Bill Evans - "Analyzing Scruggs Solos"

$25

Recorded January 9, 2011 | Length: 2 hours+ | About Bill Evans
For all level players. Bill will closely examine four classic Earl Scruggs solos: No Mother and Dad, I'll Never Shed Another Tear, I'll Stay Around and Don't Let Your Deal Go Down, to show you how you can develop your own approach to working up and playing great sounding bluegrass banjo solos based on Earls techniques and style. Bill will relate how Earls choices of roll patterns, left hand techniques (slides, hammer-ons, pull-offs) and use of signature licks work together to reinforce the melody of each song, providing a model for working up Scruggs-style solos to other songs. Tab examples will be provided. It will be helpful for each participant to listen in advance to the Flatt and Scruggs recording of each song.

Bill Evans - "Bluegrass Banjo Back Up Basics"

$25

Recorded September 25, 2011 | Length: 2 hours+ | About Bill Evans
You’ll have a lot more fun and progress more quickly with the banjo if you are comfortable playing with others in a bluegrass band or jam session. In this workshop, Banjo For Dummies author and master teacher Bill Evans will show you everything you need to know to be a great team player. Bill will discuss bluegrass song structure and form and the relationship between the key of a song and the chords used to accompany it (you’ll also finally figure out what all that I-IV-V stuff is about too!). From there, Bill will show how to accompany songs with roll patterns and vamping patterns and how to use the capo to play in any key. You’ll even learn how to follow the guitar player in a jam session to accompany a song you’ve never heard before!

Bill Evans - "Intro to Single-String Style"

$25

Recorded May 22, 2011 | Length: 2 hours+ | About Bill Evans
One of the most exciting developments in bluegrass banjo in the last twenty years is the emergence of single-string style as a major means of banjo expression in the hands of such players as Tony Trischka, Béla Fleck and Noam Pikelny. In this “hands-on & let’s play” session, Bill will unlock the secrets of this contemporary approach by showing you in detail both the right and the left hand essentials of single-string technique. You’ll learn first position and closed position scale fingerings in the left hand and explore right hand picking techniques using both two (thumb and index) and three fingers. Tunes to be covered include “Follow the Leader” (Don Reno), “Red Haired Boy” and Bill’s Irish tune “Winston’s Jig.” Bill will also discuss applications of single-string technique to traditional bluegrass and jazz styles. Tabs provided for all exercises and tunes taught in the workshop. While no prior experience with single-string technique is necessary, this workshop is ideal for intermediate to advanced students with experience in Scruggs and melodic banjo styles.

Bill Evans - "Up the Neck Scruggs Style Backup"

$25

Recorded March 20, 2011 | Length: 2 hours+ | About Bill Evans
Some of the most exciting elements of bluegrass banjo are the fancy, up-the-neck techniques and licks pioneered by Earl Scruggs, J. D. Crowe and Sonny Osborne that banjo players use to support the lead singer and provide a contrasting point of interest in the band sound. In this "hands-on and let's pick" style of workshop that's ideal for players with six months or more of playing experience, we'll cover practical and easy to learn techniques that you can put to immediate use in your next band rehearsal or jam session as well as spend some time learning some of Earl's more complicated backup maneuvers. Topics to be discussed include movable chord shapes and vamping, up-the-neck backup patterns using the F and D chord shapes, the "In The Mood" roll, the "Six White Horses" and "Salty Dog Blues" backup licks, teardrop/slow song backup and more. Tab examples will be presented for everything that will be covered in the session but it's not necessary to read tab well to get a lot out of this workshop. Tab examples will be mailed out three to four hours before the beginning of the workshop session. The online format allows you to record both audio and/or video for later use! Bill's other workshops have sold out in advance so enroll early!

Bill Evans- "Intro to Melodic Style"

$25

Recorded April 3, 2011 | Length: 2 hours+ | About Bill Evans
Melodic banjo is the style first introduced by Bill Keith and Bobby Thompson in the 1960’s that enable players to play fiddle tunes and more complex melodies note-for-note (it’s great for J. S. Bach arrangements, for instance!). In this “hands-on & let’s play” style of workshop Bill will analyze this approach, picking apart the right- and left-hand essentials in a way that will enable you to soon create your own licks and solos. If you are new to melodic banjo, this is a great way to get started. If you already know this technique, Bill’s explanations will create a much deeper understanding of how you can incorporate this exciting technique in your own style. After showing how to find scales both down and up the neck in different octaves, Bill will move on to present complete tunes, including “Katy Hill,” “Red Haired Boy,” “Banjo Cascade” and “St. Anne’s Reel” (in D). Recommended for “high” beginners to advanced level players who have experience with Scruggs-style banjo. Tab examples are provided and you can record the video for later use.

