Creating Mandolin Solos for Bluegrass Songs
About Creating Mandolin Solos for Bluegrass Songs
In this 5 week class we will learn how to create mandolin solos for 10 bluegrass songs from the JAM Songbook. (2 songs each week) All registered US students will be mailed a copy of the Songbook, and a Play Mandolin case sticker, and it's theirs to keep. (Once enrolled we will contact you for your mailing address)
This is a small interactive class and each week everyone has a chance to play for other class members. This class is limited to 12 students.
You will learn Mandolin solos for the following bluegrass songs from the JAM Songbook
Bile the Cabbage Down in A, D and G
Two Dollar Bill (aka Long Journey Home) in G
Little Maggie in A
Handsome Molly in D
I ain’t gonna work tomorrow in G
New River Train in A
Worried Man Blues in G
This Land is your Land in C
Sitting in top of the world in C
Will the Circle be unbroken in G
How each class will work:
This class is designed to be participatory with the hopes that all students will play for one another in each weekly class.
In week 1 we will each play a little lick on the mandolin to introduce ourselves. We will then dive into learning the 2 songs for that week. In weeks 2 thru 5 we will kick things off with students getting an opportunity to play solos from the previous weeks lesson and then we will move on to the new tunes for that week.
At the end of this course, students should be able to:
• Play the chords and a melody based break for each song
• Begin to be able to ornament the melody based break
• Gain confidence playing in a bluegrass jam session
• Gain knowledge of the mandolin fretboard
Enroll and receive in the mail your copy of the JAM Songbook, created by Pete Wernick and Liam Purcell. (Mandolin not included) |
Age Range
Adults
Skill Level
Advanced Beginner. You must know your basic G, C, D, A and E chords and change smoothly between them at a slow to medium tempo.
When
The class will meet for five weekly 90-min live online sessions on Wednesdays at 7 pm ET | 4 pm PT on the schedule below. The first session is on November 16.
(Convert to my time zone)
Enrolled students receive lifetime access to the video recordings of the classes.
Signed up already? Click here.
How It Works
Enroll above to save your spot in the class. Lessonface will send you a confirmation right away, and a Zoom link 24 hours before the class start time. You can log into your Lessonface dashboard to access class materials, communicate with your instructor, join the live Zoom session, and access the class recordings and chat transcript afterward. This class, and all lessons and classes on Lessonface, are covered by the Lessonface Guarantee.
Students Say
Alan is great, easy going, patient and encouraging. He guides you to new skills.— Bill S.
Alan is well prepared and structured. He has a plan and sticks to it. Although flexible and will adapt to any suggestions. I feel more confident and more creative in chord changes and working out solos for jamming.— Scott M.
Alan has such a deep background in the subject matter he teaches and draws on that knowledge in his teaching.— Verified Student on Lessonface
Alan is an amazing teacher. I just started - had one lesson packed with useful content tailored to exactly what I needed and wanted. Thanks Alan! I will definitely schedule more. Now it's time to practice. I really like it that you can record some parts for me!— Sonja T.
Alan teaches me a new skill every week, and makes sure I get it. He is a very patient teacher!— Nathan M.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Jeanne M. on June 24, 2021
Encouraging patient open to questions good information and playing
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Scott M. on January 7, 2021
I could not use my laptop. There was no button to enter class. My iPad worked fine.
Book 1:1 online lessons with Alan Epstein on their Lessonface profile.
Alan Epstein
Lessonface Mandolin Teacher of the Year in 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2023. I have been playing mandolin for the past 52 years and I've been teaching others to play mandolin for over 25 years. I've preformed in bluegrass bands in Colorado, North Carlina, Pennsylvania, Michigan and New York.
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