Matt Flinner

This course has concluded.  To view the current list of courses offered, visit the Winter Online Course page.

Here is the curriculum for the Newgrass Mandolin with Matt Flinner online course, which runs from January 6-March 5.  The course is intended for intermediate-advanced players.  Classes take place Wednesday evenings at 9 pm eastern time, and review sessions take place on Saturday mornings at 12:15 pm eastern time (note: the week of January 27th is off, due to Matt’s tour schedule).  The registration fee is $200.

Register here.

Go back to the info page here.

NEWGRASS MANDOLIN WITH MATT FLINNER CURRICULUM: 

Week 1 (1/6)

Bluegrass just outside the box
Double stops
A few licks in G
Whisper My Name
Bonus tune: Love, Come Home

Week 2 (1/13)

Adding some more advanced chords
Some position playing, some scale-style playing
Playing over minor chords
More licks in G, and transposing
Friend of the Devil
Bonus tune: Midnight Moonlight

Week 3 (1/20)

Rock & Roll grooves
The Rock & Roll chop feel
Adding ornaments in backup playing
A few rock & roll-friendly licks
Not Fade Away
Bonus tune: Jack Straw

Week 4 (2/3)

Advanced Fiddle Tunes
Shifting Positions I
More chord movement
Crazy Creek
Brilliancy

Week 5 (2/10)

The Blues
Blues grooves and backup
Blues licks in various keys
Moving chord inversions
The Thrill Is Gone
Bonus tune: Trouble in Mind

Week 6 (2/17)

Minor keys
Playing over minor progressions
Using chord tones in solos
With a Vamp in the Middle
Bonus tune: Me and My Uncle

Week 7 (2/22)

A  Bit of Reggae
The Reggae Chop
Triplet Exercises
Three Little Birds
Bonus tune: One Love

Week 8 (3/2)

Tying it all together
Varying grooves on the same tune
Approaches to improv: double stops, positions, scales and arpeggios
Cold on the Shoulder
Bonus tune: Panama Red

Register for Newgrass Mandolin with Matt Flinner.

See the curriculum for Bluegrass Mandolin 101 with Matt Flinner.

See the curriculum for Bluegrass Mandolin 102 with Matt Flinner.

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

This course has concluded.  To view the current list of courses offered, visit the Winter Online Course page.

Here is the curriculum for the Bluegrass Mandolin 102 online course, which runs from January 5-March 5.  The course 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 February 23rd is off, due to Matt’s tour schedule).  The registration fee is $200.

Register here.

Go back to the info page here.

BLUEGRASS MANDOLIN 102 WITH MATT FLINNER CURRICULUM:

Week 1 (1/5)

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 (1/12)

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 (1/19)

Minor Keys
Minor double stop exercises
Wayfaring Stranger
Bonus tune: Blue Diamond Mine

Week 4 (1/26)

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 (2/2)

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 (2/9)

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: Motherless Children

Week 7 (2/16)

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 (3/1)

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.

See the curriculum for Bluegrass Mandolin 101 with Matt Flinner.

See the curriculum for Newgrass Mandolin with Matt Flinner.

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

This course has concluded.  To view the current list of courses offered, visit the Winter Online Course page.

Here is the curriculum for the Bluegrass Mandolin 101 online course, which runs from January 4-March 5.  The course is intended for beginner-intermedaite players (though many of the fundamentals covered should be beneficial to players at any level).  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 February 22nd is off, due to Matt’s tour schedule). The registration fee is $200.

Register here.

Go back to the info page here.

BLUEGRASS MANDOLIN 101 WITH MATT FLINNER CURRICULUM: 

Week 1 (1/4)

Three warmup exercises
Intro to position playing
Intro to double stops
Will the Circle Be Unbroken
Bonus Material: Bury Me Not on the Lone Prairie

WEEK 2 (1/11)

Moving to the key of A
Some tag licks to add to your solos
Backup playing and fills
I’ll Fly Away
Bonus Material: Long Black Veil

WEEK 3 (1/18)

Small position shifts
Adding some more licks to your solos
Double stop exercises in D
Banks of the Ohio
Bonus material: Keep on the Sunny Side of Life

WEEK 4 (1/25)

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

WEEK 5 (2/1)

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

WEEK 6 (2/8)

More position shifts
Turnarounds: I-V-I progressions
Double stop exercises in C
Sittin’ On Top of the World
Bonus material: Gold Watch and Chain

WEEK 7 (2/15)

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

Week 8 (2/29)

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 Newgrass Mandolin with Matt Flinner curriculum.

