Guitar Ensembles

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By RG Rhoades

How to organize and lead school guitar ensembles.

All together now: The author with members of his school ensemble.
In school music programs, children who sing, or who play strings, brass, wind, reed, and percussion instruments, can join a
variety of ensembles. But few ensemble opportunities exist for guitarists, who typically find a single open spot for their
instrument in the jazz band. A high school may offer a guitar club during the activity period, but this kind of informal
program is not the equivalent of orchestra, band, and chorus, which are often graded activities for which the student
receives credit toward graduation.
Ensemble playing was an important part of my musical background. In order to play guitar in jazz band I had to be in
marching/concert band, in which I played cymbals, bass drum, and bass trombone. Our jazz band gigged at formal dances,
and the marching/concert band even toured Europe! This background proved its value in college when I encountered my
first guitar ensemble. I was quite comfortable performing with the group, following a conductor, and sight-reading music.
What a thrill to be able to play not as part of a rhythm section, but as one of the main instruments! These experiences
benefited my musical growth in ways that solitary practice with my guitar could never have achieved.
In my view, the benefits of ensemble performance should be made available to all guitarists. Whether you are a private
studio instructor or teach in an academic setting, creating a guitar ensemble can appear to be a daunting task. Here are
some observations and advice from 25 years of teaching and directing my own guitar ensembles.
Ensemble size. You cant effectively play quartet literature with three players, but you can play a trio with a dozen
guitarists! Having multiple players on each part is standard practice in the string orchestra. It works wonders to add
richness to guitar music, too.
Ability level. In the school system, students are grouped according to grade and age, but the guitar ensemble need not
follow this protocol. I have found it necessary to mix ages and ability levels, and with a little creativity, I have discovered
ways to challenge advanced players with the simplest of materials. For instance, I ask them to play the music in a different
position or without using open strings, to transpose the music 8va at sight, or to add harmonics if appropriate.
Conversely, a difficult chord section can be made easier with the use of a capo. If the piece is in the key of C major (using
C, F, and G chords), the student can read and perform the part in A major (using A, D, and E chords) with a capo at the
third fret. Of course the C-major chords need to be transposed down a minor third to A major, but with a computer and
notation software (try Finale Notepad, available for free at www.finalemusic.com/notepad/), this is no longer the timeconsuming chore it was in the past.
Age. High school students rarely find Hot Cross Buns to be compelling repertoire. Select music or arrangements of music
that will capture and maintain interest.
Instruments. Instrument choice may be influenced by student age, repertoire, teaching circumstance (private or
classroom), and performing venues. I have found the most functional instrument in the under-$200 category to be the
acoustic-electric Ovation AE28. It has good intonation, is easy to hold for smaller students, has two strap buttons (I
regularly have students stand to play), and is very durable--an important consideration for classroom instruments.
Musical style. Ive encountered guitar ensemble literature of all styles. A plentiful source can be found in transcriptions of
two-, three-, and four-part vocal music from the early Renaissance era, and chorales from the Baroque period. This

provides a wonderful exposure to music that would not often find its way to guitarists ears. Adaptations of classical themes
are easy to locate. I have played music originally written for string quartet, brass ensemble, or solo guitar, transcribed for
guitar ensemble. I also have written ensemble arrangements of popular holiday songs, hymns, and songs by contemporary
pop and Christian artists, and Ive composed a simple blues tune and other material.
Instrumentation. Guitar ensemble music need not be limited to single-note lines. I often include rhythm guitar and bass
parts, if appropriate.
You can create multiple rhythm guitar parts by having a second rhythm player use a capo and transposing accordingly. This
is a common technique in recording studios to add body to the sound and is most effective in live performance, too.
Finding literature. The market for guitar ensemble music is a fraction of that for other instrumental groups, but its
growing all the time. A surprising number of people have chosen to share their music for no charge. Sources of fee-free
music include Finale Showcase (www.finaleshowcase.com/showcase), Sibelius Music (www.sibeliusmusic.com, click
on the Educational tab), and Derek Hasted (www.derek-hasted.co.uk). Well-known commercial publishers, such as Mel
Bay, Hal Leonard, and Alfred Publishing, include guitar ensemble literature in their catalogues. A search of the Internet will
reveal a wide variety of literature from which to choose.
The virtual ensemble. What if you have students and music but dont have a large enough rehearsal space? Or what if
you are unable to coordinate schedules so that all participants can attend rehearsal?
In this situation, I use my computer to multitrack each student individually during our lesson time. This faux ensemble cant
play a recital, of course, but it still provides students with many benefits of the traditional ensemble experience. They have
an incentive to practice, they hear how their part fits with the whole, and they learn how to play under pressure when the
red record light goes on.
Parents appreciate this approach because it saves them timeno need to transport the student to additional rehearsals or
schedule time to attend a recital. At the conclusion of the process the students are provided with a CD that includes songs
recorded by all the other student ensembles. This CD is a great keepsake for parents as well as students.
Getting Started
In a beginners ensemble, we start with the six open strings and simple chords played on just the top three strings. I use a
portion of the tune Reveille to introduce the open D, G, and B strings. It doesnt require string skips, has a brief recurring
motif, and is familiar to many. (Taps is another melody that can be used.)
The next step is to demonstrate the easy-to-play, one-finger G chord. Assign some students to perform melody while others
strum the chord, and you have your first bona fide two-part ensemble!
For three parts, I use the round Hey, Ho, Nobody Home (for a free downloadable arrangement, click the link at the
bottom of the page). The Guitar 1 part uses the open first string (E) and second string (B) for the first phrase of the
melody. Guitar 2 plays an Em chord with the open treble strings, and Guitar 3 adds a touch of bass with the open sixth
string. You can further expand the experience by having the students play their parts repeatedly (as an ostinato) while you
play or sing the melody.
Randal G. (RG) Rhoades is the guitar instructor and ensemble director at the Milton Hershey School in Hershey,
Pennsylvania. His music is available at www.music4classicalguitar.com.
Download the music for Hey, Ho, Nobody Home

This article also appears in Guitar Teacher magazine, Summer 2007, No.16