Humanities Information

She Wrote the Book on Fakin It


She brought the guitar into vogue. She created the first "fake" books designed for regular folks who didn't want to or were unable to invest the time and effort to master the guitar. Who was she?

Catherina Josepha Pelzer was born in 1821 in Mulheim, on the Rhine. She was the daughter of Ferdinand Pelzer, a leading German guitarist during the early part of the 19th Century. Ferdinand began tutoring his daughter when she was quite young - a task made easier by the fact that young Catherina was quite the musical prodigy. She made her London concert debut at the age of seven. Soon after, her family moved from Germany to England where she received much critical acclaim and gained fame as a performer. Her concerts and recitals inspired people all over to pick up the guitar. Catherina later became much sought after as a guitar teacher, instructing the likes of the Princesses Louise and Beatrice, among others. In 1854 Catherina Pelzer married a renowned flautist and composer, and took the name by which she is more commonly remembered - Madame Sidney Pratten.

After some time as an instructor, she realized that many people were not inclined to invest the necessary effort to master the guitar. Many others simply did not possess the skills to do so. She had the solution, which came in the form of several publications. Her most popular and successful manual, Learning the Guitar Simplified, included easy exercises, each of which was followed by a simple song, along with diagrams of the fingerboard to show where the notes were found. She created another publication that color-coded each note in the diatonic scale. This was known, logically enough, as Colored Diagrams of the Notes of the Fingerboard of the Guitar. And for those who had very little time to practice, she put together Instructions for the Guitar Tuned in E Major. One tuning. No muss, no fuss.

Mme. Pratten died in 1895, leaving behind a wonderful legacy. She had brought the guitar into popularity by showing the world how beautifully it could be played and by making it easier for the average person to play it well - or at least close enough for rock and roll.

Alyce Chiles is the manager and official "appraisal typer-upper" of http://www.VintageGuitarPro.com - a site for the vintage guitar enthusiast specializing in online guitar appraisals and vintage guitars in general. On the side she also writes freelance articles on everything from Prozac to Parenting. Learn more about Alyce and Vintage Guitars by visiting http://www.VintageGuitarPro.com


MORE RESOURCES:

06/01/2024
How does the digital transformation of agriculture affect carbon emissions? Evidence from China’s provincial panel data

Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, Published online: 01 June 2024; doi:10.1057/s41599-024-03223-x

How does the digital transformation of agriculture affect carbon emissions? Evidence from China’s provincial panel data

more info


06/01/2024
Beyond central-local relations: the introduction of a new perspective on China’s environmental governance model

Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, Published online: 01 June 2024; doi:10.1057/s41599-024-03082-6

Beyond central-local relations: the introduction of a new perspective on China’s environmental governance model

more info


06/01/2024
Exercising control in media during Covid-19: the “Stay at Home” campaign on Twitter in Greece

Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, Published online: 01 June 2024; doi:10.1057/s41599-024-03240-w

Exercising control in media during Covid-19: the “Stay at Home” campaign on Twitter in Greece

more info


06/01/2024
Exploration of a method for insight into accessibility design flaws based on touch dynamics

Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, Published online: 01 June 2024; doi:10.1057/s41599-024-03234-8

Exploration of a method for insight into accessibility design flaws based on touch dynamics

more info


05/31/2024
Hesitant or determined? The influence of social and environmental factors on settlement decision-making of rural in-migrants: evidence from Dali, China

Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, Published online: 31 May 2024; doi:10.1057/s41599-024-03188-x

Hesitant or determined? The influence of social and environmental factors on settlement decision-making of rural in-migrants: evidence from Dali, China

more info


05/31/2024
Unemployment, hustling, and waithood: exploring Zimbabwean urban male youth’s utilisation of ICT in soccer betting

Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, Published online: 31 May 2024; doi:10.1057/s41599-024-03230-y

Unemployment, hustling, and waithood: exploring Zimbabwean urban male youth’s utilisation of ICT in soccer betting

more info


05/31/2024
The impact of corporate social responsibility in technological innovation on sustainable competitive performance

Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, Published online: 31 May 2024; doi:10.1057/s41599-024-03193-0

The impact of corporate social responsibility in technological innovation on sustainable competitive performance

more info


05/31/2024
Breaching boundaries: reflections on the journey towards a transdisciplinary arts and sciences undergraduate degree programme to address global challenges

Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, Published online: 31 May 2024; doi:10.1057/s41599-024-03165-4

This commentary reflects upon the progress, limitations, and some of the pitfalls of one UK London-based HE institution’s development of a trans-disciplinary arts and sciences undergraduate degree programme specifically designed to build knowledge and confidence in students to both reflect upon and effectively respond in constructive and just ways to some of the ‘global challenges’ facing society. It does not challenge the importance and necessity of specialist expertise but sees the potential of a trans-disciplinary approach to education as not just complementary but increasingly valuable to a wider range of graduates. Graduates needed to lead systems change and facilitate wider appreciation and practical understanding of multidimensional problem-solving, the importance of stakeholder engagement and more holistic systems thinking, something that should not be limited to those who have the opportunity and means to study Masters or PhD degrees. As one of a few UK universities that offer inter-disciplinary or trans-disciplinary undergraduate degrees and with some added insights from a former colleague who now works on University College London’s (UCL) interdisciplinary BASc, we offer the following suggestions and advice for those interested in working towards developing trans-disciplinary provision. This includes the development of a financial model that allows students and staff to work between departments or faculties; an administrative structure that promotes communication and information sharing between different departments without compromising the requirements of data protection; the buy-in and support of senior leaders who both understand and can advocate for the benefits of a trans-disciplinary approach and explicit university-wide recognition of the staff who work on such programmes in terms of career progression and support for the trans-disciplinary research they undertake.

more info



home | site map | contact us