Peer Review

eMedia Guitar Method Java Chord Directory

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Overall Rating:

Content Quality:

Effectiveness:

Ease of Use:

Overview:: The chord dictionary is a Java applet tool that provides over 250 basic guitar chord fingerings while playing an audio recording of the corresponding chord. A chord can be found by selecting it from an alphabetic pull down menu. The applet allows the user to lay out a basic chord progression using a "clone" feature which opens multiple windows simultaneously.
Type of Material:: A java applet resource tool
Recommended Uses:: Recommended uses for the material include: 1. Reference. Suitable to learn to play selected basic chord voicings on guitar. 2. Comparison. Allows the user to compare the sound of their own chord to the chord provided.
Technical Requirements:: Standard mutimedia browser with the java plugin.
Identify Major Learning Goals:: The major learning goal is to help learn basic chord patterns on the fretboard.
Target Student Population:: The target student population would be beginning guitar students or classical guitarists who do not read chords.
Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:: A basic understanding of how the fretboard is notated to identify strings and frets. Also a knowledge of chord terminology is required.

Rating:
Strengths:: The quality of the content is high. Chords are accurate in first position. The material is suitable for beginners with easy to read graphics.
Concerns:: The organization of the chord dictionary might reflect key associations as well. An area of concern in terms of content quality is the chord does not sustain long enough to absorb the chord aurally.

Rating:
Strengths:: Because the chord window can be expanded and several windows can be displayed at the same time, this tool could be useful in a guitar class setting. It could also be useful for students as a reference while learning new chords. Being able to hear the chords as well as see it allows a student to compare their chord on their guitar with an in tune chord.. This applet is easily repurposed.
Concerns:: Although the alphabetical listing of the chords is a quick way to search for a chord it does not offer chord groupings by key. Alternate search methods that reinforce chord relationships would be useful.

Rating:
Strengths:: This tool is very focused in its purpose and consequently very easy to use. Also very useful is the ability to clone and resize the windows.
Concerns:: Finding the clone and play menus was not immediately easy without the written description from the parent webpage. Instructions for use should be placed in whatever context a teacher uses this tool.

Other Issues and Comments:: The material is a free concise sample of a larger commercial product which still holds usefulness for beginning guitarists.
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