Spring 2014 sessions of Matt Flinner's Bluegrass Mandolin 101 & 102 start April 1st.
Relevant video:
If you don't already know, the way this course works is that there's one online lesson each week and a Saturday online practice session that reinforces the week's lesson material. Students login to the class and they can see/hear Matt talking and playing his Gilchrist, and can play along with tunes and exercises (other students and Matt cannot hear you unless Matt specifically unmutes you).
Matt teaches new tunes by ear and also presents notation/tab on the screen for you to follow along. You can raise your hand (virtually) and can ask a question or play for Matt, although most students just use the online chat to ask questions or comment on the material.
Matt encourages students to upload mp3's of their playing so he can offer individualized feedback on your technique and approach. Although this is optional, it provides another level of interaction, and recording yourself is quite a reality check and helps identify issues to help you correct them before they become long-term habits.
If work/life interferes and you miss a class or if you want to watch any class again you can easily watch or download the lessons to watch later on your computer or your preferred device. Matt also records videos for every tune and exercise individually, and provides mp3 play-along tracks to use in your practice sessions. All materials are available online to download and/or print.
The curriculum for the 101 course is here, and the 102 course here.
From the site: "For Spring Quarter, there will be TWO courses offered; Bluegrass Mandolin 101, which will start at a beginning/intermediate level and progress to a solidly intermediate level, and Bluegrass Mandolin 102, which will start at an intermediate level and progress to an intermediate/advanced level. Both courses will in general focus on playing bluegrass songs and tunes in a double stop/position playing style, and will include two new tunes and several new exercises each week."
I have NFI, but am enrolled in 102, which will be the third of these courses that I have participated in. I recommend this course highly. It's amazing to me that you can take lessons from an accomplished professional mandolin player no matter where you live.
I have noticed an all-around improvement in my playing, and especially enjoy Matt's tune selection and arrangements. I look forward to each week's class, and always have interesting material to work on and add to my memorized tunes.
This type of training can be a real shot-in-the-arm if you are in a rut or want to improve your playing. Matt's approach to improvising is really imaginative and very helpful. I love the bluegrass licks and his excellent listening recommendations for each week's tunes. I've discovered really great recordings that I wasn't previously aware of, such as John Hartford's "Wild Hog in the Red Brush" with Mike Compton in mandolin.
Larry
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