Matt Flinner

Sign up for two courses and get $50 off!  Use the discount code “bigmon” when you register for your second course for a course fee of just $150.

“After buying six mandolins and umpteen books…I am convinced your course is best $ 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.

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, Adam Steffey, 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 Bill Monroe, J.D. Crowe and the New South, Del McCoury, Alison Krauss, Flatt and Scruggs and Tony Rice will be explored.  It’s a fun way to expand your chops and learn some new tunes!

The course fee is $200.  Sign up for two courses and get $50 off!  Use the discount code “bigmon” when you register for your second course for a course fee of just $150.

Register here.

Go back to the info page here.

BLUEGRASS MANDOLIN 103; ADVANCED BLUEGRASS CURRICULUM:

WEEK 1 (3/29)

Two approaches to the Key of G

Double stops in G and licks that arise from them

Moving between positions

A few melodic patterns

I’ve Endured

I Wonder Where You Are Tonight

WEEK 2 (4/5)

The Key of F

A few positions in F

Moving double stops from chord to chord in various positions

Double stops over a scale

Don’t Let Your Deal Go Down

Rock Salt and Nails

WEEK 3 (4/12)

The Key of B

Using various positions in B

Double Stop Exercise in B

Some licks using open strings in B

Blue Night

Born to Be With You

WEEK 4 (4/19)

A couple of more advanced instrumentals

Exercises using various forms of double stops

Creating melodies mixing double stops and lines

A few more melodic lines in G

Roanoke

Back Up and Push

WEEK 5 (4/26)

The Key of E

Using open strings in E

Various double stop positions in E and moving between them

Licks specific to the key of E

Dark As the Night, Blue As the Day

Every Time You Say Goodbye

WEEK 6 (5/4)

Cross Tunings

Playing chords in cross tunings

A few melodic patterns to try

Varying the melody in subtle ways

Get Up John

Black Mountain Rag

WEEK 7 (5/9)

Different Rhythms

Applying picking patterns to various rhythms

A bit of Cross-picking

Deep Elem Blues

Devil in Disguise

WEEK 8 (5/24)

The Key of Bb

Using open strings in Bb

Various closed positions in Bb, and moving between them

A few handy melodic runs

Big Spike Hammer

I’m Knockin’ on Your Door

Register for Bluegrass Mandolin 103: Advanced Bluegrass here.

Go back to the info page here.

Sign up for two courses and get $50 off!  Use the discount code “bigmon” when you register for your second course for a course fee of just $150.

“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.

Here is the curriculum for the Bluegrass Mandolin 101 online course, which runs from March 27-May 27.  

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 week of May 8th is off, due to Matt’s tour schedule).

NEW THIS SPRING: 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 $200.  Sign up for two courses and get $50 off!  Use the discount code “bigmon” when you register for your second course for a course fee of just $150.

Register here.

Go back to the info page here.

BLUEGRASS MANDOLIN 101 WITH MATT FLINNER CURRICULUM: 

Week 1 (3/27)

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 (4/3)

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 (4/10)

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 (4/17)

Position playing II
Three different kickoffs
Chord tones in position playing
Man of Constant Sorrow
Bonus Material: Evening Prayer Blues

WEEK 5 (4/24)

Shifting from Position I to Position II
Transposing to other keys
Bury Me Beneath the Willow
Bonus Material: You Are My Sunshine

WEEK 6 (5/1)

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 (5/15)

Moving double stops around to create melody
An approach to improvising
Soldier’s Joy
Bonus material: Panhandle Country

Week 8 (5/22)

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

Register for Bluegrass Mandolin 101 with Matt Flinner.

See the Bluegrass Mandolin 102 with Matt Flinner curriculum.

See the Bluegrass Mandolin 103: Advanced Bluegrass with Matt Flinner curriculum.

Go to the Bluegrass Mandolin 101 online program information page.

Sign up for two courses and get $50 off!  Use the discount code “bigmon” when you register for your second course for a course fee of just $150.

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

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

Bluegrass Mandolin 102 will start at an intermediate level and progress to an intermediate/advanced level.  This course will take double stops and position playing further along from where the 101 course leaves off.  Topics will include moving between various positions, transposing double stops and positions to various keys, using double stops in improvisation, adding more licks, crosspicking and playing in more challenging keys—including B!  Students will be given two standard bluegrass songs each week (and will be encouraged to learn at least one of them) while learning how to apply various exercises from the week to their playing.

