Summer Intensive 202 Curriculum
By Theme Admin on July 21st, 2015 at 5:47 PM
This course has 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 more 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.
The 202 level course begins August 12th and runs through September 12th. Class sessions meet every Wednesday evening from 8 to 9 pm Central time, and practice/review sessions meet every Saturday from 11:15 am-noon Central time. (Matt will be taking the week of August 24th off due to his touring schedule, so the final lesson will take place Sept 12 rather than Sept 5).
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 202 level course is intended for players at an intermediate/advanced level. While this course is a continuation of the Bluegrass Mandolin Intensive 201 course which concluded in early July, it is not necessary for students to have taken the 201 course to be able to take the 202 course. 202 is intended to reinforce many of the concepts taught in 201 while pushing the student’s technique further than the 201 level did.
Register for the 202 course here.
To view the curriculum for the 102 level course, click here.
Here is the curriculum:
WEEK 1:
Picking exercise for building speed
Advanced Fingering exercise I
Chord exercise: more ways of playing ii-V-I chord progressions
C Major scale in seven positions
Major 7 arpeggios in root position and first inversion
Diatonic double stops in three keys
Hammer-on pull-off triplet lick
Tune of the week: Don’t Sit Under the Apple Tree
WEEK 2:
Four string picking exercise
Fingering exercise: position shifts on one string
Chord exercise: ii-V-Is in the key of C
Scale exercise: major scale patterns using 3rds, 4ths and 6ths
Arpeggio exercise: C and Bb ascending arpeggios
Moving double stops between C and Bb
Two hammer-on and pull-off licks
Tune of the week: Blue Monk
WEEK 3:
Crosspicking exercise
Fingering exercise on two strings
Chord exercise: moving between dominant 7 chord inversions
Scale exercise: F Major scale in seven positions
Arpeggio exercise: arpeggiating through a chord progression with major 7 and dominant 7 arpeggios
Double stop exercise: smooth double stops on trickier chord progressions
A few tricks in F and C
Tune of the week: Sweet Georgia Brown
WEEK 4:
Reverse picking exercise
Fingering exercise across the strings
Chord exercise: I-VI-ii-V-I progressions
Scale exercise: diminished scales
Arpeggio with neighbor tones exercise
Double stop exercise: alternating between “open” and “closed” style double stops
ii-V-I lick in various keys
Tune of the week: I Got Rhythm
The fee for the course is $120.
Register for 202 here.
Summer Intensive 102 Curriculum
By Theme Admin on July 21st, 2015 at 5:46 PM
This course has 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 more 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 several 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.
The 102 level course begins August 11 and runs through September 12. Class sessions meet every Tuesday evening from 8 to 9 pm central time, and practice/review sessions meet every Saturday from 10-10:45 am central time. (Matt will be taking the week of August 24th off due to his touring schedule, so the final lesson will take place Sept 12 rather than Sept 5).
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.
You can register for the 102 course here.
To view the curriculum for the 202 level course, click here.
The 102 level course is intended for players at a beginner/intermediate level. While this course is a continuation of the Bluegrass Mandolin Intensive 101 course which completed in late July, it is not necessary for students to have taken the 101 course to be able to take the 102 course. 102 is intended to reinforce many of the concepts taught in 101 while pushing the student’s technique further than the 101 level did.
Here is the curriculum:
WEEK 1 (August 12):
Picking exercise using three rhythms
Hammer-on and pull-off fingering exercise
Chord Inversions
Major scales in six keys with a new pattern
Arpeggio exercise: going from I-IV, I-V and I-bVII using chord tones
Double Stop Exercise: Bile Them Cabbage Down Exercise in Six Keys
Hammer-on and pull-off licks
Tune of the week: Cluck Old Hen
WEEK 2 (August 19):
Tremolo exercise
Closed position fingering exercise across the strings
Chord exercise: waltz time using open style chords
Closed position scales and patterns in G, D, and A
Arpeggio exercise: closed position major arpeggios in seven keys
Double Stop Exercise: open style double stops
Monroe-style tag lick in six keys
Tune of the week: Tennessee Waltz
WEEK 3 (August 26):
Three string picking exercise
Chromatic fingering exercise I
Chord exercise: throwing some melodic runs into chord progressions
Scale exercise: major scales starting on 1, 3 and 5 in six keys
Arpeggio exercise: major arpeggios (1353) around the circle of fifths
Double stop exercise: double stops around the circle of fifths
Cool C and F licks
Tune of the week: Alabama Jubilee
WEEK 4 (September 9):
Four string picking exercise
Chromatic fingering exercise II
Blues chord progression using shuffle rhythm
Major scales in Bb, Eb, Ab, C#, F#, B
Arpeggio exercise: arpeggiating chord changes on tunes
Double stop exercise: double stops with neighbor tones
Blues lick in six keys
Tune of the week: T for Texas
The fee for the course is $120.