Go to the Bluegrass Mandolin 101 online program information page.

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

Register for Bluegrass Mandolin 101 here.

Register for Bluegrass Mandolin 102 here.

See the Bluegrass Mandolin 101 and 102 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.

Bluegrass returns to the menu in January with the Bluegrass Mandolin 101 and 102 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 (January 4-March 19).  Classes take place Monday evenings at 9 pm eastern and Saturday mornings at 10 am eastern.

Bluegrass Mandolin 102 (January 5-March 19).  Classes take place Tuesday evenings at 9 pm eastern and Saturday mornings at 11 am eastern.

Newgrass Mandolin: Advanced Bluegrass and More (January 6-March 19).  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 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 Newgrass Mandolin: Advanced Bluegrass and More.  This will pick up where Bluegrass Mandolin 102 leaves off, and will lead students through the modern world of bluegrass mandolin and into some other “newgrass” styles.  Following the lead of players like Sam Bush and David Grisman, the course will explore ways of adding new elements to the students’ playing, from fiddle tunes to Rock & Roll to a bit of jazz and more.

The fee for each course is $200.  Sign up for two courses for just $300!  Use the discount code “lovecomehome” on your second course and get $100 off.

Bluegrass Mandolin 101 with Matt Flinner:
Curriculum    Registration

Bluegrass Mandolin 102 with Matt Flinner:
Curriculum     Registration

Newgrass Mandolin 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].

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

Bluegrass Mandolin 101 is turning two years old, and to celebrate we’re offering discounts on the fall courses.  Get discounts of $20, $100 or $200 when you sign up for Swing and Jazz Mandolin or Appalachian Mandolin Tunes and Technique!  Starting September 21, 22 and 23, we’re offering Swing and Jazz Mandolin 101, Swing and Jazz Mandolin 102 and Appalachian Mandolin Tunes and Technique.  More details on the courses can be found below.

This fall’s discounted rates:

Any one course= $180 ($20 off); use the discount code “happy” on the payment form.

Any two courses= $300 ($100 off); use the discount code “birthday” on the payment form for the second course to receive the additional $80 off.

All three courses= $400 ($200 off); use the discount code “happybirthday” on the payment form for the third course to receive the additional $100 off.

If you make a mistake, don’t worry!  We’ll take off whatever discount(s) you may have missed.

Swing and Jazz Mandolin 101 Curriculum

Swing and Jazz Mandolin 102 Curriculum

Appalachian Mandolin Tunes and Technique Curriculum

Here are this fall’s eight-week courses:

Swing and Jazz Mandolin 101: Sept 21-Nov 21.  60-minute classes take place online every Monday night at 9 pm eastern time, with 45-minute review sessions on Saturdays at 10 am eastern time (with Oct 12 and 17 off).

Swing and Jazz Mandolin 102: Sept 22-Nov 21.  60-minute classes take place online every Tuesday night at 9 pm eastern time, with 45-minute review sessions on Saturdays at 11 am eastern time (with Oct 13 and 17 off).

Appalachian Mandolin Tunes and Technique: Sept 23-Nov 21.  60-minute classes take place online every Wednesday night at 9 pm eastern time, with 45-minute review sessions on Saturdays at 12:15 pm eastern time (with Oct 14 and 17 off).

SWING AND JAZZ MANDOLIN 101 and 102

Learn a new swing tune (or two) each week and get pointers on how to play chords and backup as well as approaches to improvising.  These courses will be very much into chord voicings, scales, arpeggios and how they all relate to one another.  It’s a great way to expand your playing and musicianship (and learn some great tunes)!  The 101 level course is intended for students at an upper beginner to intermediate level; the 102 course is intended for students at a solidly intermediate to advanced level.  Students will be given work each week from which they can prioritize certain elements of depending on their ability level.

See the 101 curriculum here, and the 102 curriculum here.

Tunes for the Swing and Jazz Mandolin 101 course will include Honeysuckle Rose, Ain’t Misbehavin’, Seven Come Eleven, Blue Moon, I Got Rhythm, Bye Bye Blackbird, Rhythm-a-Ning, One O’Clock Jump and many more.
Tunes for the Swing and Jazz Mandolin 102 course will include Things Ain’t What They Used to Be, Blue Skies, Mood Indigo, Oleo, Limehouse Blues, All the Things You Are, It Had to Be You, Shine and many more.

To register for the Swing & Jazz Mandolin 101 course on Mondays and Saturdays, visit the registration page.
To register for the Swing & Jazz Mandolin 102 course on Tuesdays and Saturdays, visit the registration page.

