"Foundations of Arranging for Solo Fingerstyle Guitar I" Workshop by BOB McCLOY

Saturday , March 25, 2006
10:30 am - 12:30 pm
Location: Elderly Instruments
workshop ($40.00 )

Lest we forget, and first things first: This March 25 "Solo Fingerstyle Guitar I" workshop may be taken alone, but guitar players also have the option of purchasing this workshop as part of a two-part series of workshops titled "Foundations of Arranging for Solo Guitar," and thus attend both workshops--this and "Solo Fingerstyle Guitar II"--for the reduced cost of $70.

Bob's goal for each of these "Foundations" workshops is to provide the fundamental concepts of solo guitar playing and arranging in a hands-on, no-frills presentation. [For a description of the "Solo Guitar II" portion of the series, see Bob McCloy's workshop event below, occurring on Saturday, April 15, at the same time, from 10:30 am to 12:30 pm.]

SOLO GUITAR WORKSHOP I is designed for "advanced-beginners" and above. Students must have a working knowledge of basic guitar chords in order to sign up for this class. "Foundations of Arranging for Solo Guitar I" offers techniques and concepts for solo guitar arrangements. After an overview of basic left- and right-hand technique, Part I focuses on fundamental rhythmic foundations in developing solo arrangements, using pieces in 4/4, 3/4, and 6/8 time with accompanying instructional studies.

Beginning with two-part arrangements (bass line and molody), each piece is then expanded with additional variation of the melody and bass lines. An introduction of "middle voice" accompaniment is then integrated into the pieces.

Students attending the workshop will receive copies of Bob's own instructional music booklet (containing both standard notation and tablature) and his instructional CD covering all the pieces and exercises in the booklet. In addition to useful exercises, the book/CD tools offer arrangements of "Freight Train," "Amazing Grace," "Wildwood Flower," "Shady Grove," and "Johnny Has Gone for a Soldier."

Bob McCloy has taught private lessons at Elderly in almost all styles and levels on guitar, mandolin, and fiddle, since 1979. His understanding of students' viewpoints and needs has grown from those 27 years and thousands of students, and he has remained a consistently-successful and popular teacher, in part due to his hands-on approach to teaching. He also integrates 30 years of performance--folk, bluegrass, Celtic, country, classical, and swing/jazz--into this workshop series.

About Bob's words in the "teaser" above, referring to the guitar as "truly a portable piano." If you questioned this, you might give thought to 19th-century pianist-composer Frederick Chopin's opinion of the guitar: "Nothing is more beautiful than a guitar," Chopin wrote, "except, possibly, two."

Space in the "Foundations of Arranging for Solo Guitar" is limited, so sign up soon to reserve a spot.