Matt Flinner

The Advanced Fiddle Tunes and Improvisation course is intended to help the intermediate to advanced mandolinist learn some new tunes while exploring various ways of learning the fretboard and improving their improvisational skills. Fiddle tunes in various keys will be taught each week, and students will be given suggestions on how to improvise and/or create variations on these tunes. Special attention will be given to more “modern” fiddle tunes by the likes of John Hartford, Darol Anger, Norman Blake, Vassar Clements and others. Scale and arpeggio exercises, picking exercises and fingering exercises will also be given to help students increase their improvisation skills. Students will explore melodic ideas from bluegrass, Texas fiddle tunes and jazz to expand their improvisational tool kit.

The course is intended for intermediate to advanced level students.

Register by December 12 and save $50!

The Old-Time Mandolin 102: Tunes and Techniques will introduce students to old-time tunes at a variety of difficulty levels while drilling the fundamentals: getting students to improve their picking skills, learning double stops in various keys, and improving tone and speed along the way. Each week, we’ll look at three or four old-time fiddle tunes at various levels of difficulty; students can decide which tune(s) to focus on based on their ability level and interest. We’ll add various exercises each week to help with difficult picking passages, help students get better tone, and add drone strings and double stops for a fuller sound. We’ll also look at the similarities between playing lead and rhythm in old-time music, and talk about the mandolin’s unique role as a lead and/or rhythm player; we’ll even blur the lines between lead and backup and find ways of playing in an old-time jam where we can maximize the mandolin’s unique sound. The goal of the course will be to help students be more comfortable playing with other people, improve their picking, tone, volume and confidence, and, as always, to have more fun playing the mandolin!

The course is intended for students at an intermediate level, but more advanced students may benefit from the picking and tone exercises and the focus on other fundamentals (plus learn a whole lot of great tunes!).

Register by December 12 and save $50!

Register for Old-Time Mandolin 101: Old-Time Songs and the Carter Family with Matt Flinner

Register for Advanced Fiddle Tunes and Improvisation with Matt Flinner

Register for Old-Time Mandolin 102: Old-Time Tunes and Techniques with Matt Flinner

The Old-Time Mandolin 101: Old-Time Songs and the Carter Family course (January 10-March 12) course takes place on Monday evenings at 9 pm eastern time. We’ll also have practice/review sessions on Saturdays at 10 am eastern time. Students will have eight Monday class sessions (January 10, 17, 24, 31, February 14, 21, 28 and March 7) and eight Saturday follow-up practice sessions (January 15, 22, 29, February 5, 19, 26 and March 5 and 12). All live sessions are recorded and uploaded to a class website, where they are viewable generally by the following day. Register here.

The Advanced Fiddle Tunes and Improvisation course (January 11-March 19) meets on Tuesday afternoons and evenings at 2 pm and 9 pm eastern time, with follow-up practice sessions Saturday mornings at 11 am eastern time. NOTE: Tuesday afternoon sessions take place at 2 pm eastern time—a more convenient time for our friends in the UK and Europe! 2 pm eastern time translates to 7 or 8 pm in the UK and most of Europe. Students are welcome to join in on either or both of the Tuesday sessions each week (they will be essentially identical to one another in content). Tuesday class sessions will take place January 11, 18, 25, February 1, 15, 22, March 1 and 15, and Saturday follow-up practice sessions will take place January 15, 22, 29, February 5, 19, 26 and March 5 and 19. All live sessions are recorded and uploaded to a class website, where they are viewable generally by the following day. Register here.

The Old-Time Mandolin 102: Tunes and Techniques course (January 12-March 19) meets on Wednesday evenings at 9 pm eastern time, with follow-up practice sessions Saturdays at 12:30 pm eastern time. Students will have eight Wednesday class sessions (January 12, 19, 26, February 9, 16, 23, March 2 and 16) and eight Saturday follow-up practice sessions (January 15, 22, 29, February 12, 19, 26 and March 5 and 19). All live sessions are recorded and uploaded to a class website, where they are viewable generally by the following day. Register here.

ALL class materials (PDFs, practice mp3s, short practice videos and class session videos) are available for students to download and keep for future use.

The course fee for each course is $225. Register by November 28th for just $175!

All students access to the live sessions as well as all materials (PDFs, mp3s, practice videos and class session videos), which they can download for future use.

Here’s a little more info about the Bluegrass Mandolin 101 online experience that I hope will give you a good idea of how the program works.

BLUEGRASS MANDOLIN 101

Matt Flinner started the Bluegrass Mandolin 101 program in the fall of 2013. Along the way, the program has helped hundreds of students improve their mandolin playing in a wide variety of styles. The program offers a unique approach to online mandolin lessons that gives students the best of both live lessons as well as recorded mandolin instructional videos, audio recordings and written materials. The courses focus on helping mandolin students get to the next level in their playing and broaden their understanding of a variety of American musical traditions.