APPALACHIAN MANDOLIN TUNES AND TECHNIQUE

This course will focus on getting deep into Appalachian fiddle music and deep into mandolin tone and fundamental technique.  Students will get pointers on how to maximize their tone, various approaches to rhythm playing and chords, making use of open strings, bits of variations as well as a new tune (or two) each week.  The suggested level for this course is beginner to intermediate, but there will be plenty of time focused on fundamentals and exercises to improve technique which should benefit students of all ability levels (plus it’s a great way to learn some new tunes!).

View the curriculum here.

Tunes for the Appalachian Mandolin course will include Squirrel Hunters, Cotton Eyed Joe, Hell Broke Loose in Georgia, Nine Pound Hammer, Midnight on the Water, Garfield’s Blackberry Blossom, Four Cent Cotton and many more.

To register for the Appalachian Mandolin Tunes and Technique with Matt Flinner course on Wednesdays and Saturdays, visit the registration page.

This course has concluded.  To view the current list of courses offered, visit the Winter Online Course page.

Register for Swing Mandolin 102 with Matt Flinner on Tuesdays here.

Check out Swing Mandolin 101 with Matt Flinner on Mondays here.

Explore the wonderful world of swing mandolin with Grammy-nominated mandolinist Matt Flinner.  Learn a new jazz or swing tune (or two) each week and get pointers on how to play chords and backup as well as approaches to improvising.  This course will be very much into chord voicings, scales, arpeggios and how they all relate to one another.  The 102 level course is intended for intermediate to advanced players, and will cover swing tunes as well as jazz standards and bebop tunes.  It’s a great way to expand your playing and musicianship (and learn some great tunes)!

SCHEDULE:

60-minute classes take place online every Tuesday evening from September 22 to November at 17 9 pm eastern time, and 45-minute practice/review sessions take place every Saturday morning from September 26 to November 21 at 11 am eastern time.  The week of Oct 13-17 is off due to Matt’s touring schedule.

WHAT STUDENTS GET FROM THE COURSE

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

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

HOW INTERACTIVE IS THE COURSE?

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

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

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

WHAT YOU WILL NEED TO PARTICIPATE:

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

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

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

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

The fee for the course is $200.  If you have questions about the course, email Matt at [email protected].

Register for Swing Mandolin 102 with Matt Flinner on Tuesdays here.

To view other online mandolin courses being offered this winter, click one of these links:

Swing and Jazz 101 Curriculum

Appalachian Mandolin Curriculum

SWING AND JAZZ MANDOLIN 102 CURRICULUM:

Week 1 (Sept 22): The advanced blues progression

Some blues licks in two positions

ii-V-Is in the blues

Dominant and Major 7th arpeggios: two octaves

Mixolydian and major scales and patterns II

Things Ain’t What They Used to Be

Bonus tune: Billie’s Bounce

Week 2 (Sept 29): Advanced ii-V-Is and modulations

Minor 7 arpeggios: two octaves

Dorian scales and patterns II

Some ii-V-I runs

All the Things You Are

Bonus tune: Autumn Leaves

Week 3 (Oct 6): The minor ii-V-I

Half-diminished arpeggios

Harmonic Minor Scales

Blue Skies

Bonus tune: Is You Is or Is You Ain’t My Baby

Week 4 (Oct 20): The turnaround: IV, #ivdim, I/V, VI, II, V, I

Diminished scales

Diminished arpeggios

A few diminished patterns

Shine

Bonus tune: Pennies from Heaven

Week 5 (Oct 27): Tritone substitutions

Finding common tones between chords

Playing arpeggios in inversions

Limehouse Blues

Bonus tune: Stardust

Week 6 (Nov 3): Extensions: 9s, 11s, 13s

Minor/major 7 chords and arpeggios

Melodic minor scales

Mood Indigo

Bonus tune: Moon Glow

Week 7 (Nov 10): A little bebop

Connecting solos with chord tones

Substitutions—the Lydian dominant scale

Oleo

Bonus tune: Au Privave

Week 8 (Nov 17): Chord soloing

Using three note chords with extensions

It Had to Be You

Bonus tune: Satin Doll

Bonus tune: Spiritual

Register here.

This course has concluded.  To view the current list of courses offered, visit the Winter Online Course page.

Register for Swing Mandolin 101 with Matt Flinner on Mondays here.

Check out Swing Mandolin 102 with Matt Flinner on Tuesdays here.

