Rob Parkinson

PRINCIPLE

T e n popular s t y l e guitar s t u d i e s
for adventurous learners
 PREFACE
The idéal student of this collection would corne to it fresh from a basic course of instruction
in guitar playing, ready to branch out and explore the positions. He or she might also like to
have a répertoire of light-hearted party pièces that sound reasonably impressive but are not
too difficult to play.
Each pièce develops what I have rather grandly called 'The Leap Frog Principle', a name
derived from 'Leap Frog Blues', which begins the collection and sets out the notion in its
simplest form. The idea is to use scale patterns against open strings, avoiding complicated
chord fingerings, a limitation that has a number of advantages:
— it makes the music comfortable to play and allows rapid mémorisation, freeing the
player to concentrate on fluent, rhythmic playing with tonal variety.
— it encourages confident movement through various positions.
— in conjunction with formai position study, fretboard knowledge can be extended.
— it may also enable the learner to 'leap frog' some more pedestrian forms of study.
— some complications of more advanced writing for guitar can be introduced.
— efficient left hand scale fingering and right hand striking methods can be stressed.
— the simplicity of structure can lead to improvisation.
The pièces are arranged in approximate order of difficulty. After the first two, increasing
facility in playing transposable scales will be required. They are perhaps best used as a
supplément to other forms of study, over two or three terms. More advanced players can, of
course, approach them differently and might like to extend them. Favourite pièces can be
returned to and improved as technical control increases.
Métronome markings: Two speeds are given, the first to be aimed at in the initial stages, the
second as a guide to maximum speed — which may not be achieved until much later.
Blue notes: The sign u has been used in some pièces to indicate an optional blues vibrato.
(The string is pulled across the fretboard with the fretting fmger.)
Rhythm study: A few rhythm study points have been given in the text. Teachers may find
that some rhythms are best taught by ear first and studied afterwards. Although the
rhythms do look complicated on the page, many will be familiar from everyday popular
musical idiom. A strong puise, is, in any case, more important than strict accuracy and a
free, improvising rhythmic spirit should be encouraged.
 Rob Parkinson
THE LEAP FROG PRINCIPLE
10 Popular Style guitar studies
for adventurous learners

CONTENTS:

1. Leap Frog Blues 2

2. The Whistler's Tune 3
3. Giant Jive 4
4. Piebald Pony Rag 5
5. Grasshopper Gallop 6
6. Waltz for Two Left Feet 8
7. Butterfly Boogie , 10
8. Jig for a Génial Génie 12
9. Bobo's Last Frolic 14
10. The Jugglers'Dance 16

RICORDI
2 1 LEAP FROG BLUES
A duet between a bluesy lead guitarist and a jazzy string bass.
In the middle section, the bass takes over. To imitate its sound,
bars 8 to 11 are fingered on string 6 . This also gives the same fret
pattem as in the first section.
Vary tone and volume for each repeat. When the pièce is thor-
oughly leamed, it is possible to improvise on it by playing the
notes in a différent order, e.g. à.
etc.

Moderato d = 50 - 60 f
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 2 THE WHISTLER'S TUNE 3
People who whistle often don't remember ail of the tune. This
pièce is idéal for whistlers because there are only a few bits that
keep repeating. However, in bars 21 to 28, the whistler still man-
ages to forget thefirstphrase and tries to find it in différent
registers, before eventually getting it right on the da capo.
Study the rhythm
in bars 15 to 18 to make sure it doesn't turn into waltz time (4).

Ritmico J = 104 - 120

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4
3 GIANT JIVE
A lumbering dance for heavy-footed giants who knock things
over as they get carried away, hence the discordant sounds.
Rhythm study: . i — i L L f——i
(t J] 1 1 JJ (bars 8 and 9).
1 2

Allegro ponderoso J = 60 - 80
III
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 4 PIEBALD PONY RAG
Imagine a pony trotting at quite a brisk pace and you'U have a
rough idea of the speed and character of this pièce. Practise chro-
matic scales and exercises to limber the fingers up.

n
Rhythm study: ^
(bar 12 etc.)

(See also The Whistler's Tune p. 3 )

Allegretto J = 132 - 160

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6
5 GRASSHOPPER GALLOP
Well, perhaps grasshoppers might try to gallop to music like
this. The separate phrases and répétitions can be sharply contrast-
ed by tone changes. Master position changes thoroughly before
attempting at any speed. ^
Rhythm study: ;
; bars)

n
Note the change of rhythm in bar 25 etc.

j ^
(See also 'The Whistler's Tune' p. 3 & 'Piebald Pony Rag', p. 5 )

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7
 6 WALTZ FOR TWO LEFT FEET
A dance that is perfect for those who, like me, need an extra
beat every now and then to adjust their step. That's what the two
left feet are doing in the bars. The rest of the time, they're
trying to waltz after a fashion. But they end up in a tangle, despite
the bar.
The pièce is not as difficult as it looks as there is a lot of répé-
tition.
Rhythm study :
J (bar 1 etc.)

Capriccioso J. = 100 - 132

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 9

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10
7 B U T T E R F L Y BOOGIE

This has to be played with the délicate, light feel that will sug-
gest butterflies, at the same time as keeping up a strong 'boogie'
rhythm. a
Rhythm study: (bars 25 & 26)

1 1

AIso note contrast of ^ and ^ timings (bar 15 etc.)

Grazioso J.= 108 - 126

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 11

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12
8 JIG FOR A G E N I A L GENIE

This génie is rather a joker. For a start, he chooses 4 timing for

his dance - not exactly jig time for mere mortals. Then he adds
extra beats to some bars and does some rather complicated steps
in the middle section, before returning to the main thème. Finally
he vanishes suddenly, without trace.
Study the patterns of accents in ^:

iJ J J J J J J J J J

Giocoso J = 144-192

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 13
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14
9 BOBO'S LAST FROLIC
I don't know who Bobo was. He may have been a clown, or
perhaps an animal of some kind. The pièce is both happy and sad
- but ends up sad.
It is important to master the rocking movement of the thumb
between strings 6 & 4 and this may be practised separately. To
begin with, it is possible to leave out ail but the first thumb notes
in bars 2 to 5 and 12 to 15, until the melodv is mastered.
Rhythm study : -3
i Jn JTJ n J (barTetc.)

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 15

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16 10 THE JUGGLERS' DANCE
The jugglers gradually increase the number of things they throw
up in the air. There are three of them. As one finish es, another
takes over with more tricks, so the music changes quickly.
Thefîngeringin bar 25 etc. is intended to make use of third
string tone. Use a strojig classical vibrato if possible.
Rhythm study:
7 (opening bars)

mmj (bar 25 etc.)

m
Vivace J = 120-192
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