Looking for good mandoin teacher..

[Steve Cantrell]

I'm hoping the good folks here at the Cafe might be able to help me out. I've been playing mandolin for a few years and I think I've reached a stopping point. I can teach myself a new fiddle tune in an afternoon, and if I work at it, I can put together a relatively decent sounding break for a bluegrass tune...but it's a labor. I'm not connecting the dots just right.
I'm hoping that someone on the board might know a good mandolin teacher in the upstate of SC that could fill in the gaps in what I'm doing.
Failing that,could someone point me to some good instruction material for the wannabe bluegrasser...something that specifically instructs around Monroe-style mandolin with heavy use of drones,double-stops,etc.I figure if anyone knows, it's this group.
I want to blow the binding off that new Poe when it arrives in August. Thanks!

[Patrick Sylvest]

Have you checked out the FREE lessons on Musicmoose ?

I think you'll be pleasantly surprised!

[gnelson651]

I'm hoping the good folks here at the Cafe might be able to help me out. I've been playing mandolin for a few years and I think I've reached a stopping point. I can teach myself a new fiddle tune in an afternoon, and if I work at it, I can put together a relatively decent sounding break for a bluegrass tune...but it's a labor. I'm not connecting the dots just right.

I am in the same boat, except I don't live in sc and I haven't find anyone in my area that teaches BG mandolin.
I'm finding that the "labor" of designing a break is worth the effort. The more you practice at home to design a break, the more you will be able to do it on the fly.

So far, in books, I'm currently practicing out of Niles Hokkanen's #"Bluegrass UP the Neck", and an obscure book I found, Designing Mandolin Solos . I thought the $30 price was high, considering the cheesy book, but the information on the CD is great. Kramer walks you through the songs in his book (tab only) and explains what he is doing in kickoff, connecting and leadout licks.

I'm also working through John Mcgann's Rhythm Mandolin DVD .

So I do keep myself busy. Last night I went to our bluegrass society's annual membership meeting. I was actually able to do a decent break, meaning I must be progressing. The people I jam with say it will take time but evenutally it will click. It just a matter of practicing and a willingness to jam with other people without fear of the occasional train wreck.

[mboucher]

Steve,

If you are near the Fort Mill, SC. Luke Skaggs, Ricky's son, is looking for more students. He will be my mandolin teacher starting next week. He also teaches violin, which is his main instrument.

Mark Boucher