Matt Flinner

“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., Bluegrass Mandolin 101 student

“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 a 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., Bluegrass Mandolin 101 student

Register for Mandolin Chord Melody with Matt Flinner

See the Swing Mandolin 101 curriculum

See the Western Swing Mandolin curriculum

This course is all about chords!  Chord inversions will be explored around the fretboard in various keys, and students will learn how to play melodies using those chord inversions as melodic and harmonic foundations.  Each week, two solo arrangements of swing/jazz standard tunes will be given in which the melody is played as the top note (or often passing notes) of the chord; as the melody moves, the chord inversions move accordingly, creating a full, rich sounding solo arrangement on, of all things, the mandolin.  Students will also be given tips on using these chords to accompany other soloists, as well as ways of using chord inversions and chord melody technique in improvisation.   It’s a great way to become not only a better solo mandolinist, but a much better accompanist as well!  

This course is intended for students at an intermediate/advanced level.  

Mandolin Chord Melody Curriculum (April 2-June 8)

WEEK 1 (April 2)

Intro to Chord Melody

Starting with the Blues

Dominant 7 Chord Inversions

Scales over dominant 7 chords

Route 66

Things Ain’t What They Used to Be

WEEK 2 (April 16)

Major 7 chord inversions 

Scales over major 7 chords

All of Me

Sweet Lorraine

WEEK 3 (April 23)

Minor 7 chord inversions

Scales over minor 7 chords

Moving from minor 7 to dominant 7 chords

Blue Skies

Georgia on My Mind

WEEK 4 (April 30)

A Couple of Waltzes

More moving chord inversions

Someday My Prince Will Come

Ugly Beauty

WEEK 5 (May 7)

Putting it together

Some 4-note Chords

They Can’t Take That Away from Me

Someone to Watch Over Me

WEEK 6 (May 21)

Common tones in chords

Diminished Chords

Diminshed chords as substitutions

Scales over diminished chords

Moonglow

Stompin’ at the Savoy

WEEK 7 (May 28)

Moving double stops 

Double stop exercises in various keys

Adding some augmented chords

If I Had You

Do Nothing ‘Til You Hear from Me

WEEK 8 (June 4)

Starting to improvise chord melody

Further use of chord inversions

ii-V-I inversions

Adding melodic lines between chords

Sweet Georgia Brown

Night and Day

The course fee is $225.  

Register here for Mandolin Chord Melody with Matt Flinner 

“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.

“Your classes are moving me forward so very much. Thank you.” —Jean C.

Register for Western Swing Mandolin with Matt Flinner

See the Swing Mandolin 101 curriculum

See the Mandolin Chord Melody curriculum

New this spring, Western Swing Mandolin with Matt Flinner will take students on a journey through the music of Texas dance halls in the 1930s and 40s.  Drawing mostly from the music of Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys, but also the likes of Milton Brown and Hank Thompson, the course will introduce students to the unique combination of early country music and jazz that became Western Swing.  Students will learn one (or two if they choose) standard song per week, and will be given exercises to help them play lead as well as backup, all with the intent of getting more familiar with the harmonically rich vocabulary of Western Swing Music.  We’ll also look at at least one solo per week by one of the greats (Johnny Gimble, Tiny Moore, Leon McAuliffe, etc.) in this style.  

This course is intended for intermediate-level students, though students at all levels who are intersted in Western Swing may find it helpful.  A minimum rudimentary knowledge of chords and some fiddle tune melodies is recommended.  

