Matt Flinner

Bill Monroe Tunes for Mandolin Curriculum (1/8-3/10)

 

 

“I’m loving the instruction and all the materials, it’s got me playing my mandolin constantly!”—James M.

 

 

 

“I’ve participated in many online learning programs, but so far, your format is the best I’ve ever seen. I am so pleased I happened upon your courses.”—Gina M.

 

 

Register here.

 

 

 

 

 

This course is intended to give students a broader understanding of many aspects of bluegrass mandolin playing through the music of the greatest writer of mandolin tunes—Bill Monroe!  Students will explore fundamental aspects of technique (picking exercises, double stop exercises, tremolo and more) to help them at any ability level while learning some great (and often lesser-known) Bill Monroe tunes.  Each week, students will be given two tunes relating to various aspects of technique, along with several exercises and suggestions for playing backup and creating variations on the tunes.  Classes will meet on Monday evenings at 9 pm eastern time, and follow-up practice sessions will take place on Saturday mornings at 10 am eastern time.  Although students are more likely to get more direct interaction with the instructor during the live sessions, it is not necessary to attend all (or any) of the live sessions!  All sessions are recorded and available to view on the class website by the following day.  

Students also have access to short (1-3 minute) practice videos each week, along with mp3s to practice with at various tempos and PDFs of all of the written exercises and tunes.  Students are invited to download all materials (including short practice videos and recorded videos of all class sessions) so that they can view and/or listen to them at any point in the future after the course has concluded.  

The course is intended for players at an intemediate level, though advanced players as well as advanced beginners can benefit from the exploration of fundamentals to strengthen technique (plus learn some tunes they didn’t know before!).  

The course fee is $225.  

 

See the Crosspicking Mandolin with Matt Flinner curriculum

See the Appalachian Tunes and Techniques curriculum

 

WEEK 1: Getting open strings in the mix

Picking Exercise I

Picking Exercise II

Two ways of playing backup

My Father’s Footsteps

Northern White Clouds

 

WEEK 2: Double stops

Double stop exercises in A

Double stop exercise in G

Tallahassee

The Long Bow

 

WEEK 3: Some classic Monroe licks

Chop chord position playing

Double stops in chop chord position

Tombstone Junction

Virginia Darlin’

 

WEEK 4: A couple of waltzes

Tremolo exercise

Tremolo with double stops

Melissa’s Waltz for JB

Mississippi Waltz

 

WEEK 5: Some minor key tunes

A couple of ways of playing minor chords in backup

Minor double stop exercise

The Old Mountaineer

Crossing the Cumberlands

 

WEEK 6: Bluesy Tunes

A couple of advanced Monroe licks

Bluesy licks

Picking Exercise IV

Blue Grass Stomp

Tennessee Blues

 

WEEK 7: A couple of fast ones

Picking Exercise for Speed

Playing double stops at fast tempos

Whitehorse Breakdown

Rawhide

 

WEEK 8: Some more advanced tunes

Picking Exercise V

Old Ebenezer Scrooge

Right, Right On

 

 

Bonus Material: a few classics to know (these will be given at the begining of the course, and played occasionally during practice sessions).  

Gold Rush

Wheel Hoss

Big Mon

The Road to Columbus

 

 

Register for Bill Monroe Tunes for Mandolin.

 

See the Crosspicking Mandolin with Matt Flinner curriculum

See the Appalachian Tunes and Techniques curriculum