Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 25 of 29

Thread: Swing chords and progressions for mandolin by Don Stiernberg

  1. #1
    Registered User John Soper's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
    Location
    Durham, NC
    Posts
    1,356

    Thumbs up Swing chords and progressions for mandolin by Don Stiernberg

    Don Stierberg put together this course for Soundslice, and I've been having a blast with it over the past week...

    http://www.mandolincafe.com/ads/91925#91925

    I've been working through the sessions after a blitz through all of the lessons- really valuable in terms of centering study on chord forms and relationships that are common to swing and jazz. Very few "chop" chords here, but all are movable forms that can be used in all keys, presented in a logical progression throughout the progress of the lessons. I've found great cadences and progressions that I hadn't thought of for tunes that I already play and the course has already opened my ears up to some chord forms I haven't used.

    Soundslice uses an interface that presents video, standard notation and tab. I haven't explored all the options, but you can print the lessons, slow them down and even change keys for the music that is presented.

    I have NFI.

    I strongly recommend this course for anybody who is interested in dipping a toe into this genre or even those who have experience playing this style of music. Can't ask for a better instructor than Donnie!


  2. The Following 9 Users Say Thank You to John Soper For This Useful Post:


  3. #2
    Registered User Rick Jones's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Location
    Rochester Hills, MI
    Posts
    399

    Default Re: Swing chords and progressions for mandolin by Don Stiernberg

    Enjoying it here, also. Have gone quickly through the first half, mostly just to listen, get a feel for what is coming. Now I'm working my way through at a studied pace (no pun intended). What I really need to do is deconstruct all of these, learn the notes, intervals, etc. - which is something I have been avoiding for quite some period of time. What I wouldn't give for a little self-discipline! This course is a great offering by a great player, and I sincerely hope there is a follow-up in the works that gets to the soloing part of things. Thanks, Don!
    All my life I wanted to be somebody, now I realize I should have been more specific.

  4. #3

    Default Re: Swing chords and progressions for mandolin by Don Stiernberg

    I have only looked at the intro and bit of the early portions as I am taking another class right now. I am rally looking forward to getting into this one. I called Soundslice to make sure I would have access after my current class ends (no problem). They mentioned Don was recording a follow-up at that time.

    Scott

  5. #4
    Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Location
    Boulder, CO & Chesterfield, MO
    Posts
    2,562

    Default Re: Swing chords and progressions for mandolin by Don Stiernberg

    This is great stuff! Totally worth the $20!
    In the first 5 minutes I've learned more about swing chording then I have from most books in days.

  6. #5
    Registered User Drew Egerton's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
    Location
    Statesville, NC
    Posts
    1,184

    Default Re: Swing chords and progressions for mandolin by Don Stiernberg

    I think this is exactly what I've been looking for for a while. I am lost when these kinds of chords and songs come up and have been wanting to learn more. Thanks for sharing.
    Drew
    2020 Northfield 4th Gen F5
    2022 Northfield NFS-F5E
    2019 Northfield Flat Top Octave
    2021 Gold Tone Mando Cello
    https://www.instagram.com/pilotdrew85

  7. #6
    Registered User DSDarr's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Seattle
    Posts
    313

    Default Re: Swing chords and progressions for mandolin by Don Stiernberg

    Quote Originally Posted by Grommet View Post
    They mentioned Don was recording a follow-up at that time.

    Scott
    Scott,

    Any clue as to what the follow-up is going to cover?

    thanks, David

  8. #7

    Default Re: Swing chords and progressions for mandolin by Don Stiernberg

    David- I didn't get any further details. They were psyched that he was recording the follow on. The intro to the first one was enough to hook me. Pretty snappy stuff.

    Scott

  9. The following members say thank you to Grommet for this post:

    DSDarr 

  10. #8
    Registered User Pasha Alden's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    Grahamstown South Africa
    Posts
    1,705
    Blog Entries
    1

    Default Re: Swing chords and progressions for mandolin by Don Stiernberg

    Alcohol a solution? <smile>

    Playing:
    Jbovier a5 2013;
    Crafter M70E acoustic mandolin
    Jbovier F5 mandola 2016

  11. The following members say thank you to Pasha Alden for this post:


  12. #9
    Registered User John Soper's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
    Location
    Durham, NC
    Posts
    1,356

    Default Re: Swing chords and progressions for mandolin by Don Stiernberg

    Best $20 I've spent in a long while!

  13. #10
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    Red Lodge, MT
    Posts
    585

    Default Re: Swing chords and progressions for mandolin by Don Stiernberg

    Looked at it. Not sure how it works. Do you download it to your computer?