Here is the curriclum: 

WEEK 1 (April 3)

Simple chord progressions

Looking at chord tones

A few melodic lines

Melodic Pattern 1

Yearning

Take Me Back to Tulsa

WEEK 2 (April 17)

Extensions: 9 and 13 chords

Melodic Pattern 2

Sugar Moon

Corrine, Corrina

Miss Molly

WEEK 3 (April 24)

Using arpeggios

Major, Dominant and Minor arpeggio exercises

Melodic Pattern 3

Steel Guitar Rag

Taking Off

WEEK 4 (May 1)

More with chord tones

Some more melodic lines

Melodic Pattern 4

Smoke, Smoke, Smoke That Cigarette

Driving Nails in My Coffin

WEEK 5 (May 8)

I-VI-II-V Progressions

Lines over the I-VI-II-V progression

I Hear You Talking’

Roly Poly

WEEK 6 (May 22)

A bit of twin fiddle harmony

Creating harmonies based on chord tones

Faded Love

San Antonio Rose

WEEK 7 (May 29) 

Diatonic arpeggio lines

Fat Boy Rag

Three Guitar Special

WEEK 8 (June 5)

Tying it all together

Arpeggios, melodic lines, chord tones, extensions

Yellow Rose of Texas

Remington Ride

The course fee is $225.  

Register here for Western Swing Mandolin with Matt Flinner

“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.

Register for Swing Mandolin 101 with Matt Flinner

See the Mandolin Chord Melody curriculum

See the Western Swing 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. 

SWING AND JAZZ MANDOLIN 101 CURRICULUM:

Week 1 (April 1): The Blues

Dominant 7 Chords

Blues Scales

C Jam Blues

Bonus Tune: Route 66

Week 2 (April 15): The ii-V-I progression

Major Scales and patterns in a few keys

Two ways of playing ii-V-Is

Major 7 Arpeggios in all keys

Sweet Sue

Bonus tune: How High the Moon

Week 3 (April 22): The Blues II (adding the ii-V-I)

Dominant 7 chord inversions

Dominant 7 arpeggios

Mixolydian Scales and patterns

Blues Walk

Bonus tune: Cool Blues

Week 4 (April 29): 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

Honeysuckle Rose

Bonus tune: Ain’t Misbehavin’

Week 5 (May 6): Going Around the Circle of 5ths

Patterns around the circle

Arpeggiating through chord progressions

Seven Come Eleven

Bonus tune: Sweet Georgia Brown

Week 6 (May 20): Target notes

Some more ii-V-I licks and patterns

Using target notes over chord changes

Scale exercises and ii-V-Is

All of Me

Bonus tune: Back Home Again in Indiana

Week 7 (May 27): The I-VI-ii-V-I progression

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

Finding smooth chord tones from chord to chord

Blue Moon

Bonus tune: Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off

Week 8 (June 3): Rhythm changes

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

I Got Rhythm

Bonus tune: Oleo

The course fee is $225.  

Register here for Swing Mandolin 101 with Matt Flinner

We ring in the New Year with music to help bring us together, not just as Americans but as citizens of the world.  I’m always amazed at how bluegrass music crosses so many boundaries—economic, religious, racial and international—and how people from these disparate corners can find common ground in something they love and can all relate to.  So I’m hoping the Bluegrass Mandolin 101 program can perhaps help bring us together next year, at least in some small way!  

Many folks in the UK and various parts of Europe have taken part in the Bluegrass Mandolin 101 program, but often the class times are inconvenient for them, to say the least.  Two courses coming this winter will be offered at more Euro-convenient times—the Bluegrass Mandolin 101 course and the American Roots Mandolin course.  Class sessions for the Bluegrass Mandolin 101 will take place live online on Mondays at 2 pm eastern time in the U.S., which is 7 pm in the U.K. and 8 pm in most of Europe, and sessions for the American Roots Mandolin course will take place on Wednesdays at the same time (and we’re not forgetting about you Aussies—it’s 6 am there, but we know you’re hardy folks who’ve probably already accomplished more than the rest of us will all day!).  Students in any time zone are welcome to join these sessions as well as the 9 pm eastern time sessions on Mondays (for the Bluegrass Mandolin 101 course) or Wednesdays (for the American Roots Mandolin course).  Both class sessions will essentially be the same, but some students enjoy attending both in order to get a couple of run-throughs for that week’s material.  One of the sessions will be posted to the class website by the following day, so if you can’t make either one, not to worry: you can view it any time at your convenience (and even download it).   