The course runs from March 28-May 27, and is intended for intermediate to advanced players.  Classes take place Tuesday evenings at 9 pm eastern time, and review sessions take place on Saturday mornings at 11 am eastern time (note: the week of May 1st is off, due to Matt’s tour schedule).  

The course fee is $200.  Sign up for two courses and get $50 off!  Use the discount code “bigmon” when you register for your second course for a course fee of just $150.

Register here.

Go back to the info page here.

BLUEGRASS MANDOLIN 102 WITH MATT FLINNER CURRICULUM:

Week 1 (3/28)

Re-introduction to double stops
Picking Exercises I
Playing some fills
Keys of G, A, and D
Little Cabin Home on the Hill
Bonus tune: Little Joe

Week 2 (4/4)

Shifting positions
Double stop exercises in C and F
Adding some V-I licks
East Virginia Blues
Bonus Material: I Ain’t Gonna Work Tomorrow

Week 3 (4/11)

Minor Keys
Minor double stop exercises
Wayfaring Stranger
Bonus tune: There Is a Time

Week 4 (4/18)

The Blues in Bluegrass
Finding blue notes
Blues licks you can throw into a tune or backup
Lonesome Road Blues
Bonus tune: Freight Train Boogie

Week 5 (4/25)

Waltz Time
Tremolo exercises
Double stops in E and B
Tag licks in 3/4 time
Down in the Willow Garden
Bonus tune: Blue Moon of Kentucky

Week 6 (5/8)

Crosspicking with double stops
Picking Exercises II
A few licks to throw in at the end of solos
Little Darlin’ Pal of Mine
Bonus tune: My Walkin’ Shoes

Week 7 (5/16)

Using diatonic double stops in creating melody
Diatonic double stop exercise
A few scales
Eight More Miles to Louisville
Bonus tune: John Hardy

Week 8 (5/23)

Tying it all together
Adding some licks and improvising
Combining double stops and licks
Dark Hollow
Bonus tune: John Henry

Register for  Bluegrass Mandolin 102 with Matt Flinner.

Go back to the Bluegrass Mandolin 101 online program info page.

Sign up for two courses and get $50 off!  Use the discount code “bigmon” when you register for your second course for a course fee of just $150.

Register for Bluegrass Mandolin 101 here.

Register for Bluegrass Mandolin 102 here.

Register for Bluegrass Mandolin 103: Advanced Bluegrass here.

See the Bluegrass Mandolin 101,  102 and 103 curricula.

“I’ve practiced more in two weeks than I have in months!  Really, 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 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.

Get the benefits of live lessons with the convenience of recorded materials for a more complete online learning experience!

Bluegrass returns to the menu this spring with the Bluegrass Mandolin 101, 102 and 103 online courses.  These unique courses offer students the opportunity to not only learn from recorded videos and mp3s, but also to learn directly from Matt Flinner in an interactive group session twice per week.  Students are given new materials to learn each week during the live class sessions, and then are invited to practice the material with Matt a few days later in the Saturday practice/review sessions.  Meanwhile, students have 24-hour access to a class website where they can find all class materials, including written materials in PDF form, short practice videos, mp3s to play along with as well as the recorded class sessions themselves.  This way, students who are unable to attend some or all of the live sessions can keep up with the course on their own schedule, and students also have several options in deciding how they want to practice the material.

The next courses will be:

Bluegrass Mandolin 101 (March 27-May 27).  Classes take place Monday evenings at 9 pm eastern and Saturday mornings at 10 am eastern.  Class sessions will also take place at 2 pm eastern time on Mondays for students around the globe who would prefer not to attend class in the middle of the night!

Bluegrass Mandolin 102 (March 28-May 27).  Classes take place Tuesday evenings at 9 pm eastern and Saturday mornings at 11 am eastern.

Bluegrass Mandolin 103: Advanced Bluegrass and More (March 29-May 27).  Classes take place Wednesday evenings at 9 pm eastern and Saturdays at 12:15 pm eastern.

Students will be able to take part in 16 sessions (eight class sessions and eight practice/review sessions) over a 9-week period.   A few dates (January 27 and February 22 & 23) will be off due to Matt’s tour schedule.

Useful info on the courses and what you’ll need to participate.

