Matt Flinner

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

By Theme Admin on February 2nd, 2025 at 8:32 PM

      “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 got a lot out of it! Everyday I have a practice routine based of the summer intensive. You have helped me by leaps and bounds.”—Sandy N.                   Register by 2/23 and save $50! Register here for the New Acoustic Mandolin with Matt Flinner course   See the Fiddle Tunes for Mandolin with Matt Flinner Curriculum (3/24-5/24) See the Bill Monroe Tunes for Mandolin with Matt Flinner Curriculum (3/25-5/31)    “New Acoustic” music has come a long way since it first started up some 50 years ago.  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!).   This course runs from April 5 to June 11.  Classes take place on Wednesdays at 2 pm and 9 pm eastern time (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), and follow-up practice sessions take place on Saturdays at 12:30 pm eastern time.  While it is recommended, students do not need to be present for the live sessions, as all sessions are recorded and available to view by the following day.  Students may also download all class sessions and watch them offline at their convenience.   This course is recommended for students at an intermediate to advanced level.     The course fee is $225.  Register by February 23rd for just $175!  Register here.     WEEK 1 (3/26) New Acoustic Fiddle Tunes Slightly more complex chord progressions Variations using octaves and chord tones Major scale exercises  Picking Exercise I Through the Gates Eye of the Hurricane   WEEK 2 (4/9) Basic 4-note Major 7, Dominant 7 and Minor 7 chord forms Some David Grisman rhythms and licks A few blues ideas Sea of Cortez Dysentery Stomp   WEEK 3 (4/23) Some jazz waltzes Rhythmic patterns in the jazz waltz Using chord tones Some positions up the neck Old Gray Coat Moses Sole   WEEK 4 (4/30) Tunes in minor keys Mixolydian and Dorian modes Melodic patterns  A few minor licks Picking Exercise II The Hymn of Ordinary Motion Backwaters   WEEK 5 (5/7) Some Latin rhythms Diatonic 4-note chord exercise More with chord tones Redhill Dawgmatism   WEEK 6 (5/14) A couple of slow ones Using chord tones and double stops The Years Between John’s Waltz to the Miller (Trischka)    WEEK 7 (5/21) Some rock and funk rhythms Some Sam Bush grooves and licks Picking Exercise III Dawg Funk Funk 55   WEEK 8 (5/28) Tying it all together Advanced chord progressions More with chord tones  More melodic patterns Using various grooves in a tune Big Monk  Fish Scale   Register by 2/23 and save $50!  Register for New Acoustic Mandolin with Matt Flinner 

Bill Monroe Tunes for Mandolin with Matt Flinner Curriculum, 3/25-5/31

By Theme Admin on February 2nd, 2025 at 7:25 PM

          “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.           Sale extended!  Register by 2/23 and save $50! Register for Bill Monroe Tunes for Mandolin with Matt Flinner   See the Fiddle Tunes for Mandolin 101 with Matt Flinner curriculum (3/24-5/24) See the New Acoustic Mandolin with Matt Flinner curriculum (3/26-5/31)     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.   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.   Class sessions take place 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).  Practice/review sessions will take place on Saturdays at 12:30 pm eastern time 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.  Register by February 3rd for just $175! Register for Bill Monroe Tunes for Mandolin with Matt Flinner     WEEK 1 (3/25) Getting open strings in the mix Picking Exercise I Picking Exercise II Two ways of playing backup The Dead March Louisville Breakdown   WEEK 2 (4/8) Double stops G Double stop exercise I G Double stop exercise II Moving double stops to create variations  Bill’s Dream Lee Wedding Tune   WEEK 3 (4/22) Some classic Monroe licks Chop chord position playing Double stops in chop chord position Virginia Darlin’ Honky Tonk Swing   WEEK 4 (4/29) A couple of waltzes Tremolo exercise Tremolo with double stops Kiss Me Waltz Lonesome Moonlight Waltz   WEEK 5 (5/6) Some minor key tunes A couple of ways of playing minor chords in backup Minor double stop exercise Cheyenne Jekyll Island    WEEK 6 (5/13) Bluesy Tunes A couple of advanced Monroe licks Bluesy licks Picking Exercise IV Bluegrass Twist Watson’s Blues   WEEK 7 (5/20) A couple of fast ones Picking Exercise for Speed Playing double stops at fast tempos Come Hither to Go Yonder Tall Timber   WEEK 8 (5/27) Some more advanced tunes Picking Exercise V Roanoke Tanyards     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 by 2/23 and save $50! Register for Bill Monroe Tunes for Mandolin with Matt Flinner    