We will also have practice/review sessions for each course on Saturdays.  For the Bluegrass Mandolin 101 course, this will take place Saturdays at 10 am eastern time (3 or 4 pm in the U.K. and Europe) and for the American Roots Mandolin course, this will take place at 12:15 pm eastern time (5:15 or 6:15 pm in the U.K. and Europe).  

Click on these links to get some more information:

The Bluegrass Mandolin 101 curriculum

The American Roots Mandolin curriculum

The Advanced Bluegrass Mandolin curriculum (sadly, this only takes place at 9 pm eastern time on Tuesdays, but the practice review sessions are at 11 am eastern time on Saturdays—which is 4-5 pm in the U.K. and Europe)

You can register for the courses here:

Bluegrass Mandolin 101 registration

American Roots Mandolin registration

Advanced Bluegrass Mandolin registration

Course fees are US $225.  

Email [email protected] with any questions.  And Happy New Year!

“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.

“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.

Note: due to unexpected travel, Weeks 3 and 4 are taking place a week later than originally planned.  You can still get two weeks of classes in!

Register here for Week 3 (January 28-February 1)

Register here for Week 4 (February 4-February 8)

Join Matt Flinner for a series of 5-day courses this winter which are geared toward helping the aspiring mandolin student practice more efficiently and improve their playing skills more quickly.  Every day for five days, students will run through a series of exercises and one tune, with Matt guiding them in a live 30-minute online practice session.  Students who are unable to make the live sessions can view them later that day or evening on the class website, as all sessions will be recorded.  

NOTE: It is not necessary to have taken the Week 1 course to register for Week 2 and subsequent weeks.  All material from week to week will be unique and will challenge students in different ways!

Students will be given exercises in the following areas: picking exercises, arpeggios, scales, fingering exercises, double stops, and a tune for the week.  Students will receive the materials in PDF form four weeks ahead of time (or whenever they sign up) so that they have a chance to learn them before the course begins.  Matt will then guide them through daily practice sessions for five straight days, giving them tips on how to improve and how to practice more effectively.  

All class sessions take place from 10-10:30 am eastern time.

The four weeks’ courses are different from one another, with different materials and a different tune being given for each week.  Students can take any single course on its own or take any combination of courses to establish a routine and build on knowledge from one course to the next.  

The registration fee for each course is $40.  

Students can view all materials (videos and PDFs) on a class website any time, and they can also download and keep all PDFs and videos (including recordings of the class sessions) to practice with on their own time if they wish to.  

Register here for Week 3 (January 28-February 1)

Register here for Week 4 (February 4-February 8)

WEEK 3 Curriculum (1/28-2-1)

Picking Exercise III

Fingering Exercise III

Double Stop Exercise III in A

Scales and Patterns in A

Minor 7 Arpeggio Exercise

Lick #3 in All Keys 

Tune: Ida Red

Register here for Week 3

WEEK 4 Curriculum (2/4-2/8)

Picking Exercise IV

Fingering Exercise IV

Double Stop Exercise IV in C

Scales and Patterns in C

I-IV-V Arpeggio Exercise

Lick #4 in All Keys 

Tune: Fun’s All Over

Register here for Week 4

“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.

“Your course was exactly what I have been looking for.  It was well structured with a ton of good material.  I like that fact that we were given tunes to learn but also tools that allows me expand the lessons beyond the course tunes to others that I already know.”—Todd M.

FALL COURSES

Bluegrass Mandolin 101 with Matt Flinner:                            Curriculum             Registration

Advanced Bluegrass Mandolin with Matt Flinner:                Curriculum             Registration

American Roots Mandolin with Matt Flinner:                        Curriculum             Registration

The Bluegrass Mandolin 101 program is pleased to offer two new courses and an oldie for a variety of ability levels and interests this fall!  Bluegrass Mandolin 101, Advanced Bluegrass Mandolin and American Roots Mandolin will start up January 7, 8 and 9.

Each course lasts eight weeks, with class sessions on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday evenings (depending on which course it is) and follow-up practice/review sessions on Saturday mornings or afternoons to help you solidify the material while learning practice techniques and getting tips on practice routines.  

Students DO NOT need to tune in to the live online sessions, as all class sessions and practice/review sessions are recorded and posted to the class website by the next day for viewing at the students’ convenience.  Students are encouraged to attend the live sessions whenever possible, as they can ask questions during the session—plus we’ve found that many students are more likely to practice when they show up for the live sessions!  

Bluegrass Mandolin 101 with Matt Flinner (January 7-March 16) will explore several bluegrass standard songs and approach them using position playing and double stops as we get to know the fretboard better and improve our picking technique along the way. By the end of the course, students will have tools for creating their own solos on commonly-played songs in various keys, and hopefully will feel more comfortable in jam sessions. This course will take place on Monday evenings as well as afternoons (for those of you around the globe!) and Saturday mornings..  Register here.

Advanced Bluegrass Mandolin with Matt Flinner (January 8-March 16) dives into advanced concepts for mandolin from the playing of innovators such as Doyle Lawson, Ricky Skaggs, Adam Steffey, Tim O’Brien, Dempsey Young and many others.  This course is recommended for intermediate to advanced players, and will take place on Tuesday evenings and Saturday mornings.  Register here.

American Roots Mandolin with Matt Flinner (January 9-March 16).  This course will explore many of the myriad styles of American roots musics around the country, from Appalachia to New Orleans to New England to the desert southwest.  And all on the mandolin!  Along the way, we’ll explore various aspects of technique and learn more of the fretboard—and likely find many common threads that unite these musics within the great American cultural tapestry.  

Old-time, blues, Cajun music, contra dance, ragtime, early jazz, cowboy traditions and bluegrass music will all be touched on in this 8-week long course.  

The course is intended for students at an advanced beginner to intermediate level, or to students at any level who want to try out some new styles of playing.  The course will take place on Wednesday evenings and afternoons (also for those of you across the various ponds!) and Saturday mornings/afternoons (depending on your time zone).  Register here.

SCHEDULE:

60-minute classes take place online every Monday (Bluegrass Mandolin 101), Tuesday (Advanced Bluegrass Mandolin) or Wednesday (American Roots Mandolin) evening from January 7, 8 or 9 to March 11, 12 or 13 at 9 pm eastern time, and 45-minute practice/review sessions take place every Saturday morning/afternoon from January 12 to March 16.  The weeks of February 4 and March 4 are off due to Matt’s touring schedule.

ALSO: we’ve added Europe-friendly times on the Bluegrass Mandolin 101 and American Roots Mandolin courses!  Bluegrass Mandolin 101 will also take place on Mondays at 2 pm eastern time (7 or 8 pm in the UK and most of Europe), and American Roots Mandolin will also take place on Wednesdays at 2 pm eastern time (7 or 8 pm in the UK and most of Europe).  Students are invited to attend either or both of the sessions on those days.  

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.

WHAT STUDENTS GET FROM THE COURSE

All students will also have unlimited access to short recorded videos of all of the material played at a slow tempo, PDFs of all material in both standard notation and mandolin tablature, and mp3s of all of the tunes at slow and medium speeds that they can practice along with.  Students can access all of this material at any time through the class website, and can also download all materials (videos and class session videos included) to keep them permanently.  All class sessions and practice/review sessions are recorded and posted on the class website (usually by the following day) so that students who were unable to attend the live sessions may view them at their own convenience, and all students may review the class videos as often as they wish.

Students will also be given a “Recommended Listening” list each week for the material covered.  A variety of versions of each tune will be provided in the hopes that students will listen to recordings and further explore the wide world of recorded old-time and bluegrass music.

HOW INTERACTIVE IS THE COURSE?

During the live sessions, students can ask questions and/or play examples via their microphone (built-in or external plug-in), or they can ask questions via a built-in chat window.  The instructor responds to all questions immediately (or between teaching exercises, etc.) on the spot.

Students are also encouraged to submit mp3 recordings at any time during the course if they would like to, and the instructor will respond in an mp3 recording with constructive criticism.  Students can submit these mp3s either privately via email or publicly via the class website, where all students can listen and respond if they choose to.  Mp3 submissions are encouraged but not required, and there is no limit on how many mp3 submissions a student can send in.

There is also a class website where registered students can find all class materials (videos, PDFs, mp3s) anytime.  The site also has a Forum section, where students can ask questions, bring up topics for discussion, etc., in an open forum where the instructor and other students can respond.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED TO PARTICIPATE:

1. A desktop or laptop Mac or PC computer, iPad or Internet-connected mobile device (such as iPhone) in order to view the sessions, plus a good internet connection.

2. An internal microphone and speakers on your laptop or desktop computer, or a phone to listen and speak (if desired) during the sessions.  Instructions for participating by phone are included when you register for the course (long distance charges may apply).

3. During the course, you have the option of submitting recorded examples of your playing to the instructor (and to the group, if desired). In order to do this, you will need your computer’s built-in microphone or an external microphone plugged directly into your computer (via built-in ports or an external audio interface), in addition to basic audio recording software, such as Audacity or Garage Band, that will allow you to record yourself playing and save the recording in MP3 format.

4. A mandolin (actually maybe that should have been #1).

The course fee is $225 for each course. 

If you have questions about any of the courses, email Matt at [email protected].

Register here:

Register for Bluegrass Mandolin 101 with Matt Flinner

Register for Advanced Bluegrass Mandolin with Matt Flinner

Register for American Roots Mandolin with Matt Flinner

View curricula for each course here: 

Bluegrass Mandolin 101 with Matt Flinner Curriculum

Advanced Bluegrass Mandolin with Matt Flinner Curriculum

American Roots Mandolin with Matt Flinner Curriculum

“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.

“Your classes are moving me forward so very much. Thank you.” —Jean C.

Register for the American Roots Mandolin course here.

Brand new this winter is a course that will take us on a journey through traditional roots musics across America.  The American Roots Mandolin course will explore many of the myriad styles of roots musics around the country, from Appalachia to New Orleans to New England to the desert southwest.  And all on the mandolin!  Along the way, we’ll explore various aspects of technique and learn more of the fretboard—and likely find many common threads that unite these musics within the great American cultural tapestry.  

Old-time, blues, Cajun music, contra dance, ragtime, early jazz, cowboy traditions and bluegrass music will all be touched on in this 8-week long course.  Two to three tunes will be given each week, with the lesson focusing on one of them in particular, along with several exercises to help with related technique.  Students are encouraged to learn whichever tune(s) suit(s) their ability level and/or interest.  

This course is recommended for advanced beginner through intermediate players, but players of any ability level who want to get a taste of various musical styles are encouraged to join as well!  

The course will take place on Wednesday evenings at 9 pm eastern time, with follow-up practice sessions on Saturdays at 12:15 pm eastern time (note: the weeks of February 4th and March 4th are off due to Matt’s tour schedule).  

All live sessions are recorded and available to view on the class website, as well as to download for off-line viewing in the future—so being there for the live sessions is not essential.  

Here is the curriculum:

WEEK 1 (1/9)

Southern Old-time Fiddle Tunes

Picking Exercise I

Using open strings as drone strings

Flop-Eared Mule

Cotton Eyed Joe

Devil in the Woodpile

WEEK 2 (1/16)

The Blues

7th chords

Blues licks

A couple of blues grooves

Whiskey Head Blues

Tappin’ That Thing

Nobody’s Fault But Mine

WEEK 3 (1/23)

Ragtime

Picking Exercise II

Ways of playing I-VI-II-V chord progressions

Using chord tones

State Street Rag

Hawkins Rag

WEEK 4 (1/30)

Cajun Tunes

Using open strings

Picking Exercise III

Double stops in A and D

Playing backup double stop parts

Jolie Blonde

Lacassin Special

WEEK 5 (2/13)

The Cowboy Tradition

More double stops

Playing in positions

Tremolo

When the Work’s All Done Next Fall

Bury Me Not on the Lone Prairie

WEEK 6 (2/20)

New England Contradance Tunes

Picking Exercise IV

Adding ornaments

Old French 

Valse Mon Pére

WEEK 7 (2/27)

Early Jazz

Swing rhythm playing

More use of chord tones 

Adding the blues

St. Louis Blues

Milenburg Joys

Creole Love Call

WEEK 8 (3/13)

Bluegrass

Picking Exercise V

G-F Double Stop Exercise

E Double Stop Exercise

Bluegrass Breakdown

Watson’s Blues

The course fee is $225.

Register here.

Register for American Roots Mandolin with Matt Flinner

See the Bluegrass Mandolin 101 curriculum

See the Advanced Bluegrass Mandolin curriculum

Questions?  Email [email protected].

“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.

“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.

Register for Advanced Mandolin with Matt Flinner

View the Bluegrass Mandolin 101 curriculum

View the American Roots Mandolin curriculum

Explore the wide and wonderful world of modern bluegrass mandolin with Grammy-nominated mandolinist Matt Flinner.  This course picks up where Bluegrass Mandolin 102 leaves off, and will lead students through advanced subjects including more difficult keys, using double stops and positions as well as melodic patterns, and getting a more thorough knowledge of the fretboard.  The styles of such players as Doyle Lawson, Larry Rice, Adam Steffey, Dempsey Young, Sam Bush, David Grisman and Ricky Skaggs will be discussed, giving students more options in their approaches to soloing and playing backup.  Modern and older standards by the likes of J.D. Crowe and the New South, The Seldom Scene, Alison Krauss, New Grass Revival and Tony Rice will be explored.  It’s a fun way to expand your chops and learn some new tunes!

Classes take place on Tuesday evenings at 9 pm eastern time, with follow-up practice/review sessions taking place on Saturdays at 11 am eastern time.  Students do not need to be present for the live sessions, as all sessions are recorded and posted to the class website by the following day.  But the live sessions give students an opportunity for more interaction with the instructor, either via a chat window or via audio if they so choose.  

All students will have 24/7 access to the class website, where they’ll find all written materials, all short practice videos, several practice mp3s (at various tempos) as well as video recordings of all class sessions and practice sessions.  And students are invited and encouraged to download any and all materials from the course, including all PDFs, mp3s and videos so that they can review them in the future at their convenience. 

Note: the weeks of February 5th and March 5th are off due to Matt’s tour schedule.  Eight class sessions plus eight practice sessions will take place over the course of 10 weeks.  

The course fee is $225.  Register here.

Here is the curriculum for the Advanced Bluegrass Mandolin course, which runs from January 8th to March 16th:

WEEK 1 (1/8)

70s Mandolin: Doyle Lawson, Ricky Skaggs and Larry Rice

Position Licks

Playing backup fills

The Old Home Place

Mis’ry River

WEEK 2 (1/15)

Complex Chord Progressions I

Using chord tones in solos

Two different chord forms

Steel Rails

What Am I Doing Hanging ‘Round?

WEEK 3 (1/22)

80s Mandolin: Tim O’Brien and David McLaughlin

Using open strings

Key of E

Key of C

Nellie Kane

Duncan and Brady

WEEK 4 (1/29)

Bluesy approaches

Bluesy licks in various keys

Some Dempsey Young & John Duffy

Love of the Mountains

I Know You, Rider

WEEK 5 (2/12)

Some Newgrass

Sam Bush licks

Mixolydian patterns

Steam Powered Aeroplane

White Freight Liner Blues

WEEK 6 (2/19)

Ideas in B

Moving positions in B

A bit of chromaticism

A few Adam Steffey licks

Rebecca

Born to Be With You

WEEK 7 (2/26)

Adding a bit of jazz to the mix

A few David Grisman & Vassar Clements licks

Other chord forms

Kissimmee Kid

Midnight Moonlight

WEEK 8 (3/12)

Tying it all together

Complex chord progressions II

Applying various styles to the same song

Ginseng Sullivan

Carry Me Across the Mountain

Register here

View the Bluegrass Mandolin 101 Curriculum

View the American Roots Mandolin Curriculum

“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.

Register for Bluegrass Mandolin 101 with Matt Flinner

View the Advanced Bluegrass Mandolin curriculum

View the American Roots Mandolin curriculum

Here is the curriculum for the Bluegrass Mandolin 101 online course, which runs from January 7 to March 16.

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 weeks of February 4th and March 4th are off due to Matt’s tour schedule).  

BACK AGAIN THIS WINTER: 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 $225.  Register by December 23rd for just $200—$25 off the normal course fee! 

Register for Bluegrass Mandolin 101 with Matt Flinner

BLUEGRASS MANDOLIN 101 WITH MATT FLINNER CURRICULUM: 

Week 1 (1/7)
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 (1/14)
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 (1/21)
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 (1/28)
Position playing II
Three different kickoffs
Chord tones in position playing
Man of Constant Sorrow
Bonus Material: Evening Prayer Blues

WEEK 5 (2/11)
Shifting from Position I to Position II
Transposing to other keys
Bury Me Beneath the Willow
Bonus Material: You Are My Sunshine

WEEK 6 (2/18)
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 (2/25)
Moving double stops around to create melody
An approach to improvising
Soldier’s Joy
Bonus material: Panhandle Country

Week 8 (3/11)
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

The registration fee is $225.  Register here

View the Advanced Bluegrass Mandolin curriculum

View the American Roots Mandolin curriculum

“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.

“Your course was exactly what I have been looking for.  It was well structured with a ton of good material.  I like that fact that we were given tunes to learn but also tools that allows me expand the lessons beyond the course tunes to others that I already know.”—Todd M.

FALL COURSES

Blues Mandolin with Matt Flinner:                            Curriculum             Registration

Bach for Mandolin with Matt Flinner:                       Curriculum             Registration

Bill Monroe Style Mandolin with Matt Flinner:           Curriculum             Registration

The Bluegrass Mandolin 101 program is pleased to offer three new courses for a variety of ability levels and interests this fall!  Blues Mandolin, Bach for Mandolin and Bill Monroe Style Mandolin will start up October 1, 2 and 3.

Each course lasts eight weeks, with class sessions on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday evenings (depending on which course it is) and follow-up practice/review sessions on Saturday mornings or afternoons to help you solidify the material while learning practice techniques and getting tips on practice routines.  

Students DO NOT need to tune in to the live online sessions, as all class sessions and practice/review sessions are recorded and posted to the class website by the next day for viewing at the students’ convenience.  Students are encouraged to attend the live sessions whenever possible, as they can ask questions during the session—plus we’ve found that many students are more likely to practice when they show up for the live sessions!  

Blues Mandolin with Matt Flinner (October 1-December 8) will delve into the wonderful world of the blues.  Students will get tips on playing rhythm and lead on a variety of blues grooves in various keys, with lots of great soloing ideas given each week based on the playing of many of the great blues mandolin players including Yank Rachell, Johnny Young and Howard Armstrong, among others.  The course is intended for players at an advanced beginner to intemediate level, though players at any level who are interested in the blues can find plenty to learn in the course.  Register here.

Bach for Mandolin with Matt Flinner (October 2-December 8) dives into the wide world of J.S. Bach.  Each week, students are given exercises in various aspects of technique (picking, scales and arpeggios, chord forms, etc.) along with two Bach pieces arranged for mandolin.  Pieces will include several two-part inventions, selections from the notebook of Mary Magdalena Bach, the Sonatas and Partitas for Solo Violin, and several others.  Students will get tips on performance of Baroque music as well as a bit of music theory as they learn some great pieces!  This course is recommended for intermediate to advanced players.  Register here.