Register for 102 here.
Summer Intensive Online Courses Begin 6/30, 7/1
By Theme Admin on June 20th, 2015 at 9:17 PM
These courses have concluded. To view the current list of courses offered, visit the Winter Online Course page.
Hone your mandolin skills this summer with online technique-focused lessons with Grammy-nominated mandolinist Matt Flinner. Each week, students will be given seven exercises (one for each day of the week) focusing on picking technique, fingering technique, arpeggios, scales, double stops, chords and licks. Students will also be given a new tune to learn, along with several suggestions on how to incorporate ideas from the week’s exercises to create variations. There will be two four-week courses offered: the 101 Level for beginner/intermediate level students, and the 201 Level for intermediate/advanced students. Courses start June 30 and July 1; visit the Summer Intensives info page to learn more!
As a bonus, we’ll also be discussing how to play better in any given playing situation. Here’s a relevant video:
Summer Intensive 201 Curriculum
By Theme Admin on May 23rd, 2015 at 5:41 AM
This course has concluded. To view the current list of courses offered, visit the Winter Online Course page.
Register for Summer Intensive 201
The 201 level course is intended for students at an intermediate to advanced level, and will use swing and jazz-related material as examples and exercises. Some material may be more easy or more challenging for individual students. 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.
Here is the 201 Curriculum:
WEEK 1
Picking Exercise: 2-string exercises across the strings
Fingering Exercise: finger combinations on one string, full range of the string
Scale Exercise: Closed position scales in D
Arpeggio Exercise: Major 7 Arpeggios, 3 inversions
Double Stop Exercise: Double stops in E
Chord Exercise: 3 note major chords
Lick: Two arpeggio licks on one string
Tune: Herman’s Rag
WEEK 2
Picking Exercise: 3-string picking exercise
Fingering Exercise: finger combinations on two strings
Scale Exercise: Mixolydian scales and patterns
Arpeggio Exercise: Dominant 7th Arpeggios, 2 octaves
Double Stop Exercise: Double Stops in A—various inversions on I-IV-V
Chord Exercise: Inversions of 7th chords
Lick: Mixolydian lick around the circle of 5ths
Tune: Right or Wrong
WEEK 3
Picking Exercise: 3 string picking/chord exercise
Fingering Exercise: Chromatic fingering exercise
Scale Exercise: Playing Dorian scales and patterns
Arpeggio Exercise: Minor 7 Arpeggios, 2 octaves
Double Stop Exercise: creating smooth ii-V-I double stops
Chord Exercise: ii7-V7-I progressions in 6 keys
Lick: “‘Round Midnight” lick in 6 keys
Tune: Lady Be Good
WEEK 4
Picking Exercise: Triplets
Fingering Exercise: Chromatic fingering exercise II
Scale Exercise: F Major scale and pattern in thirds
Arpeggio Exercise: Minor, Dominant and Major Arpeggios in a key
Double Stop Exercise: Double Stops in F
Chord Exercise: Diatonic 3 note chords
Lick: V-I triplet lick
Tune: Straight, No Chaser
The fee for the course is $120.
Students can resister for both the 101 and 201 courses at a discounted rate of $200. You can go ahead and sign up for both and we’ll apply the discount afterwards, or email Matt at [email protected] if you want to make other payment arrangements or have questions.
You can register for the 201 course here.
To view the 101 level curriculum, click here.
