Matt Flinner

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

“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.

Register here.

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.  Classes will meet on Monday evenings at 9 pm eastern time, and follow-up practice sessions will take place on Saturday mornings at 10 am eastern time.  Although students are more likely to get more direct interaction with the instructor during the live sessions, it is not necessary to attend all (or any) of the live sessions!  All sessions are recorded and available to view on the class website by the following day.  

Students also have access to short (1-3 minute) practice videos each week, along with mp3s to practice with at various tempos and PDFs of all of the written exercises and tunes.  Students are invited to download all materials (including short practice videos and recorded videos of all class sessions) so that they can view and/or listen to them at any point in the future after the course has concluded.  

The course is intended for players at an intemediate 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!).  

The course fee is $225.  

See the Crosspicking Mandolin with Matt Flinner curriculum

See the Appalachian Tunes and Techniques curriculum

WEEK 1: Getting open strings in the mix

Picking Exercise I

Picking Exercise II

Two ways of playing backup

My Father’s Footsteps

Northern White Clouds

WEEK 2: Double stops

Double stop exercises in A

Double stop exercise in G

Tallahassee

The Long Bow

WEEK 3: Some classic Monroe licks

Chop chord position playing

Double stops in chop chord position

Tombstone Junction

Virginia Darlin’

WEEK 4: A couple of waltzes

Tremolo exercise

Tremolo with double stops

Melissa’s Waltz for JB

Mississippi Waltz

WEEK 5: Some minor key tunes

A couple of ways of playing minor chords in backup

Minor double stop exercise

The Old Mountaineer

Crossing the Cumberlands

WEEK 6: Bluesy Tunes

A couple of advanced Monroe licks

Bluesy licks

Picking Exercise IV

Blue Grass Stomp

Tennessee Blues

WEEK 7: A couple of fast ones

Picking Exercise for Speed

Playing double stops at fast tempos

Whitehorse Breakdown

Rawhide

WEEK 8: Some more advanced tunes

Picking Exercise V

Old Ebenezer Scrooge

Right, Right On

Bonus Material: a few classics to know (these will be given at the begining of the course, and played occasionally during practice sessions).  

Gold Rush

Wheel Hoss

Big Mon

The Road to Columbus

Register for Bill Monroe Tunes for Mandolin.

See the Crosspicking Mandolin with Matt Flinner curriculum

See the Appalachian Tunes and Techniques 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 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.

The Bluegrass Mandolin 101 program is pleased to offer three new courses for a variety of ability levels and interests!  Bill Monroe Tunes for Mandolin, Crosspicking Mandolin and Appalachian Mandolin Tunes and Techniques will start up January 8. 9 and 10.

Bill Monroe Tunes for Mandolin (Jan 8-March 10) will cover many of the well-known and lesser-known tunes by the greatest mandolin tune writer, Bill Monroe.  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 intemediate 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.

Crosspicking Mandolin (Jan 8-March 10) dives into the intricate, beautiful style pioneered by the great mandolinist Jesse McReynolds.  Material will focus on various crosspicking patterns and double stops and positions in various keys to create unique and often intricate solos on bluegrass standard songs.  It’s a great way to add some color and flair to your playing!  This course is recommended for intermediate to advanced players.  Register here.

Appalachian Mandolin Tunes and Techniques (Jan 10-March 10) explores the deep groove of old-time fiddle tunes.  Fundamentals will be emphasized, as students will get tips and exercises to help them improve their rhythm, picking and tone.  The course is intended for students at a beginner to intermediate level.  More advanced students may benefit from the tone exercises and focus on fundamentals (plus learn some great tunes!).  Register here.

SCHEDULE:

60-minute classes take place online every Monday (Monroe Tunes), Tuesday (Crosspicking) or Wednesday (Appalachian Tunes) evening from January 8, 9 or 10 to March 5, 6 or 7 at 9 pm eastern time, and 45-minute practice/review sessions take place every Saturday morning/afternoon from January 13 to March 10.  The week of February 5 is off due to Matt’s touring schedule.