A UNIQUE APPROACH: LIVE INSTRUCTION AND INSTRUCTIONAL VIDEOS

Part of what makes the Bluegrass Mandolin 101 program unique is the fact that students follow a step-by-step program of live lessons over a four or eight week course. The courses follow a carefully planned curriculum in the given style or area of technique, and the live lessons get a little more challenging each week as the course progresses. Classes meet twice per week: on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday evening, depending on the course, and on Saturday morning/afternoon, when students can join a follow-up practice session to review that week’s material. Students can view the live lessons via their computer, iPad or smart phone. Students are encouraged to ask questions during the class sessions via a chat window and/or their external or built-in microphone (this microphone is muted unless the student requests to use it). And students do not need a webcam.

All live sessions are also recorded so that students can review them any time if they are unable to make it to the live sessions; this also gives students the added convenience of going through the material as many times as they want to. Students are given access to a private class website where they can find these recorded sessions and they can also view and download all PDFs of the materials and several practice mp3s of that week’s song(s) recorded at various tempos. Students will also be given download links for all class videos so that they can view them offline at their convenience on into the future. In essence, all materials from the course are for the students to keep.

One aspect of the live class schedule that makes the program so effective is that students are generally more encouraged to practice in order to keep up with the schedule. Students are given a list of suggested priorities each week, depending on their ability level and amount of practice time, and all material is then reviewed in the Saturday practice session so that students get another chance to run through it with the instructor. Just by showing up, students will run through the material twice each week—for many of us, that’s already an improvement!

HOW INTERACTIVE ARE THE COURSES?

All live sessions are interactive; students can ask questions and/or demonstrate tunes or exercises via live microphone or telephone, or via a chat window (most students opt for this approach). The instructor is able to immediately respond and demonstrate the answers for the whole class. Another form of interaction comes via mp3 recordings; students can record mp3s on their own time of themselves playing the material (or anything else they want to send in) and send it to the instructor for feedback, which is also recorded in mp3 form and sent back to the student. Students can post their mp3s on the class site (and likely get encouraging feedback from other students in addition to the instructor) or email them privately to the instructor.

HOW MUCH DO I NEED TO PRACTICE?

That is completely up to the student. While, say, 30 minutes per day might be a good recommendation for practice time, students can make whatever they choose of this course based on their own schedule and aspirations. Practicing week to week (again, say 30 minutes per day) will help students keep up with the week’s lessons and concepts, but the instructor knows that people have busy lives! This is why all instructional material is archived and available for download so that students can learn on their own time after the course has finished as well as during the eight weeks of classes. However, one advantage to the four-week scheduled course is that by practicing at least somewhat regularly, students are more able to be prepared for the following week’s lessons and therefore take full advantage of the live and recorded mix of lesson material.

Students can decide whether to practice along with the class session or with the shorter individual videos (or both), depending on what they want to focus on for that week. Material is given each week that is targeted toward various ability levels; a song is given which is playable for beginning to intermediate players (or intermediate to advanced, depending on the course), and various concepts relating to that song are also given to educate and challenge players at beginning, intermediate and even advanced levels. The student essentially decides how much they want to take on for the week (and the course) based on their ability level and how much practice time they have. Any material they were unable to get to during the week and want to revisit later will be available in the archived videos and PDFs. The instructor will also give students a recommended list of priorities each week to help students take the best advantage of their practice time.

THE CLASS WEBPAGE

This is the virtual gathering place for the courses, where students can view the instructional videos, view and/or download all written materials, listen to mp3s of Matt playing the tunes, get listening recommendations, ask questions, submit their own mp3s for feedback and generate forum discussions. It’s a great place to drop by any time and explore, learn and discuss.

REGISTRATION FEE

Fees for the 8-week summer courses are $225 each. Register by December 12th for just $175!

Here are a few quotes from some past students about their experiences in the Bluegrass Mandolin 101 program:

“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’ve practiced more in two weeks than I have in months! Really enjoying how it’s going.”—Donna O.

“I have to say that making everything available online is a great convenience for me. Being able to stop and return to a more challenging exercise or a newer phrase is great for learning. I also really appreciate your availability to answer questions offline. This is a great course, and I feel as though I’m improving daily because of it.”—Joe C.

“The level was perfect. Mentally I understand many things that have opened up the fingerboard a lot; now I need some quality time to get it under my hands. I found things challenging without feeling out of reach.”—Stan M.

“I’m really enjoying the course. The first time I’ve actually practiced an instrument in my 60 years!”—Skip H.

To visit the registration pages, click one of these links:

Register for Old-Time Mandolin 101: Old-Time Songs and the Carter Family with Matt Flinner

Register for Advanced Fiddle Tunes and Improvisation with Matt Flinner

Register for Old-Time Mandolin 102: Old-Time Tunes and Techniques with Matt Flinner

Advanced Fiddle Tunes and Improvisation with Matt Flinner Curriculum, 1/11-3/19

By Theme Admin on November 17th, 2021 at 5:40 AM

“This was the best online learning experience I’ve ever had. And, for the time and money, the best music learning experience in any format: DVD, video, group, or individual live lessons.”—Christine R.

“I’ve learned so much from your courses and have improved greatly due to learning some basic skills and music theory.”—Jamie J.

