Classes

Blind Blake was one of the 20th Century’s premier guitarists, whose syncopated fingerpicking has never been equaled. This two-session class will seek to unlock one of his most idiosyncratic arrangements — the legendary “Police Dog Blues,” released by the Paramount Company in 1930. Set in open D tuning, this tune has confounded fingerpickers for decades….

One fictional piece of trivia is that Pandora’s Box was actually a concertina! In this one-season workshop, you’ll see what worlds it contains, its ins and outs, its whims and wheezes, what makes it tick and click and the kind of person you need to be in order to stay upright while pushing its many,…

Let’s wander in the world of insectophilic folk music! In this two-session class, we’ll learn about and sing about insects. There’ll be a bit of biology, taxonomy, and natural history, mixed into tidbits of folklore, plenty of singing, and perhaps a representative specimen!

This two-session class is perfect for guitarists who are ready to move beyond strumming and learn the essentials of flatpicking for bluegrass music. Forget about complicated techniques, we’re going to focus on getting comfortable playing clear and rhythmic melodies and bass lines. We’ll address core alternate picking technique, learning how to hold the pick correctly,…

Dance tunes, play-party songs, folk songs and ballads are part of the rich musical legacy of the Appalachians, both Northern and Southern. All instruments are welcome, and singers too, to this one-session class, as we give fresh voice to this repertoire. Playing by ear, in the folk tradition, will be encouraged with guidance on how…

Ukulele has a time and place, and folk music is most certainly one of them! In this one-session class, we’ll talk about the various ways in which you can get more mileage out of your instrument: general etiquette, strum patterns, clawhammer ukulele, chords and chord variations, tunings, etc.

In this two-session class, we’ll find all the major and minor triads on the FIRST three strings (1,2 and 3), using the derived melodic and harmonic chord fragments in accompaniment.

In this two-session class, we’ll find all the major and minor triads on the SECOND three strings (2,3 and 4), using the derived fragments.  Some rhythm, a coupla cheap tricks and maybe one or two secret handshakes.

Consisting of 7,640-ish islands and 187-ish languages, the Philippines has quite the halo-halo, or mixture, of cultures. It might also surprise you to know there are a goodly number of tunes out there that sit quite well on your instrument or vocables of choice. As your resident Filipino staff member, in this two-session class I’ll…

Whole lotta cool stuff on the bottom just got easy as pie, no matter what key they pitch their piece in, without a capo. Repeat after me: EZ in every key, and no capo necessary. There’s no replacement chords to learn in the top – only the 6th string has changed. Come to this one-session…

This one-session workshop welcomes players of all levels who want to keep their axe in top shape. Learn the anatomy of guitars and mandolins, from headstock to tailpiece, and understand how each part contributes to sound and playability. Evaluate your instrument’s condition and identify potential problems. Topics include neck relief, action, intonation, bridge adjustments, fret…

Start each day singing!  This two-session class will include both vocal warmups – deep breathing has perhaps never been a greater idea – and lots of singing.   We’ll be singing primarily by ear when we’re in class,  mostly drawing on a timeless Appalachian repertoire.  You are encouraged to record the songs, and I’ll have musical…

Playing old time rhythm guitar is a great way to learn how to flat pick. It helps you get used to playing single strings in the bass, picking out the right ones for each chord, then playing a good, strong strum on the treble strings. It helps you strengthen your accuracy with the pick and…

A crooked fiddle tune may vary the number of beats in a measure, disrupting the usual rhythm pattern. Crooked tunes often sound chaotic or daunting to the uninitiated, but they’re really no harder than any other tune once you get to know them, and they are VERY satisfying to play. In this one-session class we’ll…

We have become rich in songwriters here in the SAMW community. We are part of a long progression of humans finding expression through song. Neuroscientist Daniel Levitin in his book, The World in Six Songs: How the Musical Brain Created Human Nature, suggested Friendship, Joy, Comfort, Knowledge, Religion, and Love are the deep motivators for…

We will use the camp concert stage and sound system to practice your songs, while going over best practices for sound checks, mic technique, instrument amplification and performance tips. Learn a bit more about audio connections, avoiding rings and “bad sound”, how the gear works, and bringing your best game when getting on stage.

If you’re a guitarist eager to explore the mandolin, this two-session class is for you. We’ll take your existing knowledge and show you how it translates to the mandolin fretboard, focusing on the core techniques and fingerboard knowledge needed for playing rhythm. We’ll cover how familiar guitar chords transfer to the mandolin, including open chords,…

Sally Rogers is especially known for her songs that invite everyone to sing along. She will guide participants in the process of songwriting that invites the listeners in. In this Two-session class, we will compose one group-written song using the techniques that Sally will share. Participants are also invited to write their own songs with…

Come play with possibilities!  The focus of this one-session class will be on melody.

Sally and the Vox Hunters (Armand and Benedict) will share how they find great old songs to sing and play. In this two-session class, you will learn how to explore archives in local libraries, at the Library of Congress and in those dusty books on your bookshelves to find those musical gems. We will also…