Creating Mandolin Solos for Bluegrass Songs

About Creating Mandolin Solos for Bluegrass Songs

In this 5 week class we will learn how to create mandolin solos for 10 bluegrass songs from the JAM Songbook. (2 songs each week) All registered US students will be mailed a copy of the Songbook, and a Play Mandolin case sticker, and it's theirs to keep. (Once enrolled we will contact you for your mailing address)

This is a small interactive class and each week everyone has a chance to play for other class members. This class is limited to 12 students.

You will learn Mandolin solos for the following bluegrass songs from the JAM Songbook

Bile the Cabbage Down in A, D and G

Two Dollar Bill (aka Long Journey Home) in G

Little Maggie in A

Handsome Molly in D

I ain’t gonna work tomorrow in G

New River Train in A

Worried Man Blues in G

This Land is your Land in C

Sitting in top of the world in C

Will the Circle be unbroken in G

How each class will work:

This class is designed to be participatory with the hopes that all students will play for one another in each weekly class.

In week 1 we will each play a little lick on the mandolin to introduce ourselves. We will then dive into learning the 2 songs for that week. In weeks 2 thru 5 we will kick things off with students getting an opportunity to play solos from the previous weeks lesson and then we will move on to the new tunes for that week.

At the end of this course, students should be able to:

• Play the chords and a melody based break for each song

• Begin to be able to ornament the melody based break

• Gain confidence playing in a bluegrass jam session

• Gain knowledge of the mandolin fretboard

Enroll and receive in the mail your copy of the JAM Songbook, created by Pete Wernick and Liam Purcell. (Mandolin not included)