“Your courses have opened my musical mind, focused my practice and expanded my skill far beyond expectation.”—-Steve F

Sale extended! Register by December 12 and save $50!

Register for the Advanced Fiddle Tunes and Improvisation for Mandolin with Matt Flinner course

See the Old-Time Mandolin 101: Old-Time Songs and the Carter Family with Matt Flinner curriculum

See the Old-Time Mandolin 102: Tunes and Techniques with Matt Flinner curriculum

This course is intended to help the intermediate to advanced mandolinist learn some new tunes while exploring various ways of learning the fretboard and improving their improvisational skills. Fiddle tunes in various keys will be taught each week, and students will be given suggestions on how to improvise and/or create variations on these tunes. Special attention will be given to more “modern” fiddle tunes by the likes of John Hartford, Darol Anger, Norman Blake, Vassar Clements and others. Scale and arpeggio exercises, picking exercises and fingering exercises will also be given to help students increase their improvisation skills.

The course is intended for intermediate to advanced level students.

Class sessions will take place on Tuesday afternoons at 2 pm (for those in the UK and Europe!) as well as 9 pm eastern time, with follow-up practice/review sessions on Saturdays at 11 am eastern time. The weeks of February 8th and March 8th will be off due to Matt’s touring schedule and some family events. There will be eight class sessions (or 16, if you count the extra afternoon sessions) and eight practice sessions over the course of 10 weeks.

Register by December 12 and save $50!

WEEK 1 (1/11)

Octave changes

Moving between octaves

A few positions in common keys

Old Daingerfield

Blake’s March (Norman Blake)

WEEK 2 (1/18)

Improv with chord tones

Arpeggio Exercise I

Changing octaves with chord tones

Grey Owl

Tennessee Politics (John Hartford)

WEEK 3 (1/25)

Double stops in improv

A and D double stops

Moving between positions using double stops

Chord tones in improvisation

Georgia Home (Norman Blake)

Homer the Roamer (John Hartford)

WEEK 4 (2/1)

Minor keys

Improv lines in minor keys

Adding minor double stops

Some blues ideas

Crossing the Catskills (Vassar Clements)

The Legend (Bela Fleck)

WEEK 5 (2/15)

Texas style tunes

A few licks in A

Getting up the neck

More chord tones in improv

Position shifts

Billy Wilson

Miller’s Reel

WEEK 6 (2/22)

Double Stops II

Open style double stop exercise I

Creating variations with moving double stops

Moving from chord to chord with a mixture of double stops

Washington County

Cincinnati Rag

WEEK 7 (3/1)

Playing over unusual chord progressions

Chord tones II

Arpeggio exercise II

Using double stops to navigate chord progressions

Pig on the Engine (Norman Blake)

Kissimmee Kid (Vassar Clements)

WEEK 8 (3/15)

Tying it all together

Chord tones, octave changes, double stops and the blues

Ride the Wild Turkey (Darol Anger)

Down in the Swamp (Bela Fleck)

The course fee is $225. Register by December 12 for just $175!

Old-Time Mandolin 101: Old-Time Songs and the Carter Family Curriculum (1/11-3/12)

By Theme Admin on November 17th, 2021 at 5:38 AM

“This was the best online learning experience I’ve ever had. And, for the time and money, the best music learning experience in any format: DVD, video, group, or individual live lessons.”—Christine R.

“This is the best learning format ever and I like your approach very much.”—Marty C.

Sale extended! Register by December 12 and save $50!

Register for Old Time Mandolin 101: Songs and Rhythm with Matt Flinner

See the Old Time Mandolin 102: Tunes and Techniques curriculum (Jan 12-March 19)

See the Advanced Fiddle Tunes and Improvisation for Mandolin curriculum (Jan 11-March 19)

This course will focus on getting students more familiar with Appalachian old-time songs and help them improve their mandolin fundamentals along the way. Students will get pointers on how to maximize their tone, various approaches to rhythm playing and chords, making use of open strings, double stops as well as learning a new song (or two or three!) each week. Each week, we’ll look at two standard songs from the old-time repertoire, plus one song from the Carter Family (some of which are also part of the old-time repertoire). We’ll learn ways of playing lead starting with simple melodies, then gradually progressing to more advanced concepts such as adding double stops, changing octaves, stepping away from the melody and more.

The course is intended for students at a beginner to intermediate level. More advanced students may benefit from the tone exercises and focus on fundamentals (plus learn some great tunes!).

60-minute class sessions take place online every Monday evening from January 11th to March 7th at 9 pm eastern time, and 45-minute practice/review sessions take place every Saturday morning from January 16th through March 12th at 10 am eastern time. The week of February 7th is off due to Matt’s tour schedule.

