Matt Flinner

“This was the best online learning experience I’ve ever had.  And, for the time and money, the best music learning experience in any format:  DVD, video, group, or individual live lessons.”—Christine R.

“Your course was exactly what I have been looking for.  It was well structured with a ton of good material.  I like that fact that we were given tunes to learn but also tools that allows me expand the lessons beyond the course tunes to others that I already know.”—Todd M.

Sale extended!  Register for any course by September 15th for $200 ($25 off the normal course fee of $225)!

FALL COURSES

Blues Mandolin with Matt Flinner:                            Curriculum             Registration

Bach for Mandolin with Matt Flinner:                       Curriculum             Registration

Bill Monroe Style Mandolin with Matt Flinner:           Curriculum             Registration

The Bluegrass Mandolin 101 program is pleased to offer three new courses for a variety of ability levels and interests this fall!  Blues Mandolin, Bach for Mandolin and Bill Monroe Style Mandolin will start up October 1, 2 and 3.

Each course lasts eight weeks, with class sessions on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday evenings (depending on which course it is) and follow-up practice/review sessions on Saturday mornings or afternoons to help you solidify the material while learning practice techniques and getting tips on practice routines.  

Students DO NOT need to tune in to the live online sessions, as all class sessions and practice/review sessions are recorded and posted to the class website by the next day for viewing at the students’ convenience.  Students are encouraged to attend the live sessions whenever possible, as they can ask questions during the session—plus we’ve found that many students are more likely to practice when they show up for the live sessions!  

Blues Mandolin with Matt Flinner (October 1-December 8) will delve into the wonderful world of the blues.  Students will get tips on playing rhythm and lead on a variety of blues grooves in various keys, with lots of great soloing ideas given each week based on the playing of many of the great blues mandolin players including Yank Rachell, Johnny Young and Howard Armstrong, among others.  The course is intended for players at an advanced beginner to intemediate level, though players at any level who are interested in the blues can find plenty to learn in the course.  Register here.

Bach for Mandolin with Matt Flinner (October 2-December 8) dives into the wide world of J.S. Bach.  Each week, students are given exercises in various aspects of technique (picking, scales and arpeggios, chord forms, etc.) along with two Bach pieces arranged for mandolin.  Pieces will include several two-part inventions, selections from the notebook of Mary Magdalena Bach, the Sonatas and Partitas for Solo Violin, and several others.  Students will get tips on performance of Baroque music as well as a bit of music theory as they learn some great pieces!  This course is recommended for intermediate to advanced players.  Register here.

Bill Monroe Style Mandolin with Matt Flinner (October 3-December 8) explores the music and mandolin style of Bill Monroe over his long and influential career from the late 1930s to the early 1990s.  Various approaches to soloing, including double stops, blues elements, positions on the neck and many unique “Monroe-isms” will be covered.  Fundamentals will be included as well, as students will get tips and exercises to help them improve their rhythm, picking and tone.  The course is intended for students at an intermediate to advanced level.  Register here.

SCHEDULE:

60-minute classes take place online every Monday (Blues Mandolin), Tuesday (Bach for Mandolin) or Wednesday (Bill Monroe Style Mandolin) evening from October 1, 2 or 3 to December 3, 4 or 5 at 9 pm eastern time, and 45-minute practice/review sessions take place every Saturday morning/afternoon from October 6 to December 8.  The weeks of October 22 and November 19 are off due to Matt’s touring schedule and the Thanksgiving holiday.

NOTE: It is helpful, but not essential, to be present for the live sessions.  All class sessions are recorded and available to view on the class website by the following day.

WHAT STUDENTS GET FROM THE COURSE

All students will also have unlimited access to short recorded videos of all of the material played at a slow tempo, PDFs of all material in both standard notation and mandolin tablature, and mp3s of all of the tunes at slow and medium speeds that they can practice along with.  Students can access all of this material at any time through the class website, and can also download all materials (videos and class session videos included) to keep them permanently.  All class sessions and practice/review sessions are recorded and posted on the class website (usually by the following day) so that students who were unable to attend the live sessions may view them at their own convenience, and all students may review the class videos as often as they wish.

Students will also be given a “Recommended Listening” list each week for the material covered.  A variety of versions of each tune will be provided in the hopes that students will listen to recordings and further explore the wide world of recorded old-time and bluegrass music.

HOW INTERACTIVE IS THE COURSE?

During the live sessions, students can ask questions and/or play examples via their microphone (built-in or external plug-in), or they can ask questions via a built-in chat window.  The instructor responds to all questions immediately (or between teaching exercises, etc.) on the spot.

Students are also encouraged to submit mp3 recordings at any time during the course if they would like to, and the instructor will respond in an mp3 recording with constructive criticism.  Students can submit these mp3s either privately via email or publicly via the class website, where all students can listen and respond if they choose to.  Mp3 submissions are encouraged but not required, and there is no limit on how many mp3 submissions a student can send in.

