Any new players learning by using Academy of Bluegrass Or?

[Bryan Gerrells]

Hey everyone. I've signed up for the Banjo Ben series online and its great for teaching different songs, but I'm thinking about getting lessons as well. I've searched and read where many people say great things about Mike Marshall lessons through Artistworks.

Currently as stated above I am learning by listening to some of BanjoBens and I love his site, but I don't feel like I'm practicing right. I start off with scales in G and try to remember the names of the notes for warm up. I work on one song (melody) till I get tired of it, then I move on to another till I get tired of it. I know bits and pieces of several songs, but I don't feel like I'm practicing my rhythm much at all. Total practice time is about 3 hours a day if not more.

I'm hoping to also hear from some newbies like me who are just starting out. How do you like the online lessons from Mike Marshall or do you wish you would have went to a in-person teacher? I've read a post where others are doing both online and in person. I may try both, but I wanted to see how others who are maybe 3+ months into the program are doing.

Thanks for all your post!

[SternART]

Just back from the Mandolin Symposium.........Mike Marshall is a fabulous teacher!
If you put in the time, there is a wealth of information on the site, and the library of videos
just keeps growing.

[dusty miller]

I live in a state with a shortage of mandolin teachers so I think it's invaluable. If I had a mandolin teacher i'm not sure I would be doing it and that might be dumb because It's Mike Marshall. To be able to darn near have one on one teaching from a pro can help anybodys playing. To have someone like that check out your video submissions and give you his thoughts on improving your playing I mean c'mon. No brainer for those of us who live in a black hole for mandolin teachers or just want to run some things by a pro.

[Marc King]

I'm a fairly new player and recently signed up to the Artistworks site. So far, I am loving it. I think Mike's reputation as a teacher is well known and very well deserved. It is well structured and thorough. The videos from other students and Mikes responses are a great learning tool. One feature I really love, is being able to set loops on the video, so if you are struggling with a certain part, you can loop it over and over until you get it right. I found Banjo Ben a little too cheesy for my tastes, each to his own though!

[55bar]

+1 for both the above.

[Bryan Gerrells]

Thanks so much for the replies and thoughts

[Robert Billings]

I am a beginner and am learning from a book: The American Mandolin Method by Brian Wicklund and Ben Winship. It's a Mel Bay publication and is very well thought out. Somewhere in a Cafe thread I read that the way to learn this instrument is to learn a lot of songs. That's what this book does. You learn tunes and by the end of the book (I'm halfway there) you feel pretty darn good about your abilities and can start working on chording for backup in jam sessions.
I understand the value of a one on one teacher, but just working from this book does it for me.

[dusty miller]

I am a beginner and am learning from a book: The American Mandolin Method by Brian Wicklund and Ben Winship. It's a Mel Bay publication and is very well thought out. Somewhere in a Cafe thread I read that the way to learn this instrument is to learn a lot of songs. That's what this book does. You learn tunes and by the end of the book (I'm halfway there) you feel pretty darn good about your abilities and can start working on chording for backup in jam sessions.
I understand the value of a one on one teacher, but just working from this book does it for me.

Believe me Robert, I have no mandolin teacher so I think learning from books is a great way to learn. Before I got a more high speed up to date computer that's all there was for me. Whatever works for the individual.

[mquimpy]

I've only been playing for about 1 year. I joined Artistworks with Mike Marshall in February and I wish I had known about it sooner. I wasted so much time acquiring bad habits that took me about 3 months to undo. But now I feel like I'm really sailing with his lessons. For $1.00 a day to take lessons from Mike Marshall is incredible. The only drawback is it takes him about 10 days to return a video submission to you, but when he does send you a video it can be anywhere from 5 min. to 20 min. of personal attention. He really gives your great details. Plus watching all the other videos and his responses gives me more information than I can take in -- but it's always there to go back and refer to when I'm ready. His lessons are incredible, but the best part is, it's just not Bluegrass. You can send him anything you want and he will work on it and help you with it -- from Bluegrass to Bach and everything in between. I also live in an area where I can't find any teachers, so for me it works out great. And Mike is almost always available through the forum if you have a quick question. He checks in several times a day and answers questions promptly. It's really got me going on the right track. It's not for everyone, but for a $1.00 a day, it's worth a try. Good luck, whatever you choose.