Fiddle Tunes for Mandolin 101 with Matt Flinner Curriculum, 3/24-5/24

By Theme Admin on February 2nd, 2025 at 6:54 PM

      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.               Sale extended!  Register by 2/23 and save $50! Register for Fiddle Tunes for Mandolin 101 with Matt Flinner   See the Bill Monroe Tunes for Mandolin with Matt Flinner curriculum (3/25-5/31) See the New Acoustic Mandolin with Matt Flinner curriculum (3/26-5/31)   Welcome to Fiddle Tunes for Mandolin 101!  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. The course runs from March 24 to May 24, with class sessions on Monday evenings at 9 pm eastern time (except the week of April 14, which will be off due to Matt's tour schedule), and follow-up practice sessions on Saturday mornings at 10 am eastern time.  Students will have a total of eight class sessions and eight practice sessions over the course of nine weeks.  Students are NOT required to attend all (or any) of the live sessions; all sessions will be recorded and available to view afterward (generally by the next day) anytime at the students’ convenience.     Register by 2/23 and save $50! Register for Fiddle Tunes for Mandolin 101   Here is the curriculum for the Fiddle Tunes for Mandolin 101 online course:   WEEK 1 (3/24) Picking and rhythm Picking Exercise I Fingering Exercise I Scales: D Major and G Major Open style backup in D Arkansas Traveler Bonus material: Eighth of January   WEEK 2 (3/31) Getting a fuller sound using open strings Picking Exercise II Fingering Exercise II Open style backup in G Leather Britches Bonus material: Temperance Reel   WEEK 3 (4/7) Octave variations Picking Exercise III (three and four string exercises) Fingering Exercise III Scale Patterns: thirds in D and G Open style backup in A June Apple Bonus material: Tater Patch   WEEK 4 (4/21) Transitions between octaves Learning Chord Tones Major Arpeggios 3 Chord Inversions Playing backup using basslines and moving chords St. Anne’s Reel Bonus material: Squirrel Hunters   WEEK 6 (4/28) Throwing in some licks Scales: A Major and A Mixolydian; D Major and D Mixolydian Open style chords in C Dominant Arpeggios Billy in the Lowground Bonus Material: Farewell to Trion   WEEK 6 (5/5)  Minor tunes Creating variations using target notes Minor Arpeggios Minor Scales Cattle in the Cane Bonus Material: The Kitchen Girl   WEEK 7 (5/12) Incorporating Double Stops into Your Solos Double Stop Exercise in D Scales: A Dorian, D Dorian Soldier's Joy Bonus material: Old Spinning Wheel   WEEK 8 (5/19) Various approaches to improvising Pulling it all together: octave changes, chord tones, licks and double stops as part of your solos Forked Deer Bonus material: Liza Jane     The course fee is $225.  Register by February 23rd for just $175!   Register here

Save $50 on Spring Courses through 2/23! Fiddle Tunes for Mandolin 101, Bill Monroe Tunes and New Acoustic Mandolin Courses Start 3/24-26

By Theme Admin on February 2nd, 2025 at 6:00 AM

  “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.         Register by 2/23 and save $50!   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 by 2/23 and save $50!  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.  Class sessions take place 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).  Practice/review sessions will take place on Saturdays at 12:30 pm eastern time   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 by 2/23 and save $50!  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 by 2/23 and save $50!  Register here.     The course fee for any winter course is $225.  Register by February 23rd for just $175!   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.  Register by February 23rd for just $175!  Just register at the registration link(s) and we'll send you an invoice via PayPal for the discounted course fee(s) ($175 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

Bluegrass Mandolin 101 Curriculum (1/6-3/15)