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

SCHEDULE:

60-minute classes take place online every Monday evening from September 21 to November at 16 at 9 pm eastern time, and 45-minute practice/review sessions take place every Saturday morning from September 26 to November at 21 at 10 am eastern time.  The week of October 12-17 is off due to Matt’s touring schedule.

WHAT STUDENTS GET FROM THE COURSE

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

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

HOW INTERACTIVE IS THE COURSE?

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

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

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

WHAT YOU WILL NEED TO PARTICIPATE:

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

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

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

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

WHAT IS THE COURSE FEE?  AND ARE THERE DISCOUNTS FOR MULTIPLE COURSES?

The fee for the course is $200.  If you have questions about the course, email Matt at [email protected].

Take Swing 101 and 102 simultaneously for a discounted rate of $180 per course.  Email [email protected] for more information.

Take Swing 101, 102 and Appalachian Mandolin simultaneously for a discounted rate of $160 per course. Email [email protected] for more information.

Register for Swing Mandolin 101 with Matt Flinner on Mondays here.

To view other online mandolin courses being offered this fall, click one of these links:

Swing and Jazz 102 Curriculum

Appalachian Mandolin Curriculum

SWING AND JAZZ MANDOLIN 101 CURRICULUM:

Week 1 (Sept 21): The Blues

Dominant 7 Chords

Blues Scales

One O’Clock Jump

C Jam Blues

Week 2 (Sept 28): The ii-V-I progression

Major Scales and patterns in a few keys

Two ways of playing ii-V-Is

Major 7 Arpeggios in all keys

Sweet Sue

Bonus tune: Honeysuckle Rose

Week 3 (Oct 5): The Blues II (adding the ii-V-I)

Dominant 7 chord inversions

Dominant 7 arpeggios

Mixolydian Scales and patterns

Blues Walk

Bonus tune: Cool Blues

Week 4 (Oct 19): Some more ii-V-Is

A couple of ii-V-I licks

Two more ii-V-I inversions

Minor 7 arpeggios

Dorian scales and patterns

Bye Bye Blackbird

Bonus tune: Ain’t Misbehavin’

Week 5 (Oct 26): Going Around the Circle of 5ths

Patterns around the circle

Arpeggiating through chord progressions

Seven Come Eleven

Bonus tune: Sweet Georgia Brown

Week 6 (Nov 2): Target notes

Some more ii-V-I licks and patterns

Using target notes over chord changes

Scale exercises and ii-V-Is

All of Me

Bonus tune: We’ll Meet Again

Week 7 (Nov 9): The I-VI-ii-V-I progression

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

Finding smooth chord tones from chord to chord

Blue Moon

Bonus tune: Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off

Week 8 (Nov 16): “Rhythm” changes

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

I Got Rhythm

Bonus tune: Rhythm-a-Ning

Register here.

This course has concluded.  To view the current list of courses offered, visit the Winter Online Course page.

Register here.

See other fall courses offered here.

This course will focus on getting students more familiar with Appalachian fiddle music and old-time songs, and help them improve their mandolin tone and technique.  Students will get pointers on how to maximize their tone, various approaches to rhythm playing and chords, making use of open strings, bits of variations as well as learning a new tune (or two) each week.

SCHEDULE:

60-minute classes take place online every Wednesday evening from September 23 to November at 18 at 9 pm eastern time, and 45-minute practice/review sessions take place every Saturday morning from September 26 to November 21 at 12:15 pm eastern time.  The week of October 14-17 is off due to Matt’s touring schedule.

WHAT STUDENTS GET FROM THE COURSE

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

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

HOW INTERACTIVE IS THE COURSE?

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

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

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

WHAT YOU WILL NEED TO PARTICIPATE:

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

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

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

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

The fee for the course is $200.  If you have questions about the course, email Matt at [email protected].

If you register for two or more courses simultaneously, additional discounts apply.

Two courses=$360 ($180 each)

Three courses=$$480 ($160 each)

Email [email protected] for more details.

Register for Appalachian Mandolin Tunes and Technique with Matt Flinner here.