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 fee for the course is $225.  

If you have questions about the course, email Matt at [email protected].

Register here:

Register for Bill Monroe Tunes for Mandolin

Register for Crosspicking Mandolin with Matt Flinner

Register for Appalachian Mandolin Tunes and Technique

View curricula for each course here: 

Bill Monroe Tunes for Mandolin Curriculum

Crosspicking Mandolin with Matt Flinner Curriculum

Appalachian Tunes and Techniques 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.”—Steven F.

“I’m really enjoying the course. The first time I’ve actually practiced an instrument in my 60 years!”—Skip H.

Save $50 on two courses!  Use the discount code “django” to save $50 when you sign up for your second course. 

Register for Gypsy Swing Mandolin with Matt Flinner.

Get more info on other courses offered in fall 2017.

Explore the wonderful world of Gypsy Swing on the mandolin from the comfort of your own home!  Matt Flinner will lead you through the classic 1930s music of Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli and help you explore the fingerboard, learn new ways of playing chord progressions and help you acquire the tools you need to play and improvise in the Gypsy Jazz genre.

Each week, students will be given two tunes and a handful of exercises in scales, arpeggios, and/or chord inversions and chord movement, along with at least one transcribed Django Reinhardt or Stephane Grappelli solo from one of the two tunes.  The goal will be to become more comfortable playing Gypsy Swing melodies and chord progressions, get better at improvising and ultimately get out and play this music with other people!

The course is intended for students at an intermediate to advanced level.  The course will start out fairly easy (lower intermediate?), and will gradually progress to a more advanced level.

The course runs from October 4-December 9.  Classes take place online on Tuesday afternoons and evenings from 2-3 pm eastern time or 9-10 pm eastern time (students are welcome to join either or both), and practice/review sessions take place on Saturdays from 11-11:15 am eastern time.  NOTE: The first class session will take place on Wednesday, October 4th (at the same times of 2 pm and 9 pm eastern time) and the fifth class session will take place on Wednesday, November 1st (also at those same times) due to Matt’s tour schedule and the fact that he likes to spend Halloween night with his kids!

WEEK 1 (10/4)

A Couple of Basic Chord Progressions

Finding Chord Tones for the First Chord Changes in a Tune

A Couple of Chord Inversions

Swanee River

Tea for Two

WEEK 2 (10/10)

Minor Scales: Dorian and Harmonic Minor

Minor Chords and Inversions

Starting Phrases on Chord Tones

I’ve Found a New Baby

My Sweet

WEEK 3 (10/17)

The Circle of Fifths

Playing Dominant 7 Chords Around the Circle of Fifths

Playing Arpeggios Around the Circle of Fifths

Billets Doux

Miss Annabelle Lee

WEEK 4 (10/24)

ii-V-Is

A Couple of ii-V-I Inversions

A Couple of Melodic Patterns

Tornerai

La Mer

WEEK 5 (11/1)

Harmonic Minor Scales II

A Few Handy Harmonic Minor Licks

Tchavolo Swing

Douce Ambiance

WEEK 6 (11/7)

I-vi-ii-V-I Progressions

Finding Chord Tones on the I-vi-ii-V-I

Triplet Patterns

Lily Belle May June

Swing Guitars

WEEK 7 (11/28)

Chromatic Chord Progressions

Chromatic Scales and Fingerings

More Triplet Ideas

Sweet Chorus

Noto Swing

WEEK 8 (12/5)

IV-#IVdim-I-VI-II-V-I Turnarounds

Two Smooth Ways of Playing Turnarounds

Diminished Chord Shapes

Diminished Arpeggios

Flat Foot Floogie

Nagasaki

The course fee is $225.  

Save $50 on two courses!  Use the discount code “django” to save $50 when you sign up for your second course.  

See other courses offered this fall. 

“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

Save $75 when you register by February 17th!