[joemcg]

I am a new player, taking lessons once every two weeks from a local musician who also teaches. I find that two weeks between lessons is a mighty long time, so I am signed up with Artistworks to augment my lessons. Very useful information and they complement each other very well.

Good luck.

Joe

[Barry Wilson]

I took the academy stuff and I learned so much. I never play the songs I learned there with anyone but I did learn great techniques and practice habits that have helped me grow quite fast

[JeffD]

Believe me Robert, I have no mandolin teacher so I think learning from books is a great way to learn. Before I got a more high speed up to date computer that's all there was for me. Whatever works for the individual.

Another book I recommend is Marilynn Mair's "The Complete Mandolinist". Its good technique for what ever style of mandolin you gravitate towards. Not much in there you won't find useful.

I have heard nothing but great things about the Academy of Bluegrass. Probably a good idea even if you find a local teacher.


Perhaps a little off topic, but its just in my nature to suggest, if you haven't already, find some folks to play music with regularly. A weekly jam, even if its not the kind of music you most want, still provides GIGANTIC benefits, no matter what level you are at. Increased enthusiasm, faster learning, and greater retention, plus huge great heaping piles of fun await.

[Barry Wilson]

I forgot to say I am going back to the academy this winter to see if I can learn to play fiddle and even considering taking the flatpicking for guitar. I work graveyards so feel like learning at 2am. If I get a banjo as well (planning on it) I will probably take some lessons there as well.

$25 a month for all that info is just plain cheap to me and the convenience of learning at home whenever you feel is priceless to me

[dfalkiewicz]

As mentioned above, I just signed on for my 3rd 3 month sessions of both Mandolin with Mike Marshal and Squareneck dobro with Andy Hall - Infamous Stringdusters.

Is private lessons a better option? of course it is if you have the bucks. But for $7.50 a week each lesson I am learning from the best teachers and also from fellow students. The video exchange method is the way to go for me.
Each lesson offers sound tracks minus the instruments at different speeds and pdf's written in tab and music.

If you try 3 months at $90 bucks, please let me know via a private message here, and I can get you an additional free month.

Best of luck,

Dave

[Bryan Gerrells]

cool deal and thanks

[MK in NC]

This looks like a great program. Can those who have participated answer the following: Are lessons arranged in an order designed to build skills from scratch?

I ask because there's are many great instructional videos available on YouTube, but it's hard for a novice to know what's best to address first. Every time I play along with one of these videos, I think: If my basic technique is poor, I'm probably not helping myself much.

If the academy's lessons point me in the right direction to tackle the very basics first, I'll look forward to signing up. Thanks for any information you can offer.

[Marc King]

Hi MK
Yes, they are broken down into three stages. Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced. In the beginner section, Mike starts with basics like how to hold the instrument, tuning, left and right hand technique and builds from there to include some simple songs. Most lessons include video instruction, a slowed down video to help you follow at an easier pace, tablature of the song and backing tracks at different speeds. He doesn't cover scales, arpeggios etc, but they are easy to pick up elsewhere. Where the Artistworks lessons will benefit you over Youtube videos, is the opportunity to submit your videos to Mike for feedback. This is a great way to eliminate any poor techniques before they become bad habits.

[Alan Lackey]

I am in my first 6 month session on Mike's mandolin lesson plan and I feel like I am getting better because of it. I am a new to playing any kind of stringed instrument and just picked it up first of this year. I tried doing some self teaching through online and books and felt kinda lost. Tried a teacher here in Nashville [surprisingly hard to find mandolin teachers here] but the guy was a guitar instructor who happened to play mandolin and really was not teaching me what I thought I needed.

Found Mike's program and joined up recently. Before I felt like I was wandering a field and now feel like I am at least on a dirt road to success! LOL.

[wsugai]

MM is a great player and a fine teacher, and from what I have seen of Artistworks, it's chock full of interesting stuff, but MM does not reach me like Brad Laird, Joe Carr, or Ben Clark, so I defer to these others. If the message does not resonate, it's tough to communicate.

I am pretty sure that when I get to a certain level of proficiency, Artistworks may be just what I need, but not quite there yet.

[Marty Henrickson]

I started the Artistworks lessons with Mike back in March, right after the "Mandolin Mashup" (sponsored in part by the good ol' Mandolin Cafe). The personal attention you get from Mike is invaluable. I'm not a total beginner, but Mike has really helped me refine my tone, and pointed out little "quirks" in my playing that I was missing. I highly recommend this method of learning.