to playing lead guitar, as well as delved into one of the masterpieces of the classic rock era, both in its place in the technical evolution of guitar playing, as well as cultural significance in songwriting and simplicity. As Bob Dylan includes in live versions of the song, “All Along the Watchtower” is the story of just “this red guitar, three chords and the truth.”
The class has made use of some familiar guests on drums this week, and included contributions of electric guitar, various percussion instruments (including a tambourine played by foot, and an egg-shaker trio), piano, and more than twenty acoustic guitars in this morning’s rendition that saw us through the bell.
Students have been asked to submit similar songs for next week’s fodder: simply constructed songs – two or three or four-chord numbers – that have helped mold modern popular music. In getting to know the collectively agreed upon thread of the history of an instrument that has shaped music and culture irrevocably in the last fifty years, the class – and its fortunate teacher – are hoping to enlist your help.
If you are a music lover, a musician, musical historian, journalist, or another self-titled expert in the study of popular music, or even if you merely enjoy music, whatever it is you hear on the radio, we believe that no matter who you are, music is an important part of peoples’ lives, and would like to know what you think we should be playing next.
There are six weeks left of school: enough time to reasonably learn five or six essential, vital, simple songs that each of our young guitar players should have the opportunity to explore in the small tribes of our beginner classes.
We would appreciate any help you could give us, either by leaving a comment on this post, connecting with us on Twitter (@GleneagleMusic), or emailing guitar instructor Bryan Jackson (brjackson at sd43 dot bc dot ca) with any suggestions or references you could offer in this pursuit.
Music at Gleneagle 