Register for Mandolin Chord Melody with Matt Flinner

This course is all about chords!  Chord inversions will be explored around the fretboard in various keys, and students will learn how to play melodies using those chord inversions as melodic and harmonic foundations.  Each week, two solo arrangements of swing/jazz standard tunes will be given in which the melody is played as the top note (or often passing notes) of the chord; as the melody moves, the chord inversions move accordingly, creating a full, rich sounding solo arrangement on, of all things, the mandolin.  Students will also be given tips on using these chords to accompany other soloists, as well as ways of using chord inversions and chord melody technique in improvisation.   It’s a great way to become not only a better solo mandolinist, but a much better accompanist as well!  

This course is intended for students at an intermediate/advanced level.  

Mandolin Chord Melody Curriculum (April 2-June 8)

WEEK 1 (April 2)

Intro to Chord Melody

Starting with the Blues

Dominant 7 Chord Inversions

Scales over dominant 7 chords

Route 66

Things Ain’t What They Used to Be

WEEK 2 (April 16)

Major 7 chord inversions 

Scales over major 7 chords

All of Me

Sweet Lorraine

WEEK 3 (April 23)

Minor 7 chord inversions

Scales over minor 7 chords

Moving from minor 7 to dominant 7 chords

Blue Skies

Georgia on My Mind

WEEK 4 (April 30)

A Couple of Waltzes

More moving chord inversions

Someday My Prince Will Come

Ugly Beauty

WEEK 5 (May 7)

Putting it together

Some 4-note Chords

They Can’t Take That Away from Me

Someone to Watch Over Me

WEEK 6 (May 21)

Common tones in chords

Diminished Chords

Diminshed chords as substitutions

Scales over diminished chords

Moonglow

Stompin’ at the Savoy

WEEK 7 (May 28)

Moving double stops 

Double stop exercises in various keys

Adding some augmented chords

If I Had You

Do Nothing ‘Til You Hear from Me

WEEK 8 (June 4)

Starting to improvise chord melody

Further use of chord inversions

ii-V-I inversions

Adding melodic lines between chords

Sweet Georgia Brown

Night and Day

The course fee is $225.  Register by February 17th for just $150!

Register here.

See other courses offered this fall.

“All your courses are really good, very well designed, and you have a great teaching style and a relaxed, open, while also serious, approach – which really comes across with the live lessons – thank you for being so encouraging always!”—Penny J.

“I got a lot out of it! Everyday I have a practice routine based on the summer intensive. You have helped me by leaps and bounds.”—Sandy N.

Save $50 on two courses!  Use the discount code “django” to save $50 when you sign up for your second course. 

Register for Swing Mandolin 101 with Matt Flinner.

Check out other online courses offered in fall of 2017.

Explore the wonderful world of swing mandolin with Grammy-nominated mandolinist Matt Flinner.  Learn a new swing tune (or two) each week and get pointers on how to play chords and backup as well as approaches to improvising.  This course will be very much into chord voicings, scales, arpeggios and how they all relate to one another.  It’s a great way to expand your playing and musicianship (and learn some great tunes)!  

The course takes place on Monday evenings at 9 pm eastern time (except the first session, which takes place on a Tuesday due to Matt’s tour schedule), with practice/review sessions on Saturdays at 10 am eastern time.  The course is recommended for advanced beginner to intermediate students, and assumes some knowledge of chords and the ability to play some melodies.  Rudimentary knowledge of scales and arpeggios is also helpful.  

SWING AND JAZZ MANDOLIN 101 CURRICULUM:

Week 1 (Oct 3): The Blues

Dominant 7 Chords

Blues Scales

C Jam Blues

Bonus Tune: Route 66

Week 2 (Oct 9): The ii-V-I progression

Major Scales and patterns in a few keys

Two ways of playing ii-V-Is

Major 7 Arpeggios in all keys

Sweet Sue

Bonus tune: How High the Moon

Week 3 (Oct 16): The Blues II (adding the ii-V-I)

