Music Theory for Mandolin Players Curriculum (7/9-8/2)

“Thanks for the terrific class! I had my mandolin lurking in the corner for 9 months before I took this class. I played with it now and then but felt out of my depth, having only played piano in the past. A few weeks into your class, I couldn’t put down my mandolin, practicing far more than my kids want me to. In addition to the wonderful tunes we learned in class, I started to pick out other melodies like Christmas carols, simple gifts, harry potter, star wars; anything I hear I want to find it on the mandolin.”—Randy R.

“Your classes are the best and most successful learning approach for me, Thank you.”—-Eric B.

Save $50 when you register by 4/27!

See the Bluegrass Mandolin Jamming curriculum (7/7-8/2)

See the Mandolin Tune Studies curriculum (7/8-8/2)

Welcome to the Music Theory for Mandolin Players online course! This course is intended to help students learn more about the mandolin fretboard and learn some music theory along they way as they progress through a series of exercises week by week. Students will be given a mix of scale, arpeggio, chord, transposition and ear training exercises each week to help them find their way around the fretboard in various keys. We’ll also do a bit of musical analysis on some familiar melodies and chord progressions from the songs of the Beatles—a band that had a remarkable variety in melody and chord writing that ranged from simple to complex to sublime. Students at all levels are encouraged to participate, though the course will likely be most beneficial to students at an upper beginner to higher intermediate level.

Class sessions meet every Wednesday evening from July 9th to July 30th at 9 pm eastern time, and practice/review sessions meet every Saturday from July 12th to August 2nd at 12:30 pm eastern time.

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.

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.

The course fee is $125. Register by April 27 for just $75!

WEEK 1 (7/9)

Major Scales

Numbering notes in the scale

Transposing melodies

Chord study #1

I-IV-V Progressions

Melodic exercise I: Hello Goodbye

WEEK 2 (7/16)

Minor Scales

Chord study #2

Ear training exercise #1