Bluegrass Mandolin 101 and 102 will focus on helping students get more familiar with the nuts and bolts of bluegrass-style mandolin playing.  Exercises in position playing, double stops, backup, and transposing to various keys will give students the tools they need to move forward in their playing and enable them to play more comfortably on their own or with other players in jam sessions.  Bluegrass Mandolin 101 will start at a beginner/intermediate level and progress to a solidly intermediate level.  Bluegrass Mandolin 102 will introduce some more advanced concepts, and will start at an intermediate level and progress to an intermediate/advanced level.

New to the program is Bluegrass Mandolin 103: Advanced Bluegrass (and more).  This will pick up where Bluegrass Mandolin 102 leaves off, and will lead students through advanced subjects including 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, Adam Steffey, Sam Bush, David Grisman and Ricky Skaggs will be discussed, giving students more options in their approaches to soloing and playing backup.

The fee for each course is $200.  Sign up for two courses and get $50 off!  Use the discount code “bigmon” when you register for your second course for a course fee of just $150.

Bluegrass Mandolin 101 with Matt Flinner:
Curriculum    Registration

Bluegrass Mandolin 102 with Matt Flinner:
Curriculum     Registration

Bluegrass Mandolin 103: Advanced Bluegrass with Matt Flinner:
Curriculum     Registration

Click here for more info on the courses and what you’ll need to participate. 

Questions?  Email Matt Flinner at [email protected].

“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.

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

Register for Gypsy Swing Mandolin with Matt Flinner.

Get more info on other courses offered in Winter 2017.

Explore the wonderful world of Gypsy Swing on the mandolin from the comfort of your own home!  Matt Flinner will lead you through the classic 1930s music of Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli and help you explore the fingerboard, learn new ways of playing chord progressions and help you acquire the tools you need to play and improvise in the Gypsy Jazz genre.

Each week, students will be given two tunes and a handful of exercises in scales, arpeggios, and/or chord inversions and chord movement, along with at least one transcribed Django Reinhardt solo from one of the two tunes.  The goal will be to become more comfortable playing Gypsy Swing melodies and chord progressions, get better at improvising and ultimately get out and play this music with other people!

The course is intended for students at an intermediate to advanced level.  The course will start out fairly easy (lower intermediate?), and will gradually progress to a more advanced level.

The course runs from January 4-March 11.  Classes take place online on Wednesday evenings from 9-10 pm eastern time, and practice/review sessions take place on Saturdays from 12:15-1 pm eastern time.

The course fee is $200.

WEEK 1

A Couple of Basic Chord Progressions

Finding Chord Tones for the First Chord Changes in a Tune

A Couple of Chord Inversions

Sheik of Araby

Dinah

WEEK 2

Minor Scales: Dorian and Harmonic Minor

Minor Chords and Inversions

Starting Phrases on Chord Tones

Minor Swing

Swing 39

WEEK 3

The Circle of Fifths

Playing Dominant 7 Chords Around the Circle of Fifths

Playing Arpeggios Around the Circle of Fifths

Swing 42

Swinging with Django

WEEK 4

ii-V-Is

A Couple of ii-V-I Inversions

A Couple of Melodic Patterns

After You’ve Gone

Nuages

WEEK 5

Harmonic Minor Scales II

A Few Handy Harmonic Minor Licks

Caravan

Dark Eyes

WEEK 6

I-vi-ii-V-I Progressions

Finding Chord Tones on the I-vi-ii-V-I

Triplet Patterns

Daphne

Avalon

WEEK 7

Chromatic Chord Progressions

Chromatic Scales and Fingerings

More Triplet Ideas

Hungaria

Djangology

WEEK 8

IV-#IVdim-I-VI-II-V-I Turnarounds

Two Smooth Ways of Playing Turnarounds

Diminished Chord Shapes

Diminished Arpeggios

Django Rag

Django’s Tiger

Register here.

Get more information on all courses offered in Winter 2017.

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

Winter 2017 courses are here!   Waltzes for Mandolin will take place on Mondays and Saturdays from January 9-March 18, Fiddle Tune Harmony will take place on Tuesdays and Saturdays from January 10-March 18 and Gypsy Swing Mandolin will take place on Wednesdays and Saturdays from January 4-March 11.

Check out the curriculum for each course, or register here:

Waltzes for Mandolin          Curriculum               Registration

Fiddle Tune Harmony         Curriculum               Registration

Gypsy Swing Mandolin        Curriculum               Registration

Course fees are $200 per course.

“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.

Questions?  Email [email protected].