  14. #11
    Registered User John Soper's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
    Location
    Durham, NC
    Posts
    1,356

    Default Re: Swing chords and progressions for mandolin by Don Stiernberg

    Follow the links - after you purchase a course it's online; you'll bookmark the course(s) that you purchase & have access anytime. You can download or print the music, slow passages down, change keys & transpose to different keys, etc. Really a versatile platform for this type of instruction.

    And the content is great.

  15. The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to John Soper For This Useful Post:


  16. #12
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Nov 2015
    Location
    Oak Park, IL
    Posts
    291

    Default Re: Swing chords and progressions for mandolin by Don Stiernberg

    A guitarist buddy of mine is learning some Django stuff. Minor Swing and I'll See You in My Dreams. I have never played this style of music before but I'm starting to work on those two and it's loads of fun. So I ordered Stiernberg's book Mandolin Jazz Appetizers and it's just too advanced for me. Do you guys think this course would work better for covering basics of the style?

  17. #13
    Registered User Rick Jones's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Location
    Rochester Hills, MI
    Posts
    399

    Default Re: Swing chords and progressions for mandolin by Don Stiernberg

    You might check Djangobooks.com, and see if John McGann's short series on Gypsy Jazz chords and soloing are still available. They were quite inexpensive, and quite useful. http://www.djangobooks.com/Category/mando_lessons
    All my life I wanted to be somebody, now I realize I should have been more specific.

  18. #14

    Default Re: Swing chords and progressions for mandolin by Don Stiernberg

    Quote Originally Posted by DSDarr View Post
    Any clue as to what the follow-up is going to cover?
    Hey there, Adrian from Soundslice here. I'm happy to announce Don's follow-up course is now available. The first volume covered jazz rhythm playing, and this volume covers lead playing -- "Crafting jazzier solo lines on mandolin."

    Here's the classified on Mandolin Cafe: http://www.mandolincafe.com/ads/93251

    And here's the direct link: https://www.soundslice.com/lessons/j...ines-mandolin/

    Check it out, and let me know if you have any questions. Happy to answer them!

    Adrian @ Soundslice

  19. The following members say thank you to adrianh for this post:

    DSDarr 

  20. #15

    Default Re: Swing chords and progressions for mandolin by Don Stiernberg

    Pete Martin has an excellent book on jazz chords for mandolin.

    Jazz Appetizers was written as a follow-up to Ted Eschliman's Getting Into Jazz Mandolin. If you are not familiar with FFCP (four finger closed positions) scale fingerings, it's invaluable. The emphasis is on single-string, but there is good stuff on chords as well.

    The McCann lessons look intriguing as well.

  21. #16
    Registered User John Soper's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
    Location
    Durham, NC
    Posts
    1,356

    Default Re: Swing chords and progressions for mandolin by Don Stiernberg

    And the new Stiernberg course on Soundslice looks like it will have some fun single-line ideas - just signed up for it and have screened the first few lessons. Practical tips on single line improv.

  22. #17
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    Chicago, IL,USA
    Posts
    613

    Default Re: Swing chords and progressions for mandolin by Don Stiernberg

    Thanks everybody for posting and checking out the two new online video courses on Soundslice. I thought I'd answer a question or two and add some details, and say Happy Swingin' New Year!

    Mark Miller, the chord course "Swing Chords and Progressions for Mandolin" does start at the beginning, how to make and easily move chords from all the families of chords(major, minor, diminished, augmented..also dominant, half-diminished and altered dominant) then moves into basic usable rhythm patterns for several common progressions, presented in tune form. The focus is on the voicings I use playing swing and jazz music, so it's by no means exhaustive or encyclopedic--just things that work and the rationale behind them.

    As Adrian mentioned above, "Crafting Jazzier Solo Lines" for Mandolin looks at improvisation and soloing. Similar to the chord course, it opens with basic musical and fretboard info, then introduces patterns, concepts, and licks you might want to add to your thought process when making up solos. Five tunes are presented at the end part of the course, each with a walk through the chord progression followed by several sample full solos which demo the concepts at work on recognizable favorite tunes..Adrian plays rhythm guitar on the lead course so you can hear how the lines work against changes.

    I'm still amazed at the program--in addition to the mandolin player playing(including closeups of left hand fingerings..) you get everything written out in standard and Tab and chord diagram. And you control the tempo! You can focus on one bar, or one phrase, etc. as a loop. There are several ways to access the notes and information.