To return to the Summer Mandolin Intensive 101 and 201 page, click here.
Summer Intensive 101 Curriculum
By Theme Admin on May 23rd, 2015 at 5:35 AM
This course has concluded. To view the current list of courses offered, visit the Winter Online Course page.
Register for Summer Intensive 101
The 101 level course is intended for students at a beginner to intermediate level. Some material may be more easy or more challenging for individual students. 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.
Here is the 101 Curriculum:
WEEK 1 (June 30):
Picking Exercise on one string
Fingering exercise: finger combinations across the strings
Scale exercises: major scales in 6 keys and broken thirds
Arpeggio Exercises: Major 7 Arpeggios in 6 keys
Chord Exercises: “Guitar-style” rhythm on I-IV-V in 6 keys
Double Stop Exercise: Double Stops in G
Lick: V-I Monroe-style lick
Tune: Blue Ridge Cabin Home
WEEK 2 (July 7):
Syncopated picking exercise
Fingering exercise: finger combinations on one string in first position
Scale exercises: Mixolydian scales in 6 keys, broken thirds
Arpeggio exercises: Dominant 7 Arpeggios in 6 keys
Chord Exercise: I-vi-IV-V exercise
Double Stop Exercise: Double Stops in G (I-IV-V) around the neck
Lick: V-I lick in 6 keys
Tune: Dill Pickle Rag
WEEK 3 (July 14):
Picking exercise on 2 strings
Fingering exercise: finger combinations across three strings at a time
Scale exercises: Dorian scales in 6 keys, broken thirds
Arpeggio exercises: Minor 7 Arpeggios in 6 keys
Chord Exercise: Minor i-iv-V progressions
Double Stop exercise: Double stops in C
Lick: Bluesy lick in 6 keys
Tune: Shady Grove
WEEK 4 (July 21):
Picking exercise on 3 and 4 strings
Fingering exercise: Chromatic fingering exercise
Scale exercise: Blues scales in 6 keys
Arpeggio exercise: Arpeggiating through a blues progression
Chord Exercise: 7th chords over a blues progression
Double Stop exercise: Double Stops in A
Lick: Monroe bluesy lick
Tune: Milk Cow Blues
The fee for the course is $120.
Students can register for both the 101 and 201 level courses at a discounted rate of $200. You can go ahead and register for both and we’ll refund the discounted amount afterwards, or you can email Matt at [email protected] to make other payment arrangements or get more information. We suggest you use the $40 savings for a nice gift for yourself (or therapy!).
Register for 101 here.
To view the 201 level curriculum, click here.
To visit the Summer Intensive 101 and 201 program page, click here.
Summer Intensive Online Courses Begin June 30, July 1
By Theme Admin on May 23rd, 2015 at 5:30 AM
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.
The 101 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 201 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.
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 June 30-July 25. Two more follow up 4-week courses will also be offered from August 11-September 5. All of these courses will focus on technique; each week, students will receive seven exercises (one for each day of the week) relating to various aspects of technique: 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 101, 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 201, 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 101 course take place every Tuesday night from 8-9 pm Central time from June 30 to July 25, and for the Summer Intensive 201 course every Wednesday from 8-9 pm Central time from July 1 to July 25. Both courses will also have Saturday practice/review sessions; 101 will be from 9-10 am central time, and 201 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 101 Registration
Summer Intensive 201 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 spring!
All the best,
Matt
Monroe-Style Mandolin with Matt Flinner
By Theme Admin on February 22nd, 2015 at 7:55 PM
This course has concluded. To view the current list of courses offered, visit the Winter Online Course page.
Monroe Style Mandolin with Matt Flinner. This course is intended for students at an intermediate to advanced level who want to focus more exclusively on the distinct mandolin style of Bill Monroe. Students will learn many concepts covered in the 101 and 102 courses, but with a uniquely “Monroe” take on them. Focus will be on rhythmic drive, the bluesy side of bluegrass, and learning the fretboard in various keys while learning many classic Monroe mandolin solos.
Register here.