There is also a class website where registered students can find all class materials (videos, PDFs, mp3s) anytime.  The site also has a Forum section, where students can ask questions, bring up topics for discussion, etc., in an open forum where the instructor and other students can respond.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED TO PARTICIPATE:

1. A desktop or laptop Mac or PC computer, iPad or Internet-connected mobile device (such as iPhone) in order to view the sessions, plus a good internet connection.

2. An internal microphone and speakers on your laptop or desktop computer, or a phone to listen and speak (if desired) during the sessions.  Instructions for participating by phone are included when you register for the course (long distance charges may apply).

3. During the course, you have the option of submitting recorded examples of your playing to the instructor (and to the group, if desired). In order to do this, you will need your computer’s built-in microphone or an external microphone plugged directly into your computer (via built-in ports or an external audio interface), in addition to basic audio recording software, such as Audacity or Garage Band, that will allow you to record yourself playing and save the recording in MP3 format.

4. A mandolin (actually maybe that should have been #1).

The course fee is $225 for each course.  Register by September 15th and save $25!

If you have questions about any of the courses, email Matt at [email protected].

Register here:

Register for Blues Mandolin with Matt Flinner

Register for Bach for Mandolin with Matt Flinner

Register for Monroe Style Mandolin with Matt Flinner

View curricula for each course here: 

Blues Mandolin with Matt Flinner Curriculum

Bach for Mandolin with Matt Flinner Curriculum

Bill Monroe Style Mandolin with Matt Flinner Curriculum

“This was the best online learning experience I’ve ever had.  And, for the time and money, the best music learning experience in any format:  DVD, video, group, or individual live lessons.”—Christine R.

“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.

Register here.

At last!  Blues mandolin has arrived at the Bluegrass Mandolin 101 online program.  In this course, we’ll be learning how to play a variety of blues styles and grooves on the mandolin, drawing from the playing of Yank Rachell, Johnny Young and Howard Armstrong, among others.  Rhythm playing, lead playing and improvising will all be covered, with suggestions on chord forms, rhythmic patterns and licks across a variety of blues tunes in various keys and tempos.  

Class sessions will meet up on Monday evenings at 9 pm eastern time, with follow-up practice sessions on Saturdays at 10 am eastern time.  

The course is intended for players at an advanced beginner to intemediate level, though players at any level who are interested in the blues can find plenty to learn in the course.  Register here.

Here is the curriculum: 

WEEK 1 (10/1)

Blues Scales

Picking Exercise I

Blues in G

Dominant 7 Chords in two shapes

Crawdad (Will Hatcher)

Frankie and Johnny 

WEEK 2 (10/8)

Blues shuffle feel

Picking Exercise II

A couple of triplet licks

Double stops

Highway 61 (Johnny Young) G

Going to Pack Up My Things and Go (Yank Rachell) 

WEEK 3 (10/15)

Medium blues tempo

Some blues licks in C

Picking exercise III

Do the Boogie Mama (Yank Rachell) 

She Caught the Katy

WEEK 4 (10/29)

Some slower-tempo tunes

Blues in A

Triplet Licks (on slower tempos)

Sittin’ On Top of the World

How Long Blues

WEEK 5 (11/5)

The blues boogie

Picking exercise IV

Double-time picking exercise

Mandolin Boogie in G (Johnny Young)

Smokey Joe (Yank Rachel)

WEEK 6 (11/12)

Some more complex progressions

7th chord patterns around the circle of 5ths

Diminished chords

A few arpeggios

Make Me a Pallet on Your Floor

Wrap your Troubles in Dreams (Howard Armstrong)

WEEK 7 (11/24)

A few rags

Moving 7th chords

Finding chord tones

New State Street Rag (Howard Armstrong)

Vine Street Drag (Howard Armstrong)

WEEK 8 (12/1)

Tying it all together: licks, tremolo 

Using chords in soloing

Chord Inversions 

Wading Through Deep Water (Howard Armstrong)

Deep River Blues

The course fee is $225.

Register here

See the Bach for Mandolin with Matt Flinner Curriculum

See the Monroe-Style Mandolin with Matt Flinner Curriculum

“I have done some online courses, some one-on-one instruction and some camps.  The course I just finished with you has been the most useful by a pretty large margin.  Thanks for both the thought and effort that went into the design and material preparation and for the personal presence you bring to it.”—Steve F.

“I’m loving the instruction and all the materials, it’s got me playing my mandolin constantly!”—James M. 

Register here.

Welcome to the Bach for Mandolin course!  This course is intended to help students learn more about the fretboard and improve their picking fundamentals, tone and overall technique while learning some of the great pieces by J.S. Bach.  Each week, students will be given a few exercises to help them with various aspects of technique along with two (mostly) fairly short Bach pieces arranges for mandolin, including several two-part inventions, pieces from the notebook of Anna Magdalena Bach, the Cello Suites and more.  

The course is intended for intermediate to advanced players.

Live online classes will meet up on Tuesday evenings at 9 pm eastern time, and follow-up practice sessions will meet on Saturdays at 11 am eastern time.  Students are welcome to attend the live sessions, but it is not required.  All class sessions are recorded and available to view on the class website at the students’ convenience.  

