# General Mandolin Topics > Jams, Workshops, Camps, Places To Meet Others >  Swannanoa fiddle mando,banjo week

## Col George

Anyone going to the Aug Swannanoa mando banjo week?  I have been there for Celtic fiddle & really enjoyed it, so am gonna try mando week this year

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## Phil Goodson

Yep.  I'll be there and I know a few other Cafe members who also will be coming.  :Smile:

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## Gary Alter

Should be a great week, I'll be there!

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## John Ritchhart

Yep.

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## Wilbur James

I will be returning as well, looking forward to seeing everyone as well.

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## Col George

> Yep.  I'll be there and I know a few other Cafe members who also will be coming.


Great !! Looking forward to seeing you there.

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## Tony Pearce

Flights booked, lesson selections have been made and I'm looking forward to it.

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## Manfred Hacker

Has anyone stayed in a nearby campground/RV park? Would that make any sense?
If I went, I would like to come with my little travel trailer.

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## OldGus

> Has anyone stayed in a nearby campground/RV park?.


 You mean stay with the locals?

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## John Ritchhart

Yes, Manfred I have. Last year stayed at Mama Gerties RV park. This year I'm staying at the KOA across the road. It's flatter there.

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Manfred Hacker

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## David Smith

I'll be there. Classes selected, bags packed, gas tank filled, looking forward to seeing folks from last year.

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## Tony Pearce

Can I pick the brains of some of you returning players? Please bear in mind I'm coming from Europe and not used to some of the temperatures in that part of the world.
What are the evenings like? Do we need to think about extra blankets for bedding? I'm guessing that Auguts will be pretty warm during the day so that shouldn't be a problem.
Is there a mixed level of ability at the camp or is everyone a Chris Thile?

Thanks for any help.

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## Phil Goodson

Rarely need extra bedding.  I've always found it easy to take a sleeping bag and throw it on the bunk, but a sheet and blanket will usually suffice. And, as I recall, provided.  Some of the dorms are air conditioned; some were not, in the past.
Not too many 'Chris Thile's in the crowd that I've seen.  There are all levels of players and all are welcomed into the jams.

Introduce yourself; figure out what type jams are happening and ease into the ones that fit your style and preference. (If you're really good, please don't outshine and embarrass us locals.)  :Wink:  :Laughing: 

The food is pretty good too.  Fresh produce from the farm which is on the college campus. :Smile:

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## Tony Pearce

Thanks Philpool. Very litle danger of me outshining anybody with my playing but that's why we go there isn't it? To improve.

Appreciate the tips.

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## Phil Goodson

You're welcome.  You can call me Phil.
See you in August.   :Smile:   :Mandosmiley:

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## KristinEliza

I'm planning on coming...never really know until the last minute though.  I usually end up registering in July!.

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## j. condino

The gathering is about six minutes down the road from my place, so I'm up there for the evening jams most of the summer. I usually gig with a couple of the instructors, sit in on some of the classes as part of the rhythm section, and have a great all around good time- Celtic week, guitar week, songwriter week, and mandolin week. Jim McGill and company work hard all year long to put on a really nice event for the whole summer- a beautiful campus, great people, lots of fun, and even a local beer tent within arms reach of all the picking! 'Hope to see you there.

j.
www.condino.com

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## usqebach

Tony,

You will NOT need extra bedding. 90 pct chance that you will be staying in a dorm with no AC.  Much better if you can buy or find a box fan, or at least bring a small clip-on fan.  Might possibly bring a sweater because the theatre is an icebox during the instructor concerts.  Otherwise t-shirts and shorts are the norm.

I don't recall seeing any Chris Thile's there-you'll fit in fine!

After a 5 year run of "once in a lifetime" weeks, I've finally had to bow to the pressures of work and family life and give this year a miss.  Hope to be back soon!

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## Phil Goodson

Just a bump since we're getting closer.  Any new pickers?   :Smile:   :Coffee:

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## John Ritchhart

Getting closer now Dr. Phil. Also there's the Bluegrass festival in Marion the week after. I'll be camping there so come on over.

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## evanreilly

There is a KOA campground down the road.  I've stayed there and liked it a lot.
If I can get my lazy bones motivated, I'll try and drive a bit to the other side of AVL for the evening do.

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## Phil Goodson

@John:  Looking forward to Swannanoa and Marion looks like fun too.  I'll try to get over.