Register for Fiddle Tune Harmony for Mandolin.

Get more info on other courses offered in Winter 2017.

This course will teach students how to create the happiest sound in the world—two mandolins playing in harmony!  Each week, students will learn two standard fiddle tunes, along with ways of constructing harmony parts to those tunes.  Exercises will be given each week to help students learn more about the fretboard, get more adept at playing scales and double stops in the common keys of G, D, A and C, and find chord tones more easily in all keys.  Besides being able to create harmony parts, students will come away from the course with a stronger understanding of how melodies are created and how they relate to chords and chord tones.  The goal of the course is to give students a broader understanding of music theory and help them learn melodies more quickly (as well as create the happiest sound in the world…).

The course is intended for students at an intermediate to advanced level.  The course will start out fairly easy (lower intermediate?), and will gradually progress to a more advanced level.

The course runs from January 10-March 18.  Classes take place online on Tuesday evenings from 9-10 pm eastern time, and practice/review sessions take place on Saturday mornings from 10-10:45 am eastern time.

The course fee is $200.

“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.

THE CURRICULUM:

Week 1

Some vocal songs

Twin mandolins as lead and tenor harmony

Harmonizing Major Scales

Using 3rds and 4ths to create harmony

Wildwood Flower

House of Gold

Week 2

Harmony in G

G Major Scales

Chord Tones in G

Finding 3rds and 4ths

Golden Slippers

When You And I Were Young, Maggie

Week 3

Harmony in D

D Major Scales

Chord Tones in D

Harmony on the I Versus the V Chord

Mississippi Sawyer

Old Spinning Wheel

Week 4

Harmony in A

A Major and Mixolydian Scales

Chord Tones in A

Positions up the Neck

Tallahassee

Big Mon

Week 5

Minor Keys

Minor chord tones and arpeggios

Minor chord inversions

Lonesome Moonlight Waltz

Lonesome Fiddle Blues

Week 6

Fast Moving Chord Progressions

Identifying chord tones on down beats

Arpeggio Inversions

Bill Cheatem

Fisher’s Hornpipe

Week 7

Harmony in C

More Positions up the Neck

Double Stop Harmony

Billy in the Lowground

Panhandle Country

Week 8

Three Part Harmony

Creating Baritone parts

Chord Tone Exercise in All Keys

Tall Timber

Wheel Hoss

Register here.

Get more info on other Winter 2017 online courses.

Register for Waltzes for Mandolin.

Get more info on other courses offered in Winter 2017.

Join Matt Flinner for an 8-week online course focusing on waltzes for the mandolin.  Students will be taught tunes that are quickly accessible to players of all ability levels, and they’ll also get exercises to help with fundamentals of picking, tremolo, double stops, chord positions, and various positions around the neck.

The course runs from January 9 to March 18; class sessions take place on Monday evenings from 9-10 pm eastern time, and follow-up practice sessions take place on Saturdays from 9-9:45 am eastern time.

The course is intended for students at a beginner to intermediate level.

The course fee is $200.

“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.

THE CURRICULUM:

Week 1

Getting started with melody and chords

Open style chords

Picking Exercise I

Rhythm Exercise I

The Greenwood Tree

Planxty Irwin

Week 2

Using down-up technique in 3/4

Minor open style chords

Picking Exercise II

Legato playing

The Ash Grove

Down Home Waltz

Week 3

Tremolo

Tremolo Exercises

Rhythm Exercise II

Sheebeg and Sheemore

Westphalia Waltz

Week 4

Using some double stops

Double Stop Exercise in D

Using Bluegrass “Chop” Chords

Ashoken Farewell

Ookpik Waltz

Week 5

Waltzing with chords

Chord Inversions

Star of the County Down

Greensleeves

Week 6

Moving double stops

Double Stop Exercise in A

Double Stop Tremolo Exercise

Midnight on the Water

Margaret’s Waltz

Week 7

Positions up the neck

G and D Positions

Grand Valley Waltz

Valse de Pastouriaux

Week 8

Tying it all together

Moving Double Stops, Positions, and Chords

Kentucky Waltz

I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry

Register here.

Get more info on other courses offered in Winter 2017.