The course runs from October 2nd through December 8th.  The week of October 24th and November 21 are off due to Matt’s touring schedule and the Thanksgiving holiday.  The are a total of 16 live class sessions (eight class sessions and eight review sessions) during the course. 

Here is the curriculum:

WEEK 1 (10/2)

A few scales and patterns

Picking Exercise #1

Fingering Exercise #1

Minuet in G Major from the Notebook for Anna Magdalena Bach

Air from Orchestral Suite no.3 in D Major

WEEK 2 (10/9)

Scale Patterns in Thirds

Picking Exercise #2

Dynamics in Baroque music

Two-Part Invention #1 in C Major

Polonaise in G minor from the Notebook for Anna Magdalena Bach

WEEK 3 (10/16)

E Minor Scale Exercise

E Harmonic Minor Exercise

Minor Arpeggio Exercise

Bouree in E Minor

Aria in D Minor (Notebook of Anna Magdalena Bach)

Two-Part Invention #13 in A minor

WEEK 4 (10/30)

Fingering Exercise #1

Picking Exercise #4

Positions Up the Neck

Two-Part Invention #8 in F Major

Aria from Harpsichord Partita no. 4 in D major

WEEK 5 (11/6)

Some more scale patterns

Trill Exercise

Arpeggio exercise I

Two-Part Invention #2 in C minor

Sleepers Awake from Cantata #1

WEEK 6 (11/13)

Fingering Exercise #2

Triplet Exercises

Arpeggio Exercise II

Two-Part Invention #10 in G Major

Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring

WEEK 7 (11/27)

Scale Pattern III

Picking Exercise #7

Two-Part Invention # 5 in E-Flat

Bourree from Harpsichord Partita in B minor

WEEK 8 (12/4)

Picking Exercise #8

Picking Exercise #9

A few chord forms

Arpeggio exercise III

Prelude from Cello Suite no. 1 in C Major

Goldberg Variation #11 

The course fee is $225.

Register here.

See the Blues Mandolin curriculum

See the Monroe-Style Mandolin curriculum

“I’ve participated in many online learning programs, but so far, your format is the best I’ve ever seen. I am so pleased I happened upon your courses.”—Gina M.

“I was very impressed and feel better about my confidence level, how I play and focus now. The course just worked for me and got me over a hump in terms of my motivation and focus.”—Donna O.

Register here.

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 in bluegrass style playing, 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.

Class sessions take place on Wednesday evenings at 9 pm eastern time (except Week 4, which takes place on a Thursday evening), with follow-up practice sessions on Saturdays at 12:15 pm eastern time.  Students are welcome to attend the live sessions, but it is not required.  All class sessions are recorded and available to view on the class website at the students’ convenience.  

The course runs from October 1st through December 8th.  The week of October 24th and November 21 are off due to Matt’s touring schedule and the Thanksgiving holiday.  The are a total of 16 live class sessions (eight class sessions and eight review sessions) during the course. 

Here is the curriculum:

WEEK 1 (10/3)

Using open strings

Picking exercise I

Playing backup

Playing fills behind the vocal

I’m Going Back to Old Kentucky

Pike County Breakdown

WEEK 2 (10/10)

Moving double stops

Picking exercise II

Double stop exercises in G, A and B

Sweetheart You Done Me Wrong

Blue Moon of Kentucky

WEEK 3 (10/17)

The blues

Finding blue notes in position playing

Down picking exercise

A few bluesy licks and fills

Bluegrass Part One

Rocky Road Blues

WEEK 4 (11/1)

Sliding Between Positions

Sliding Exercise I

Sliding Exercise II

Double stop exercise II

On the Old Kentucky Shore

Dig a Hole in the Meadow

WEEK 5 (11/7)

Some more bluesy licks

Down-picking exercise II

Triplet picking exercise

Get Down on Your Knees and Pray

Close By

WEEK 6 (11/14)

Playing out of the chop chord position

Double stops in the chop chord position

A few chop chord licks 

Sittin’ On Top of the World

Out in the Cold World

WEEK 7 (11/28)

Shuffle feel

Picking Exercise III

Open strings in various keys

New John Henry Blues

Dusty Miller

WEEK 8 (12/5)

Tying it all together

Picking Exercise IV

Playing across the I-IV-V in chop chord position

Moving between positions in various keys

I Wonder Where You Are Tonight

Don’t Put It Off ’Til Tomorrow

The course fee is $225.

Register here

See the Blues Mandolin curriculum

See the Bach for Mandolin curriculum

“This was the best online learning experience I’ve ever had.  And, for the time and money, the best music learning experience in any format:  DVD, video, group, or individual live lessons.”—Christine R.

“Your courses have opened my musical mind, focused my practice and expanded my skill far beyond expectation.”—-Steve F.

Welcome to the Mandolin Fretboard and Music Theory Exercises II 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 scale, arpeggio and transposition 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 great melodies by Bach, Beethoven and the Beatles.  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 Tuesday evening from August 14 to September 4 at 9 pm eastern time, and practice/review sessions meet every Saturday from August 18 to September 8 at 11 am 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.

