Bluegrass
Guitar Class
Bluegrass Guitar:
From Learning the Language to Jumping into a Jam
A group guitar course with Gabriel Furtado for advanced beginner and intermediate guitarists interested in learning the language, rhythm and collaborative skills of bluegrass music.
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No previous bluegrass experience is required.
Students should, however, already have basic guitar experience.
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Is This Class Right for Me?
This class is designed for guitarists who are comfortable switching among common open chords, including:
G, C, D, A, Am, E and Em.
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You do not need to be comfortable with barre chords. Bluegrass does not rely heavily on them, and the class will introduce an open “bluegrass F” rather than requiring a standard barred F chord.
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Some basic strumming experience is helpful.
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Students will use flatpicks and build from foundational boom-chuck rhythm toward more nuanced bluegrass rhythm patterns.
Gabriel structures the material so that players at somewhat different skill levels can continue playing together: foundational and more advanced versions of the material can be layered as students develop.
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If you can comfortably change between common open chords and have some experience strumming guitar, you're likely well prepared for the course.
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What You'll Learn
Students will explore:
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Bluegrass rhythm guitar
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Boom-chuck rhythm and variations
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Common chord vocabulary
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Bluegrass musical language
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Playing with a flatpick
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Listening and playing with other musicians
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Jam etiquette
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Skills for participating more confidently in bluegrass jams and other group-playing environments
The goal is to move beyond simply learning individual songs and begin developing the practical musical vocabulary needed to play bluegrass with other people.
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Schedule
Tuesdays, 6:00–7:15 PM
November 17
November 24
December 1
December 8
December 15
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Philly Music Factory
2100 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia
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Five week series: $110
Full payment: $110
or
Two payments of $55
Maximum 12 students.
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Bluegrass Guitar 2 PART PAYMENT: https://clients.mindbodyonline.com/classic/ws?studioid=678538&stype=41&sTG=49&prodId=109058
Bluegrass Guitar FULL PAYMENT: https://clients.mindbodyonline.com/classic/ws?studioid=678538&stype=41&sTG=49&prodId=109057
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No previous bluegrass experience required.
Advanced beginner/intermediate guitar experience is required.
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Registration deadline 11/13
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What You Need for Class
Students should bring:
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An acoustic guitar
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A flatpick
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A guitar tuner
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A capo
Students should have access to an instrument between classes so they can practice.
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Reserving a Guitar to Use Onsite During the Series
Philly Music Factory has a limited number of guitars available for students to use onsite during classes.
Students are encouraged to bring their own instrument.
There is an additional $40 fee to reserve a PMF guitar for onsite use during the series.
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Please email vincelemuel@gmail.com in advance to request an instrument.
Availability is limited and reservations are first come, first served.
PMF guitars are for onsite class use only and are not available to take home.
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About Gabriel Furtado
Gabriel Furtado is a guitarist, teaching artist and concert organizer whose work spans performance, education and collaborative music-making. His approach to Bluegrass Guitar emphasizes learning the practical language of the music and developing the skills musicians need to play together. The course is structured so that students can build from foundational material toward increasingly sophisticated playing while remaining part of the same musical group.
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