To view other mandolin courses offered this fall, click one of these:

Swing and Jazz 101 Curriculum

Swing and Jazz 102 Curriculum

APPALACHIAN MANDOLIN TUNES AND TECHNIQUE CURRICULUM:

WEEK 1 (9/23): Getting the groove

Rhythm playing Using Open Chords

Maximizing Your Tone

Picking Exercise I

Adding Open Strings in D

Fall On My Knees

Fortune

WEEK 2 (9/30): Making the most of open strings in A

Picking Exercise II

Adding Some Notes in Backup Playing

Squirrel Hunters

Cotton Eyed Joe

WEEK 3 (10/7): Some Double Stops

Rhythm playing using double stops

Incorporating Double Stops into Your Solos

Double Stop Exercise in G

Bitter Creek

Drunken Billy Goat

WEEK 4 (10/21): Waltz Time

Tremolo Exercises

Double Stops in A and D

Midnight on the Water

Wake Robin

WEEK 5 (10/28): Using open strings in G

A Few Licks Thrown In

Adding Some Runs and Licks to Backup Playing

The Girl I Left Behind Me

Ways of the World

WEEK 6 (11/4): Early Monroe Style Mandolin

More Double Stops

“Open Style” Double Stop Exercise

Nine Pound Hammer

Where Is My Sailor Boy?

WEEK 7 (11/11): Using Open Strings in C

Adding Extra Notes to Open Chords

Minor chords and Double Stops

Farewell to Tryon

Hell Broke Loose in Georgia

Four Cent Cotton

WEEK 8 (11/18): Tying it all together: Octaves, Double Stops, Licks and Backup

Meg Gray

Garfield’s Blackberry Blossom

Chinquapin Hunting

Brushy Fork of John’s Creek

Register here.

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

Explore the wide world of mandolin with Matt Flinner in a four-week online course focusing on various aspects of technique.  The Summer Intensive 102 and 202 courses combine live online lessons with recorded videos for students to get a more complete online learning experience.  For more information on the upcoming courses, click here.

In addition to picking exercises, fingering exercises, double stops, chords, scales and arpeggios, we’ll all learn how to imitate barnyard animals:

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

The Bluegrass Mandolin 101 online lessons program continues this summer with two four-week long intensive courses designed to help your overall mandolin playing technique.  Each week, we’ll look at seven exercises intended to increase your knowledge of the fretboard and help your picking hand control as we look at seven different areas: picking exercises, fingering exercises, scale exercises, arpeggios, chord exercises, double stops, and licks.  We’ll also learn a new tune each week and apply the ideas from each of the exercises to that week’s tune; by practicing these exercises in this context, students get some practical applications for the exercises as well as some ideas for variations on tunes.

Register for 102

Register for 202

The 102 level course, which takes place on Tuesday evenings, is intended for beginner to intermediate students, and students will learn one bluegrass or old-time tune in conjunction with the exercises.  The 202 level course, which takes place on Wednesday evenings, is intended for intermediate to advanced level students, and students will learn one swing or jazz-style tune in conjunction with the exercises.  Both courses will also address fundamentals which should be beneficial to players of all ability levels.  And both courses will also have practice/review sessions on Saturday mornings.

102 Curriculum

202 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 201!)

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 TWO 4-week courses offered from August 11-September 12.  These are follow-up courses to the 101 and 201 courses, which took place June 30-July 25.  It is NOT necessary that students take the 101 or 201 in order to take the 102 or 202 courses; students can jump into these courses at any point and begin working on their technique!  All of these courses will focus on various aspects of technique.  Each week, students will receive seven exercises (one for each day of the week): picking exercises, fingering exercises, arpeggios, scales, double stops, chord exercises, and licks.  Students will also be given one new tune each week, along with some ideas on how to apply that week’s exercises to the tune in order to create variations.

1. Summer Intensive 102, which is geared toward upper beginner to intermediate students.  Students will be given seven exercises per week plus a bluegrass or old-time tune, along with suggestions on how to relate the exercise to that week’s tune.

2. Summer Intensive 202, which is geared toward upper intermediate to advanced students.  Students will receive seven exercises plus a swing or jazz-oriented tune, along with suggestions on how to relate the exercises to that week’s tune.

THE SCHEDULE

The live lessons for the Summer Intensive 102 course take place every Tuesday night from 8-9 pm Central time from August 11 to September 12, and for the Summer Intensive 202 course every Wednesday from 8-9 pm Central time from August 12 to September 12 (Matt will be taking the week of August 24th off due to his touring schedule, so the courses will conclude September 12th rather than September 5th).  Both courses will also have Saturday practice/review sessions; 102 will be from 9-10 am central time, and 202 will be from 10:15-11:15 am central 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

The fee for each four-week course is $120.  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).  Students opting to take more than one course at a time will receive a $40 discount for the two courses (for a total fee of $200).  Email [email protected] for info on receiving the discounted rate.

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

“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:

Summer Intensive 102 Registration

Summer Intensive 202 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

102 Curriculum

202 Curriculum