Dominant 7 chord inversions

Dominant 7 arpeggios

Mixolydian Scales and patterns

Blues Walk

Bonus tune: Centerpiece

Week 4 (Oct 23): Some more ii-V-Is

A couple of ii-V-I licks

Two more ii-V-I inversions

Minor 7 arpeggios

Dorian scales and patterns

Honeysuckle Rose

Bonus tune: Ain’t Misbehavin’

Week 5 (Oct 30): Going Around the Circle of 5ths

Patterns around the circle

Arpeggiating through chord progressions

Seven Come Eleven

Bonus tune: Concorde

Week 6 (Nov 6): Target notes

Some more ii-V-I licks and patterns

Using target notes over chord changes

Scale exercises and ii-V-Is

All of Me

Bonus tune: Back Home Again in Indiana

Week 7 (Nov 27): The I-VI-ii-V-I progression

Two ways of playing the I-VI-ii-V-I progression

Finding smooth chord tones from chord to chord

Blue Moon

Bonus tune: Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off

Week 8 (Dec 4): “Rhythm” changes

Tying it all together: inversions, chord tones, arpeggios and scales

I Got Rhythm

Bonus tune: Oleo

The course fee is $225.  

Save $50 on two courses!  Use the discount code “django” to save $50 when you sign up for your second course. 

Register here.

See other courses offered this fall.

Mando Europe continues!

Bluegrass Mandolin Jamming II class sessions will be taught at UK and Europe-friendly times, so you don’t have to stay up until 3 am!  All Bluegrass Jamming class sessions are offered at 7 pm in the UK and Ireland, or 8 pm for most of Europe (2 pm U.S. East Coast time) in addition to the regular 9 pm eastern US time.  Students are welcome to join either of the class sessions—the U.S./Canada or European class times (or both!).  Saturday practice sessions take place with the entire group of students at 4 pm (UK and Ireland) and 5 pm (Europe).  

Here’s the schedule for the Bluegrass Mandolin Jamming II course: 

Wednesday, August 16 @ 2 pm eastern US time: Session 1 

Wednesday, August 16 @ 9 pm eastern US time: Session 1 (all the same material will be covered as in the earlier session)

Saturday, August 19 @ 11 am eastern US time: Practice Session

Wednesday, August 23 @ 2 pm eastern US time: Session 2 

Wednesday, August 23 @ 9 pm eastern US time: Session 2

Saturday, August 26 @ 11 am eastern US time: Practice Session

Tuesday, August 29 @ 2 pm eastern US time: Session 3

Tuesday, August 29 @ 9 pm eastern US time: Session 3

Saturday, September 2 @ 11 am eastern US time: Practice Session

Tuesday, September 5 @ 2 pm eastern US time: Session 4 

Tuesday, September 5 @ 9 pm eastern US time: Session 4

Saturday, September 9 @ 11 am eastern US time: Practice Session

Bluegrass Mandolin Jamming is open to players of all ability levels, but is probably best for players at an advanced beginner to intermediate level.  This course will introduce students to playing tunes in the keys of E, B, Bb and a few minor keys.  We’ll learn four tunes each week, and will encourage students to learn the chords to all four tunes, the melody to at least one, and then encourage the use of double stops and various positions on the neck to create solos on one or two of the tunes.  

The registration fee is $125.  

Register here.

Go to the Summer Courses info page here.

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 Swing Mandolin Jamming II curriculum

See the Scale and Arpeggio Intensive II curriculum

Go to the home page

Questions?  Email [email protected]

“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

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 Scale and Arpeggio Intensive II with Matt Flinner course, we’ll get into scales and arpeggios—the building blocks of music and the basic tools of improvisation.  Each week, we’ll look at certain types of scales and learn various patterns based on those scales to help students learn the fretboard.  We’ll also look at certain types of arpeggios each week and get a thorough workout in playing those arpeggios around the fretboard.  Students will also be given a picking exercise each week to help with fundamental technique, and a double stop exercise to further reinforce the students’ knowledge of chord tones—plus students will receive a new tune each week along with suggestions on how to incorporate that week’s exercises into creating variations on the tune.