By Theme Admin on November 10th, 2024 at 9:54 PM

      “This is the best learning format ever and I like your approach very much.”—Marty C.     “I’ve learned so much from your courses and have improved greatly due to learning some basic skills and music theory.”—Jamie J.      “Your method, approach, pace and materials are the best I’ve seen in my years of perpetual learning.”—Jim H.       Register for Bluegrass Mandolin 101 with Matt Flinner   See the Advanced Bluegrass Mandolin Soloing with Matt Flinner curriculum (1/7-3/15) See the Bluegrass Mandolin Backup and Fills with Matt Flinner curriculum (1/8-3/15)   Bluegrass Mandolin 101 returns!  This course will start at a beginning/intermediate level and progress to a solidly intermediate level.  This course will introduce students to the use of double stops and various positions on the neck, as well as various picking and fingerboard exercises to help develop good mandolin technique and knowledge of the fretboard.  Each week, students are given two standard bluegrass tunes (and encouraged to learn at least one of them); that week’s exercises are correlated to the tunes during the week’s practice session so that students find practical ways of using the exercises in their playing. Classes take place Monday evenings at 9 pm eastern time, and review sessions take place on Saturday mornings at 10 am eastern time (note: the week of February 24th is off, as is Saturday, March 8.  There will be a total of eight weeks of classes in 10 weeks time).   Register for Bluegrass Mandolin 101 with Matt Flinner   Bluegrass Mandolin 101 with Matt Flinner curriculum: Week 1 (1/6) Three warmup exercises Intro to position playing Intro to double stops Will the Circle Be Unbroken Bonus Material: Keep on the Sunny Side of Life   WEEK 2 (1/13) Moving to the key of A Some tag licks to add to your solos Backup playing and fills My Long Journey Home Bonus Material: Little Cabin Home on the Hill   WEEK 3 (1/20) Small position shifts Adding some more licks to your solos Double stop exercise in D Blue Ridge Cabin Home Bonus material: I Am a Pilgrim   WEEK 4 (1/27) Position playing II Three different kickoffs Chord tones in position playing Man of Constant Sorrow Bonus Material: Great High Mountain   WEEK 5 (2/3) Shifting from Position I to Position II Transposing to other keys Blue Moon of Kentucky Bonus Material: I’ll Stay Around   WEEK 6 (2/10) More position shifts Turnarounds: I-V-I progressions Double stop exercise in C Things in Life Bonus material: I Ain’t Gonna Work Tomorrow   WEEK 7 (2/17) Moving double stops around to create melody An approach to improvising Pike County Breakdown Bonus material: Arkansas Traveler   Week 8 (3/3) Tying it all together Adding some licks and improvising Combining double stops and licks Roll in My Sweet Baby’s Arms Bonus tune: Little Maggie   The course fee is $225.   Register for Bluegrass Mandolin 101 with Matt Flinner

Advanced Bluegrass Mandolin Soloing Curriculum (1/7-3/15)

By Theme Admin on November 10th, 2024 at 9:53 PM

      “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.       “Your classes are moving me forward so very much. Thank you.” —Jean C.       “It was nice there were various assignments which pushed my ability. Never felt I had “mastered” ALL the homework so never got bored. Always something to work on or do next.”—Joe S.       Register for Advanced Bluegrass Mandolin Soloing with Matt Flinner   See the Bluegrass Mandolin 101 with Matt Flinner curriculum (1/6-3/15) See the Bluegrass Mandolin Backup and Fills with Matt Flinner curriculum (1/8-3/15)   Join Grammy-nominated mandolinist Matt Flinner for a look into the mandolin styles of many of the bluegrass masters: Bill Monroe, Jesse McReynolds, Tim O’Brien, Adam Steffey and many others. Each week, students will look at two transcribed solos by one of the greats, along with some related exercises to help both improve technique and find ways of using melodic ideas in other solos. Class sessions take place 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).  Practice/review sessions will take place on Saturdays at 12:30 pm eastern time.  The weeks of February 25 and March 4 will be off.  There will be a total of eight weeks of classes in 10 weeks’ time.   The course is recommended for intermediate to advanced players.   Register here   Week 1 (1/7) Bill Monroe  Melodic Exercise I Chord Tone Exercise in a Few Keys Rhythms using down-strokes Playing melody in chop chord position Picking Exercise I Brand New Shoes Sittin’ on Top of the World   Week 2 (1/14) David McLaughlin  Picking Exercise II Expanding on Monroe Style Some syncopated licks Say You’ll Take Me Back  My Long Journey Home   Week 3 (1/21) Dempsey Young Triplet Patterns Open style double stop licks Some chromatic patterns Sun’s Gonna Shine in My Backdoor Someday Southbound   Week 4 (1/28) John Duffey Playing rock and roll licks on the mandolin Various positions on the neck Moving between positions Structuring solos using double stops and licks Sunrise Girl from the North Country   Week 5 (2/4) Tim O’Brien   Picking Exercise IV A few jazz-influenced licks Some more position shifts Open strings in B If I Should Wander Back Tonight Blue Night   Week 6 (2/11) Jesse McReynolds Crosspicking Exercises I and II Double stops up the neck in various keys How to create crosspicking solos Are You Missing Me She Left Me Standing on the Mountain   Week 7 (2/18) Adam Steffey  Picking Exercise V A few bluesy chromatic runs More position shifts Raleigh and Spencer  It Won’t Work this Time   Week 8 (3/11) Sam Bush  Picking Exercise III Melodic Exercise II  A few up the neck licks Doin’ My Time Stream Powered Aeroplane   The course fee is $225.  Register for Advanced Bluegrass Mandolin Soloing with Matt Flinner