    Again, thanks everyone for kind words of endorsement and encouragement. Let me know if there are other things to clarify. Currently I'm dreaming up a second volume of lead/improv tips, and a chord melody course..

    Best Wishes for good notes in 2016!

  23. The Following 9 Users Say Thank You to Don Stiernberg For This Useful Post:


  24. #18
    Registered User DSDarr's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Seattle
    Posts
    313

    Default Re: Swing chords and progressions for mandolin by Don Stiernberg

    Thanks Don, great stuff -- I've been working on both. And I agree, the program itself is a pretty revolutionary way to present musical instruction.

    David

  25. #19
    Matt Stevenson
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    Woburn, MA
    Posts
    19

    Default Re: Swing chords and progressions for mandolin by Don Stiernberg

    I'm working my way through this myself right now. It's a really intriguing way to learn, and I've picked up more about chord forms and theory in the first few lessons than I did with a variety of books previously.
    Weber Gallatin
    Mid-Missouri M4W
    Fender Mando-Strat (modified)
    Airline Mandola

  26. #20

    Default Re: Swing chords and progressions for mandolin by Don Stiernberg

    It's a great lesson program Don. I knew that I knew the chords, etc. but it was well worth picking up as a refresher. Would love to see a sort of version of your old Mandolin Magazine articles, where you might break down certain songs on an ongoing basis, for more advanced players. For example, I've been working on your version of Topsy, which is in a different key than what we normally see it in charts for the fake book stuff. On an iPad it's easy enough to transpose, but when I compare your version to other versions, there's quite a bit of difference (good difference). Would love to have a lesson on how you approached it.

    Yes, the program is truly a breakthrough, having the tab and chord diagrams. Really worth the money.

    see you at ROW. Bacon will be served for breakfast again, I'm sure (G).
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	donnie and bacon.jpg 
Views:	300 
Size:	169.1 KB 
ID:	143623
    Al in PT

  27. #21
    Registered User Drew Egerton's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
    Location
    Statesville, NC
    Posts
    1,184

    Default Re: Swing chords and progressions for mandolin by Don Stiernberg

    Sorry to revive the old thread, but I just signed up for both the chording and jazzier solos courses on Soundslice!
    A few weeks ago I had picked up Don's Jazz Appetizers book and for a straight-up bluegrasser, it was a bit too far on the deep end of the pool for me to start with. I backed up and bought Getting Into Jazz Mandolin also from Mel Bay and that's been great to work over the FFcP stuff.

    I was still struggling a bit to "get it" as far as applying the scales to actual music. Don had commented on a Facebook post where I was lamenting on struggling to learn the "foreign language" of this music and offered to help any way he could. Super nice! That reminded me of the Soundslice courses so I went and signed up for the first one yesterday and second one today.

    They are presented in a way that makes tons of sense to me. The progressions and ideas are starting to "click" now after just two days of watching through both courses and a little bit of playing along. I am finally starting to understand what in the world a G6, Dm9 or Bb7mb5 is! A long journey left to go, but these courses seem to be well worth the cost.
    Drew
    2020 Northfield 4th Gen F5
    2022 Northfield NFS-F5E
    2019 Northfield Flat Top Octave
    2021 Gold Tone Mando Cello
    https://www.instagram.com/pilotdrew85

  28. #22
    harvester of clams Bill McCall's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
    Location
    Forest Grove, Oregon
    Posts
    2,776

    Default Re: Swing chords and progressions for mandolin by Don Stiernberg

    I've used the appetizers book in my lessons and it's a pretty rich resource. But on your own, the Soundslice courses can't be beat.

    On the search for the cool notes........
    Not all the clams are at the beach

    Arrow Manouche
    Arrow Jazzbo
    Arrow G
    Clark 2 point
    Gibson F5L
    Gibson A-4
    Ratliff CountryBoy A

  29. #23
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    Red Lodge, MT
    Posts
    585

    Default Re: Swing chords and progressions for mandolin by Don Stiernberg

    The chord studies in the appetizer book are great. I learned a lot.

  30. #24

    Default Re: Swing chords and progressions for mandolin by Don Stiernberg

    I'm working my through the Swing chords and progressions lesson on Soundslice, and thoroughly enjoying the learning process. Soundslice deserves more credit and attention for its unique delivery method.

  31. #25
    Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Location
    Boulder, CO & Chesterfield, MO
    Posts
    2,562

    Default Re: Swing chords and progressions for mandolin by Don Stiernberg

    I revisit this about 1 or 2 times a month as I am learning new songs to help choose voicing. Love it!

Bookmarks

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •