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 Bluegrass Mandolin Jamming II with Matt Flinner

See other courses offered this summer

This course is intended to help the aspiring mandolinist build up repertoire and find ways of creating new solos over commonly played standards; it’s also designed in the hope that it will encourage students to get out and jam with other players!

Each week, we’ll look at four bluegrass standard tunes.  Students will be given lead sheets (in standard notation and tablature) for each song, as well as a few exercises to help them learn more about the fretboard and start incorporating new ideas into their solos.  Concepts and tunes will be taught during the class session, and all tunes will be revisited during Saturday practice sessions in a “jam session” format, where each song is played several times though, and students have the opportunity to try out some of the week’s concepts on the tunes (with guidance from Matt).

While this course is a continuation of the Bluegrass Mandolin Jamming course which completes in early August, it is not necessary for students to have taken the first course to be able to take the second course.  The Bluegrass Mandolin Jamming II course is intended to reinforce many of the concepts taught in the previous course, while expanding the student’s knowledge of the fretboard beyond where the first course left off.

The course begins August 15 and runs through September 8.  Class sessions will meet on Wednesdays at 2 pm eastern time (7 or 8 pm in the UK and most of Europe) and 9 pm eastern time.  Practice/review sessions meet every Saturday from 12:15-1 pm eastern time.  

Students are encouraged to attend the live sessions to be able to interact more directly with the instructor, but live attendance is not required.  Students will be able to view the recordings of all of the sessions any time afterward as often as they want through the class website.

The course fee is $125. 

Register for Bluegrass Mandolin Jamming II with Matt Flinner

Here is the curriculum:

WEEK 1 (August 16)

Key of E 

Position Playing in E 

E Chord Tones and Double Stops

Octave Changes

You Won’t Be Satisfied That Way

In the Pines

Footprints in the Snow

Glory in the Meeting House

WEEK 2 (August 23)

Some Minor Key Tunes

A Variety of Minor Chords

E Minor Scales and Patterns

Throwing in Some Minor Double Stops

Shady Grove

Pretty Polly

Rain and Snow

Jerusalem Ridge

WEEK 3 (August 29)

Key of B

Positions in B

B Chord Tones and Double Stops

Chop Chords and “Open” Style Chords in B

My Walking Shoes

Molly and Tenbrooks

Sophronie

I Cried Again

WEEK 4 (September 5)

Key of Bb

Using Open Strings in Bb

Position playing in Bb

Bb Chord Tones and Double Stops

Roving Gambler

Dream of a Miner’s Child

Shackles and Chains

Done Gone

The course fee is $125.  

Register for Bluegrass Mandolin Jamming II with Matt Flinner

See the Gypsy Swing Mandolin Jamming II Curriculum

See the Music Theory and Mandolin Fretboard Exercises II Curriculum

“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 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

The Bluegrass Mandolin 101 online lessons program continues this summer with three more four-week long intensive courses designed to help your overall mandolin playing technique and help you have more fun playing the mandolin!

In the Music Theory and Mandolin Fretboard Exercises II with Matt Flinner course (August 14-September 8), is intended for students at all levels (though absolute beginners will likely find it too difficult) who want to understand more about music theory and how it relates to the mandolin.  Each week, students will receive various exercises relating to scales, arpeggios, chords, progressions, transpositions and more.  We’ll even analyze a little Bach, Beethoven and the Beatles.  The goal is to help students learn more about the fretboard and be able to learn songs more quickly and improvise more easily.  

The Bluegrass Mandolin Jamming II with Matt Flinner course (August 15-September 8) is intended to help students play bluegrass music with other people.  Each week, students will receive four new tunes (from beginner to advanced level) along with ways of playing rhythm, approaches to creating variations on the tune, and some exercises to help with fundamental technique.  The goal is to help students learn more tunes, learn practical approaches to playing those tunes, and get out and play with other people!

The Gypsy Swing Mandolin Jamming II with Matt Flinner course (August 13-September 8) is intended to help students play Gypsy swing tunes (in the style of, and from the repertoire of Django Reinhardt) with other people.  Each week, students will receive four new tunes (at various levels of diffculty), along with ways of playing rhythm, exercises to help with elements of improvisation and learning the fretboard, and suggestions in how to create solos and/or improvise on the tunes for that week.  The goal is to help students learn more tunes, learn practical approaches to improvisation and soloing, and get out and play with other people!