NOTE: It is helpful, but not essential, to be present for the live sessions. All class sessions are recorded and available to view on the class website by the following day. Here is the curriculum:

WEEK 1 (1/10)

Backup in D

Picking Exercise I

Getting a full tone with open strings

Been All Around this World

I Wish I Was a Mole in the Ground

Fond Affection

WEEK 2 (1/17)

Backup in G

Drone strings in G

Picking Exercise II

Peg and Awl

Way Down in North Carolina

Cannonball Blues

WEEK 3 (1/24)

Using some double stops in lead and backup

Double Stop Exercise I

Mixing lead and backup

Chilly Winds

I Truly Understand

When the Springtime Comes Again

WEEK 4 (1/31)

Backup in A

Getting some blue notes in your playing

Double Stop Exercise II

Old Jaw Bone

Skillet Good and Greasy

Broken Hearted Lover

WEEK 5 (2/14)

Waltzes

Waltz time backup

Double Stop Exercise III

The Blackest Crow

Jack of Diamonds

Beautiful Isle o’er the Sea

WEEK 6 (2/21)

Playing in C

Open drone strings in C

Double Stop Exercise IV

Say Darling Say

Rove Riley Rove

Faded Flowers

WEEK 7 (2/28)

Getting the tempo up

Picking exercises for speed

Backup on faster tunes

The Coo-Coo

Fall on My Knees

Little Joe

WEEK 8 (3/7)

Tying it all together

Drone strings, octave changes and blues

More double stops in backup

Way Down the Old Plank Road

Hop High My Lulu Gal

When Silver Threads Are Gold Again

The course fee is $225. Register by December 12 for just $175!

Old-Time Mandolin 102: Tunes and Techniques with Matt Flinner Curriculum (1/12-3/19)

By Theme Admin on November 17th, 2021 at 5:09 AM

“This was the best online learning experience I’ve ever had. And, for the time and money, the best music learning experience in any format: DVD, video, group, or individual live lessons.”—Christine R.

“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 have done some online courses, some one-on-one instruction and some camps. The course I just finished with you has been the most useful by a pretty large margin. Thanks for both the thought and effort that went into the design and material preparation and for the personal presence you bring to it.”—Steve F.

Sale extended! Register by December 12 and save $50!

Register for Old-Time Mandolin 102: Tunes and Techniques with Matt Flinner

See the Old-Time Mandolin 101: Old-Time Songs and the Carter Family with Matt Flinner curriculum (Jan 10-March 12)

See the Advanced Fiddle Tunes and Improvisation for Mandolin curriculum (Jan 11-March 19)

This course will be heavy on fundamentals: getting students to improve their picking skills, learning double stops in various keys, and improving tone and speed along the way. Each week, we’ll look at three or four old-time fiddle tunes at various levels of difficulty; students can decide which tune(s) to focus on based on their ability level and interest. We’ll add various exercises each week to help with difficult picking passages, help students get better tone, and add drone strings and double stops for a fuller sound. We’ll also look at the similarities between playing lead and rhythm in old-time music, and talk about the mandolin’s unique role as a lead and/or rhythm player; we’ll even blur the lines between lead and backup and find ways of playing in an old-time jam where we can maximize the mandolin’s unique sound.

The course is intended for students at an intermediate level, but more advanced students may benefit from the picking and tone exercises and the focus on other fundamentals (plus learn a whole lot of great tunes!).

60-minute class sessions take place online every Wednesday evening from January 12th to March 16th at 9 pm eastern time, and 45-minute practice/review sessions take place every Saturday afternoon from January 16th through March 19th at 12:30 pm eastern time. The weeks of February 2 and March 9 are off due to Matt’s tour schedule and some family events.

NOTE: It is helpful, but not essential, to be present for the live sessions. All class sessions are recorded and available to view on the class website by the following day. Here is the curriculum:

WEEK 1 (1/12)

Getting the groove

Picking Exercise I

Double Stop Exercise I

Rhythm playing in D

Maximizing Your Tone

The Boatman Tune

New Five Cents

Sugar Hill

WEEK 2 (1/19)

Tunes in G

Picking Exercise II

Double Stop Exercise II

Rhythm playing using double stops

Incorporating double stops into your melodies

Corn in the Crib

Lost Girl

Sail Away Ladies

WEEK 3 (1/26)

Making the most of open strings in A

Picking Exercise III

Double Stop Exercise III

Adding Some Notes and Runs in Backup Playing

Using octave changes

Blind Steer in a Mud Hole

Red Steer

Old Greasy Coat

WEEK 4 (2/9)

Tunes in C

Picking Exercise IV

Double Stop Exercise IV

Rhythm options in C

Old Mother McCarthy

Georgia Wagoner

Tennessee Mountain Fox Chase

WEEK 5 (2/16)

Some tunes in minor keys

Minor double stop exercise

More octave changes

Lady of the Lake

Cold Frosty Morning

Cousin Sally Brown

WEEK 6 (2/23)

Going further with octave changes

Double stop transitions between lead and rhythm playing

Picking Exercise V

Double Stop Exercise V

Apple Blossom

Five Miles Out of Town

Johnny Don’t Get Drunk

Bonaparte Crossing the Rhine

WEEK 7 (3/2)

Some more advanced tunes

Further lead/rhythm transitions

Brushy Run

Richmond

Icy Mountain

WEEK 8 (3/16)

Tying it all together

Octave changes, double stops, drifting in and out of lead and backup

Speed Exercises

Picking Exercise VI

Double Stop Exercise VI

Ida Red

Walk Along John to Kansas

Lost Indian

John Brown’s Dream

The course fee is $225. Register by December 12 for just $175!

