Niles's Camps

[LatinMando]

Any of you guys or gals planning to attend either of Niles's mandocrucian bootcamps this Fall?

Thought I'd inquire.

Bye

Jose

Sunday to Wednesday is too much time off work for me this fall, I hope to hit one soon though.

[mad dawg]

Where are the camps held?

[bullrun6]

I've been thinking about it, I went to one of Don Kawalek's builders workshops last year and had a great time. Niles was holding class across the hall, looked interesting. I'm just not sure that I'm not too much of a beginner for the workshops. I don't want to go and find out I'm too far behind everyone else to get something out of it. The worshop is held at the 4H center in Front Royal Va, beautiful spot and a great "rustic" setting. It's only about 90 minutes from home too....still undecided.

Patrick

[danmills]

I read the description the other day and was thinking about going. Has anyone been to one of Niles' camps before? From reading the description, the (apparent) emphasis on technique development and exercises etc appeals to me for where I am on the learning curve right now.

What I'd really like to find is a teacher (bi-weekly, or a one-time workshop/camp) who will approach teaching me more the way a coach approaches coaching an athlete. He/she doesn't necessarily play the game better (or even as well as the athlete), but what the coach DOES know instead, and focuses on, is the every day tasks and mental preparation that will help the athlete reach his or her goals. Most teachers seem to focus on repertoire and music appreciation, which is also useful, but not what I want right now.

Dan

[Steph]

I'll go to one of them for sure - went to the beginners bootcamp earlier this year - recommend it to anyone - including Patrick who was on Don's class when I did that last year - Patrick - go - if your playing progresses as fast as your building did you will get a lot out of it.... hopefully we'll meet up again in a couple of months - Niles was very impressed with that F mandolin you made - keep an eye on it!!!
Don - I reckon it's my shout for the single malt....

[john_rr]

I'm going to the beginner's camp in early October.

John

[om21ed]

I'm seriously thinking about the october beginner camp. #I've had some lessons from a local jazzer, been working up to blackberry blossom in roland white's book and a couple of days ago started working on Ted eschliman's ionaian mandology major scale studies(www.jazzmando.com)-- don't ask me what that means. #Theory fills me with dread and anxiety--so does the thought of playing with others. #I think what I have to learn is in the direction of these scale studies and their application. I have never played with others #but that is my goal. #Where are you other beginners at ? #Niles are you following this thread ?

[john_rr]

Where are you other beginners at ?
I've had my mandolin about a month. I'm spending quite a bit of time with the G scale. I force myself to turn the metronome on and play in time, or try to. I'd like to be comfortable with the major, minor, and 7th chords before I go to camp. I haven't touched any of the chop chords.

I'm working on a few songs, including Cold Frosty Morning.

And I may upgrade my mandolin.

John

[mandonewbie]

I'm considering the Beginner Boot Camp.......Probably drive up from SC if I do go.

[dudlebug23]

I recommend any of Nile's camps to all of you. He is a great teacher. He doesn't concentrate on adding to your repetoir as far as tunes, but works on the "building blocks" necessary for later improvement. Something that I liked that he said was to play things slow at first, "lick DNA" I think he called it. You might not be able to keep up with people at jams, but so what. If you train your brain/ear now, when your fingers do catch up, you'll be a step ahead of everyone else. I also liked that he didn't focus soley on bluegrass, but threw in a Greek tune and a Finnish tune as examples when embellishing a song. Oh yeah, the late night jamming in the great room upstairs was AWESOME! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif

[mandonewbie]

bump.....