Sign up for two courses and get $50 off! Use the discount code “bigmon” when you register for your second course for a course fee of just $150.
“I was amazed at the time, feedback, and focus you gave us on chat questions, emails, and mp3s. I was very impressed and feel better about my confidence level, how I play and focus now. The course just worked for me and got me over a hump in terms of my motivation and focus.”—Donna O.
“I really enjoy your courses and your teaching style. It works for me nicely. You obviously put a great deal of effort and thought in to the classes.”—Mike B.
Here is the curriculum for the Bluegrass Mandolin 101 online course, which runs from March 27-May 27.
Bluegrass Mandolin 101 will start at a beginning/intermediate level and progress to a solidly intermediate level. This course will introduce students to the use of double stops and various positions on the neck, as well as various picking and fingerboard exercises to help develop good mandolin technique and knowledge of the fretboard. Each week, students are given two standard bluegrass tunes (and encouraged to learn at least one of them); that weeks exercises are correlated to the tunes during the week’s practice session so that students find practical ways of using the exercises in their playing.
Classes take place Monday evenings at 9 pm eastern time, and review sessions take place on Saturday mornings at 10 am eastern time (note: the week of May 8th is off, due to Matt’s tour schedule).
NEW THIS SPRING: Mando Europe! Class sessions are also taught at Europe-friendly times for the 101 course, so you don’t have to stay up until 3 am! All Monday class sessions are offered at 7 pm in the UK and Ireland, or 8 pm for most of Europe (2 pm U.S. East Coast time). Students are welcome to join either of the Monday sessions—the U.S./Canada or European class times (or both!). Saturday practice sessions take place with the entire group of students at 3 pm (UK and Ireland) and 4 pm (Europe).
The course fee is $200. Sign up for two courses and get $50 off! Use the discount code “bigmon” when you register for your second course for a course fee of just $150.
Register here.
Go back to the info page here.
BLUEGRASS MANDOLIN 101 WITH MATT FLINNER CURRICULUM:
Week 1 (3/27)
Three warmup exercises
Intro to position playing
Intro to double stops
Will the Circle Be Unbroken
Bonus Material: Down to the Valley to Pray
WEEK 2 (4/3)
Moving to the key of A
Some tag licks to add to your solos
Backup playing and fills
I’ll Fly Away
Bonus Material: Long Black Veil
WEEK 3 (4/10)
Small position shifts
Adding some more licks to your solos
Double stop exercises in D
Banks of the Ohio
Bonus material: Keep on the Sunny Side of Life
WEEK 4 (4/17)
Position playing II
Three different kickoffs
Chord tones in position playing
Man of Constant Sorrow
Bonus Material: Evening Prayer Blues
WEEK 5 (4/24)
Shifting from Position I to Position II
Transposing to other keys
Bury Me Beneath the Willow
Bonus Material: You Are My Sunshine
WEEK 6 (5/1)
More position shifts
Turnarounds: I-V-I progressions
Double stop exercises in C
Sittin’ On Top of the World
Bonus material: Gold Watch and Chain
WEEK 7 (5/15)
Moving double stops around to create melody
An approach to improvising
Soldier’s Joy
Bonus material: Panhandle Country
Week 8 (5/22)
Tying it all together
Adding some licks and improvising
Combining double stops and licks
My Home’s Across the Blue Ridge Mountains
Bonus tune: Foggy Mountain Top
Register for Bluegrass Mandolin 101 with Matt Flinner.
See the Bluegrass Mandolin 102 with Matt Flinner curriculum.
See the Bluegrass Mandolin 103: Advanced Bluegrass with Matt Flinner curriculum.
Go to the Bluegrass Mandolin 101 online program information page.