Week 1
Starting with double stops
Picking Exercise I
Using positions on the neck to create melody
Bluegrass “Chop” chords
Gotta Travel On
Bonus Material: It’s Mighty Dark to Travel
Week 2
The Blues: some blues licks and fills
Finding blue notes in position playing
Bluegrass Special
Bonus material: Honky Tonk Swing
Week 3
Some classic Monroe licks
Moving double stops around the neck
Picking Exercise II
Y’All Come
Bonus Material: White House Blues
Week 4
Downstroke melodies
Picking Exercise III
New Muleskinner Blues
Bonus material: Columbus Stockade Blues
Week 5
Turnarounds and Fills
Playing in G, A, Bb and B
Working on a Building
Bonus material: The Old Crossroads
Week 6
A diversion into triple fiddle (and mandolin)
Creating harmony parts
Using chord tones to create melodic lines
Scotland
Bonus material: Stoney Lonesome
Week 7
Getting Up the Neck
Playing in C, D, E and F
Highway of Sorrow
Bonus material: Memories of Mother and Dad
Week 8
Sliding around Monroe-style
Moving between positions in various keys
My Little Georgia Rose
Bonus material: Live and Let Live
Register here.
To view other courses offered, click here.
Bluegrass Mandolin 102: Double Stops and Position Playing
By Theme Admin on February 22nd, 2015 at 7:41 PM
This course has concluded. To view the current list of courses offered, visit the Winter Online Course page.
Here is the Curriculum for Bluegrass Mandolin 102, which will run from March 31 to June 6, 2015. Class sessions take place online every Tuesday evening from 8-9 pm CST, and practice/review sessions take place online every Saturday morning from 10-10:45 am CST. For more info about the course or to see other courses offered this spring, visit the Bluegrass Mandolin 101 and 102 page. To go to the registration page, click here.
Week 1:
Re-introduction to double stops
Picking Exercises I
Playing some fills
Keys of G, A, and D
I’m Going Back to Old Kentucky
Bonus tune: Doin’ My Time
Week 2: Shifting positions
Double Stop Exercises in C and F
Adding some V-I Licks
Nine Pound Hammer
Bonus tune: My Rose of Old Kentucky
Week 3:
Minor Keys
Minor Double Stop Exercises
There Is a Time
Bonus tune: Lonesome Moonlight Waltz
Week 4:
The Blues in Bluegrass
Finding blue notes
Blues licks you can throw into a tune or backup
Blue Yodel #4
Bonus tune: Sad and Lonesome Day
Week 5:
Waltz Time
Tremolo exercises
Double stops in E and B
Tag licks in 3/4 time
Somebody Loves You, Darling
Bonus tune: Blue Moon of Kentucky
Week 6:
Crosspicking with double stops
Picking Exercises II
A few licks to throw in at the end of solos
Goin’ Across the Sea
Bonus tune: Are You Missing Me?
Week 7:
Using Diatonic Double Stops in Creating Melody
Diatonic Double Stop Exercise
A Few Scales
Hard Hearted
Bonus tune: Sin City
Week 8:
Tying it all together
Adding some licks and improvising
Combining double stops and licks
Freeborn Man
Bonus tune: Rabbit in the Log
Register here.
Check out other courses here.
Bluegrass Mandolin 101: Double Stops and Position Playing
By Theme Admin on February 22nd, 2015 at 7:37 PM
This course has concluded. To view the current list of courses offered, visit the Winter Online Course page.
Here is the Curriculum for Bluegrass Mandolin 101, which will run from March 30 to June 6, 2015. Class sessions take place online every Monday evening from 8-9 pm CST, and practice/review sessions take place online every Saturday morning from 9-9:45 am CST. For more info about the course, visit the Bluegrass Mandolin 101 and 102 page. To go to the registration page, click here.