All three courses are continuations of previous courses which will finish up in early August; however, it is not necessary for students to have taken the previous summer courses in order to register for and learn from the current courses.

Register for Music Theory and Mandolin Fretboard Exercises with Matt Flinner

Register for Bluegrass Mandolin Jamming II with Matt Flinner

Register for Gypsy Swing Mandolin Jamming II with Matt Flinner

The Gypsy Swing Mandolin Jamming II course, which takes place on Monday evenings at 9 pm eastern time, is intended for intermediate to advanced players.  The course is intended to help students build repertoire and get practical experience in playing tunes from the Django Reinhardt/Stephane Grappelli repertoire and creating and trying out variations and improvising on those tunes.   This course will also have practice/review sessions on Saturdays at 10 am eastern time.

The Music Theory and Mandolin Fretboard Exercises II course, which takes place on Tuesday evenings at 9 pm eastern time, is intended for students at all levels who want to learn some basic music theory as it applies to the mandolin.  This course will help students of all ability levels learn more about the fretboard, be able to find and play melodies more quickly, and use music theory concepts to better their understanding of melodies, chord progressions, and improvisation.  The course will also have practice/review sessions on Saturday mornings at 11 am eastern time.

The Bluegrass Mandolin Jamming II course, which takes place on Wednesday afternoons and evenings at 2 and 9 pm eastern time, is intended for players of all ability levels, but will lean toward the intermediate level.  The course is intended to help students build repertoire and get practical experience in playing tunes and creating and trying out variations.   This course will also have practice/review sessions on Saturdays at 12:15 pm eastern time.  NOTE: Wednesday 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 Wednesday sessions each week (they will be essentially identical to one another in content).  

Music Theory and Mandolin Fretboard Exercises II Curriculum

Bluegrass Mandolin Jamming II with Matt Flinner Curriculum

Gypsy Swing Mandolin Jamming II with Matt Flinner Curriculum

Here’s a description of the Bluegrass Mandolin 101 online experience that I hope will give you a good idea of what this exciting style of mandolin lessons is all about.

BLUEGRASS MANDOLIN 101 (and Scales and Arpeggios, and Jamming!)

The Bluegrass Mandolin 101 program is a unique approach to online mandolin lessons that gives students the best of both worlds: access to live lessons as well as recorded mandolin instructional videos.  These courses focus on helping mandolin students get to the next level in their playing and broaden their understanding of the bluegrass, old-time and fiddle tune traditions.

A UNIQUE APPROACH: LIVE INSTRUCTION PLUS 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-week course.  The live lessons get a little more challenging each week, and students are encouraged to practice during the week in order to get comfortable with that week’s concepts in order to be more prepared for the next class session.  Students also have unlimited access to several short instructional videos each week (usually about 8 or 9) but are also following a regular schedule which encourages them to actually practice the material regularly during the eight week period.  The archive of short instructional videos plus the video recordings of each class session and practice session give the student plenty of material to work with during the course and on into their future mandolin endeavors!

THIS QUARTER’S COURSES

For Summer Quarter, there will be THREE 4-week courses offered from August 14-September 9.  The Scale and Arpeggio Intensive course will focus on various aspects of technique.  Each week, students will receive six or seven exercises and a tune to learn.   Scale exercises, scale pattern exercises, arpeggios and double stop exercises will be given each week.  Students will also be given some ideas on how to apply that week’s exercises to that week’s tune in order to create variations.  The Bluegrass Mandolin Jamming and Swing Mandolin Jamming courses will focus more on building repertoire, playing lead and rhythm and creating variations in a jam-like setting.  Four tunes will be given each week, along with a few exercises and suggestions for incorporating those exercises into solos and/or improvisation.  

1. Gypsy Swing Mandolin Jamming II with Matt Flinner which is geared toward upper intermediate to advanced students.  Students will be given four swing tunes per week plus a few exerices and suggestions for ways of playing rhythm, along with suggestions on how to relate the exercises to the tunes in order to create variations and/or improvise.  

2. Music Theory and Mandolin Fretboard Exercises II, which is open to players of all ability levels.  Students will receive music theory exercises in scales, arpeggios, chords and more, along with simple melodies to transpose to various keys. 

3. Bluegrass Mandolin Jamming II with Matt Flinner, which is open to players of all ability levels, but will lean toward the intermediate level.  Students will be given four tunes each week along with a few exercises and suggestions on how to play lead and rhythm as well as create variations for that week’s tunes.

THE SCHEDULE

The Gypsy Swing Mandolin Jamming II course will take place Monday evenings at 9 pm.  There will also be Saturday practice/review sessions from 10-10:45 am eastern time.

The Music Theory and Mandolin Fretboard Exercises II with Matt Flinner course take place every Tuesday night at 9 pm eastern time, with practice review sessions on Saturdays from 11-10:45 am eastern time.  

The Bluegrass Mandolin Jamming II course will take place on Wednesday afternoons and evenings at 2 pm and 9 pm eastern time.  Afternoon sessions are intended for the convenience of our friends overseas!  7 or 8 pm in the UK and most of Europe is likely more convenient than 2 or 3 am!  There will also be Saturday practice/review sessions from 12:15–1 pm eastern time.

It is NOT imperative that students be able to attend the live mandolin class sessions.  As all sessions will be recorded, students can revisit the recorded sessions during the week to catch up on that week’s material at their own leisure.  Students attending the live lessons will be able to ask questions on the spot (and get immediate answers and interaction), while those watching the recorded sessions will be able to ask questions via email or on the class forum page.

VIDEOS, WRITTEN MATERIALS AND RECOMMENDED LISTENING

Students have access to video recordings of all of the class sessions and practice sessions as well (generally by the following morning, or, in the case of the Saturday practice sessions, later that afternoon).  In addition, shorter practice videos of the material are immediately available for viewing after each class session, along with PDFs of the all of the material in standard notation and tablature.  All of these videos (about eight or so per week) are available to view as many times as the student would like.  Students can also download all materials (including videos and PDFs) to keep as long as they wish.

Students will also be given a list of recommended recordings for each week’s tunes.  A variety of mp3 recordings will be suggested in the hope that students will broaden their musical horizons and get a better idea of how the tunes are played by the masters!

HOW INTERACTIVE IS THE COURSE?

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 in the 102 class), 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 Summer Intensive 101 and 201  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 4-week summer courses are $125 each. 

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

“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:

Music Theory and Mandolin Fretboard Exercises II with Matt Flinner Registration

Bluegrass Mandolin Jamming II with Matt Flinner Registration

Gypsy Swing Mandolin Jamming II with Matt Flinner Registration

You can always ask questions about the courses via email ([email protected]), and I’ll get back to you as quickly as possible.  I hope to see you this summer!

All the best,

Matt

“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. 

Register by May 11th and save $25!

The Bluegrass Mandolin 101 online lessons program continues this summer with three four-week long intensive courses designed to help you improve your technique, learn some tunes and help you have more fun playing the mandolin!

Bluegrass Mandolin Jamming with Matt Flinner                           Curriculum         Registration 

Mandolin Tune Studies with Matt Flinner                                Curriculum         Registration

Music Theory for Mandolin Players with Matt Flinner               Curriculum         Registration

The Bluegrass Mandolin Jamming course (July 7-August 2) is intended to help students play bluegrass music with other people.  Each week, students will receive four new tunes (from beginner to advanced level) along with ways of playing rhythm, approaches to creating variations on the tune, and some exercises to help with fundamental technique.  The goal is to help students learn more tunes, learn practical approaches to playing those tunes, and get out and play with other people!   Register by 5/11 and save $25!

Register for Bluegrass Mandolin Jamming with Matt Flinner. 

The Mandolin Tune Studies course (July 8-August 2) is intended to help students create variations and improvise on fiddle tunes and bluegrass songs—though the concepts will apply to any style of music.  Upon registering, students will receive PDFs in tablature and standard notation for two tunes: “Big Sandy River” and “Shakin’ Down the Acorns,” along with mp3s of each tune and links to videos of the tunes played slowly.  During the four-week course, we’ll look at various ways of playing the melodies to both tunes as well as various ways of getting outside the melodies using double stops, positions up the neck, blues ideas and different rhythms and licks.  Each week, we’ll explore a different approach to soloing and talk about how to use these approaches on our two tunes and relate these concepts to other tunes and songs students may already know.  The goal is to create more possibilities in our soloing and to have more fun playing music with other people—and to learn two tunes REALLY well!   Register by 5/11 and save $25!

Register for Mandolin Tune Studies with Matt Flinner 

The Music Theory for Mandolin Players course (July 9-August 2) is intended for students at all levels (though absolute beginners will likely find it too difficult) who want to understand more about music theory and how it relates to the mandolin.  Each week, students will receive various exercises relating to scales, arpeggios, chords, progressions, transpositions and more.  And we’ll look at songs by the Beatles!  We’ll relate several concepts from the week to the chords, melody or structure of that week’s song.  The goal is to help students learn more about the fretboard and be able to learn songs more quickly and improvise more easily.  Register by 5/11 and save $25!

Register for the Music Theory for Mandolin Players course with Matt Flinner 

Register for Bluegrass Mandolin Jamming with Matt Flinner

Register for Mandolin Tune Studies with Matt Flinner

Register for the Music Theory for Mandolin Players course with Matt Flinner

The Bluegrass Mandolin Jamming course (July 7-August 2) takes place on Monday afternoons and evenings at 9 pm eastern time.  We’ll also have practice/review sessions on Saturdays at 10 am eastern time.  Monday class sessions will take place July 7, 14, 21 and 28, and Saturday follow-up practice sessions will take place July 12, 19, 26 and August 2.  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 Mandolin Tune Studies course (July 8-August 2) meets on Tuesdays at 2 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 July 8, 15, 22 and 29, and Saturday follow-up practice sessions will take place July 12, 19, 26 and August 2.  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 Music Theory for Mandolin Players course (July 9-August 2) takes place on Wednesday evenings at 9 pm eastern time, with follow-up practice sessions on Saturdays at 12:30 pm eastern time.  Wednesday class sessions will take place July 9, 16, 23 and 30, and Saturday follow-up sessions will take place July 12, 19, 26 and August 2.  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 $125.  Register by 5/11 for just $100!  Just register at the link(s) for the course(s) you want to take, and we’ll email you an invoice via PayPal for the course fee(s) ($100 per course).  

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 4-week summer courses are $125 each.   Register by 5/11 for just $100! 

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 Bluegrass Mandolin Jamming with Matt Flinner (7/7-8/2)

Register for Mandolin Tune Studies with Matt Flinner (7/8-8/2)

Register for Music Theory for Mandolin Players with Matt Flinner (7/9-8/2)

Register here.

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

“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.

Welcome to the Mandolin Fretboard and Music Theory Exercises online course!  This course is intended to help students learn more about the mandolin fretboard and learn some music theory along they way as they progress through a series of exercises week by week.  Students will be given scale, arpeggio and transposition exercises each week to help them find their way around the fretboard in various keys.  Students at all levels are encouraged to participate, though the course will likely be most beneficial to students at an upper beginner to higher intermediate level.  

Class sessions meet every Tuesday evening from July 10 to August 1 at 9 pm eastern time, and practice/review sessions meet every Saturday from July 14 to August 4 11 am eastern time.

Students are encouraged to attend the live sessions to be able to interact more directly with the instructor, but live attendance is NOT required.  Students will be able to view the recordings of all of the sessions any time afterward as often as they want through the class website.

Students are encouraged to prioritize certain exercises according to their ability level, and are given the option of adding to many of the exercises in order to further challenge themselves if they wish to.  Part of the intent of the course is to challenge students at a variety of levels, and to help students advance their playing, learn new musical ideas and have more fun playing the mandolin regardless of their ability level.

Register for Music Theory and Mandolin Fretboard Exercises

Get info about other Summer 2018 courses

MUSIC THEORY AND MANDOLIN FRETBOARD EXERCISES CURRICULUM (July 10-August 4)

Week 1 (July 10)

Finding roots

Major scale on one string

Major scales in six keys

Numbering notes in scales

Two fingerings for major scales

A few licks in two positions

Simple song #1 in various keys

Week 2 (July 17)

Chords

Building chords from scales

Moving closed chords around the neck

I-IV-V progressions

Arpeggios (1-3-5-3) in six keys

Starting licks from chord tones (3234321 etc.)  

Simple song #2 in various keys

Week 3 (July 24)

Diatonic triads

Adding ii and vi chords to chord progressions

Minor arpeggios in six keys

Minor chord progressions

Finding scales and arpeggios in various keys

Two more major scale fingerings

Simple song #3 in various keys

Week 4 (July 31)

Modes

Dominant 7 arpeggios

Mixolydian scales in six keys

Chord inversions 

A few scale patterns

Finding I-IV-V roots in various positions on the neck

Simple song #4 in various keys

The course fee is $125.  Register here.

See the Bluegrass Jamming (July 11-August 4) curriculum 

See the Gypsy Swing Mandolin Jamming (July 9-August 4) curriculum 

Questions?  Email [email protected]. 

Register here. 

“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

This course is intended to help the aspiring mandolinist build up repertoire and find ways of creating new solos over Django Reinhardt-style Gypsy swing tunes; it’s also designed in the hope that it will encourage students to get out and jam with other players!

Each week, we’ll look at four Gypsy swing standard tunes with a particular concept in mind—Dominant 7 chords, ii/V/Is etc.  Students will be given lead sheets (in standard notation and tablature) for each song, as well as a few exercises to help them learn more about the fretboard and start incorporating new ideas into their solos.  Concepts and tunes will be taught during the class session, and all tunes will be revisited during Saturday practice sessions in a “jam session” format, where each song is played several times though, and students have the opportunity to try out some of the week’s concepts on the tunes (with guidance from Matt).  Ways of playing the chord progressions will also be suggested, so students will have a guide for playing backup as well as lead and improv on all four tunes.  

Classes meet Monday evenings from July 9 to July 30 at 9 pm eastern time.  There will also be 45-minute review sessions every Saturday morning from July 14 to August 4 at 10 am eastern time.

Register for Gypsy Swing Mandolin Jamming with Matt Flinner

Get info about other Summer 2018 courses

GYPSY SWING MANDOLIN JAMMING CURRICULUM:

Week 1 (July 9)

Simple chord progressions

Major and dominant 7 arpeggios

A few chord inversions

Playing Django-style rhythm

Louise

My Sweet

Dinah

Tiger Rag

Week 2 (July 16)

Dominant 7 chords

Mixolydian scales

Using chord tones

Caravan

Charleston

Limehouse Blues

Clouds

Week 3 (July 23)

ii-V-Is

A couple of ii-V-I inversions

Arpeggio exercises 

You’re Driving Me Crazy

Honeysuckle Rose

HCQ Strut 

Swing ’42

Week 4 (July 30)

Minor chords

Harmonic minor scales

Arpeggiating through changes

Minor Swing

Blue Drag

I’ve Found a New Baby

Dark Eyes

The course fee is $125.  Register here.

See the Bluegrass Jamming (July 11-August 4) curriculum 

See the Music Theory and Mandolin Fretboard Exercises (July 10-August 4) curriculum

Questions?  Email [email protected]. 

BLUEGRASS MANDOLIN JAMMING WITH MATT FLINNER (July 11-August 4)

Register here.

“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 here.

Get info about other Summer 2018 courses

This course is intended to help the aspiring mandolinist build up repertoire and find ways of creating new solos over commonly played standards; it’s also designed in the hope that it will encourage students to get out and jam with other players!

Now offered at Europe-friendly times!  Class sessions take place at 2 pm eastern time (7 or 8 pm in most of Europe) and 9 pm eastern time.  Students are welcome to join whichever session is more convenient for them…or they can join both!  Students who cannot make it to the live sessions are able to view the sessions afterwards on the class website—generally by the following day.  

Each week, we’ll look at four bluegrass standard tunes: usually two instrumentals and two vocal songs in a particular key.  Students will be given lead sheets (in standard notation and tablature) for each song, as well as a few exercises to help them learn more about the fretboard and start incorporating new ideas into their solos.  Concepts and tunes will be taught during the class session, and all tunes will be revisited during Saturday practice sessions in a “jam session” format, where each song is played several times though, and students have the opportunity to try out some of the week’s concepts on the tunes (with guidance from Matt).

Classes meet every Wednesday from July 11 to August 1 at 2 pm eastern time (7 or 8 pm in the UK and Europe) as well as 9 pm eastern time.  We hope this will be convenient for folks in various time zones, including Europe and around the world!  There will also be 45-minute review sessions every Saturday at 12:15 pm eastern time (5:15 or 6:15 pm in the UK and Europe).

The course fee is $125. 