Swing Mandolin 101, Advanced Swing Soloing: the Solos of Jethro Burns and Tiny Moore and Blues Mandolin Start 10/4-6

By Theme Admin on August 23rd, 2021 at 10:12 PM

“This was the best online learning experience I’ve ever had. And, for the time and money, the best music learning experience in any format: DVD, video, group, or individual live lessons.”—Christine R.

“After buying six mandolins and umpteen books…I am convinced your course is best $100 I have invested in my mandolin journey to date. Finally, I’m getting the discpline I need with your exercises to learn scales, arpeggios, double stops, fingering techniques, learn the fretboard (the essential tools I need)…and most importantly to learn how those things fit into playing tunes.”—Rick D.

The Bluegrass Mandolin 101 online lessons program continues this fall with three eight-week long courses in swing, jazz and blues. Courses for a variety of levels from advanced beginner to intermediate to advanced students will be offered on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, with follow-up practice sessions on Saturdays from early October through early December. Show up live for the streamed sessions on Zoom or stream them later on the class website. Or both!

Swing Mandolin 101 with Matt Flinner Curriculum Registration

Advanced Swing Soloing: the Solos of Jethro Burns and Tiny Moore Curriculum Registration

Blues Mandolin with Matt Flinner Curriculum Registration

The Swing Mandolin 101 course (October 4-December 11) will dive into the wonderful world of swing mandolin. Students will learn a new swing tune (or two) each week and get pointers on how to play chords and backup as well as approaches to improvising. This course will be very much into chord voicings, scales, arpeggios and how they all relate to one another. It’s a great way to expand your playing and musicianship (and learn some great tunes)!

The course is recommended for advanced beginner to intermediate students, and assumes some knowledge of chords and the ability to play some melodies. Rudimentary knowledge of scales and arpeggios is also helpful.

The Advanced Swing Soloing: the Solos of Jethro Burns and Tiny Moore course (October 5-December 11) will explore swing mandolin playing by two great masters: Jethro Burns, Tiny Moore. Two swing standards will be taught each week, along with transcribed solos from each of these virtuosos. Some analysis will be given, along with some extra exercises to help students understand, apply and expand on concepts from the solos in their own playing—whether on the given tunes or any other jazz standards. Along the way, students will learn plenty of melodic ideas, licks and bits of theory to help them energize their playing and navigate the wonderful world of swing!

The course is intended for intermediate to advanced level students.

The Blues Mandolin course (October 6-December 11) will explore a variety of blues styles and grooves on the mandolin. We’ll go deep into recordings from the 1920s and 30s, drawing from the playing of Carl Martin, Charlie McCoy, Yank Rachell, Johnny Young and Howard Armstrong, among others. Rhythm playing, lead playing and improvising will all be covered, with suggestions on chord forms, rhythmic patterns and licks across a variety of blues tunes in various keys and tempos.

The course is intended for players at any level who are interested in blues mandolin.

Register for Advanced Swing Mandolin Soloing: the Solos of Jethro Burns and Tiny Moore with Matt Flinner

The Swing Mandolin 101 course (October 4-December 11) course takes place on Monday evenings at 9 pm eastern time. We’ll also have practice/review sessions on Saturdays at 10 am eastern time. Students will have eight Monday class sessions (October 4, 11, 18, 25, November 8, 15, 29 and December 6) and eight Saturday follow-up practice sessions (October 9, 16, 23, 30, November 13, 20 and December 4 and 11). All live sessions are recorded and uploaded to a class website, where they are viewable generally by the following day (in the case of Saturday practice sessions, they’re usually available to view later that day). Register here.

The Advanced Swing Soloing: the Solos of Jethro Burns and Tiny Moore course (October 5-December 11) meets on Tuesday afternoons and evenings at 2 pm and 9 pm eastern time, with follow-up practice sessions Saturday mornings at 11 am eastern time. NOTE: Tuesday afternoon sessions take place at 2 pm eastern time—a more convenient time for our friends in the UK and Europe! 2 pm eastern time translates to 7 or 8 pm in the UK and most of Europe. Students are welcome to join in on either or both of the Tuesday sessions each week (they will be essentially identical to one another in content). Tuesday class sessions will take place October 5, 12, 19, 26, November 9, 16, 30 and December 7, and Saturday follow-up practice sessions will take place October 9, 16, 23, 30, November 13, 20 and December 4 and 11. All live sessions are recorded and uploaded to a class website, where they are viewable generally by the following day (in the case of Saturday practice sessions, they’re usually available to view later that day). Register here.