While this course is a continuation of the Music Theory and Mandolin Fretboard Exercises course which completes in early August, it is not necessary for students to have taken the first course to be able to take the second course.  The Music Theory and Mandolin Fretboard Exercises II course is intended to reinforce many of the concepts taught in the previous course, while expanding the student’s knowledge of the fretboard beyond where the first course left off.

The course fee is $125.  Register here.

Register for Music Theory and Mandolin Fretboard Exercises II

Get info about other Summer 2018 courses

MUSIC THEORY AND MANDOLIN FRETBOARD EXERCISES II CURRICULUM (August 14-September 8)

Week 5 (August 14)

Chromatic and diatonic scales

Various types of triads

Inversions

Modes: Dorian and Aeolian

Analysis: Bach Minuet in G

Simple song #5 in all keys

Week 6 (August 21)

7th chords

Various types of 7th chords

Arpeggio fingering I and II

Various types of cadences

Analysis: With a Little Help from My Friends

Simple song #6 in all keys

Week 7 (August 28)

Minor keys

Harmonic and Melodic minor scales

Minor diatonic progressions

Minor arpeggio exercise

Two minor scale fingerings

Analysis: Greensleeves

Simple song #7 in all keys

Week 8 (September 4)

Major and minor relative keys

Finding chord progressions in various keys

Working up the neck

More with modes

Seven major scale fingerings

Analysis: Beethoven’s Mandolin Sonatine

The course fee is $125.  Register here.

See the Bluegrass Jamming II (August 15-September 8) curriculum 

See the Gypsy Swing Mandolin Jamming II (August 13-September 8) curriculum 

Questions?  Email [email protected]. 

“Your courses have opened my musical mind, focused my practice and expanded my skill far beyond expectation.”—-Steve F.

“I have taken nearly every course Matt has offered, even three at a time! Matt is a brilliant teacher. Every course is deep and rich with information. The material is thoughtfully explained, allowing a student to slowly transform the class material into music. I can’t imagine this journey without Matt Flinner.  His courses are a true life changing musical experience!”—Lisa S.

Register for the Gypsy Swing Mandolin Jamming II course

See other courses offered this summer.

This course is intended to help the aspiring mandolinist build up repertoire and find ways of creating new solos over Django Reinhardt-style Gypsy swing tunes; it’s also designed in the hope that it will encourage students to get out and jam with other players!

Each week, we’ll look at four Gypsy swing standard tunes with a particular concept in mind—chromatic chord progressions, VI/ii/V/Is etc.  Students will be given lead sheets (in standard notation and tablature) for each song, as well as a few exercises to help them learn more about the fretboard and start incorporating new ideas into their solos.  Concepts and tunes will be taught during the class session, and all tunes will be revisited during Saturday practice sessions in a “jam session” format, where each song is played several times though, and students have the opportunity to try out some of the week’s concepts on the tunes (with guidance from Matt).  Ways of playing the chord progressions will also be suggested, so students will have a guide for playing backup as well as lead and improv on all four tunes.  

Classes meet Monday evenings from August 13 to September 3 at 9 pm eastern time.  There will also be 45-minute review sessions every Saturday morning from August 18 to September 8 at 10 am eastern time.

The registration fee is $125.  Register here.

Here is the course curriculum: 

WEEK 1 (August 13)

A few relatively simple chord progressions

Arpeggiating through chord progressions

Analyzing scales and how they relate to chords

Swing from Paris

Runnin’ Wild

In the Still of the Night

Believe It, Beloved

WEEK 2 (August 20)

Some I-VI-ii-V-I progressions

VI-ii-V-I Chord inversions

Smooth chord tone transitions

Swing 42

Nagasaki

Daphne

I’se a-Muggin’

WEEK 3 (August 27)

Chromatic chord progressions

Using similar ideas from chord to chord

Chroamtic scale exercise

Hungaria

Swing ’39

Black and White

Djangology

WEEK 4 (September 3)

More complex chord progressions

Further arpeggio exercises

Scale and arpeggio practice routines

Avalon

Nuages

Tears

Chasing Shadows

Register for the Gypsy Swing Mandolin Jamming II course

See the Bluegrass Mandolin Jamming II curriculum

See the Music Theory and Mandolin Fretboard Exercises II curriculum

“After buying six mandolins and umpteen books…I am convinced your course is best $100 I have invested in my mandolin journey to date.  Finally, I’m getting the discpline I need with your exercises to learn scales, arpeggios, double stops, fingering techniques, learn the fretboard (the essential tools I need)…and most importantly to learn how those things fit into playing tunes.”—Rick D., Bluegrass Mandolin 101 student

“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 a 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., Bluegrass Mandolin 101 student

Register for Bluegrass Mandolin Jamming II with Matt Flinner

See other courses offered this summer

This course is intended to help the aspiring mandolinist build up repertoire and find ways of creating new solos over commonly played standards; it’s also designed in the hope that it will encourage students to get out and jam with other players!