Register for Bluegrass Mandolin Jamming with Matt Flinner

Here is the curriculum:

WEEK 1 (July 11)

Key of G

Warmup Picking Exercise

Positions in G

G Scale Exercises

Don’t This Road Look Rough and Rocky

Roll In My Sweet Baby’s Arms

Big Sciota

Wheel Hoss

WEEK 2 (July 18)

Key of D

Moving Between Positions in D

D Scale and Patterns

Changing Octaves in a Tune

Angeline the Baker

Cora Is Gone

Reuben

Little Birdie

WEEK 3 (July 25)

Some Minor Key Tunes

A Variety of Minor Chords

E Minor Scales and Patterns

Throwing in Some Minor Double Stops

Randall Collins

Nashville Blues

Little Sadie

Kentucky Mandolin

WEEK 4 (August 1)

Key of A

Some Positions in A

Using Open Strings

A Major Scale and Patterns

Mixing in Licks and Double Stops

Gold Rush

Uncle Pen

Hit Parade of Love

Come Hither to Go Yonder

The course fee is $125.  Register here. 

See the Gypsy Swing Mandolin Jamming (July 9-August 4) curriculum 

See the Music Theory and Mandolin Fretboard Exercises (July 10-August 4) curriculum

Questions?  Email [email protected]. 

“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 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.

Welcome to the Bluegrass Mandolin 101 online lessons program!  Established in the fall of 2013 by Grammy-nominated mandolinist Matt Flinner, the Bluegrass Mandolin 101 program has become one of the premier mandolin learning methods in the world, whether online or offline.  This program presents a variety of online mandolin courses from bluegrass to old-time to swing and jazz to rock and roll and more.  Hundreds of students have improved their playing and broadened their horizons through this unique mix of live lessons and recorded materials.

Celtic Mandolin                    Curriculum      Registration

Beatles for Mandolin           Curriculum      Registration

New Acoustic Mandolin      Curriculum      Registration

This spring, we’re offering three courses: Celtic Mandolin, Beatles for Mandolin and New Acoustic Mandolin. Each course lasts for eight weeks from mid-March to late May or early June, and each course includes eight live class sessions on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday evenings and eight live practice/review sessions on Saturday mornings. Students also receive a variety of materials, including PDFs of all of the written materials, mp3s to practice with, short practice videos of all materials and recommended listening lists. And students do not need to be present for the live sessions (though it is helpful), as all sessions are recorded and uploaded to the class website by the following day so that students can view them (and download them) at their convenience.

Celtic Mandolin with Matt Flinner.  March 19-May 26.  This course is recommended for players at an advanced beginner to intermediate level, and is intended to familiarize students with traditional Irish music on the mandolin.  The course will explore techniques for playing lead and rhythm in traditional Irish fiddle tunes.  Rhythm playing and picking technique on reels, hornpipes and jigs will be explored, as well as picking technique for triplets and various ways of playing ornamentations.  Live class sessions take place on Monday evenings, and practice/review sessions take place on Saturday mornings/afternoons (depending on your time zone).  The curriculum can be viewed here.   Register here.

Beatles for Mandolin with Matt Flinner.  March 20-June 2. This course is recommended for students at any playing level, though it is recommended that students at least know several chords and be able to play several fiddle tunes or other songs. Exercises will be given to benefit players at a variety of skill levels. The course will lead students through much of the world of Rock and Roll, enabling students to learn more about mandolin technique, be more versatile in various styles of playing, and have a whole lot of fun along the way.  The course will focus on a few main areas: learning various rhythms with a consistent picking hand technique, learning new ways of playing chords, strengthening fundamentals such as picking and fingering, and getting to know the fretboard better in various keys—as well as learning some great tunes by the Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, Chuck Berry, Led Zeppelin, Elvis Presley, Bo Diddley and the Rolling Stones (to name a few) will be part of the curriculum.  See the curriculum here.  Register here.

New Acoustic Mandolin with Matt Flinner. March 21-May 26. This course is recommended for students at an intermediate to advanced level. New Acoustic Mandolin will explore modern string band music—an outgrowth of various American roots musics including bluegrass, jazz and old-time music as well as rock and roll, blues and funk. This course will teach students a wide variety of rhythm patterns for both lead and backup playing, explore the fretboard with various chord forms and exercises in jazz harmony, and look at improvisation in a variety of musical contexts and styles. Along the way, students will learn several Matt Flinner tunes and get tips on how to play tunes by many of the modern masters such as David Grisman and Sam Bush. Live class sessions take place on Wednesday evenings, and practice/review sessions take place on Saturday mornings/afternoons (depending on your time zone).  The curriculum can be viewed here. Register here.

