Andy Irvine Bouzouki and Mandola
Instructor: Andy Irvine
Fri., February 3, 2:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m., $40.
From Sweeney's Men in the mid 60s to the enormous success of Planxty in the 70s, and then from Patrick Street to Andy Irvine & Dónal Lunny's Mozaik, Andy Irvine has been a world music pioneer and an icon for traditional music and musicians. Join Andy for an intimate conversation illustrating his techniques for song accompaniment on bouzouki and mandola. He will teach a specific song from his repertoire, which the group may choose. Along the way, hear him talk about his life in music, and bring your questions. Don’t miss Andy’s Dusty Strings concert Friday night (Feb. 3) at 7:30.
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Swing and Gypsy Jazz Rhythm Guitar
Instructor: Greg Ruby
Sat., February 4, 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m., $35 ($60 for both of this instructor’s workshops).
Come explore the fundamentals of swing and Gypsy jazz rhythm guitar. This workshop focuses upon on the essential rhythms that drive an ensemble. Using repertoire common to the genre, participants learn ‘la pompe’, ‘four to bar’, Gypsy bossa, and swing waltz rhythms. Launch into chord inversions to expand your chordal vocabulary. www.gregrubyguitar.com
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Swing and Gypsy Jazz Lead Guitar
Instructor: Greg Ruby
Sat., February 4, 1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m., $35 ($60 for both of this instructor’s workshops).
This workshop will focus on the key elements to effective lead guitar playing in the swing and Gypsy jazz realm. Using a variety of tunes, we will investigate melody interpretation, improvising, and adding chordal elements into your solos. We will also look at ways to learn and add licks and ideas to your soloing vocabulary. www.gregrubyguitar.com
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Beginning Hawaiian Slack-key Guitar 1
Instructor: Eric Madis
Sat., February 25, 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m., $35 ($60 for both of this instructor’s workshops).
Ki ho ‘alu (slack key) is a traditional style, originally influenced by the music of Mexican cowboys who brought their guitars to Hawaii when they were hired to manage cattle on the islands. It uses open tunings, an alternating bass and linear melodies to mimic the sound of two guitars and is a truly Hawaiian sound. This workshop will teach a simple arrangement of the traditional Hawaiian tune “Ki Ho’alu”. Luna recording artist Eric Madis has over 35 years of teaching experience at colleges, festivals and workshops throughout the US and Canada. www.ericmadis.com
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Beginning Hawaiian Slack-key Guitar 2
Instructor: Eric Madis
Sat., February 25, 1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m., $35 ($60 for both of this instructor’s workshops).
This second workshop will present a simple arrangement of the traditional tune “Kimo’s Ki o’alu” (“Jim’s Slack Key”). Like the first workshop, this tune is in “Taro Patch” (G) tuning, but moves at a slightly quicker pace and is slightly more advanced. Traditional slack key uses an alternating bass (similar to ragtime blues) and simple linear techniques (up and down the fretboard) to create a uniquely Hawaiian sound. Eric Madis has over 35 years of teaching experience and has gigged with Hawaiian greats Irmgaard Aluli, Emma Sharpe, Kekua Fernandez and Bill Tapia. www.ericmadis.com
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Right Brain Music 1
Instructor: James McVay
Sat., March 3, 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m., $35 ($60 for both of this instructor’s workshops).
Explore James McVay’s revolutionary new approach to understanding how music works and how to apply it to the guitar! Explore the elements of music and learn to easily recognize the patterns that all music is made of. Dramatically increase your chord and scale knowledge! Speak the language of music on a whole new level, in a whole new way, without having to read notation. James McVay is a Hollywood film composer, professional guitarist, and author. For all levels.
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Right Brain Music 2
Instructor: James McVay
Sat., March 3, 1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m., $35 ($60 for both of this instructor’s workshops).
Dig deeper into the “right brain” approach by exploring concepts like horizontal shape shifting. You’ll discover how to create thousands of chords from the “6 Seed Chords” and learn a “music mantra” that will be like a fretboard GPS. Never get lost again! This workshop will change the way you hear, play, and create music. For advanced beginners and up.
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Irish Guitar & Bouzouki Accompaniment
Instructor: Brian Miller
Sat., March 3, 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m., $35.
This workshop explores techniques for backing up Irish traditional dance music with a general focus on the use of guitar in DADGAD tuning and bouzouki (or octave mandolin, cittern, etc.). We will cover chord shapes, strumming techniques for various dance tune types, and a few tricks of the trade. Brian has taught Irish-style guitar and bouzouki to students in Ireland and throughout North America. For intermediate and advanced players. http://www.buamusic.com/band.html
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Adventuresome Arranging For Solo Guitar
Instructor: Eric Skye
Sat., March 24, 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m., $35 ($60 for both of this instructor’s workshops).
Explore how to create fearless solo fingerstyle guitar arrangements that incorporate elements from several different genres and approaches. We’ll start with a simple lead sheet for a standard jazz tune and go step by step to develop a number of different variations of the same tune. Then we’ll apply that same process to a well-known fiddle tune. Eric will also discuss how to improvise within an arrangement, how to practice it to performance level, and how to deliver it in a way that keeps the listener’s interest. http://ericskye.com/
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Time, Technique, and Tone Production
Instructor: Eric Skye
Sat., March 24, 1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m., $35 ($60 for both of this instructor’s workshops).