The Blues Mandolin course (October 6-December 11) meets on Wednesday evenings at 9 pm eastern time, with follow-up practice sessions Saturdays at 12:30 pm eastern time. Students will have eight Wednesday class sessions (October 6, 13, 20, 27, November 10, 17 and December 1 and 8) and eight Saturday follow-up practice sessions (October 9, 16, 23, 30, November 13, 20 and December 4 and 11). All live sessions are recorded and uploaded to a class website, where they are viewable generally by the following day (in the case of Saturday practice sessions, they’re usually available to view later that day). Register here.

ALL class materials (PDFs, practice mp3s, short practice videos and class session videos) are available for students to download and keep for future use.

The course fee for each course is $225.

All students access to the live sessions as well as all materials (PDFs, mp3s, practice videos and class session videos), which they can download for future use.

Here’s a little more info about the Bluegrass Mandolin 101 online experience that I hope will give you a good idea of how the program works.

BLUEGRASS MANDOLIN 101

Matt Flinner started the Bluegrass Mandolin 101 program in the fall of 2013. Along the way, the program has helped hundreds of students improve their mandolin playing in a wide variety of styles. The program offers a unique approach to online mandolin lessons that gives students the best of both live lessons as well as recorded mandolin instructional videos, audio recordings and written materials. The courses focus on helping mandolin students get to the next level in their playing and broaden their understanding of a variety of American musical traditions.

A UNIQUE APPROACH: LIVE INSTRUCTION AND INSTRUCTIONAL VIDEOS

Part of what makes the Bluegrass Mandolin 101 program unique is the fact that students follow a step-by-step program of live lessons over a four or eight week course. The courses follow a carefully planned curriculum in the given style or area of technique, and the live lessons get a little more challenging each week as the course progresses. Classes meet twice per week: on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday evening, depending on the course, and on Saturday morning/afternoon, when students can join a follow-up practice session to review that week’s material. Students can view the live lessons via their computer, iPad or smart phone. Students are encouraged to ask questions during the class sessions via a chat window and/or their external or built-in microphone (this microphone is muted unless the student requests to use it). And students do not need a webcam.

All live sessions are also recorded so that students can review them any time if they are unable to make it to the live sessions; this also gives students the added convenience of going through the material as many times as they want to. Students are given access to a private class website where they can find these recorded sessions and they can also view and download all PDFs of the materials and several practice mp3s of that week’s song(s) recorded at various tempos. Students will also be given download links for all class videos so that they can view them offline at their convenience on into the future. In essence, all materials from the course are for the students to keep.

One aspect of the live class schedule that makes the program so effective is that students are generally more encouraged to practice in order to keep up with the schedule. Students are given a list of suggested priorities each week, depending on their ability level and amount of practice time, and all material is then reviewed in the Saturday practice session so that students get another chance to run through it with the instructor. Just by showing up, students will run through the material twice each week—for many of us, that’s already an improvement!

HOW INTERACTIVE ARE THE COURSES?

All live sessions are interactive; students can ask questions and/or demonstrate tunes or exercises via live microphone or telephone, or via a chat window (most students opt for this approach). The instructor is able to immediately respond and demonstrate the answers for the whole class. Another form of interaction comes via mp3 recordings; students can record mp3s on their own time of themselves playing the material (or anything else they want to send in) and send it to the instructor for feedback, which is also recorded in mp3 form and sent back to the student. Students can post their mp3s on the class site (and likely get encouraging feedback from other students in addition to the instructor) or email them privately to the instructor.

HOW MUCH DO I NEED TO PRACTICE?

That is completely up to the student. While, say, 30 minutes per day might be a good recommendation for practice time, students can make whatever they choose of this course based on their own schedule and aspirations. Practicing week to week (again, say 30 minutes per day) will help students keep up with the week’s lessons and concepts, but the instructor knows that people have busy lives! This is why all instructional material is archived and available for download so that students can learn on their own time after the course has finished as well as during the eight weeks of classes. However, one advantage to the four-week scheduled course is that by practicing at least somewhat regularly, students are more able to be prepared for the following week’s lessons and therefore take full advantage of the live and recorded mix of lesson material.

Students can decide whether to practice along with the class session or with the shorter individual videos (or both), depending on what they want to focus on for that week. Material is given each week that is targeted toward various ability levels; a song is given which is playable for beginning to intermediate players (or intermediate to advanced, depending on the course), and various concepts relating to that song are also given to educate and challenge players at beginning, intermediate and even advanced levels. The student essentially decides how much they want to take on for the week (and the course) based on their ability level and how much practice time they have. Any material they were unable to get to during the week and want to revisit later will be available in the archived videos and PDFs. The instructor will also give students a recommended list of priorities each week to help students take the best advantage of their practice time.

THE CLASS WEBPAGE

This is the virtual gathering place for the courses, where students can view the instructional videos, view and/or download all written materials, listen to mp3s of Matt playing the tunes, get listening recommendations, ask questions, submit their own mp3s for feedback and generate forum discussions. It’s a great place to drop by any time and explore, learn and discuss.

REGISTRATION FEE

Fees for the 8-week summer courses are $225 each.

Here are a few quotes from some past students about their experiences in the Bluegrass Mandolin 101 program:

“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’ve practiced more in two weeks than I have in months! Really enjoying how it’s going.”—Donna O.