Dan Levenson - "Double and Drop Thumb from Scratch"

$15

Recorded October 25, 2010 | Length: 1 hour+ | About Dan Levenson
This stroke is the foundation of all clawhammer playing in the old time style. I know, I know, bum ditty and all. No we are not looking to start a war. (And this likely wont end one) it is just an opportunity to see and try for yourself. Beginners welcome as well as those looking to learn this percussive rhythmic style.

Fred Sokolow - "How to Make Up Scruggs-Style Solos"

$15

Recorded August 27, 2011 | Length: 1.5 hours+ | About Fred Sokolow
Fred shows you how to adlib solos instead of memorizing tab. You'll learn how to pick out a melody and how to embellish it, to give it a Scruggs-style flavor. We'll start in G and build solos to familiar tunes from bare-bones melody to a full solo with rolls, slides, pull-offs and hammer-ons. You can suggest some of the songs to work up. If there's time, we'll look at playing in C or other keys as well. Everything will be in first position, as much as possible (up the neck is a future lesson).

Gerald Jones - "Unlocking the Secret Powers of the Harmonized Scale"

$15

Recorded October 9, 2011 | Length: 1.5 hours+ | About Gerald Jones
The harmonized scale is the secret to improvisation, backup, lead breaks and ear training. Gerald shows you how to play scales in double and triple stop harmony on all the strings to help you master the neck of your banjo. You will learn to intuitively know where the "good" notes are on your fingerboard. The harmonized scale is the basis for chord construction and is used in music from Bach to Bill Monroe and Van Morrison to Bill Emerson. During the workshop you will learn how to recognize the harmonized scale and how to use it. You will be shown how to construct "Plug and Play" licks that can be used as backup or leads in any key against any chord. These patterns form the basis of many familiar phrases on the banjo and music in general. Besides exercises and patterns you will learn practical examples to use immediately. Easy to play backup / lead licks plus a double stop version of What a Friend We Have in Jesus will be provided. This will help you get your head up out of tablature and just play!

John Boulding - "Playing In Other Keys Without a Capo"

$15

Recorded January 2, 2011 | Length: 1.5 hours+ | About John Boulding
Learn the musical concepts behind playing in other keys and transposing ideas to other keys in the popular bluegrass 3 finger styles. We'll focus on finding melody in reference to positions and how to use (and not use) the capo to play in other keys. The popular keys of "C" and "D" will be examined as well as other popular banjo keys for 3 finger bluegrass players. Learn how to examine chord progressions and use the positions to locate melody and then transpose it. Many common Scruggs licks will be shown and demonstrated, being moved from key to key.

Pete Wernick - "Best Ways to Start Playing Scruggs Style Banjo"

$15

Recorded November 4, 2010 | Length: 1.5 hours+ | About Pete Wernick
Pete will explain his time-tested set of steps to help students take dead aim at the goal of "knowing how to take a melody and play a decent Scruggs style solo in a jam session" by breaking it into a meaningful sequence of the most effective practicing steps. This method does not depend on reading tablature, but on cultivating rhythm and ear skills so the playing is not done by rote, but by knowing how the style works and knowing how to make it work for you.

Pete Wernick - "Playing In a Group"

$15

Recorded November 20, 2011 | Length: 2+ hours | About Pete Wernick
What are the skills a banjo player needs to jam or perform with others, and how do you practice those skills? Following chord changes, doing appropriate backup, putting in fills and colorful touches, managing your volume, being able to fake a solo... we will cover these topics and give lots of examples for useful practice.

Ross Nickerson - "Playing in the Keys of C, D, E, F and G Up the Neck"

$15

Recorded February 20, 2012 | Length: 1.5 hours | About Ross Nickerson
Learning how to play in keys other than G is an important part of your banjo learning experience. Ross simplifies the transition and makes it easy to transpose what you know already in the key of G to other keys without changing your tuning.

During the workshop Ross teachers you the many similarities from key to key with simple tips so you can transpose quickly on your own. In addition to pointing out this easy-to-learn process Ross demonstrates and takes you through songs, playing each in the keys of C, D, E, F and G up the neck. The subtle differences in each key are explained with supporting demonstrations on how to adapt to other keys quickly, and by ear.

Tom Nechville - "Dynamics of Banjo Sound"

$15

Recorded January 15, 2011 | Length: 1.5 hours+ | About Tom Nechville
Go beyond standard banjo setup conventions and learn what really makes the banjo sound and play its best. Tom will have tips on improving your traditional banjo and show solutions to common problems. He will cover compensated bridges, proper neck, tailpiece, head adjustments and more.