Bluegrass Workshop - La Roche Bluegrass Festival

&
Present
Bluegrass Workshop
La Roche sur Foron (74)
30, 31 July, 1 August 2013
The week between the Craponne Country Rendez Vous festival
and La Roche Bluegrass Festival
Instrument and singing workshops to help you improvise
...with American and European tutors.
Full board and accommodation on site!
(in the local school dormitory)
Workshop price: 120 € with full board
www.larochebluegrass.fr
www.larochebluegrassworkshop.wordpress.com
Founding principles of the workshop
The jam session, a sort of improvised musical group and specific to Bluegrass, Blues and
Jazz, has become a specialist discipline in its own right.
To help you start to enjoy such privileged moments, Roch’événements and FBMA are
hosting a musical workshop for the traditional acoustic instruments used in Bluegrass.
Participants will learn some of the key principles to help them learn from where they are
so they can play in sessions and get the most out of their instruments having musical fun in
any situation.
The workshop is based on:
An original teaching concept: "Help me find out what I need to know".
A proven method: mixing small workshops, individual learning and practice time,
playing in groups
A specific mindset developed over years of experience: why make things
complicated when they can be easy and fun
A certain talent to make good music and a desire to share it ...
Full commitment from the tutors 24 hours a day
The instrumental and vocal workshops (beginners and intermediates) will take place on Tuesday,
Wednesday and Thursday.
Instruments taught: guitar, banjo, fiddle, mandolin, dobro, bass, singing
Styles taught: Traditional Bluegrass, Newgrass, Swing, ...
Option to play in concert with instructors and other participants
at the end of the workshop!
Stage Bluegrass, La Roche sur Foron, 30, 31 Juillet et 1 Août 2013
The Instructors
The French Jam musicians are famous across Europe and even in parts of the USA because of their
capacity to play non-stop, adapting to any musician in all styles around the Bluegrass framework. This
ability has been developed over years of regular meetings (Paris Jam sessions, 10 years of Winter and
Spring Bluegrass meets, 15 years at La Grange Rouge, 20 years of Craponne and, for the last two years,
La Roche sur Foron).
This workshop is a place where students can learn some of the tools and techniques to join these sessions
and takes place during the week that separates the Craponne and La Roche sur Foron festivals.
A new partnership that we hope will continue for some years means that the members of US band
Franck Solivan & Dirty Kitchen, and friends Amanda Kerr and Sue Thompson, lovers of jam
sessions all over the world, will lead the main workshops. They will be ably supported by James Field,
Mathilde Cousin, Pierre-Yves Lechat, Dorian Ricaux and Pierre Bastide, from France.
The workshop is planned and coordinated by Pierre Bastide (FBMA) and the overall organisation is
managed by the festival hosts Christopher Howard-Williams and Didier Philippe.
Mandolin - Franck Solivan.
Guitar - Chris Luquette & Dorian Ricaux.
Banjo - Mike Munford & Pierre-Yves Lechat.
Singing - Sue Thompson & Mathilde Cousin.
Fiddle - Amanda Kerr & Raphael Maillet.
Dobro - Pierre Bastide.
Bluegrass rhythm guitare for beginners/intermediates - James Field.
Double bass - Dan Booth.
Slow Jam sessions and Band Labs led by Pierre Bastide and all tutors.
Stage Bluegrass, La Roche sur Foron, 2, 3, 4 août 2011
Levels and objectives
The “Traditional Bluegrass” workshops are open to beginners and intermediate players, as well as
seasoned players who wish to perfect Bluegrass improvisation techniques.
Beginners must have some basic understanding of their instruments: simple chords and some
tunes and songs from the bluegrass repertoire.
Participants will be split into groups on the first morning according to their level.
If you already play your instrument to a good level and wish to learn a new instrument in the
Bluegrass style, you may also join the workshop.
The objective is to give you a solid foundation (left and right hands) to enable you to play with
other musicians, and for you to get the most from your ability and know-how so you start to
develop your own musical identity.
The classes will focus on:
Harmony and rhythm: chords, strumming, cycles, keys
Melody and rhythm: timing, tempo, pick use
Playing groups through the slow jam teaching method
Instrument classes will mainly take place in the morning with the afternoon being used for
other workshops, slow jams, band labs, …
NB: Instruments will not be provided
Participants should bring their own instrument and accessories
Prix
The three days of the workshop: 120 Euros
Accommodation in the boarding section of the school (3 to 5 to a room)
Full board (Monday evening to Thursday after lunch): 75 Euros
3 midday meals only: 22.50 Euros (Tues, Wed, Thurs)
3 evening meals only: 22.50 Euros (Mon, Tues, Wed)
NB: Each tutor will work according to his or her own pedagogical style. For more detailed
information on each workshop please write to [email protected] .
Stage Bluegrass, La Roche sur Foron, 30, 31 Juillet et 1 Août 2013
Standard Workshop Content
Day one
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Introductions
Tuning
Basics
Chords
Rhythm work 1
Playing a song
Keeping time
Individual help
Learning a song
Q &A
Jamming with other people
Evening jam
Day two
o Basics part 2
o Theory 101
o Chord inversions
o Rhythm work 2
o Other techniques specific to each instrument (Hammer, Pull off, Choke, Slide, Bow
movement, Runs & Licks, Bass Line…)
o Jamming
o Solos and melodies 1
o Individual help
o Improvising
o Specific techniques such as Cross Picking, Melodic Style, etc...
o Maintenance
o Tips and advice
oQ&A
o Jam
Stage Bluegrass, La Roche sur Foron, 2, 3, 4 août 2011
Day 3
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Basics 3
Fills and back ups
Closing out a song ...
More chords
Solos and melodies 2
Chops
Moving up to the next level
Cross Picking 2
Jamming Etiquette
Jam
Q&A
Individual advice
Getting ready for the show!
Stage Bluegrass, La Roche sur Foron, 30, 31 Juillet et 1 Août 2013
Sign up
Welcome barbecue on Monday 1st evening
Tuesday 30
09h00 - 12h30
Wednesday 31
Instrument/vocal workshops
Thursday 1
Instrument/vocal workshops
Instrument/vocal workshops
14h15 – 14h30 Afternoon organisation
Afternoon organisation
Afternoon organisation
14h30 – 16h00 Slow jam/Band lab
Slow jam/Band lab
Rehearsal
16h15 – 17h30 Instrument/voal workshops
Instrument/voal workshops
Rehearsal
17h4 – 19h00
Form groups
Rehearsal
Concert on Festival stage
Evening
Jam in the school on site
Street festival La Roche
Festival
All night
Jam
Jam
Jam
Name
Address
Email
Tel
I would like to sign up for (fill in boxes)
Instrument
Level
Gtr, Ry Gtr,Mdln, Bnj, Vln, Bs, Dbro, Singing
Beginner / intermediate / Advanced
Afternoon
Workshop
Food and accommodation
I want to sign up for full board and accommodation (75€)
I want the three midday meals (22,50€)
I want the three evening meals (22,50€)
Payment
Workshop
95 €
Total (check to Roch'Événements)
Lodging during the festival possible 200m from the workshop place for 12,50€ a night with breakfast.
Payement at the door. If you need a room, please send a mail with number of people and duration.
Please send check made out to Roch’événement to
Pierre Bastide, 79bis, bvd de Picpus, F-75012 Paris
For further information
Pierre Bastide
[email protected]
see also fbma discussion forum at www.france-bluegrass.org
Stage Bluegrass, La Roche sur Foron, 2, 3, 4 août 2011