The fee for each course is $225.  Register for any two and save $50!  Use the discount code “twofer” on your second course and you’ll be charged just $175 for that course.

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

“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.

See the Beatles for Mandolin Curriculum.

See the New Acoustic Mandolin Curriculum.

Celtic Mandolin returns this spring!  This course will explore techniques for playing lead and rhythm in traditional Irish fiddle tunes.   Each week, students can choose between three reels, jigs, songs or hornpipes to learn, along with several exercises to help with various aspects of technique.  During the class sessions, Matt will focus on one of the tunes each week, but students are given the option of learning one or two more if they have time, or focusing on one of the other tunes if they so choose.  Rhythm playing and picking technique on reels, hornpipes and jigs will be explored, as well as picking technique for triplets and various ways of playing ornamentations.  The course is recommended for players at an advanced beginner to intermediate level (though advanced players who want to learn some Irish tunes may enjoy it as well!).  

The live class sessions occur online on Monday evenings at 9 pm eastern time, and practice/review sessions take place on Saturdays from 10-10:45 am eastern time.

Students are NOT required to attend all (or any) of the live sessions; all sessions are recorded and uploaded to the class website where they can be viewed after-the-fact at the student’s leisure.  Students also have the option of downloading all class videos and practice videos, as well as all PDFs and practice mp3s for the course, so that they can revisit the materials any time.

Register here.

Here is the curriculum:

WEEK 1 (3/19)

Picking Exercise I

Playing basic rhythm on reels

Rhythm Exercise I

A few scales

The Wind That Shakes the Barley

Rolling in the Rye Grass

The Concertina Reel

WEEK 2 (3/26)

Picking Exercise II

Adding some hammer-on and pull-off ornaments

Varying the octave

Rhythm Exercise II

Mulqueen’s

Tommy People’s

The Crooked Road to Dublin

WEEK 3 (4/9)

A few hornpipes

Adding triplets

Triplet picking exercise

The Boys of Blue Hill

Harvest Home

Stack of Barley

WEEK 4 (4/16)

Jigs

Picking Exercise IV

Emphasizing the beat in 6/8 time

Playing rhythm on jigs

Rhythm Exercise III

Blarney Pilgrim

Road to Lisdoonvarna

Behind the Haystack

WEEK 5 (4/30)

Using chord inversions in your rhythm playing

Picking Exercise III

Pull-off ornaments

The Silver Spire

The Mason’s Apron

Jenny Picking Cockles

WEEK 6 (5/7)

Accompanying songs

Adding melodic lines behind vocals

Patterns to use on mandolin or octave mandolin

Mary and the Soldier

Paddy’s Green Shamrock Shore

Arthur McBride

WEEK 6 (5/14)

Jigs II

Further rhythmic ideas on jigs

Rhythm Exercise IV

Octave variations

Monaghan’s Jig

Cunla

The Laurel Tree

WEEK 7 (5/21)

Slip Jigs

Picking Exercise V

Rhythm Exercise V

Patterns in 9/8

The Rocky Road to Dublin

Foxhunter’s Jig

The Salmon’s Leap

WEEK 8 (5/28)

A few more reels

Tying it together: moving chords, ornaments and trills

Farewell to Ireland

The Broken Pledge

Music in the Glen

The Otter’s Holt

The course fee is $225.  Sign up here

“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.

“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.

Register for the Beatles for Mandolin course for $225 (that’s about $14 per class session)

Register here.

See the Celtic Mandolin Curriculum.

See the New Acoustic Mandolin Curriculum.

Welcome to Beatles for Mandolin with Matt Flinner!  This course will explore the songs of the Beatles while enabling students to learn more about mandolin technique, be more versatile in various styles of playing, and have a whole lot of fun along the way.  The course will focus on a few main areas: learning various rhythms with a consistent picking hand technique, learning new ways of playing chords, strengthening fundamentals such as picking and fingering, and getting to know the fretboard better in various keys—as well as learning some great tunes along the way.  

Each week, students will be given exercises related to picking technique, chords, licks or double stops, along with a couple of (mostly) familiar Beatles songs.  Students will also be given a simple “riff” tune each week (though they’ll gradually get more complicated over the 8-week course) to explore the fingerboard with in various keys.  The goal is to get students to strengthen their fundamental technique, learn more about the fretboard, get better at playing by ear—and do all of the above in a fun way.