The Bluegrass Mandolin Jamming II with Matt Flinner course 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 Swing Mandolin Jamming II with Matt Flinner course is intended to help students play swing and jazz standards 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 finish up at the end of July; 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 Scale and Arpeggio Intensive II with Matt Flinner

Register for Bluegrass Mandolin Jamming II with Matt Flinner

Register for Swing Mandolin Jamming II with Matt Flinner

The Scale and Arpeggio Intensive II course, which takes place on Monday evenings (except for Session 2, which is on a Tuesday evening), is intended for intermediate to advanced level students.  Students will learn one swing or bluegrass tune in conjunction with the exercises.  This course will address fundamentals which should be beneficial to players of all ability levels.  The course will also have practice/review sessions on Saturday mornings.

The Bluegrass Mandolin Jamming course, which takes place on Wednesday afternoons and evenings for the first two sessions and Tuesday afternoons and evenings for the last two sessions, 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.

The Swing Mandolin Jamming course, which takes place on Thursday evenings for the first two sessions and Wednesday evenings for the last two sessions, is intended for intermediate to advanced players.  The course is intended to help students build repertoire and get practical experience in playing tunes and creating and trying out variations and improvising.   This course will also have practice/review sessions on Saturdays.

Scale and Arpeggio Intensive II with Matt Flinner Curriculum

Bluegrass Mandolin Jamming II with Matt Flinner Curriculum

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. Scale and Arpeggio Intensive II with Matt Flinner, which is geared toward intermediate to advanced students.  Students will receive six scale and arpeggio-focused exercises plus a swing or bluegrass tune, along with suggestions on how to relate the exercises to that week’s tune.

2. 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.

3. 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 imprvise.  

THE SCHEDULE

The live lessons for the Scale and Arpeggio Intensive II with Matt Flinner course take place every Monday night at 9 pm eastern time from August 14th to September 4th (except week 2, when the class takes place August 22nd due to the solar eclipse!), with practice review sessions on Saturdays from 10-10:45 am eastern time.  

The Bluegrass Mandolin Jamming II course will take place on Wednesday afternoons and evenings for the first two sessions (August 16 and 23) and Tuesday afternoons and evenings for the last two sessions (August 29 and September 5).  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 11-11:45 am eastern time.

The Swing Mandolin Jamming II course will take place Thursday evenings for the first two sessions (August 17 and 24) and Wednesday evenings for the last two sessions (August 30 and September 7).    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:

Scale and Arpeggio Intensive II with Matt Flinner Registration

Bluegrass Mandolin Jamming II with Matt Flinner Registration

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

Scale and Arpeggio Intensive II with Matt Flinner Curriculum

Bluegrass Mandolin Jamming II with Matt Flinner Curriculum

Swing Mandolin Jamming II with Matt Flinner 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 Swing Mandolin Jamming

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 swing and jazz standards; it’s also designed in the hope that it will encourage students to get out and jam with other players!  

The course is a continuation of the Swing Jamming course which takes place from July 6-29.  However, it is not necessary for students to have taken the Swing Jamming I course to participate in the Swing Jamming II course.  

Each week, we’ll look at four swing/jazz standard tunes with a particular concept in mind—the blues, 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).

Sessions 1 and 2 will take place Thursday, August 17 and Thursday, August 24 at 9 pm eastern time.  Sessions 3 and 4 will take place Wednesday, August 30 and Wednesday, September 6 at 9 pm eastern time.  There will also be 45-minute review sessions every Saturday morning at 12:15 pm eastern time.

The course fee is $125.

WEEK 1  (August 17)

Back to the Blues

Blues Patterns

Moving 7th Chords Around

Ba-lue Bolivar Ba-lues Are

All Blues

Blues By Five

St. James Infirmary

WEEK 2  (August 24)

Minor Keys

Choosing Minor Scales

Minor Chord Inversions

Blue Skies

I Got It Bad (and That Ain’t Good)

Summertime

My Funny Valentine

My Favorite Things

WEEK 3  (August 30)

Modulation

Further adventures in ii-V-Is

Finding Common Tones Between Chords

Polka Dots and Moonbeams

Blue Moon

Sweet Lorraine

Love for Sale

This Can’t Be Love

WEEK 4  (September 7)

More Complex Progressions

I-VI-II-V-I Progressions

Some Chord and Scale Substitutions

I’m Getting Sentimental Over You

Back Home Again in Indiana

Just You, Just Me

Lester Leaps In

The course fee is $125.  

