Matt Flinner

American Roots Mandolin Curriculum (10/5-12/3)

 

“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.

 

 

“I started playing the mandolin a little over two years ago. I played the piano as a child, but having never played a stringed instrument before, my intention was to study as much as I could about technique, theory, improvisation and the various genres of music for the mandolin.

To that end, I have taken nearly every course Matt has offered, even three at a time! Matt is a brilliant teacher. Every course is deep and rich with information. The material is thoughtfully explained, allowing a student to slowly transform the class material into music. I can’t imagine this journey without Matt Flinner.  His courses are a true life changing musical experience!”—Lisa S.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Register for American Roots Mandolin with Matt Flinner

 

See the Swing Mandolin 101 with Matt Flinner curriculum (10/3-12/3)

See the Bebop Mandolin with Matt Flinner curriculum (10/4-12/3)

 

The Bluegrass Mandolin 101 program is excited to offer a new course exploring the many sounds of early 20th Century mandolin styles from (mostly) rural America.  Blues, ragtime, Dixieland, old-time and early swing will be explored in this course, and we’ll look at the common threads between these styles as well as the differences.  Two tunes will be given each week for students to choose from, along with exercises to help students improve their technique, learn the fretboard and gain tools for playing lead and rhythm in the various styles.  

The course is intended for intermediate students, or for students simply interested in expanding their musical horizons!  

Classes meet online on Wednesday evenings at 9 pm eastern time, with follow-up practice sessions on Saturdays at 12:30 pm eastern time.  The week of November 23 will be off due to the Thanksgiving holiday.  Eight class sessions and eight practice sessions will be held over the course of nine weeks.  

 

Register here

 

Here is the curriculum: 

 

WEEK 1 (10/5)

Blues

Picking exercise I

Blues rhythm patterns

Seventh chords

Blue notes and licks

Stack-o-Lee

Cypress Grove Blues

 

WEEK 2 (10/12)

Blues and the Carter Family

Picking Exercise II

Double stops I

Mixing lead and rhythm

Coal Miner’s Blues

It’s a Long Road to Travel Alone

 

WEEK 3 (10/19)

Jimmie Rodgers

Some more complex chord progressions

Chord inversions

Hitting important notes in solos

Miss the Mississippi and You

Train Whistle Blues

 

WEEK 4 (10/26)

Blues with a bit more

Double stops II

Some more blues licks

Hard Time Killin’ Floor Blues

Goin’ Down the Road Feelin’ Bad

 

WEEK 5 (11/2)

Some rag progressions

Picking exercise III

Rhythm exercise I

More melodic lines 

Skeedie Lou Doo Blues

Travelin’ Man

 

WEEK 6 (11/9)

String band blues

Double stops in rhythm playing

Mixing lead and rhythm II

Sittin’ on Top of the World

Blues in a Bottle

 

WEEK 7 (11/16)

Dixieland & early swing

Picking Exercise IV

A few melodic runs

Chromatic melody exercise

West End Blues

Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans

 

WEEK 8 (11/30)

Bringing various styles together

Soloing in blues, swing and Appalachian styles 

Comparing rhythm in blues, swing and Appalachian styles

My Creole Belle

Some of These Days

 

The course fee is $225.  

Register for American Roots Mandolin with Matt Flinner