Each week, we’ll look at four bluegrass standard tunes.  Students will be given lead sheets (in standard notation and tablature) for each song, as well as a few exercises to help them learn more about the fretboard and start incorporating new ideas into their solos.  Concepts and tunes will be taught during the class session, and all tunes will be revisited during Saturday practice sessions in a “jam session” format, where each song is played several times though, and students have the opportunity to try out some of the week’s concepts on the tunes (with guidance from Matt).

While this course is a continuation of the Bluegrass Mandolin Jamming course which completes in early August, it is not necessary for students to have taken the first course to be able to take the second course.  The Bluegrass Mandolin Jamming II course is intended to reinforce many of the concepts taught in the previous course, while expanding the student’s knowledge of the fretboard beyond where the first course left off.

The course begins August 15 and runs through September 8.  Class sessions will meet on Wednesdays at 2 pm eastern time (7 or 8 pm in the UK and most of Europe) and 9 pm eastern time.  Practice/review sessions meet every Saturday from 12:15-1 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.

The course fee is $125. 

Register for Bluegrass Mandolin Jamming II with Matt Flinner

Here is the curriculum:

WEEK 1 (August 16)

Key of E 

Position Playing in E 

E Chord Tones and Double Stops

Octave Changes

You Won’t Be Satisfied That Way

In the Pines

Footprints in the Snow

Glory in the Meeting House

WEEK 2 (August 23)

Some Minor Key Tunes

A Variety of Minor Chords

E Minor Scales and Patterns

Throwing in Some Minor Double Stops

Shady Grove

Pretty Polly

Rain and Snow

Jerusalem Ridge

WEEK 3 (August 29)

Key of B

Positions in B

B Chord Tones and Double Stops

Chop Chords and “Open” Style Chords in B

My Walking Shoes

Molly and Tenbrooks

Sophronie

I Cried Again

WEEK 4 (September 5)

Key of Bb

Using Open Strings in Bb

Position playing in Bb

Bb Chord Tones and Double Stops

Roving Gambler

Dream of a Miner’s Child

Shackles and Chains

Done Gone

The course fee is $125.  

Register for Bluegrass Mandolin Jamming II with Matt Flinner

See the Gypsy Swing Mandolin Jamming II Curriculum

See the Music Theory and Mandolin Fretboard Exercises II Curriculum

“I’ve participated in many online learning programs, but so far, your format is the best I’ve ever seen. I am so pleased I happened upon your courses.”—Gina M.

“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 a 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., Bluegrass Mandolin 101 student

The Bluegrass Mandolin 101 online lessons program continues this summer with three more four-week long intensive courses designed to help your overall mandolin playing technique and help you have more fun playing the mandolin!

In the Music Theory and Mandolin Fretboard Exercises II with Matt Flinner course (August 14-September 8), is intended for students at all levels (though absolute beginners will likely find it too difficult) who want to understand more about music theory and how it relates to the mandolin.  Each week, students will receive various exercises relating to scales, arpeggios, chords, progressions, transpositions and more.  We’ll even analyze a little Bach, Beethoven and the Beatles.  The goal is to help students learn more about the fretboard and be able to learn songs more quickly and improvise more easily.  

The Bluegrass Mandolin Jamming II with Matt Flinner course (August 15-September 8) is intended to help students play bluegrass music with other people.  Each week, students will receive four new tunes (from beginner to advanced level) along with ways of playing rhythm, approaches to creating variations on the tune, and some exercises to help with fundamental technique.  The goal is to help students learn more tunes, learn practical approaches to playing those tunes, and get out and play with other people!

The Gypsy Swing Mandolin Jamming II with Matt Flinner course (August 13-September 8) is intended to help students play Gypsy swing tunes (in the style of, and from the repertoire of Django Reinhardt) with other people.  Each week, students will receive four new tunes (at various levels of diffculty), along with ways of playing rhythm, exercises to help with elements of improvisation and learning the fretboard, and suggestions in how to create solos and/or improvise on the tunes for that week.  The goal is to help students learn more tunes, learn practical approaches to improvisation and soloing, and get out and play with other people!

All three courses are continuations of previous courses which will finish up in early August; however, it is not necessary for students to have taken the previous summer courses in order to register for and learn from the current courses.

Register for Music Theory and Mandolin Fretboard Exercises with Matt Flinner

Register for Bluegrass Mandolin Jamming II with Matt Flinner

Register for Gypsy Swing Mandolin Jamming II with Matt Flinner

The Gypsy Swing Mandolin Jamming II course, which takes place on Monday evenings at 9 pm eastern time, is intended for intermediate to advanced players.  The course is intended to help students build repertoire and get practical experience in playing tunes from the Django Reinhardt/Stephane Grappelli repertoire and creating and trying out variations and improvising on those tunes.   This course will also have practice/review sessions on Saturdays at 10 am eastern time.