Bluegrass Mandolin Backup and Fills Curriculum (1/8-3/15)

By Theme Admin on November 10th, 2024 at 9:29 PM

        “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.             Register for Bluegrass Mandolin Backup and Fills with Matt Flinner   See the Bluegrass Mandolin 101 with Matt Flinner curriculum (1/6-3/15) See the Advanced Bluegrass Mandolin Soloing with Matt Flinner curriculum (1/7-3/15)   This course will focus solely on playing backup mandolin on bluegrass songs—something we do probably 90% of the time when we’re playing with other people in a jam session or other group settings!  So why not take some time to get better at it and learn some of what the pros do?  Basic chord forms, rhythm styles and double stops will be given, along with at least two melodic “fills” each week.  Songs (two per week) will be taught in several keys to help students get more comfortable with moving chords, double stops and licks around the fretboard.  The goal will be to help students become more adept at playing backup in various keys, develop a more solid sense of timing and in general have more fun playing with other people!  The course is intended for beginning to intermediate-level students (though absolute beginners may find it too advanced as we’ll be moving through chord styles fairly quickly in the first few weeks), or to students at any level wanting to improve their backup playing.  Classes meet every Wednesday at 9 pm eastern time, with practice/review sessions on Saturdays at 12:30 pm eastern time.  The week of February 26 is off, as is Saturday, March 8, so there will be eight weeks of classes in 10 weeks time.     Register here    Here is the curriculum:    WEEK 1 (1/8) The bluegrass “chop” chord Playing in the basic keys: G, A, D and C Playing fills behind a singer Some chop chord-based fills Blue Ridge Cabin Home Banks of the Ohio   WEEK 2 (1/15) Backup in the key of A Using double stops in backup Double Stop Exercise I Mixing double stops and fills together Two more melodic fills Roll in My Sweet Baby’s Arms Nine Pound Hammer   WEEK 3 (1/22) Backup in the key of D Some more single note fills More double stops  More dynamics in rhythm playing New River Train Gotta Travel On   WEEK 4 (1/29) Waltzes Using chop chords in waltz time Two waltz time fills Getting into more keys: E and B Blue Moon of Kentucky Kentucky Waltz   WEEK 5 (2/5) Minor keys Minor chord forms Minor double stops Two minor fills Wayfaring Stranger The Whole World Round   WEEK 6 (2/12) Newgrass songs Some newgrass rhythms Barre chords Open position licks Two Sam Bush licks White Freightliner Blues Steam Powered Aeroplane   WEEK 7 (2/19) More advanced chord progressions Getting smooth transitions between chords Working with moving double stops More single-note fills Salty Dog Blues Old Home Place   WEEK 8 (3/5) Putting it all together Trying various rhythm styles: folk, bluegrass, blues and rock Adding fills and double stops in various styles Transposing to other keys: Bb and F Sittin’ on Top of the World Won’t You Come and Sing for Me   The course fee is $225.   Register for Bluegrass Mandolin Backup and Fills with Matt Flinner

Winter Courses Start 1/6-8! Bluegrass Mandolin 101, Advanced Bluegrass Soloing & Bluegrass Backup