WEEK 1 (3/30/15)
Three warmup exercises
Intro to position playing
Intro to Double stops
Will the Circle Be Unbroken
Bonus material: Down to the River to Pray
WEEK 2 (4/6)
Moving to the Key of A
Some tag licks to add to your solos
Backup playing and fills
I’ll Fly Away
Bonus material: You Ain’t Goin’ Nowhere
WEEK 3 (4/13)
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 (4/20)
Position Playing II
Three different kickoffs
Chord tones in position playing
Man of Constant Sorrow
Bonus material: Redwing
WEEK 5 (5/4)
Shifting from Position I to Position II
Transposing to Other Keys
You Are My Sunshine
Bonus material: Where the Soul of Man Never Dies
WEEK 6 (5/18)
More Position Shifts
Turnarounds: I-V-I Progressions
Double Stop exercises in C
Sittin’ On Top of the World
Bonus material: Gold Watch and Chain
WEEK 7 (5/25)
Moving Double Stops Around to Create Melody
An Approach to Improvising
Soldier’s Joy
Bonus material: Panhandle Country
WEEK 8 (6/1)
Other keys: B, E, F, Bb.
A few licks using “open” style double stops
My Home’s Across the Blue Ridge Mountains
Bonus material: Goin’ Up Home to Live in Green Pastures
Register here.
To view other courses offered, click here.
Spring 2015 Online Mandolin Courses: Bluegrass and Monroe Style
By Theme Admin on February 22nd, 2015 at 7:35 PM
These courses have concluded. To view the current list of courses offered, visit the Winter Online Course page.
Welcome to mattflinner.com. And welcome to the Bluegrass Mandolin 101 online lessons program!
This spring, beginning the week of March 30, the Bluegrass Mandolin 101 program continues with some traditional bluegrass mandolin courses for students of all ability levels. The Double Stops and Position Playing courses will introduce students to essential techniques in bluegrass playing—addressing fundamentals of technique, learning positions on the fingerboard, playing backup and learning classic standard bluegrass songs along the way. Two courses are offered in Double Stops and Position Playing: 101 (Beginner to Intermediate) and 102 (Intermediate to Advanced).
We’re also introducing a new Monroe-Style Mandolin course, which will focus on the powerful and unique mandolin style of Bill Monroe. Students will learn the essentials of bluegrass mandolin from a distinctly “Monroe” perspective, focusing on the blues, rhythmic drive and getting around the neck in various keys while learning some classic Bill Monroe mandolin solos.
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 102 and Monroe-Style!)
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 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 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!
THIS QUARTER’S COURSES
For Spring Quarter, there will be THREE courses offered:
1. Bluegrass Mandolin 101, which 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. View the curriculum here. Register here.
2. Bluegrass Mandolin 102, which will start at an intermediate level and progress to an intermediate/advanced level. This course will move take double stops and position playing to as well as transposing to various keys, moving toward improvisation, adding more licks, and playing in more challenging keys. View the curriculum here. Register here.
3. Monroe Style Mandolin with Matt Flinner. This is intended for students at an intermediate to advanced level who want to focus more exclusively on the distinct and amazing mandolin style of Bill Monroe. Students will learn many concepts covered in the 101 and 102 courses, but with a uniquely “Monroe” take on them. Focus will be on rhythmic drive, the bluesy side of bluegrass, and learning the fretboard in various keys while learning many classic Monroe mandolin solos. The curriculum for this course can be viewed here. Register here.
THE SCHEDULE
The live lessons for the Bluegrass Mandolin 101 course take place every Monday night from 8-9 pm Central time from March 30 to June 1, and for the Bluegrass Mandolin 102 course every Tuesday from 8-9 pm Central time from March 31 to June 2. The Monroe Style Mandolin course will take place every Wednesday night from 8-9 pm central time from April 1 to June 3. All three courses will also have Saturday practice/review sessions; 101 will be from 9-9:45 am central time, 102 will be from 10-10:45 am central time and the Monroe Style Mandolin practice sessions will be from 11:15 am-12 pm central time each Saturday from April 4 through June 6 (the weeks of April 27 and May 11 will be off, as the instructor has prior commitments during those weeks. 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. 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 (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 Bluegrass Mandolin 101 and 102 as well as the Monroe Style Mandolin 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 eight-week course is $200. 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 10% discount for two courses or a 20% discount for three ($360 for two classes or $480 for three). 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:
Bluegrass Mandolin 101 Registration
Bluegrass Mandolin 102 Registration
Monroe-Style Mandolin 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 spring!
All the best,
Matt