MUSIC IN TWO PARTS The full sound of melody and harmony combined into a solo is a distinctive feature of classical guitar playing. In the following pieces the thumb supplies a simple but effective bass-string accompaniment to the melody. Only the open bass strings are used. Melody and bass are written as separate parts on the same staff. Stems point up for all melody notes and stems point down for all bass notes. Don’t be thrown by the overlapping of time values in the two parts. Each part adds up to the correct number of beats in a measure taken by itself. For example: Count melody: 4 - 2 3-4 Count bas: 1) 2-34 Rests are used in the bass part on first beats, because a melody note is being played. The bass note, in turn, overlaps the next melody note(s). Practice these exercises to sharpen your technique and counting before playing the pieces on page 49. Play a rest stroke with the fingers and a free stroke with the thumb. 1-203 4 1-2 3-4 1-2-3 4 1-2-3