Mandolin

My method for the mandolin provides graduated exercizes that clarify the common structures and stylistic specifics of folk, bluegrass, blues, rock, swing, and Gypsy jazz. Beginning with a mapping of chord/scale relationships in first position, I'm careful to balance our attention between mechanics and theory as we craft melodic idioms characteristic to each vernacular style.

Understanding the harmonic (European), melodic (Celtic), and rhythmic (African) features of each is central to this learning process. I emphasize musicianship skills with voice and accompaniment chords and rhythms as we increase technical mobility with the moveable scale and double-stop systems up the neck.