Register here.

See the Bluegrass Jamming II Curriculum

See the Scale and Arpeggio Intensive II Curriculum

Go to the Home Page

“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: two instrumentals and two vocal songs in a particular key.  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 completed in late July, 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 16 and runs through September 9.  The first two 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.  The last two class sessions meet Tuesday afternoons and evenings at the same times.  Practice/review sessions meet every Saturday from 11-11:45 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.

The course fee is $125.  

Register here.

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 Swing Mandolin Jamming II curriculum

See the Scale and Arpeggio Intensive II curriculum

Go to the home page

“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 Scale and Arpeggio Intensive II with Matt Flinner

View other courses offered this summer

The Scale and Arpeggio Intensive II course begins August 14 and runs through September 9.  Class sessions meet every Monday evening from 9 to 10 pm eastern time (except the week of August 21st, when it will be on a Tuesday due to the solar eclipse!), and practice/review sessions meet every Saturday from 10-10:45 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.

The Summer Intensive Scale and Arpeggio course is intended for students at an intermediate to advanced level, and will use swing and well as bluegrass material as examples and exercises.  Some material may be more easy or more challenging for individual students.  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 Scale and Arpeggio Intensive course which completed in late July, it is not necessary for students to have taken the first course to be able to take the second course.  The Scale and Arpeggio Intensive II course is intended to reinforce many of the concepts taught in the previous course, while pushing the student’s technique further than the first one did.

The course fee is $125.  

Register here.

Here is the Scale and Arpeggio Intensive II curriculum:

WEEK 1 (August 14)

Chord Tone Exercise: ii-V-I Chord Tones

Arpeggio Exercise I: Major Arpeggios from the 3rd

Arpeggio Exercise II: Major Triads going in Minor 3rds

Scale Exercise I: Lydian Scales in All Keys

Scale Exercise II: Major Scales in Fourths

Picking Double Stop Exercise: 2-bar Picking Pattern with C Double Stops

Miss Molly

WEEK 2 (August 22)

Chord Tone Exercise: Minor Chord Tone Exercise

Arpeggio Exercise I: Major Arpeggios from the 5th

Arpeggio Exercise II: Diatonic 7th Arpeggios

Scale Exercise I: Phrygian Scales in All Keys

Scale Exercise II: Major Scales in Fifths

Double Stop Picking Exercise: 2-bar Picking Pattern with A Double Stops

Alabama Jubilee

WEEK 3 (August 28)

Chord Tone Exercise: Finding Chord Tones Over a Chord Progression

Arpeggio Exercise I: Diminished Arpeggios

Arpeggio Exercise II: 1-2-3-5 and 5-3-2-1 in All Keys

Scale Exercise I: Diminished Scale and Patterns

Scale Exercise II: Major Scales in Sixths

Double Stop Picking Exercise: Picking Pattern with Open Style G Double Stops

Black and White Rag

WEEK 4 (September 4)

Chord Tone Exercise: Chord Tones Over a Chord Progression II

Arpeggio Exercise I: Augmented 7 Arpeggios

Arpeggio Exercise II: Dominant 7 Arpeggio Exercises in Chord Progressions

Scale Exercise I: Whole Tone Scale and Patterns

Scale Exercise II: Major Scales in Sevenths

Double Stop Picking Exercise: Picking Pattern with Open Style C Double Stops

Take the “A” Train

The course fee is $125.  

Register for the Scale and Arpeggio Intensive II course 

See the Bluegrass Mandolin Jamming II curriculum

See the Swing Mandolin Jamming II curriculum

Go back to the home page.