The course will run from March 20 to June 2, with class sessions on Tuesday evenings at 9 pm eastern time and follow-up practice/review sessions on Saturdays at 11 am eastern time.  

The course fee is $225.  Register here

Here is the schedule:

WEEK 1 

Rhythmic Patterns

Rhythm Exercise I

Rhythm Exercise II

A Bit of Soloing

All My Loving

Please Please Me

Riff: Love Me Do

WEEK 2 

Rock & Roll Rhythm

Rhythm Exercise III

Down-picking Exercise

Twist and Shout

Revolution

Riff: Birthday

WEEK 3 

Using Double Stops in Soloing

Double Stop Exercise I

Diatonic Double Stops

Chord Inversions

This Boy

Two of Us

Riff: Day Tripper

WEEK 4 

Blues in Rock

Blues Scales

I’m Down

Drive My Car

Riff: Hey Bulldog

WEEK 5 

Various Picking Patterns

Picking Exercise II

Picking Exercise III

Here Comes the Sun

Because

Riff: Paperback Writer

WEEK 6 

Mixing Meters

Strumming Patterns in Mixed Meters

Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds

Good Day Sunshine

Riff: In My Life

WEEK 7 

Diatonic Chords

Diatonic Chords in G Major

Blackbird

Here There and Everywhere

Riff: I Feel Fine

WEEK 8 

More Complex Chord Progressions

More Chord Inversions

Chord Tones in Soloing

Strawberry Fields Forever

Yesterday

Riff: Norwegian Wood

Register here.

“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.

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

Register for the New Acoustic Mandolin course for $225 (that’s about $14 per class session)

Register here.

See the Celtic Mandolin Curriculum.

See the Beatles for Mandolin Curriculum.

 “New Acoustic” music has come a long way since it first started up some 40 years ago.  What was started by the likes of David Grisman and Sam Bush in the 1970s as an outgrowth of bluegrass and jazz has grown into a wide-ranging music incorporating elements of rock and roll, folk music, old-time music and more.  We’ll explore this modern frontier of music and give students many of the tools they’ll need to play the tunes as well as improvise and play backup in new ways with new rhythms.  

Spring of 2018 marks the 20th anniversary of the release of Matt Flinner’s “The View from Here” CD, which is regarded by many as a landmark album in New Acoustic music.  Eight of the tunes from this CD will be covered, along with several other tunes from Flinner’s solo albums as well as Phillips, Grier and Flinner and Matt Flinner Trio albums.  The styles of other New Acoustic players will also be covered, and  a wide range of tunes will be studied in order to give students a better understanding of how to approach various tunes in Newgrass and New Acoustic Music.  

This course runs from March 21-May 26.  Classes take place on Wednesday evenings at 9 pm, and follow-up practice sessions take place on Saturdays at 12:15 pm eastern time.  While it is recommended, students do not need to be present for the live sessions, as all sessions are recorded and available to view by the following day.  Students may also download all class sessions and watch them offline at their convenience.  

This course is recommended for students at an intermediate to advanced level.  

The course fee is $225.  Sign up here

WEEK 1

New Fiddle Tunes

Slightly more complex chord progressions

Variations using octaves and chord tones

Black’s Fork

The View from Here

WEEK 2 

Rock-influenced rhythms and patterns

Rhythmic pattern I

Two bluesy licks

Cold Quarters

Nowthen

WEEK 3

Picking Patterns

Picking Exercise I

Picking Exercise II

Some positions up the neck

Suggestions for improvisation

A New Leaf

City Chickens

WEEK 4 

More improvising

Mixolydian and Dorian modes

Melodic patterns 

A few minor licks

Paint It Shut

The Narrows

WEEK 5 

New Acoustic rhythms

Going between 4/4 and 3/4

Rhythmic exercise II

Wilson Bridge

Another Alley

WEEK 6 

Major 7, Dominant 7 and Minor 7 chord forms

Diatonic 4-note chord exercise

Some David Grisman rhythms and licks

Ice Queen

Shiny Blue

WEEK 7 

More rock and funk rhythms

Some Sam Bush grooves and licks

Quartal chord forms

Men from Boise

Half Moondog

WEEK 8 

Advanced chord progressions

Using chord tones 

More melodic patterns

Using various grooves in a tune

Miasma

Red Shift

 Register here.