• How to Play a Solo On a Song You've Never Heard Before

    How to Play a Solo On a Song You've Never Heard Before

    Nashville, Tenn. — Nate Lee has announced a June 25 release date from his new instructional DVD How to Play a Solo On a Song You've Never Heard Before, also available as a download.

    Join Nate and his students to unlock the secrets to improvisation in a few easy steps. You will quickly learn to improvise on unfamiliar songs as you play along with a variety of chord progressions – jamming with Nate and his students and taking a solo every time you get "the nod."

    You will have the opportunity to join in the fun and play along as each step is introduced with verbal instructions, player's view camera shots, and a demonstration. If you like to learn from written music, you can follow along using the provided booklet written in tablature and musical notation.

    "This is a video version of my most popular workshop course," Lee said. "The video is for beginner-intermediate level and teaches techniques for sounding great on unfamiliar songs. The video starts with instructions on major scales and the pentatonic scale, followed by lots of chances to jam along with myself and my students, with solos traded off between students: Sam, Katy, and the viewer. Tips are given for how to avoid mistakes, and how to recover smoothly if a mistake happens. The booklet contains musical notation, tablature, and pro tips for improvisation.

    "We filmed in the mandolin room at Carter Vintage Guitars, in Nashville arriving early in the morning before the store opened. The mandolin I'm playing is Pava #194, A.K.A. "Wonderbat," named after Homer Simpson's baseball bat, in my favorite Simpson's episode Homer At the Bat.

    About Nate Lee

    Nate Lee is an International Bluegrass Music Association award-winning instrumentalist and renowned teacher of private lessons and music camps. His musical journey started at the age of eight when he got his first fiddle which led him through countless lessons and music camps and eventually to an intense study of bluegrass music at the college level and a degree in Commercial Music. While attending the Bluegrass & Country Music Program at South Plains College, Nate joined the Alan Munde Gazette. He toured with the band for six years and played fiddle on their second release "Made To Last." After moving to Nashville in 2012, Nate toured with Irene Kelley, Town Mountain, and the Jim Hurst Trio. In 2017, Nate joined the award-winning Becky Buller Band as their mandolin player and twin fiddler.

    ​Although Nate is in demand on stage and in the studio, his first love and finest skill is teaching. With more than thirteen years’ experience as a teacher and workshop instructor, Nate has gained a loyal following of students who enjoy his comprehensive teaching methods and relaxed, encouraging demeanor. Nate doesn’t just teach you a song; he teaches you how to play melody, chords, improvise, and groove on that song. With an affinity for turning beginners into jammers, and jammers into professionals, Nate has developed a curriculum that teaches you to play well with others and become the player you’ve always wanted to be!

    Additional Information

    Comments 15 Comments
    1. Mandolin Cafe's Avatar
      Mandolin Cafe -
      Here's the back cover just because we can...

      Attachment 168712
    1. oliverkollar's Avatar
      oliverkollar -
      Nate is a GREAT teacher and an even better human being.

      I did Skype lessons for 6 months with him, and also dropped in to do a personal lesson, when I was in Nashville for a week.

      This will be a great resource for any player.

      Good job Nate!
    1. ChazMeatball's Avatar
      ChazMeatball -
      I just pre-ordered. What a great deal for the download version. Looking forward to 6/25.
    1. Teak's Avatar
      Teak -
      I like Nate's motto: "Nate Lee plays well with others." That's the kind of person my mother always told me to make friends with.

      Pre-ordered.
    1. Darren Bailey's Avatar
      Darren Bailey -
      I'm in, sounds good.
    1. Nate Lee's Avatar
      Nate Lee -
      Quote Originally Posted by oliverkollar View Post
      Nate is a GREAT teacher and an even better human being.

      I did Skype lessons for 6 months with him, and also dropped in to do a personal lesson, when I was in Nashville for a week.

      This will be a great resource for any player.

      Good job Nate!
      Thank you for your kind words Oliver. I really enjoy picking with and I'm so proud of the progress you made during that six months of lessons. Your practice really paid off and you sound great!

