Why This Class

Is your student passionate about guitar music? Do you want to support them in exploring the work of great guitarists from many eras and genres? If so, this course will take your student on an expertly curated, one-of-a-kind journey through the history of guitar and its profound impact on human culture during the past 120 years.

Students in this self-paced course explore a broad range of genres and musical ideas, some of which they may never have heard before. With the guidance of a mentor, students see how the work of history’s best guitarists have brought people together and sparked revolutions in music and society at large. Through assignments including readings, videos, and online peer discussions, students become more discerning listeners and improve their understanding of 20th-century guitar music.

By completing this course, students gain awareness of the pivotal role guitar has played in recent musical history. They come to notice the common threads across all guitar music and feel inspired to contribute to guitar’s ongoing legacy themselves.

Overarching Questions

What is the timeline for the past 100 years of guitar history?

What influence did George Harrison and the Beatles have on popular music in the 1960s?

As lead guitarist of the Rolling Stones, how did Keith Richards influence rock during the 1960s musical movement?

How did Joe Satriani and The Edge (guitarist for U2) contribute to the music of the 1980s?

As the guitarist and lead of the band Nirvana, how did Kurt Cobain push music forward in the 1990s?