Join Eric for an in-depth discussion on the things that matter most to listeners. Learn how your posture, gear, and technique all affect acoustic tone production and projection, and see Eric demonstrate how to use a microphone for amplification in live performance. Then experiment with getting into a groove and playing with the time so that your music feels good as it sounds. We’ll also talk about developing left- and right-hand fingerstyle and flatpicking techniques applicable to multiple genres to improve speed, accuracy, and expressiveness. http://ericskye.com/
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Guitar Fretboard Roadmaps
Instructor: Fred Sokolow
Sun., April 1, 2:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m., $35 ($60 for both of this instructor’s workshops).
In this hands-on workshop, Fred shows you moveable patterns that help you play all over the fretboard, in any key, whether you're strumming backup chords or playing single-note solos or chord-melody solos. Learn to think like a musician, understand chords and chord progressions, and be able to play by ear, making chord changes automatically and ad-libbing solos. You'll learn about scales, chord-based licks and several soloing strategies. You're guaranteed a few "light bulb" moments, and you'll come away with a lot to work on. Fred Sokolow is best known as the author of over one-hundred instructional books and DVDs. Advanced beginner and up. (Also see Fred’s Ukulele Fretboard Roadmaps workshop.)
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Flatpicking the Blues for Beginners
Instructor: Eric Madis
Sat., April 28, 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m., $35 ($60 for both of this instructor’s workshops).
Playing rhythm guitar and jazzy, single-string solos based on chord changes began with early Texas bluesman Blind Lemon Jefferson. It soon spread beyond Texas and was developed by players like Lonnie Johnson, Josh White, Scrapper Blackwell and jazz player Eddie Lang. This workshop will cover a classic blues tune and traditional licks for developing a meaningful solo that can be used with or without accompaniment. Eric Madis is a recording artist and performer with over 35 years of teaching experience at colleges, festivals and workshops throughout the US and Canada. www.ericmadis.com
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Flatpicking the Blues for Intermediate-Advanced Guitarists
Instructor: Eric Madis
Sat., April 28, 1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m., $35 ($60 for both of this instructor’s workshops).
Playing rhythm guitar and jazzy, single-string solos based on chord changes began with early Texas bluesman Blind Lemon Jefferson. It soon spread beyond Texas and was developed by Lonnie Johnson, Josh White, Scrapper Blackwell, and jazz player Eddie Lang. This workshop offers the same balance of rhythm and lead guitar instruction as the beginning workshop, but emphasizing more advanced chords and soloing concepts for developing solos that can be used with or without accompaniment. Eric Madis is a recording artist, performer and a National Guitar Workshop instructor. www.ericmadis.com
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Beginning Ragtime Blues Fingerpicking
Instructor: Eric Madis
Sat., June 16, 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m., $35 ($60 for both of this instructor’s workshops).
This influential style, also called Piedmont blues, originated in the southeastern US. It uses an alternating bass, syncopated rhythm, and ragtime influences. It began with Blind Blake, Reverend Gary Davis, Mississippi John Hurt, and Blind Willie McTell, evolved into the Travis/Atkins country style, and influenced Jorma Kaukonen and Leo Kottke. This workshop will teach a traditional song, building a strong bass from basic chords, and developing melody and simple improvisation. Eric Madis is a recording artist and performer with over 35 years of teaching experience at colleges, festivals and workshops throughout the US and Canada. www.ericmadis.com
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Beginning Vestapol Bottleneck Slide Blues Guitar
Instructor: Eric Madis
Sat., June 16, 1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m., $35 ($60 for both of this instructor’s workshops).
“Vestapol”, a popular 19th century guitar instrumental style, used open D tuning. Vestapol now refers to D and E tunings. “Bottleneck” refers to early use of slides made from the necks of glass bottles. Early players, found throughout the South, included Charlie Patton, Robert Johnson, and Kokomo Arnold. Modern players include Leo Kottke, Bonnie Raitt, and Sonny Landreth. This workshop will teach a classic tune, Vestapol tuning logic, rhythm guitar techniques, turnarounds, and licks for improvisation. Eric Madis is a recording artist, performer and National Guitar Workshop instructor. www.ericmadis.com
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An Introduction to DADGAD Guitar
Instructor: Sarah McQuaid
Sun., October 21, 10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m., $35 ($60 for both of this instructor’s workshops).
Described by The Irish Times as “a godsend to aspiring traditional guitarists,” Sarah McQuaid’s “The Irish DADGAD Guitar Book” has become the standard reference on the subject. Topics covered in this workshop will include basic chord shapes in DADGAD, the capo and its uses, backing guitar styles, chord patterns for accompanying tunes, ornamentation, and an overview of the modes (Mixolydian, Dorian, etc.) that are typical of traditional tunes and songs. Sarah will “take apart” a song and an instrumental number, demonstrating how different patterns and variations can be introduced to make both backing and melody playing more interesting for the listener. Participants are encouraged to also take part in Sarah’s follow-up ‘DADGAD Song Accompaniment’ workshop. Bring a music stand! www.sarahmcquaid.com
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DADGAD Song Accompaniment
Instructor: Sarah McQuaid
Sun., October 21, 1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m., $35 ($60 for both of this instructor’s workshops).
In this follow-on to her popular ‘Introduction to DADGAD’ workshop, Sarah McQuaid (author of “The Irish DADGAD Guitar Book”) takes a more in-depth look at song accompaniment in DADGAD tuning. DADGAD doesn’t end with D! Learn to play songs in in DADGAD tuning in the keys of E minor, G, and A, and apply DADGAD to a multitude of styles from traditional Irish and American music to blues, jazz, and contemporary originals. Handouts with lyrics, tablature, and chord diagrams for songs in various keys and styles are included. This workshop is aimed at those who have taken the ‘Introduction to DADGAD’ workshop or are already familiar with DADGAD. Bring a music stand! www.sarahmcquaid.com
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