      - - - Updated - - -

      Quote Originally Posted by ChazMeatball View Post
      I just pre-ordered. What a great deal for the download version. Looking forward to 6/25.
      ChazMeatball - Thank you for ordering my video!

      - - - Updated - - -

      Quote Originally Posted by Teak View Post
      I like Nate's motto: "Nate Lee plays well with others." That's the kind of person my mother always told me to make friends with.

      Pre-ordered.
      Haha, my mom came up with the motto/album title!

      - - - Updated - - -

      Quote Originally Posted by Darren Bailey View Post
      I'm in, sounds good.
      Thanks Darren!
    1. harmangomez's Avatar
      harmangomez -
      this is pretty interesting.
      Thanks
    1. Pete Counter's Avatar
      Pete Counter -
      Im in for the download..will that mp4 play on my iphone ipad?
    1. Nate Lee's Avatar
      Nate Lee -
      Quote Originally Posted by Pete Counter View Post
      Im in for the download..will that mp4 play on my iphone ipad?
      Hi Pete,

      The video will work on iPhones and iPads and it requires that files be synced via iTunes first. Download the file to your computer first and then sync it through iPad's iTunes, and you're good to go!

      Feel free to email me at Lessons@NateLeeLLC.com if you run into any issues or have questions.
    1. Ron McMillan's Avatar
      Ron McMillan -
      Hi Nate,

      My interest in bluegrass music is somewhere between slim and non-existent. Will your book help a guy who is much more interested in learning to solo along with blues and jazz?

      Ron
    1. Mandoplumb's Avatar
      Mandoplumb -
      I have no trouble taking a break on a song I've never heard before, it's a little more complicated to kick one off if you've never heard it!
    1. Nate Lee's Avatar
      Nate Lee -
      Quote Originally Posted by Ron McMillan View Post
      Hi Nate,

      My interest in bluegrass music is somewhere between slim and non-existent. Will your book help a guy who is much more interested in learning to solo along with blues and jazz?

      Ron
      Hi Ron,

      The video is for beginning improvisers and applies to all styles. Although my main gig is in a bluegrass band, (check out the Becky Buller Band!) I enjoy playing and teaching a variety of styles, and the video is not specific to bluegrass.

      "How to Play a Solo On a Song You've Never Heard Before" will give you the tools you need to solo on songs you don't know in any genre, as long as the song is in a major key and doesn't change keys. Follow up videos are in the works to cover what to do in minor keys and songs that change keys, so keep an eye on the Cafe and www.TheNateLee.com!
    1. Nate Lee's Avatar
      Nate Lee -
      Quote Originally Posted by Mandoplumb View Post
      I have no trouble taking a break on a song I've never heard before, it's a little more complicated to kick one off if you've never heard it!
      That sounds like a great subject for a future video series! In the meantime, I've got this song I want you to kick off. 1, 2, 3, 4.....
    1. Ron McMillan's Avatar
      Ron McMillan -
      Quote Originally Posted by Nate Lee View Post
      Hi Ron,

      The video is for beginning improvisers and applies to all styles. Although my main gig is in a bluegrass band, (check out the Becky Buller Band!) I enjoy playing and teaching a variety of styles, and the video is not specific to bluegrass.

      "How to Play a Solo On a Song You've Never Heard Before" will give you the tools you need to solo on songs you don't know in any genre, as long as the song is in a major key and doesn't change keys. Follow up videos are in the works to cover what to do in minor keys and songs that change keys, so keep an eye on the Cafe and www.TheNateLee.com!
      Thanks for taking the time to reply, Nate. That's what I need to know. I will purchase a download (and look forward to when you get minor keys covered )

      ron
    1. Nate Lee's Avatar
      Nate Lee -
      Quote Originally Posted by Ron McMillan View Post
      Thanks for taking the time to reply, Nate. That's what I need to know. I will purchase a download (and look forward to when you get minor keys covered )

      ron
      Thanks Ron! I hope you enjoy the video!