This is a special residential weekend course.
Americana music is our focus for the first two days and then we let rip on an extended Sunday with jamming and performances, supported by a professional rhythm section (guitar, bass and drums).
Most styles of music are covered under the Americana banner (Blues, Country, Rock, Roots, Folk, Bluegrass, etc. something for most tastes and interests.
Performances will be at group, duet and solo levels playing songs from the course as well as any favourites that players bring along. Get up with the pros and play your heart out! Exhilarating, educational and exciting stuff!
This residential weekend explores the width and depths of Americana music, culminating in performances/jams supported by a professional rhythm section (rhythm guitar, bass and drums). We did this last year for the Blues – it was absolutely fantastic!
Americana covers most types of music from across ‘the pond’ from Blues to Country, Roots and Folk, even Rock to Bluegrass, and more. Artists such as: Ry Cooder, John Prine, Emmylou Harris, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Bob Dylan, Townes Van Zandt, Neil Young, etc
Friday and Saturday are pretty much the same as our other weekend courses i.e. learning, jamming and playing everything to do with the Americana multi-genres.
On the Sunday, things will be different! A professional rhythm section (‘the band’) will be available to support any groups or individuals who want to perform songs that we cover over the weekend (including any Saturday evening projects) or any songs that players would just like to perform (we’d need to have some advance notice of what these songs would be). The band would offer advice and guidance on the performance and suggestions as to how to improve things and, assuming we have the time, you’ll probably have the opportunity to repeat the performance.
We try to provide the Lead Sheets for all songs so that everyone can play along when directed.
Note: You’ll be learning and playing as part of a group of diverse players; our tutor might therefore decide to tweak things to fit the group’s overall playing level and combined aspirations. Over and above the playing and learning the weekend is about having a fun and sociable time with a group of hobby players.
Acoustic and/or electric low-intermediate-and-above guitar players.
If you can play most open chords, have started to tackle basic barre chords and can change between them reasonably easily whilst strumming (ideally with a plectrum) then you should be fine. A good rule of thumb is – if you can play a Blues in Bb, you should be fine.
Our price for players is all-inclusive:
Our weekend courses are teaching/playing guitar-fests but they’re paced to suit the group so they’re as much about having fun and enjoying a sociable time with fellow hobby players.
Playing together as a group is the best, and most enjoyable, way of learning and experiencing music. The courses have limited numbers to ensure the correct tutor-to-group ratio – book early to avoid disappointment.