ITC105 COMMUNICATION AND INFORMATION MANAGEMENT

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ITC105 COMMUNICATION AND INFORMATION MANAGEMENT

• Assignment 2
• Due 13 October 2008
• Student Mark Stonebridge
• Student No 11390863
• Website Guitar Practice Central
• http//csusap.csu.edu.au/mstone10

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Intended Audience

• Beginner and intermediate guitarists
• Age 13 years
• More specifically
• Guitarists who want to improve more quickly.
• Guitarists who are struggling for motivation to
  practice.
• Guitarists who only have a limited amount of time
  to practice.

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Website Goals

• Help new players establish good practice habits.
• Motivate players to learn new areas of guitar
  playing.
• Provide a central resource for players to link to
  other music resources.
• Demonstrate how planning guitar practice improves
  playing and enjoyment.
• Demonstrate why learning theory can enhance
  guitar playing.

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Site Diagram
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External Site links

• Home
• Practice Plan
• http//www.yellowguitarbooks.com/fretboard-diagram
  s/Practice20Session20Plan.pdf
• Technique
• Chord Charts
• http//www.chordie.com/chords.php
• How to read scale diagrams
• http//www.guitaralliance.com/guitar_lessons/how_t
  o_read_a20_scale_diagram.htm
• Major Pentatonic scale diagrams
• http//www.myguitarworkshop.com/Theory/Guitar_Pent
  atonic_Scales/Guitar-Major-Pentatonic-Scale-Box-Pa
  tterns.htm
• Minor Pentatonic scale diagrams
• http//www.myguitarworkshop.com/Theory/Guitar_Pent
  atonic_Scales/Guitar-Minor-Pentatonic-Scale-Box-Pa
  tterns.htm

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External Site Links (cont.)

• Technique (cont)
• All scale patterns
• http//www.myguitarworkshop.com/Guitar_Scales_Mode
  s.htm
• Video showing basic lead techniques and an
  introduction to playing scales
  http//www.youtube.com/watch?v3mcEnEg0NWc
• Theory
• Music Notation diagrams
• http//www.accessrock.com/BeginningLessons/guitarn
  otes_symbols.asp
• Circle of Fifths diagram
• http//www.guitarlessonworld.com/lessons/lesson18.
  htm
• Chord Theory Chart
• http//www.wholenote.com/basics/ctable.asp

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External Site Links (cont.)

• Repertoire
• YouTube
• http//www.youtube.com/
• Ultimate Guitar
• http//www.youtube.com/
• Guitar Etab
• http//www.guitaretab.com/
• Oz Tabs
• http//www.ozmusic-central.com.au/oztabs/
• Harmony Central
• http//www.harmony-central.com/

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Content Layout- (features app. to all pages)

• Site Theme
• Beginner guitarists practicing to improve and
  become advanced guitarists.
• Page Layout
• A consistent page layout has been used throughout
  site to improve usability for users. The layout
  was created using a table. The table width is
  755 pixels to ensure good screen and print
  readability.
• Sections
• Headline Banner Three images (portrait,
  landscape, portrait), title (Georgia font -
  centred). First area visitor sees therefore needs
  to be visually stimulating and interesting.
• Site Navigation (row under banner) All pages
  are always accessible as returning visitors may
  wish to directly access a specific page rather
  than move through the site from start to finish.
• In-page Navigation (left hand column) link to
  headings in main section. (left aligned images
  placed below navigation section). Provides a
  brief guide to main content.
• Main Content Section main text information
  right aligned images.

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Content Layout- (all pages cont.)

• Background Colours
• Banner section divider light blue (good
  contrast with images text, not distracting,
  natural colour).
• Site Navigation grey (current page button
  yellow)
• In-page Navigation grey (navigation grey to
  differentiate from main content, good contrast
  with text).
• Main content section white (good contrast easy
  readability)
• In-Page Links
• Back to top links located under section titles in
  main content section.
• Next page / Previous page navigation links at
  bottom of page.
• Image Alignment
• Images typically follow an alternating pattern
  from left-alignment to right alignment going down
  the page. All images relate to the text and/or
  the goals of the website. The alternating
  pattern and colour of the images visually breaks
  up the written text creating interest for the
  reader.

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Content Layout- (all pages cont.)

• Typographical Hierarchy
• Headings and subheadings use Arial font in
  contrast to the Times New Roman font of main
  content.
• Different font sizes are used for each heading
  level to help reader visually identify related
  material.
• These fonts have been chosen for their legibility
  on screen and in print.

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Home - Content

• Images
• Image A Guitar learner - beginner
• Image B Band practice - beginners
• Image C Jazz guitarist - advanced
• Image D Rock guitarist advanced
• Image E Guitar bus stop where is your guitar
  heading?
• Image F Guitar planning thinking and planning
  guitar practice
• Text
• Welcome / Introduction
• Defining Goals
• Practice Planning getting ready to practice
• Contact Details About me
• Features (in addition to global site formatting
  previously discussed)
• Lists used in practice planning section
• External links to practice plan schedule

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Home - Layout

• Sections
• Headline Banner
• Images A B are of beginning guitarists which
  contrast with images C D of advanced
  guitarists.
• Site Navigation as previously discussed.
• In-page Navigation links to main headings
  within content section.
• Main Content Section
• Welcome opening questions are designed to hook
  reader.
• Defining Goals
• Practice Planning lists used to break up text
  and summarise information making it easier for
  reader to understand.
• Contact Details about me
• (Each section logically follows on from the next).