The Music Theory and Mandolin Fretboard Exercises II course, which takes place on Tuesday evenings at 9 pm eastern time, is intended for students at all levels who want to learn some basic music theory as it applies to the mandolin.  This course will help students of all ability levels learn more about the fretboard, be able to find and play melodies more quickly, and use music theory concepts to better their understanding of melodies, chord progressions, and improvisation.  The course will also have practice/review sessions on Saturday mornings at 11 am eastern time.

The Bluegrass Mandolin Jamming II course, which takes place on Wednesday afternoons and evenings at 2 and 9 pm eastern time, is intended for players of all ability levels, but will lean toward the intermediate level.  The course is intended to help students build repertoire and get practical experience in playing tunes and creating and trying out variations.   This course will also have practice/review sessions on Saturdays at 12:15 pm eastern time.  NOTE: Wednesday afternoon sessions take place at 2 pm eastern time—a more convenient time for our friends in the UK and Europe!  2 pm eastern time translates to 7 or 8 pm in the UK and most of Europe.  Students are welcome to join in on either or both of the Wednesday sessions each week (they will be essentially identical to one another in content).  

Music Theory and Mandolin Fretboard Exercises II Curriculum

Bluegrass Mandolin Jamming II with Matt Flinner Curriculum

Gypsy Swing Mandolin Jamming II with Matt Flinner Curriculum

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 Scales and Arpeggios, and Jamming!)

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 THREE 4-week courses offered from August 14-September 9.  The Scale and Arpeggio Intensive course will focus on various aspects of technique.  Each week, students will receive six or seven exercises and a tune to learn.   Scale exercises, scale pattern exercises, arpeggios and double stop exercises will be given each week.  Students will also be given some ideas on how to apply that week’s exercises to that week’s tune in order to create variations.  The Bluegrass Mandolin Jamming and Swing Mandolin Jamming courses will focus more on building repertoire, playing lead and rhythm and creating variations in a jam-like setting.  Four tunes will be given each week, along with a few exercises and suggestions for incorporating those exercises into solos and/or improvisation.  

1. Gypsy Swing Mandolin Jamming II with Matt Flinner which is geared toward upper intermediate to advanced students.  Students will be given four swing tunes per week plus a few exerices and suggestions for ways of playing rhythm, along with suggestions on how to relate the exercises to the tunes in order to create variations and/or improvise.  

2. Music Theory and Mandolin Fretboard Exercises II, which is open to players of all ability levels.  Students will receive music theory exercises in scales, arpeggios, chords and more, along with simple melodies to transpose to various keys. 

3. Bluegrass Mandolin Jamming II with Matt Flinner, which is open to players of all ability levels, but will lean toward the intermediate level.  Students will be given four tunes each week along with a few exercises and suggestions on how to play lead and rhythm as well as create variations for that week’s tunes.

THE SCHEDULE

The Gypsy Swing Mandolin Jamming II course will take place Monday evenings at 9 pm.  There will also be Saturday practice/review sessions from 10-10:45 am eastern time.

The Music Theory and Mandolin Fretboard Exercises II with Matt Flinner course take place every Tuesday night at 9 pm eastern time, with practice review sessions on Saturdays from 11-10:45 am eastern time.  

The Bluegrass Mandolin Jamming II course will take place on Wednesday afternoons and evenings at 2 pm and 9 pm eastern time.  Afternoon sessions are intended for the convenience of our friends overseas!  7 or 8 pm in the UK and most of Europe is likely more convenient than 2 or 3 am!  There will also be Saturday practice/review sessions from 12:15–1 pm eastern 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

Fees for the 4-week summer courses are $125 each. 

Here are a few quotes from some past students about their experiences in the Bluegrass Mandolin 101 program:

“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:

Music Theory and Mandolin Fretboard Exercises II with Matt Flinner Registration

Bluegrass Mandolin Jamming II with Matt Flinner Registration

Gypsy Swing Mandolin Jamming II with Matt Flinner 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 summer!

All the best,

Matt

“This was the best online learning experience I’ve ever had.  And, for the time and money, the best music learning experience in any format:  DVD, video, group, or individual live lessons.”—Christine R. 

“After buying six mandolins and umpteen books…I am convinced your course is best $100 I have invested in my mandolin journey to date.  Finally, I’m getting the discpline I need with your exercises to learn scales, arpeggios, double stops, fingering techniques, learn the fretboard (the essential tools I need)…and most importantly to learn how those things fit into playing tunes.”—Rick D. 

I’ve taken the Rhythm Mandolin and Monroe Tunes courses, and both are excellent. Matt provides meticulously thorough instruction to help you learn the material, while relating tunes and techniques to broader concepts, so you can apply the ideas elsewhere in your playing. He’s not only a worldclass musician, but an equally great instructor. – Andy S.

The Bluegrass Mandolin 101 online lessons program continues this spring with courses intended to help students improve their mandolin skills at various levels of playing and perhaps branch out into some other related styles.  Fiddle Tunes for Mandolin 101, Bill Monroe Tunes for Mandolin and New Acoustic Mandolin courses will help students improve their fundamentals, learn the fretboard and improve their soloing skills—all while learning a couple of new tunes each week.  And all with the goal of having more fun playing the mandolin!

