I’ll be teaching at the National Guitar Workshop (NGW) campuses in Chicago IL and McLean VA again this summer. If you know anyone who might be interested in attending NGW please have them contact me for a discount code worth $100 off the price of tuition. (Valid through June 15 2010.)

Along with professional teachers like myself, NGW offers opportunity to learn from some of the finest guitarists in world. This year will feature guest seminars from artists such as: Pat Metheny, Paul Gilbert, Tommy Emmanuel, Scott Tennant, John Scofield, Sonny Landreth, Kurt Rosenwinkel and many more! The campuses are located in New Milford CT, Chicago IL, McLean VA, Austin TX, Los Angeles CA, and Bigfork, MT. NGW is open to students of all ages.

More information is available in NGW’s digital 2010 brochure located at: http://digitaledition.qwinc.com/publication/?i=32588.

Feel free to forward this information to other friends and colleagues that may be interested.

Thanks!
John

50 Blues Guitar Licks You Must Know by Jeff McErlain is a new offering from TrueFire.com designed for intermediate to advanced blues guitarists wanting to spice up their vocabulary with some of the tastiest and most traditional phrases in the idiom. The course is available in a variety of formats with prices starting at $19.00.from truefire.com.

Working through the 50 Blues Licks course is a bit like a attending wine-tasting with an expert sommelier. Instructor Jeff McErlain’s hand-picked repertoire of phrases challenges you to break out of that good old minor pentatonic box using techniques such as: tremolo picking, double-stops, sixths, octaves, chromaticism, and diminished lines, and more. It includes not only solo ideas, but grooves, turnarounds, and tasty comping ideas. Although there are some slick licks included, these licks are generally not the flashy technique-oriented phrases but richly expressive musical concepts that will lend a sense of depth and sophistication to your playing.

As Jeff demonstrates each lick he takes time calls attention to the specific nuances that really make the music happen. Details on specifically how to bend, slide, or vibrato are not left to chance. I appreciated this attention to detail, especially as it relates to quarter-step bends. I find that those little in-between bends are often difficult for students to dial in, but usually get glossed over by instructional materials. Here, Jeff does a great job of highlighting exactly when they occur and what they should sound like.

Jeff will often relate a bit of history on how a lick has been used over the years. For example, the very first lick is based on Muddy Waters’ “Rollin’ Stone” blues. It’s a groovy riff to be sure, but Jeff reminds us that this riff has been recycled several times to become the basis for “Catfish Blues” and “Voodoo Chile” by Hendrix, “Still Alive and Well” by Johnny Winter, and even a section of “War Pigs” by Black Sabbath. This really gives a sense of the blues as a living music that continues to evolve. I also think it also gives guitarists permission to start creating their own music using the motif as a springboard.

Continue reading 'Review: 50 Blues Guitar Licks You Must Know'

National Guitar Workshop has announced early enrollment discounts for summer 2010. Here are the details:

Enroll during August and receive a $250 discount.
Enroll during September and receive a $200 discount.
Enroll during October and receive a $150 discount.
Enroll during November and receive a $100 discount.
Enroll during December and receive a $50 discount.

NGW alumni will receive an additional $50 discount regardless of when they enroll.

Here’s the best part: there’s no need for students to choose location or classes until March 2010 and there’s no risk; if you need to cancel for any reason deposits are 100% refundable before May 1, 2010. Call 1-800-234-6479 or visit www.guitarworkshop.com to enroll, and tell ‘em you heard it here!

Above: NGW students Mike, Russ, and Duncan ham it up for the camera!

Participating in National Guitar Workshop continues to be one of the most renewing and exhausting (only because I never get enough sleep!) experiences I have each year. This year I was lucky enough to wrangle a teaching gig at the McLean, VA campus which is the closest NGW campus to home. I had a really great time teaching, hanging out, and taking in some great music.
Continue reading 'Reflections on National Guitar Workshop VA 2009'