herschel sizemore

[bsimmers]

Has anyone taken lessons from Herschel? I'm an intermediate player looking for someone to teach me stuff to get to the next level.

Also, any feedback on Herschel's instructional DVD, w/Alan Bibey?
Thanks.

[Big Joe]

His instructional DVD is great and gives the intermediate player a good way to learn several great tunes. Herchell is a great teacher whose heart is in what he does. If you are blessed to be able to get lessons from Hershcell you won't be sorry. I wish I lived close enough to take them from him.

[kudzugypsy]

good gracious, this is a no-brainer! you're talking about one of the few masters of the instrument, it would be like taking lessons from mozart.

i have spent A LOT of time over the last month transcribing Herschel's work on the Back In Business CD - which you should get too! - and his playing is just so *pure* - its not all these gimmicks you see in todays players, just good solid melodic ideas and LICKS...that guy has some of the best licks of anybody.

[mandopete]

I'll second that!

[J. Mark Lane]

The instructional DVD is tremendous. Same can be said of the Bibey vid. In fact, all of the AccuTab instructional materials that I have seen have been, imo, really top notch. This is not just tab and a CD for a dozen standard tunes (granted, that would more my speed, given my skill level); this is stuff that can really, I think, help one advance. There are short sections, and I tend to just pick out a section now and then and watch it, then spend an eternity trying to let it sink in.....Well worth the $.

[swampstomper]

Kudzu, why are you transcribing Back in Business when the AccuTab book on Hershel has most of the tunes in an authorized transcription? I have this book and it is really, really good.

[johnnymando]

Bzimmers,The answer is a resounding YES!I've had the oppourtunity to have two lessons with Herschel in the past few years.Last one was at Roanoke this past Nov.
We talked about him mailing personal cassettes back and forth,didn't really figure it out though...
If he was closer than a 12hr drive,I'd really try to spend some time with him.
Herschel is a true master of the mandolin and a gentleman too.I enjoyed his teaching style and learned quite a bit.
Been trying to get Rebecca right for 3yrs....
Go for it

[kudzugypsy]

i just enjoy transcribing - i get A LOT more out of it than looking at tab, plus, you'd be amazed at how well you learn that stuff when using your ear over your eyes. plus, an added benefit is that sometimes other ideas spring from the task of transcribing - you know, you dont get it "off the record", but you wind up finding a new way to do some neat things.
i will say that HS stuff is NOT easy- it *sounds* basic, and on a tabbed page, it may even look basic, but when you get in there, really get into what he is doing, it will amaze you - i am what i would call a fairly intermediate-advanced player, and although his stuff is not wildly technical like a chris theile, etc, it is amazing what he does - there is a lick at the end of "Aint Nobody Gonna Miss Me When I'm Gone" that is deceptively simple sounding, yet when i transcribed it, i couldnt believe he could pull it off at that crazy tempo