Guitars and all that!

Confession:  I am a music teacher who loves playing guitar, who plays rather poorly, but energetically.  My guitar knowledge is limited at best, but since my students know less than I do, it works out alright.

Having said that, I had a WONDERFUL guitar teacher  Joanne Darby back in McCamey Texas for about 3 months before I moved to Houston.  They had an AWESOME store that served all of West Texas for years and years.


McCamey Music Mart 
100 Thomas Drive, McCamey, TX 79752

(432) 652-3703 ‎
I tell you this because I chose my guitar method books for my after school guitar class because I THINK that this is the book that I used when I took lessons at the Music Mart.  

http://www.melbay.com/product.asp?ProductID=93833bcd

I choose to use this particular method book because:1.  The cost is not prohibitive2. chords are introduced progressively, they have easy versions that allow for strength to build in the child's hand3. individual notes are introduced on page 25.....4.  the CD is helpful on days when I'm lacking in voice.... :) 5,  You can purchase the book with or without the CD. 
I don't teach chords or individual notes exclusive of the other, so in each lesson we spend some time doing chord work and then we skip over to page 25 and practice reading the notes and playing individual notes.... THIS pedagogy I can attribute to Ms. Joanne Darby at the McCamey Music Mart who didn't want any of her guitar students to be one dimensional.  Good guitar players need proficiency in both.  So, even though I don't have opportunity to bring my students very far along their guitar playing journey, I want what they do learn to be well rounded.  .  
Today I am going to face a real fear of mine.  I am going to restring 2 of my student guitars!  
This is problematic for me because 1. I typically just pay the guitar store to string my own personal guitar for me.
so
2.  I don't have very much practice stringing guitars 

and 
3. My class guitar professor Dr. Zoe Kelly, who I love to pieces wore goggles every time she even tuned a guitar AND draped the strings with a bath towel.  
So my lack of experience coupled with the teachings of a very safety conscience professor mean that I've put it off all week in dread.  :)  
But it's time to put on my big girl britches and get the job done.  
Where do I go for info?  Youtube of course! 
I looked at several different videos and this is my favorite because the commentary is printed AND the camera work is up close so you can see what "wrap around" means.  

I love being able to rewind and rewind and rewind.  
I use these strings for my classical guitar strings at school.  

D'Addario EJ45C Pro Arte Composite Classical Guitar strings Set.  They seem to work well!  

I hope that this information is helpful to you.