By Theme Admin on November 10th, 2024 at 6:59 AM

        “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 winter with courses intended to help students improve their skills in bluegrass mandolin playing and perhaps branch out into some other related styles.  Bluegrass Mandolin 101, Advanced Bluegrass Soloing and Folk & Bluegrass Mandolin Rhythm will help students improve their fundamentals, learn the fretboard, improve their rhythm playing as well as soloing—all while learning a couple of new tunes each week.  And all with the goal of having more fun playing the mandolin!   Bluegrass Mandolin 101 with Matt Flinner (1/6-3/15)                             Curriculum         Registration  Advanced Bluegrass Soloing with Matt Flinner  (1/7-3/15)                      Curriculum         Registration Bluegrass Mandolin Backup and Fills with Matt Flinner   (1/8-3/15)          Curriculum         Registration   The Bluegrass Mandolin 101 course (January 6-March 15): this course will introduce students to the use of double stops and various positions on the neck, as well as various picking and fingerboard exercises to help develop good mandolin technique and knowledge of the fretboard.  Each week, students are given two standard bluegrass tunes (and encouraged to learn at least one of them); that week’s exercises are correlated to the tunes during the week’s practice session so that students find practical ways of using the exercises in their playing.  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!).  Register here.    The Advanced Bluegrass Mandolin Soloing course (January 7-March 15): in this course, we’ll examine the mandolin styles of many of the bluegrass masters: Bill Monroe, Jesse McReynolds, Tim O’Brien, Adam Steffey and many others, and we’ll try incorporating and expanding on various aspects of  their playing on a couple of bluegrass standard songs (or sometimes not-so-standard, but great tunes!). Each week, students will look at two recorded solos by one of the greats, along with some related exercises to help both improve technique and find ways of using melodic ideas in other solos. The course is recommended for intermediate to advanced players.  Register here.     The Bluegrass Mandolin Backup and Fills course (January 8-March 15): this course will help students learn ways of playing backup in bluegrass music, with a bit of “newgrass” mixed in.  Basic chord forms and rhythm styles will be given along with double stops and melodic “fills,”  with emphasis on accompanying a vocalist.  Songs will be taught in several keys to help students get more comfortable with the fretboard and gain more confidence to be able to play more effectively in jam sessions.  Each week, students will be given chord and rhythm exercises along with two (or more) melodic fills to try on a couple of bluegrass standard songs.  The goal will be to help students become more adept at playing rhythm in various keys, develop a more solid sense of timing and, most of all, to have more fun playing in jam sessions.   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 Bluegrass Mandolin 101 with Matt Flinner Register for Advanced Bluegrass Mandolin Soloing with Matt Flinner Register for Bluegrass Mandolin Backup and Fills with Matt Flinner   The Bluegrass Mandolin 101 course (January 6-March 15) 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 January 6-March 3, and Saturday follow-up practice sessions will take place from January 11-March 15.  The week of February 20 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 usually available to view later that day). Register here.   The Advanced Bluegrass Mandolin Soloing course (January 7-March 15) meets on Tuesdays at 2 pm and 9 pm eastern time, with follow-up practice sessions Saturday mornings at 11 am eastern time.  Students will have eight Tuesday class sessions (January 7-March 11) and eight Saturday follow-up practice sessions (January 11-March 15).  The week of February 21 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 usually available to view later that day). Register here.   The Bluegrass Mandolin Backup and Fills course (January 8-March 15) meets on Wednesday evenings at 9 pm eastern time, with follow-up practice sessions Saturdays at 12:30 pm eastern time.  Students will have eight Wednesday class sessions (January 8-March 5) and eight Saturday follow-up practice sessions (January 11-March 15).  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 winter course is $225.  Just register at the registration link(s) and we'll send you an invoice via PayPal for the course fee.       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 Bluegrass Mandolin 101 with Matt Flinner Register for Advanced Bluegrass Mandolin Soloing with Matt Flinner Register for Bluegrass Mandolin Backup and Fills with Matt Flinner

Carter Family Mandolin with Matt Flinner Curriculum (10/7-12/7)