“I have to say that making everything available online is a great convenience for me. Being able to stop and return to a more challenging exercise or a newer phrase is great for learning. I also really appreciate your availability to answer questions offline. This is a great course, and I feel as though I’m improving daily because of it.”—Joe C.

“The level was perfect. Mentally I understand many things that have opened up the fingerboard a lot; now I need some quality time to get it under my hands. I found things challenging without feeling out of reach.”—Stan M.

“I’m really enjoying the course. The first time I’ve actually practiced an instrument in my 60 years!”—Skip H.

To visit the registration pages, click one of these links:

Register for Advanced Swing Mandolin Soloing: the Solos of Jethro Burns and Tiny Moore with Matt Flinner

Advanced Swing Mandolin: the Solos of Jethro Burns and Tiny Moore Curriculum (10/6-12/11)

By Theme Admin on August 23rd, 2021 at 9:33 PM

“

This was the best online learning experience I’ve ever had. And, for the time and money, the best music learning experience in any format: DVD, video, group, or individual live lessons.”—Christine R.

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

“Your classes are the best and most successful learning approach for me, Thank you.”—-Eric B.

Register for Advanced Swing Mandolin Soloing: the Solos of Jethro Burns and Tiny Moore

See the Swing Mandolin 101 with Matt Flinner curriculum

See the Blues Mandolin with Matt Flinner curriculum

Brand new this fall is a course exploring swing mandolin playing by two great masters: Jethro Burns, Tiny Moore. Two swing standards will be taught each week, along with transcribed solos from each of these virtuosos. Some analysis will be given, along with some extra exercises to help students understand, apply and expand on concepts from the solos in their own playing—whether on the given tunes or any other jazz standards. Along the way, students will learn plenty of melodic ideas, licks and bits of theory to help them energize their playing and navigate the wonderful world of swing!

The course is intended for intermediate to advanced level students.

Class sessions will take place on Tuesday afternoons at 2 pm (for those in the UK and Europe!) as well as 9 pm eastern time, with follow-up practice/review sessions on Saturdays at 11 am eastern time. The weeks of November 2nd and 23rd will be off due to Matt’s touring schedule and the Thanksgiving holiday in the U.S. There will be eight class sessions (or 16, if you count the extra afternoon sessions) and eight practice sessions over the course of 10 weeks.

Register for Advanced Swing Mandolin Soloing: the Solos of Jethro Burns and Tiny Moore

Here is the curriculum:

WEEK 1 (10/5)

Some blues

A few blues licks

Arpeggios and chord tones in soloing

One O’Clock Jump (Jethro Burns)

Three Guitar Special (Tiny Moore)

WEEK 2 (10/12)

ii-V-Is

Some ii-V-I licks

Triplets

Arpeggio Exercise I

Swing 42 (Jethro)

Don’t Get Around Much Anymore (Tiny)

WEEK 3 (10/19)

Chord tones in soloing

Arpeggio Exercise II

Avalon (Jethro)

Out of Nowhere (Tiny)

WEEK 4 (10/26)

A few cool licks

Chromatic runs

Using neighbor tones in soloing

Tiny’s Rag (Tiny)

I iWant to Be Happy (Jethro)

WEEK 5 (11/9)

Minor progressions

Minor ii-V-is

Blues licks in minor keys

Jethro’s Tune (Jethro)

I Surrender, Dear (Tiny)

WEEK 6 (11/16)

Some diminished ideas

Arpeggio Exercise III

Double Stop Exercise II

Airmail Special (Tiny)

Don’t Be That Way (Jethro)

WEEK 7 (11/30)

Some more triplet licks

Arpeggio Exercise IV

Diatonic arpeggio licks

Back to Back (Tiny)

Diane (Jethro)

WEEK 8 (12/7)

Tying it all together

Some more cool licks

Whole tone ideas

If Dreams Come True (Jethro)

Stumbling (Tiny)

The Course fee is $225.

Blues Mandolin with Matt Flinner Curriculum (10/7-12/11)

By Theme Admin on August 23rd, 2021 at 9:32 PM

“This was the best online learning experience I’ve ever had. And, for the time and money, the best music learning experience in any format: DVD, video, group, or individual live lessons.”—Christine R.

“Thanks for the terrific class! I had my mandolin lurking in the corner for 9 months before I took this class. I played with it now and then but felt out of my depth, having only played piano in the past. A few weeks into your class, I couldn’t put down my mandolin, practicing far more than my kids want me to. In addition to the wonderful tunes we learned in class, I started to pick out other melodies like Christmas carols, simple gifts, harry potter, star wars; anything I hear I want to find it on the mandolin.”—Randy R.

See the Swing Mandolin 101 curriculum

See the Advanced Swing Soloing: Solos of Jethro Burns and Tiny Moore curriculum

Blues mandolin returns to the Bluegrass Mandolin 101 online program! In this course, we’ll be learning how to play a variety of blues styles and grooves on the mandolin. We’ll go deep into recordings from the 1920s and 30s, drawing from the playing of Carl Martin, Charlie McCoy, Yank Rachell, Johnny Young and Howard Armstrong, among others. Rhythm playing, lead playing and improvising will all be covered, with suggestions on chord forms, rhythmic patterns and licks across a variety of blues tunes in various keys and tempos.

