This class is not currently being offered in our catalog.
This class is not currently being offered in our catalog.
Legendary banjo players and teachers Alan Munde and Bill Evans will each teach two 75-minute small group sessions and then come together for a final session with all students. This is a hands-on, “bring your banjo and let’s pick” event with topics designed for beginning, intermediate and advanced banjo players. Tab examples will be presented in all sessions.
Session I: 1:30 to 2:45 p.m.: Up The Neck Banjo Back Up with 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. We’ll cover practical and easy to learn techniques that you can put to immediate use in your jam session as well as devote time to 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, mixing licks, slow song and fiddle tune backup and much more. We’ll also discuss the aesthetics of great backup.
Session II: 3:00 to 4:15 p.m.: Creating Solos to Songs with Alan Munde.
There is a strong tradition in bluegrass banjo of developing solos that express the melody of the song. These are often not exact renderings of the melody, but are the bones of the melody surrounded by rhythmical and harmonic notes supplied by the rolls. Beginning with the bare bones melody of "Jesse James" in the key of G as an example, we will explore the many ways of varying the roll and note choices (musical synonyms) to create many variations for the banjo solo. We will also analysis classic solos of Earl Scruggs using the "Mundtone Method of Musical Analysis" that will further help to unlock the mysteries of bluegrass banjo style.
Session III: 4:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.:Grand Finale with Alan and Bill.
With Alan, Bill and all students: general Q & A, comparing styles and approaches, playing your requests.