By Theme Admin on September 1st, 2024 at 12:38 AM

      “Your classes are moving me forward so very much. Thank you.” —Jean C.         “I started playing the mandolin a little over two years ago. I played the piano as a child, but having never played a stringed instrument before, my intention was to study as much as I could about technique, theory, improvisation and the various genres of music for the mandolin.  To that end, 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 Carter Family Mandolin with Matt Flinner course   See the Grateful Dead Mandolin with Matt Flinner curriculum (10/8-12/7) See the Mandolin Fundamentals and Technique with Matt Flinner curriculum (10/9-12/7)     The Carter Family Mandolin course will explore the roots of country music from one of the most influential and important groups of the 20th century, the Carter Family.  Students will learn melodies and rhythm for many classic songs that form some of the core repertoire of bluegrass, country and American folk music.   The course is recommended for advanced beginner (knowledge of basic chords and at least a few songs and tunes s helpful) to intermediate players.   60-minute class sessions take place online every Monday evening from October 2nd to December 4th at 9 pm eastern time, and 45-minute practice/review sessions take place every Saturday morning from October 7th through December 9th at 10 am eastern time.  The week November 25th is off due to 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.  Here is the curriculum:   Register here   WEEK 1 (10/7) Playing lead and rhythm in the key of G Picking Exercise I Rhythm Exercise I Going back and forth between lead and rhythm Getting better tone and volume Keep on the Sunny Side My Clinch Mountain Home   WEEK 2 (10/14) The key of C Using double stops in soloing Double Stop Exercise #1 Wildwood Flower Meet Me Out in the Moonlight Alone   WEEK 3 (10/21) The key of A Picking Exercise #2 Double Stop Exercise #2 Hello Stranger I'm Thinking Tonight of My Blue Eyes   WEEK 4 (10/28) Waltzes Tremolo Exercise #1 Double stop exercise #3 Moving smoothly between double stops The Storms Are on the Ocean Cowboy Jack   WEEK 5 (11/4) A bit of blues A few blues licks Rhythm Exercise #2 Cannonball Blues It's a Long, Long Road to Travel Alone   WEEK 6 (11/11) The key of E Picking Exercise #3 More chord forms for backup Will You Miss Me When I'm Gone My Native Home   WEEK 7 (11/18) The Key of F Some more bluesy licks Melodic Pattern I Double Stop Exercise #4 I Never Will Marry Girl on the Grenebriar Shore   WEEK 8 (12/2) Tying it all together: double stops, licks and positions on the neck  Single Girl, Married Girl Little Darling Pal of Mine     The course fee is $225.   Register for the Carter Family Mandolin with Matt Flinner course

Grateful Dead Mandolin with Matt Flinner Curriculum (10/8-12/7)

By Theme Admin on September 1st, 2024 at 12:28 AM

            "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.        "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.         Register for the Grateful Dead Mandolin with Matt Flinner course   See the Carter Family Mandolin with Matt Flinner curriculum (10/7-12/7) See the Mandolin Fundamentals & Technique curriculum (10/9-12/7)     Welcome to the Grateful Dead  Mandolin course!  As you might expect, this course will explore the wide and wonderful world of the Grateful Dead, enabling students to learn more about mandolin technique, be more versatile in various styles of playing, and have a whole lot of fun along the way.  The course will especially focus on a few main areas: learning various rhythms, getting tips on soloing, and especially learning how to navigate tricky and unusual chord progressions!  We'll also focus on having a consistent picking hand technique, learning new ways of playing chords, and getting to know the fretboard better in various keys—as well as learning some great tunes.  Each week, students will be given exercises related to picking technique, chords, licks or double stops, along with a couple of Grateful Dead songs.  The goal is to get students to strengthen their fundamental technique, learn more about the fretboard, get better at playing by ear—and do all of the above in a fun way. This course is offered at Europe-friendly times! Class sessions take place on Tuesdays at 2 pm eastern time (7 or 8 pm in most of Europe) and 9 pm eastern time. Students are welcome to join whichever session is more convenient for them…or they can join both! Students who cannot make it to the live sessions are able to view the sessions afterwards on the class website—generally by the following day.  Tuesday class sessions will run from October 8 to December 3 (with the week of November 26 off due to the Thanksgiving holiday), and practice/review sessions will take place on Saturdays at 12:30 pm eastern time from October 12 to December 7 (with November 30 off).     Register here   Here is the schedule:   Week 1 (10/8): Some bluegrassy tunes Picking Exercise I Melodic Pattern I for Soloing Rhythm Exercise I Friend of the Devil Dire Wolf   Week 2 (10/15) Basic rock  rhythms Rhythm exercise II Picking Exercise II Black Muddy River Fire on the Mountain    Week 3 (10/22): Some Minor and Blues Ideas Melodic Pattern II Using Picking Patterns Over Various Rhythms Althea Mountains of the Moon   Week 4 (10/29): Some complex chord progressions Finding roots Using melodic patterns over a variety of chords More Chord Forms Black Peter Candyman   Week 5 (11/5): Using Some Double Stops Typical Double Stop Forms Tremolo exercises Ripple Broke Down Palace   Week 6 (11/12): More rock grooves Bo Diddley Rhythm Picking Exercise III Aiko Aiko Scarlet Begonias   Week 7 (11/19): Getting up and down the neck Complex chord progressions II Arpeggios in soloing Lazy River Road Cumberland Blues   Week 8 (12/3): Complex Chord Progressions III Bringing Blues Licks, Double Stops and Various Rhythms into Your Playing So Many Roads If I Had the World to Give   The course fee is $225.   Register for the Grateful Dead Mandolin course with Matt Flinner