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Home - Function

• The purpose of the home page is to hook the
  readers attention and introduce the material
  contained in the site.
• The banner images follow the site theme of
  beginner guitarists (Image A) practicing
  effectively (Image B) to become advanced
  guitarists (Image C). (Image D is also of an
  advanced guitarist).
• The opening questions are designed to grab the
  readers attention and get them to question their
  own practicing habits. The remaining
  introduction paragraphs discuss the difference
  between playing for enjoyment and practicing for
  improvement.
• Defining goals follows on from the introduction.
  (Image of guitar bus stop used to visually
  represent this section).
• The Practice planning section discusses styles
  and breaks down practicing into three areas being
  technique, theory and repertoire which forms the
  basis for the site. (image of music thinker
  represents section). External link to practice
  plan is provided as a starting point for beginner
  guitarists to make their own plan.
• Contact Details explains my playing experience
  and motivation for creating the site. (image of
  me). links to presentation validation.

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Styles - Content

• Images
• Image A John Lee Hooker advanced blues
  guitarist
• Image B Beginner practicing
• Image C Slash advanced rock guitarist
• Image D Learning guitar - beginner
• Image E Rock guitar rock style
• Image F Blues blues style
• Image G Country guitarist country style
• Image H Smooth guitarist jazz style
• Image I Classical guitarists classical style

• Country
• Jazz
• Classical

• Text
• Traditional Learning Pattern
• Rock
• Blues

Lists used in the focus area of each style.
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Styles - Layout

• Headline Banner
• Banner images A (blues) C (rock) represent
  advanced guitarists while image B represents a
  beginner practicing.
• Main Content Section In-page Images
• Guitar Style introduction
• Traditional Learning Pattern (image D beginner
  guitarist).
• Rock (image E rock guitarist)
• Blues (image F blue guitar fret)
• Country (image G country player)
• Jazz (image H jazz guitarist)
• Classical (image I classical guitarists)
• The styles are in order of learning popularity
  and ease of playing
• Lists used to breakup text and summarise
  information, making it easier for readers to
  digest.

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Styles - Function

• The purpose of this page is to discuss different
  guitar styles and techniques and theory related
  to those styles.
• This page is to help beginner guitarists define
  their goals in terms of the style of guitar and
  songs they want to play.
• Images A C represent two different styles and
  depict advanced guitarists which contrasts with
  images B D which show beginner guitarists.
• Remaining images visually represent the style of
  music explained in text.
• A brief background and focus area summary is
  provided for each style.
• Information contained in the focus areas is
  explained further in the technique and theory
  pages.

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Technique - Content

• Images
• Image A Advanced rhythm playing
• Image B Advanced fingerpicking guitar
• Image C Advanced lead playing
• Image D Beginners rhythm playing
• Image E Beginners playing lead
• Image F Beginner acoustic player - strumming
• Image G Advanced lead guitarist
• Image H Bending strings playing lead
• Image I Excited lead guitarist
• Image J Advanced fingerpicking guitar
• Text
• Guitar Technique Introduction
• Playing Rhythm- chord shapes, strumming,
  techniques
• Playing Lead- scale patterns, lead techniques
• Fingerpicking Techniques
• External links have been provided to chord
  charts, scale patterns and lead playing video.

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Technique - Layout

• Headline Banner
• Banner images have been used to represent
  different ways of playing guitar. (image A
  rhythm, image B fingerpicking, image C lead.
  All images are of advanced guitarists).
• Main Content Section In-page Images
• Guitar Technique introduction (image D
  beginners playing rhythm).
• Playing Rhythm chord shapes, strumming
  techniques (image E beginner rhythm guitarist,
  image F beginner strumming guitar).
• Playing Lead scale patterns, techniques (image
  G lead guitarist, image H bending a note,
  image I excited lead guitarist).
• Fingerpicking bass note alternate picking and
  arpeggio (image K fingerpicking guitarist).
• Rhythm is introduced first as it is easier to
  play than lead and is the area where beginners
  generally start. Learners then normally progress
  to lead and fingerpicking techniques.

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Technique- Function

• The purpose of this page is to introduce
  different guitar techniques. (as represented by
  banner images A, B C).
• Techniques can be divided between fret and
  strumming hands and how the strings are played
  including rhythm, lead and fingerpicking playing.
  (Image D represents beginner guitarists playing
  rhythm and lead).
• Rhythm is introduced first as this is the normal
  starting point for beginner guitarists. This
  section is broken down between chords (fret
  hand), strumming and specific techniques. An
  external link to a chord chart is provided to
  assist in learning new chords. (Images E F
  represent rhythm guitar).
• Lead guitar is the next progression in guitar
  learning. The section is broken down between
  scale patterns (fret hand) and specific
  techniques. External links to scale patterns and
  lead playing video are provided to review more
  detailed information. (Images G, H I represent
  lead guitar).
• Fingerpicking techniques follows on from learning
  rhythm and lead. (Image J represents
  fingerpicking guitar).