Fiddle Tunes for Mandolin 101 with Matt Flinner (3/24-5/24)                        Curriculum         Registration 

Bill Monroe Tunes for Mandolin with Matt Flinner  (3/25-5/31)                      Curriculum         Registration

New Acoustic Mandolin with Matt Flinner   (3/26-5/31)                                Curriculum         Registration

The Fiddle Tunes for Mandolin 101 course (March 24-May 24): this course will introduce students to the core of bluegrass/fiddle tune repertoire and help them improve their mandolin technique along the way.  Exercises in scales, arpeggios double stops, backup, and creating variations will give students the tools they need to move forward in their playing and enable them to play more comfortably on their own or with other players in jam sessions.  Fiddle Tunes for Mandolin 101 will start at a beginner/intermediate level and progress to a solidly intermediate level.

Register here. 

The Bill Monroe Tunes for Mandolin course (March 25-May 31): this course is intended to give students a broader understanding of many aspects of bluegrass mandolin playing through the music of the greatest writer of mandolin tunes—Bill Monroe!  Students will explore fundamental aspects of technique (picking exercises, double stop exercises, tremolo and more) to help them at any ability level while learning some great (and often lesser-known) Bill Monroe tunes.  Each week, students will be given two tunes relating to various aspects of technique, along with several exercises and suggestions for playing backup and creating variations on the tunes.  

The course is intended for players at an intermediate level, though advanced players as well as advanced beginners can benefit from the exploration of fundamentals to strengthen technique (plus learn some tunes they didn’t know before!).  

Register here.  

The New Acoustic Mandolin course (March 26-May 31): this course will introduce students to tunes in the “new acoustic” genre.  What was started by the likes of David Grisman, Tony Trischka, Tony Rice, Sam Bush and others in the 1970s as an outgrowth of bluegrass and jazz has grown into a wide-ranging music incorporating elements of rock and roll, Hot Club Jazz, folk music, old-time music, classical chamber music and more.  We’ll explore this modern frontier of music and give students many of the tools they’ll need to play the tunes as well as improvise and play backup in new ways with new rhythms.  Tunes by the masters listed above, plus a few from Russ Barenberg, Darol Anger, Jerry Douglas, Bela Fleck, John Reischman, David Grier, Edgar Meyer and Todd Phillips will be featured, along with exercises to help students learn the fretboard and improve their fundamental skills—all for the purpose of playing more effectively in any style (and, especially, having more fun playing the mandolin!).  

The course is intended for players at a beginning to intermediate ability level (though absolute beginners will have a difficult time keeping up—knowledge of basic chords and rhythm playing will help!), or for players at any level who are looking to improve their chord vocabulary and rhythm playing.  

Register here.

The course fee for any winter course is $225.  

Register for Fiddle Tunes for Mandolin 101 with Matt Flinner

Register for Bill Monroe Tunes for Mandolin with Matt Flinner

Register for New Acoustic Mandolin with Matt Flinner

The Fiddle Tunes for Mandolin 101 course (March 24-May 24) takes place on Monday evenings at 9 pm eastern time.  We’ll also have practice/review sessions on Saturdays at 10 am eastern time.  Monday class sessions will take place from March 24-May 19, and Saturday follow-up practice sessions will take place from March 29-May 24.  The week of April 14 will be off, so students will have a little extra time to review!  All live sessions are recorded and uploaded to a class website, where they are viewable generally by the following day (in the case of Saturday practice sessions, they’re often available to view later that day). Register here.

The Bill Monroe Tunes for Mandolin course (March 25-May 31) meets on Tuesdays at 2 pm and 9 pm eastern time (they’re the same—we’ve added the 2 pm time for the convenience of students in the UK and Europe, but anyone who finds the time convenient is welcome to join!  And students can attend both sessions if they want to), with follow-up practice sessions Saturday mornings at 11 am eastern time.  Students will have eight (or 16 if you count both class times) Tuesday class sessions (March 25-May 27) and eight Saturday follow-up practice sessions (March 29-May 31).  The weeks of April 1 and 15 will be off due to Matt’s tour schedule, so students will have a little extra time to review!  All live sessions are recorded and uploaded to a class website, where they are viewable generally by the following day (in the case of Saturday practice sessions, they’re often available to view later that day). Register here.

The New Acoustic Mandolin course (March 26-May 31) meets on Wednesdays at 2 pm and 9 pm eastern time (again, both sessions are the same—we’ve added the 2 pm time for the convenience of students in the UK and Europe, but anyone who finds the time convenient is welcome to join!  And students can attend both sessions if they want to), with follow-up practice sessions Saturdays at 12:30 pm eastern time.  Students will have eight Wednesday class sessions (March 26-May 28) and eight Saturday follow-up practice sessions (March 29-May 31).  The weeks of April 2 and 16 will be off due to Matt’s tour schedule, so students can catch up on those tunes or exercises they didn’t get to yet!  All live sessions are recorded and uploaded to a class website, where they are viewable generally by the following day (in the case of Saturday practice sessions, they’re often available to view later that day).  Register here.