Class sessions will meet up on Wednesday evenings at 9 pm eastern time, with follow-up practice sessions on Saturdays at 12:30 pm eastern time.

The course is intended for players at any level who are interested in blues mandolin. Register here.

Here is the curriculum:

WEEK 1

Basic blues

Blues scales

Some blues licks

Basic blues backup

Picking Exercise I

Let My Peaches Be (Charlie McCoy)

Carl’s Blues (Carl Martin)

WEEK 2

Some more blues licks

Tremolo exercises

3-note chords in backup

Four Day Blues (Eddie Dimmiitt)

Baby Got the Rickets (Vol Stevens)

WEEK 3

Slow blues backup

Open style double stops in backup

Some triplet licks on slow tunes

Picking Exercise II

Trouble on Your Hand No. 1 (Carl Martin)

Going to Pack Up My Things and Go (Yank Rachell)

WEEK 4

Some more double stop shapes

Picking Exercise III

Some syncopated licks

You Got Me Rollin (Will Weldon)

Vol Stevens Blues (Vol Stevens)

WEEK 5

Open Style double stops II

More double stop licks

Barnyard Dance (Carl Martin)

Do the Boogie Mama (Yank Rachell)

WEEK 6

Blues in D

Some Johnny Young Licks

Tremolo exercise II

Mandolin Rock (Johnny Young)

Stealin’ (Johnny Young)

WEEK 7

Ragtime Progressions

More 3-Note chords

State Street Rag Picking Exercise

Too Long (Charlie McCoy)

New State Street Rag (Howard Armstrong)

WEEK 8

Tying it all together

Picking exercise IV

Double-time picking exercise

Wading Through Deep Water (Howard Armstrong)

Smokey Joe (Yank Rachel)

The course fee is $225.

Swing Mandolin 101 with Matt Flinner Curriculum (10/4-12/11)

By Theme Admin on August 23rd, 2021 at 9:32 PM

“All your courses are really good, very well designed, and you have a great teaching style and a relaxed, open, while also serious, approach – which really comes across with the live lessons – thank you for being so encouraging always!”—Penny J.

“I got a lot out of it! Everyday I have a practice routine based on the summer intensive. You have helped me by leaps and bounds.”—Sandy N.

See the Advanced Swing Mandolin Soloing: the Solos of Jethro Burns and Tiny Moore curriculum

See the Blues Mandolin curriculum

Explore the wonderful world of swing mandolin with Grammy-nominated mandolinist Matt Flinner. Learn a new swing tune (or two) each week and get pointers on how to play chords and backup as well as approaches to improvising. This course will be very much into chord voicings, scales, arpeggios and how they all relate to one another. It’s a great way to expand your playing and musicianship (and learn some great tunes)!

The course takes place on Monday evenings at 9 pm eastern time, with practice/review sessions on Saturdays at 10 am eastern time. The course is recommended for advanced beginner to intermediate students, and assumes some knowledge of chords and the ability to play some melodies. Rudimentary knowledge of scales and arpeggios is also helpful.

Register here for Swing Mandolin 101 with Matt Flinner

SWING MANDOLIN 101 CURRICULUM:

Week 1 (10/4): Starting out simple

Major scales and patterns

Major 6 and 7 chords

Dominant 7 chords

Dinah

Bonus Tune: Believe It, Beloved

Week 2 (10/11): The ii-V-I progression

Two ways of playing ii-V-Is

Dorian scales and patterns

Mixolydian Scales and patterns

Undecided

Bonus tune: I Want to Be Happy

Week 3 (10/18): The Blues

Blues scales

A few blues licks

Dominant 7 chord inversions

Dominant 7 arpeggios

Route 66

Bonus tune: Blues Walk

Week 4 (10/25): Some more ii-V-Is

A couple of ii-V-I licks

Two more ii-V-I inversions

Minor 7 arpeggios

Dorian scales and patterns

When You’re Smiling

Bonus tune: Satin Doll

Week 5 (11/8): Going Around the Circle of 5ths

Patterns around the circle

Some Dominant 7 licks

Arpeggiating through chord progressions

Up a Lazy River

Bonus tune: The Sheik of Araby

Week 6 (11/15): Target notes

Some more ii-V-I licks and patterns

Using target notes over chord changes

Scale exercises and ii-V-Is

It Had to Be You

Bonus tune: Night and Day

Week 7 (11/29): The I-VI-ii-V-I progression

Different ways of playing the I-VI-ii-V-I progression

Finding smooth chord tones from chord to chord

Just You, Just Me

Bonus tune: Them There Eyes

Week 8 (12/6): Rhythm changes

Tying it all together: inversions, chord tones, arpeggios and scales

Two approaches to rhythm changes

Oleo

Bonus tune: Don’t Be That Way

The course fee is $225.