Guitaranthem what is it ?
Guitaranthem what is it ?
Guitaranthem is, among other things, nearly 450 downloadable score/tablature sets of very famous melodies and all the national anthems of the world (203!), each linked to a video-demo on YouTube. All these faithful adaptations have been designed for “melodic guitar”: most of them can be played on a classical guitar (nylon strings) as well as on a metal-stringed guitar. Several dozen of them have been recorded twice, “classical guitar (nylon)”/”folk guitar” (metal). All fingerings are precisely indicated, which makes learning much easier.
It is also a crash course (and free!) in music theory, particularly adapted for the guitar, but useful for anyone who wants to learn how to read a score. This course is largely illustrated by examples of famous scores/tablatures, which makes the notions easier to master, and by video excerpts.
It is also a collection of new compositions, in various genres (musical comedy, oratorio, choir and orchestra, songs, …), which will be added gradually.
More in details...
What is Guitaranthem.com ?
The objective of Guitaranthem is to offer guitarists of all levels, from beginners to professionals, a very abundant repertoire, based on very famous melodies. You will certainly find happiness among the 450 or so proposed adaptations, in the form of downloadable scores and tablatures (it is therefore not necessary to know music theory, and even for beginner guitarists who have a perfect command of music theory, the tablature notation, topped with each score, makes learning much easier!), each of which is associated with a video tutorial on YouTube.
The site also offers beginner guitarists, if they wish, a quick and effective introduction to music theory, suitable for learning the first guitar pieces: the two approaches (music theory and guitar) will be simultaneously.
“A band in your arms !”
All these melodies, so far, had not been adapted for the guitar, at least in this form. Because it is not a question here of proposing a simple rhythmic accompaniment of melodies to sing, but to reproduce each melody, with its entire accompaniment (basses, arpeggios, etc.).
Most adaptations can be played on a classical guitar (nylon strings) as well as on a metal-stringed guitar, hence the concept of “melodic guitar”.
What kind of works can we find on this site ?
Adaptations of several kinds of melodies are available here: universally known songs, children’s songs, Christmas carols, film music, classical music, regional music, and all the national anthems of the world (203!).
In addition, for beginners, there is a set of 23 progressive pieces, “Easy Guitar”, from “First Minute Guitar” to the slightly more complicated “Ad Hispaniam”. It is advisable to learn them in roughly the order listed, especially the first few.
Now, if you feel like it, you will be able to interpret your national anthem (or any other country’s anthem) on any occasion, and thus perhaps replace an entire orchestra, or a recording! Hence the name of the site, “guitaranthem.com”.
"Make Art, not War !"
Behind the artistic and educational aspect is a humanitarian project. One of the purposes of “Guitaranthem” is to allow every guitarist, anywhere in the world, to play among others his own national anthem, but also that of any other country, without taking care of the colour of the skin of those who live in it, of their religion, of the political regime, or of the conflicts they may have with your own country or with others.
It is a way for these musicians around the world, amateur or professional, to sow dusts of peace, to express together that they refuse the war and all other forms of conflict between the nations, that they find them stupid, useless and evil.
“Make art, not war” is a way of saying, “enjoy the beauties of the world and life” – the human capacity to produce works of art is one – instead of cultivating stupid and pathogens quarrels. Life is too short and fragile to be wasted in provoking and maintaining ethnic, religious, political or other conflicts.
All equal in front of the music...
Guitaranthem, for its “National Anthems” part, is also a way of giving importance to all the countries of the world, whatever they are, big or small, rich or extremely poor and ignored by the rest of the world: here, nobody has been forgotten. All the countries of the planet, however humble they are, are present, through their national music.
Thus, some anthems ignored outside their country are nevertheless magnificent: Guitaranthem can allow you to make beautiful musical discoveries, which are also invitations to interest you in the countries where they come from…
Easy or difficult to play, all these works ?
All the guitar adaptations contained in Guitaranthem have been designed to please the ear, while avoiding major technical difficulties, when possible. Nevertheless, some are only accessible to experienced guitarists, because it was not possible to erase all the difficulties. But beginner guitarists can play a number of adaptations.
The lists of all the works available here are accompanied by a difficulty scale, from 1 (the easiest) to 5 (the most difficult ones). All the musical notes of all the scores presented are accompanied by the ideal fingering of the left hand (or right, for the left-handers): it is unusual – usually it’s the guitar teachers who manually add most of the fingerings on the scores – and represents for the guitarists a great learning comfort.
The music theory class
Although it is not essential, an accelerated music theory class is included in “Guitaranthem” in particular because each tablature is surmounted by the corresponding score, on which the fingerings of the left hand are indicated, so as not to clutter up the tablature. Moreover, the rhythmic notation that appears in these modern tablatures imitates that of music theory.
If you devote a little time to this rapid learning process, which is largely illustrated by excerpts from the scores of Guitaranthem, this will open other doors for you: learn another instrument, easily join a choir, etc.
The linked videos, on YouTube
All works (nearly 450, so far) are recorded in video, and are the subject of a You Tube channel. A link is used to switch from each title in Guitaranthem to the corresponding video, and vice versa.
The videos of the anthems begin with a short presentation (in English or in the language of the country, whenever possible…), with the help of a large map, to show everyone where every country is located: it is also a way to create the link between the guitarists.
Then each work is filmed so as to show very clearly what is the guitarist’s play, the positions of the left hand (or right, for the left-handed), especially. You Tube also offers the possibility of slowing down the recordings (small wheel at the bottom right of each video), which can be very useful for some passages…
Are the sets scores/tablatures free ?
No, not quite, because the creation of these sets and the design of the site have required a lot of work, you can imagine, and generated significant costs. However the price of each score is very small (maximum 1.5 euro – or the equivalent in the local currency).
The payment is of course completely secure.
How do I download the partition/tablature sets ?
Each download will give access to two documents: the score alone (musical notation), and the same score accompanied by the tablature (visual notation).
Browse the lists (national anthems, famous melodies, children’s songs, Christmas carols, film music, classical music).
The titles are arranged alphabetically within each category. To make your search easier, some melodies appear in different categories.
To help you choose, they are accompanied by a difficulty scale from 1 to 5. One little star = easy song, 2: fairly easy; 3: medium difficulty; 4: fairly difficult; 5: difficult.
The You Tube icon leads you, if you wish, to the corresponding video: a simple way for you to know if the corresponding score/tablature will suit you.
Click on the first title you are interested in: you access the first two lines of the score/tablature set. This is another way to help you choose.
It is also on this page that you can “add to the basket” (you can later cancel this choice if you change your mind).
Each download costs 1.5 euro.
When your choice is complete, click on “payment”, and follow the instructions.
That’s it! All you have to do now is discover your new scores/tablatures! Long live the music!