ALL class materials (PDFs, practice mp3s, short practice videos and class session videos) are available for students to download and keep for future use.  

All students access to the live sessions as well as all materials (PDFs, mp3s, practice videos and class session videos), which they can download for future use.  

Here’s a little more info about the Bluegrass Mandolin 101 online experience that I hope will give you a good idea of how the program works.

BLUEGRASS MANDOLIN 101 

Matt Flinner started the Bluegrass Mandolin 101 program in the fall of 2013.  Along the way, the program has helped hundreds of students improve their mandolin playing in a wide variety of styles.  The program offers a unique approach to online mandolin lessons that gives students the best of both live lessons as well as recorded mandolin instructional videos, audio recordings and written materials.  The courses focus on helping mandolin students get to the next level in their playing and broaden their understanding of a variety of American musical traditions. 

A UNIQUE APPROACH: LIVE INSTRUCTION AND 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 or eight week course.  The courses follow a carefully planned curriculum in the given style or area of technique, and the live lessons get a little more challenging each week as the course progresses.  Classes meet twice per week: on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday evening, depending on the course, and on Saturday morning/afternoon, when students can join a follow-up practice session to review that week’s material.  Students can view the live lessons via their computer, iPad or smart phone.  Students are encouraged to ask questions during the class sessions via a chat window and/or their external or built-in microphone (this microphone is muted unless the student requests to use it).  And students do not need a webcam.  

All live sessions are also recorded so that students can review them any time if they are unable to make it to the live sessions; this also gives students the added convenience of going through the material as many times as they want to.  Students are given access to a private class website where they can find these recorded sessions and they can also view and download all PDFs of the materials and several practice mp3s of that week’s song(s) recorded at various tempos.  Students will also be given download links for all class videos so that they can view them offline at their convenience on into the future.  In essence, all materials from the course are for the students to keep.  

One aspect of the live class schedule that makes the program so effective is that students are generally more encouraged to practice in order to keep up with the schedule.  Students are given a list of suggested priorities each week, depending on their ability level and amount of practice time, and all material is then reviewed in the Saturday practice session so that students get another chance to run through it with the instructor.  Just by showing up, students will run through the material twice each week—for many of us, that’s already an improvement!  

HOW INTERACTIVE ARE THE COURSES?

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, depending on the course), 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 the 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 course fee for any spring course is $225.  Just register at the registration link(s) and we’ll send you an invoice via PayPal for the discounted course fee(s) ($225 per course).

Here are a few quotes from some past students about their experiences in the Bluegrass Mandolin 101 program:

“I’ve participated in many online learning programs, but so far, your format is the best I’ve ever seen. I am so pleased I happened upon your courses.”—Gina M.

“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.

“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:

Register for Fiddle Tunes for Mandolin 101 with Matt Flinner

Register for Bill Monroe Tunes for Mandolin with Matt Flinner

Register for New Acoustic Mandolin with Matt Flinner

Register here.

“Your courses have opened my musical mind, focused my practice and expanded my skill far beyond expectation.”—-Steve F.

“This was the best online learning experience I’ve ever had.  And, for the time and money, the best music learning experience in any format:  DVD, video, group, or individual live lessons.”—Christine R.

Welcome to the Mandolin Fretboard and Music Theory Exercises 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 scale, arpeggio and transposition exercises each week to help them find their way around the fretboard in various keys.  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 Tuesday evening from July 10 to August 1 at 9 pm eastern time, and practice/review sessions meet every Saturday from July 14 to August 4 11 am 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.

Register for Music Theory and Mandolin Fretboard Exercises

Get info about other Summer 2018 courses

MUSIC THEORY AND MANDOLIN FRETBOARD EXERCISES CURRICULUM (July 10-August 4)

Week 1 (July 10)

Finding roots

Major scale on one string

Major scales in six keys

Numbering notes in scales

Two fingerings for major scales

A few licks in two positions

Simple song #1 in various keys

Week 2 (July 17)

Chords

Building chords from scales

Moving closed chords around the neck

I-IV-V progressions

Arpeggios (1-3-5-3) in six keys

Starting licks from chord tones (3234321 etc.)  

Simple song #2 in various keys

Week 3 (July 24)

Diatonic triads

Adding ii and vi chords to chord progressions

Minor arpeggios in six keys

Minor chord progressions

Finding scales and arpeggios in various keys

Two more major scale fingerings

Simple song #3 in various keys

Week 4 (July 31)

Modes

Dominant 7 arpeggios

Mixolydian scales in six keys

Chord inversions 

A few scale patterns

Finding I-IV-V roots in various positions on the neck

Simple song #4 in various keys

The course fee is $125.  Register here.

See the Bluegrass Jamming (July 11-August 4) curriculum 

See the Gypsy Swing Mandolin Jamming (July 9-August 4) curriculum 

Questions?  Email [email protected].