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Theory - Content

• Images
• Image A Scaling with your guitar theory
  requires a bit of effort
• Image B Reviewing a take
• Image C Music theory abstract
• Image D Home studio
• Image E Treble clef
• Image F Guitar and stairs step patterns
• Image G Pattern on guitar
• Image H Keys music keys
• Image I Sheet music and watch - tempo
• Image J Acoustic rhythm playing
• Image K Ear clef earring ear training

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Theory - Content (cont.)

• Text
• Tones
• Music Notation
• Intervals
• Scales major, minor, pentatonic, blues, other
• Keys (external link for circle of fifths)
• Rhythm
• Note values Notation (external link to detailed
  explanation)
• Time Signatures
• Tempo
• Tunes
• Chord Formula (external link for formula chart)
• Chord Progression
• Parts of a song (lists used to summarise)
• Accompanying
• Ear Training

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Theory - Layout

• Headline Banner
• Banner images have been used to represent music
  theory in different ways. Image A guitar scales
  effort, Image B analysing music, Image C
  celf notation colour abstract.
• Main Content Section In-page Images
• Music theory introduction. (image D reviewing
  music).
• Tones music notation, intervals, scales, keys
  (image E treble clef, image F - guitar ladder
  (scale), image G pattern on guitar, image H
  keys).
• Rhythm note values notations, time
  signatures, tempo (image I sheet music and
  clock represents tempo).
• Tunes chord formula, chord progression, parts
  of a song. Lists used to summarise and breakup
  text. (image J playing chords).
• Accompanying ear training, transposing (image K
  ear)
• Basic theory is introduced first. Each section
  builds on previous section.

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Theory - Function

• The purpose of this page is to provide a basic
  introduction to music theory. (represented by
  banner images).
• Theory has been grouped into four areas being
  Tones, Rhythm, Tunes and Accompanying. Each
  section logically follows on from the previous
  section.
• Tones
• Tones - The smallest building blocks of music are
  individual tones.
• Music Notation - Tones are represented using
  special notation on a clef. (represented by image
  E).
• Intervals Music is made up of the movement of
  from one tone to another.
• Scales Certain tone movements sound better than
  others which have been developed into scale
  patterns. (represented by image F G).
• Key - Music written using a certain scale is said
  to be in a specific key.
• Thus each new section expands on the information
  provided in the previous section.

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Theory - Function (cont.)

• Rhythm
• An External link is provided to explain music
  notation in more detail.
• The time signatures and tempo sections explain
  how the pace of the music is notated and played.
  (image I used to represent tempo)
• Tunes
• An external link is provided to detail which
  notes from scale patterns are used to build
  chords.
• Chord progressions explain how some chord
  movements sound better than others. (image J
  represents chord playing).
• The individual sections of a song explain how a
  tune is broken up.
• Accompanying
• Ear training is a more advanced skill that
  requires extensive practice. (Image K represents
  ear training).
• Transposing is another advanced skill that
  requires a good knowledge of the areas previously
  discussed.

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Repertoire- Content

• Images
• Image A Eric Clapton - repertoire
• Image B Rolling Stones - repertoire
• Image C Wolfmother - repertoire
• Image D Computer music Internet resources
• Image E Music bookcase Book and DVD resources
• Image F Happy guitarist Good luck
• Text
• Internet Resources YouTube, Tablature sites
  (list used for external links to sites).
• Other Resources Books DVDs
• Good Luck

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Repertoire- Layout

• Headline Banner
• Banner images are all successful artists. Songs
  by these artists are popular among beginning
  guitarists.
• Main Content Section In-page Images
• Playing songs motivation
• Internet Resources YouTube Tab sites. (image
  of computer music). Discussed first due to
  cost, amount and accessibility of information.
• Other Resources - Books DVDs (image of books,
  CDs DVDs).
• Good Luck conclusion (image of happy guitarist).

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Repertoire - Function

• The purpose of this page is to discuss resources
  available for improving song repertoire and how
  this relates to practice motivation. Banner
  images are of artists that beginning guitarists
  aspire to.
• The Internet provides the cheapest (generally
  free) and widest variety of materials for
  learning songs. External links in list format
  provide examples of available internet material.
  (Image of computer visually represents this
  section).
• Other resources are available in the form of
  books and DVDs. (Image of books DVDs
  represents this section).

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Conclusion-

• The Good Luck section provides some final words
  of motivation linking goals and practice with
  success. (Image of happy guitarist represents
  this section).
• The main goals of the website centre around
  helping guitarists plan their practice to make
  maximum improvement. Images have helped to
  convey goals visually with images of beginner
  guitarists, images of practicing guitar and
  images of advanced guitarists.
• The website content has been presented in a
  logical progression.
• Consistent layout, formatting and navigation
  makes the site easy to use.
• Use of graphics, different fonts, lists and links
  break up the written text making the site easier
  to follow and more interesting.
• Important that content and layout of information
  is consistent with goals of the website.