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## John Ritchhart

It would be good to see you again Evan. Its been a while.

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## Phil Goodson

Bump

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## John Ritchhart

See you guys on Sunday.

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## Phil Goodson

Whoa John.   Check your calendar.  
If you're going for Mando week, it won't start till August 3.   Don't rush down to Swann THIS Sunday!! :Grin:

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## John Ritchhart

That's what I meant. Should have said next Sunday. May go over in the evenings just to jam this week.

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## Tony Pearce

Safe travels everybody. See you Sunday.

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## Jim Mullins

I'm looking forward to my first time at Swannanoa. Great instructor line-up. 

See you all next week! I'll be wearing my Mando Cafe cap, which should be unique, like everyone else.

Jim Mullins

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## Tony Pearce

I wrap up work Friday (our first flight is Saturday lunchtime) and I'm unlikely to get much chance to shop between landing late Sat night and getting the shuttle Sunday morning. Usqebach suggested a small fan in case it gets too hot. Other than towels, I'm not missing anything if I pack mando, strings and clothes am I?

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## David Smith

If you don't bring it and find out you need it someone will get it for you!

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Tony Pearce

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## David Surette

Looking forward to one of my favorite music weeks of the summer! I would love to meet some denizens of the Cafe; I'll be on the lookout for you.

DS

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## Phil Goodson

Well, home from Swannanoa.  Thought I'd just try to summarize what I remember from the classes I took, more for me than anything else, but maybe helpful to someone.

Two Mike Marshall classes each day:
Let me say from the start that Mike is the most versatile mandolinist I've seen and the most intellectual.  He can play and call notes and scale positions instantaniously and   has an amazing depth of understanding underlying his astounding playing.

Mike's approach is mostly to develop infrastructure rather than teach tunes.

He started with posture: left foot elevated, mando resting on both thighs and locked in place by the right forearm as you lean slightly forward.  Frees the left arm completely.

Showed several right hand string-crossing exercises from his 'Finger Busters' book.

Described ways to solo by using 7th chord arpeggios and following the chord pattern, then beginning each arpegg. with the tonic note, then with the 3rd, then the 5th, then the flat-7.  Then connecting the arpeggs. with connecting notes.  (Enough to think about and work on for about 20 years!!!!)

Showed us some new rhythms, using Brazilian Choro tunes as examples. (Not too helpful for me, but interesting.)

My other class was "Advanced Bluegrass" by Matt Flinner.
This was actually my favorite class.

Matt did a great job of showing us, with examples, how to use doublestops in solos and connect them using scale tones.  Then added examples of kick-off licks and licks for fills which start on each of the fingers of the left hand (well... we skipped the pinky). 

This is because you naturally land on different fingers at different times in various songs.
Started learning "Cheyenne"; still have some work to do.

Those are the classroom high points that I remember right now.
Maybe others can add other things that they will be working on this year.  :Mandosmiley: 

My thanks to Mike & Matt.

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bohemianbiker, 

Gary Alter

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## Gary Alter

Mandolin week at the Swannanoa Gathering was a pretty incredible week for me as well, I had a fiddle tunes class with Matt Flinner and an old time/fiddle tunes class with John Reischman. Both classes far exceeded my expectations, Matt and JR are both not only inspiring players but excellent teachers as well. I was in a different class of Matt's than Phil but from the sounds of it there was some similar material that was covered. It was the first time that I had someone present how they created variations/improvisations that had a logic to it for me and I feel like I can take what he presented and begin to be able (with a whole lot more practice time) to implement it into my playing. In John Reischman's class he talked about his own process for creating and improvising with his music and presented in a very practical way how he incorporated arpeggios, double stops while still staying close to the melody of the tunes. We learned some of his originals and also some Monroe tunes that I had never given a try before. Just having an opportunity to sit up close and listen to the man's playing was over the top. 

I can't recommend the Swannanoa Gathering highly enough to anyone thinking about doing one of these workshops. Excellent classes, beautiful campus, 200 smiling musicians, lots of jamming, super concerts. 

It was also fun being able to meet some fellow Cafe members and share stories of our mandolin obsession. Also have to say thanks to Jim Magill (Cafe member) who organizes and directs the program for putting together such a fine mandolin camp.

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bohemianbiker

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## Tony Pearce

Met some fine people, watched some highly talented musicians and generally had a ball. Same time next year?

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Gary Alter

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