Composer and trumpeter Dave Douglas joins the Matt Flinner Trio for a special night of “Music du Jour” in New York City on October 19th.  Douglas, a 13-time Downbeat poll winner (Trumpet Player of the Year), is a leading composer in modern jazz, with over 40 albums to his credit as a leader of a wide variety of ensembles.  From his Sounds Prints quintet (co-led by Joe Lovano) to his shape note explorations with Uri Caine to his explorations of brass music traditions with Brass Ecstasy Quintet to his electronic forays with the High Risk Ensemble, Douglas is always exploring new terrain and bringing his own virtuosity and compositional concept to create something new.

The Matt Flinner Trio (Matt Flinner, mandolin, Ross Martin, guitar and Eric Thorin, bass) has been forging its own path in modern American string band music for the past 10 years.  The group is more than a bluegrass/newgrass ensemble: Mandolinist Matt Flinner, guitarist Ross Martin and bassist Eric Thorin have taken a unique approach to performance by writing new music the day of almost every show. Their ongoing “Music du Jour” project has produced three acclaimed albums on Compass Records, including their 2016 release, “Traveling Roots.”  Says American Songwriter Magazine: “Stunning, often jaw-dropping musicianship that never feels showy even when it is…it’s clear that the Flinner trio have few contemporary peers.”  In 2016, the group expanded the “du Jour” project, writing new music for special guests at the forefront of modern bluegrass and jazz, including Sam Bush, Tony Trischka, Darol Anger, Frank Vignola, Ron Miles, Alison Brown and many others.  This off-the-cuff approach to their music, coupled with their deep roots in traditional bluegrass as well as jazz, makes for a sound all its own in today’s acoustic music landscape.  The trio is excited to welcome Dave Douglas for an unpredictable night of music at the Rockwood Music Hall in NYC on October 19th at 8:30 pm.

More information is at http://www.rockwoodmusichall.com

These courses have concluded.  To view the current list of courses offered, visit the Winter Online Course page.

“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.

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

Welcome to mattflinner.com.  And welcome to the Bluegrass Mandolin 101 online lessons program!

This fall, beginning the week of September 26th, the Bluegrass Mandolin 101 program continues with mandolin courses for students of all ability levels: Newgrass Mandolin, Celtic Mandolin and Mandolin for Beginners.

Return to the fall courses info page.

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.

THE BLUEGRASS MANDOLIN 101 ONLINE LESSONS PROGRAM

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 Bluegrass Mandolin 101 unique is the fact that students follow a step-by-step program of live lessons over an eight-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 and be prepared for the next week’s class session.  Students also have unlimited access to several short instructional videos each week (usually about 6 to 8) 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!

THE SCHEDULE

The live lessons for the Mandolin for Beginners course take place every Monday night from 8-9 pm Central time from September 26th to December 5th, and for the Newgrass Mandolin course every Tuesday from 8-9 pm Central time from September 27th to December 6th.  The Celtic Mandolin course will take place every Wednesday night from 8-9 pm central time from September 28th to December 7th.  All three courses will also have Saturday practice/review sessions; Mandolin for Beginners will be from 9-9:45 am central time, Newgrass Mandolin will be from 10-10:45 am central time and the Celtic Mandolin practice sessions will be from 11:15 am-12 pm central time each Saturday from October 1st through December 10th.  Classes will be off on a couple of weeks due to Matt’s tour schedule; see the class’s specific curriculum for details.  There will still be eight class sessions and eight practice sessions in each course.

It is NOT imperative that students be able to attend the live mandolin bluegrass sessions.  All sessions will be recorded, so 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 (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 eight-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 the Mandolin for Beginners, Newgrass Mandolin and Celtic Mandolin with Matt Flinner courses.  Here, 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

The fee for the eight-week Newgrass and Celtic courses is $200, and the fee for the Mandolin for Beginners course is $175.  This gives you access to all live online lessons and practice sessions as well as access to all recorded videos, written materials and mp3s (which are yours to keep).

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

“I’ve taken music and instrument classes over the years, and I’ve never received such a comprehensive and successful approach as this format. Live video, downloaded charts and diagrams, recorded sessions, at the most affordable price. Nothing I’ve participated in compares to this. Best value for the dollar. Highly recommended.”—Jim H. 

“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 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.

“You thoroughly answered the email questions and the recorded .mp3 feedback to the sample I posted was SUPER helpful. Very detailed and specific to what you heard on my recording. Very helpful to hear you play examples of what your were talking about and get recommendations of specific exercises to do.”—Barb N.

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

Mandolin for Beginners

Newgrass Mandolin

Celtic Mandolin