2012 CLASSES

2012 CLASSES ARE BEING FINALIZED.
Please browse through our 2011 classes to get a sense of our program. While we’ll be offering many new classes, some of our ‘core’ classes will be offered again.

DESCRIPTIONS
Choose from a Great Line-up of Classes! (listed by instructors in alphabetical order)
Feel free to contact us with your questions.

PLAYING GUITAR LIKE A PIANO! (Intermediate – Advanced) – Del Rey

While this class is for intermediate/advanced finger-picker, there will be good ideas and material for other types of players. Some of the greatest guitar playing comes from the guitar trying to imitate the piano. This class will listen to Cow Cow Davenport, Little Brother Montgomery, Ferdinand Morton, Professor Longhair and others in class and find ways to play their fat, evocative chords and pounding bass lines on our pusillanimous six strings. Lots of listening; no written material.

BLUE UKE (Intermediate – Advanced) – Del Rey

Blues, rags and old songs for the ukulele, with a focus on fingerpicking the melody. Tunes include the Mississippi River Waltz, Tappin That Thing and Tired Chicken…by ear, no TAB. Students should be familiar with basic chords and be able to keep time.

THE C-A-G-E-D SYSTEM (Early Intermediate – Advanced) – Ernie Hawkins

Ever watch a blues or jazz guitarist running effortlessly all over the neck and wonder how it is done? The C-A-G-E-D System is the answer. It has been called the logic of the fretboard. This is an easily approachable, easy to use method that brings theory into your fingers and onto the guitar, and puts it all together. We will start by learning how to play blues in any position on the neck, in any key. This system connects all the chord inversions with the passing chords that connect them. It enables you to move any chord, any chord progression, any scale, any arpeggio, any riff around the neck. If you have wanted to go beyond just learning songs into learning the context that gives these songs their sense and beauty, but have been afraid of “music theory,” this course is for you. This is the kind of knowledge that sets you free!

TEXAS BLUES (Intermediate Advanced) Ernie Hawkins

The playing of Lightnin’ Hopkins and Mance Lipscomb and the single bass style of playing that bluesmen, particularly Big Bill Broonzy, loved to use.

ARRANGING FOR SOLO GUITAR: ALL STYLES (Intermediate Advanced) John Miller

Description to be posted soon!

CHORD VOICINGS TO ENHANCE YOUR PLAYING! (Intermediate Advanced) Orville Johnson

Here will be working on learning how to voice triads, 6th and 7th chords of various types out of the E, A, D, C and F positions in standard tuning.  You will learn both how the different chord types are structured and how they function, and pick up the definitional information that makes the language of music meaningful, so that when you see A flat7#5 on a chord chart, you’ll understand both what it is and how to play it in several places on the neck.  We’ll use songs from a variety of styles to play the chord voicings we discover, and will focus a lot on economy of motion in the left hand, so that you will be able to maintain a smooth rhythmic flow while moving between chords.  Note:  This class should work for participants at early intermediate to intermediate level, and for advanced   players who feel insufficiently grounded in their knowledge and understanding of music and chords.

DEEP BLUES (Early Intermediate) Martin Grosswendt

Description coming soon!

BLUES YOU (Most Likely!) HAVEN’T HEARD (Intermediate Advanced) Martin Grosswendt

Description coming soon!

BLUES LEAD GUITAR & ACCOMPANIMENT (Intermediate Advanced) Orville Johnson

We’ll learn some patterns and licks that work in several keys and explore some techniques like slides, string bending, and hammer-ons/pull-offs that will add smoothness and interest to your lead lines. We’ll take a look at some common rhythm patterns for blues, how to solo over those patterns, and how to play fills and accompaniments with a singer. We’ll spend time on improvisation, creating spontaneous solos as well as how to compose solos for specific tunes.

DOBRO: BLUES & BEYOND (Intermediate Advanced) Orville Johnson

We’ll mainly work in GBDGBD tuning and take a look at the dobro in a blues/jazz context. We’ll learn to see sonic shapes on the fretboard, work on blocking and damping techniques to improve the clarity of our playing.We’ll also explore ideas on how to play in an ensemble, rhythm and back up techniques, and how to accompany a singer. The techniques we learn will be equally helpful if your a bluegrass player though we’ll probably use blues and jazz tunes as vehicles for our study. This class will be designed for someone that can already play some, say low intermediate on up, but we’ll make sure beginners get a chance in one of the elective periods, so all levels can be accommodated.

MANDOLIN BLUES: FROM STRING BAND TO CHICAGO (Intermediate – Advanced) Rich Delgrosso

JUG BAND FOR ALL INSTRUMENTS & VOCAL (All Levels) Rich Delgrosso

ACOUSTIC CONTEMPORARY: – PART I and PART II ( – (All levels) Shawn Persinger