Bill Monroe Style Mandolin with Matt Flinner (October 3-December 8) explores the music and mandolin style of Bill Monroe over his long and influential career from the late 1930s to the early 1990s.  Various approaches to soloing, including double stops, blues elements, positions on the neck and many unique “Monroe-isms” will be covered.  Fundamentals will be included as well, as students will get tips and exercises to help them improve their rhythm, picking and tone.  The course is intended for students at an intermediate to advanced level.  Register here.

SCHEDULE:

60-minute classes take place online every Monday (Blues Mandolin), Tuesday (Bach for Mandolin) or Wednesday (Bill Monroe Style Mandolin) evening from October 1, 2 or 3 to December 3, 4 or 5 at 9 pm eastern time, and 45-minute practice/review sessions take place every Saturday morning/afternoon from October 6 to December 8.  The weeks of October 22 and November 19 are off due to Matt’s touring schedule and the Thanksgiving holiday.

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.

WHAT STUDENTS GET FROM THE COURSE

All students will also have unlimited access to short recorded videos of all of the material played at a slow tempo, PDFs of all material in both standard notation and mandolin tablature, and mp3s of all of the tunes at slow and medium speeds that they can practice along with.  Students can access all of this material at any time through the class website, and can also download all materials (videos and class session videos included) to keep them permanently.  All class sessions and practice/review sessions are recorded and posted on the class website (usually by the following day) so that students who were unable to attend the live sessions may view them at their own convenience, and all students may review the class videos as often as they wish.

Students will also be given a “Recommended Listening” list each week for the material covered.  A variety of versions of each tune will be provided in the hopes that students will listen to recordings and further explore the wide world of recorded old-time and bluegrass music.

HOW INTERACTIVE IS THE COURSE?

During the live sessions, students can ask questions and/or play examples via their microphone (built-in or external plug-in), or they can ask questions via a built-in chat window.  The instructor responds to all questions immediately (or between teaching exercises, etc.) on the spot.

Students are also encouraged to submit mp3 recordings at any time during the course if they would like to, and the instructor will respond in an mp3 recording with constructive criticism.  Students can submit these mp3s either privately via email or publicly via the class website, where all students can listen and respond if they choose to.  Mp3 submissions are encouraged but not required, and there is no limit on how many mp3 submissions a student can send in.

There is also a class website where registered students can find all class materials (videos, PDFs, mp3s) anytime.  The site also has a Forum section, where students can ask questions, bring up topics for discussion, etc., in an open forum where the instructor and other students can respond.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED TO PARTICIPATE:

1. A desktop or laptop Mac or PC computer, iPad or Internet-connected mobile device (such as iPhone) in order to view the sessions, plus a good internet connection.

2. An internal microphone and speakers on your laptop or desktop computer, or a phone to listen and speak (if desired) during the sessions.  Instructions for participating by phone are included when you register for the course (long distance charges may apply).

3. During the course, you have the option of submitting recorded examples of your playing to the instructor (and to the group, if desired). In order to do this, you will need your computer’s built-in microphone or an external microphone plugged directly into your computer (via built-in ports or an external audio interface), in addition to basic audio recording software, such as Audacity or Garage Band, that will allow you to record yourself playing and save the recording in MP3 format.

4. A mandolin (actually maybe that should have been #1).

The course fee is $225 for each course.  

If you have questions about any of the courses, email Matt at [email protected].

Register here:

Register for Blues Mandolin with Matt Flinner

Register for Bach for Mandolin with Matt Flinner

Register for Monroe Style Mandolin with Matt Flinner

View curricula for each course here: 

Blues Mandolin with Matt Flinner Curriculum

Bach for Mandolin with Matt Flinner Curriculum

Bill Monroe Style Mandolin with Matt Flinner Curriculum