Fiddle
Fiddle level 1—Finding the common threads of traditional bluegrass fiddle tunes, old-time, swing and country classics. This class is designed for fiddlers who can tune their instruments, play a handful of tunes, and know the names of the notes in first position. It will be an in-depth study of bowing fundamentals, scales, arpeggios and use of fingering patterns to mentally map your fingerboard. Students will use these tools to build muscle memory, musical solos, learn and play faster, improve tone and intonation, and in turn enhance the music they already know. A new tune will be introduced each day. Sight reading skills are not necessary, but bringing a pen and paper will be helpful. A recording device is highly recommended!
Prerequisites—This class is designed for fiddlers who can tune their instruments, play a handful of tunes, and know the names of the notes in first position. Students should be able play 3-4 major scales. Preferably "D" "A" and "G" scales.
Frank Solivan originally calls the central valley of California his stomping grounds, but adventure drew him to Alaska at the age of 18. In his eight years there, he mentored and taught at three annual music camps and taught 15-20 private students a week. A group of camp counselors/students he mentored formed the band Bearfoot and subsequently won the prestigious Telluride music festival band competition in 2001. They now organize and teach at many nationally recognized music camps within their tour schedule. In 2003 Frank won an audition for an elite position in the US Navy Band, Country Current. After six years with the Navy, he got out of the service to foster his own creative side with his band Dirty Kitchen.
Frank has recently been back to Alaska to teach the "advanced improv" classes at the Alaska Folk Arts Music Camp and still teaches private lessons at his home in Alexandria VA when he is not on the road. We’re happy to have him join us for his first year at the CBA Music Camp.
www.dirtykitchenband.com
Fiddle, bluegrass, levels 2/3— This workshop will most benefit intermediate to advanced students who are willing to learn primarily by ear. We will discuss fiddle techniques as an overall philosophy of music and approach learning with an emphasis on ear training, which is the first step to improvising. Students can expect to discuss some brief history, how to play back-up, creating solos, bowing techniques, chopping, and even learn a few hot licks!
Prerequisites: You should know some tunes that you can play confidently, and have some ability to solo, for example play the break on a vocal song. You should be able to play in tune and have some ability to learn by ear—though we’ll work on this in class, also. You should be familiar with some of the great bluegrass fiddlers, such as Kenny Baker, Chubby Wise, etc.
Please bring some sort of recording device, as we will cover a lot of material and you’ll want to refer back to it.
Jeremy Garrett began playing and singing when he was on his way out of the womb… Seriously, he started learning the Suzuki classical violin method at age three and with the additional instruction from his musician father, Glen, learned fiddle. Later, he played in the high school orchestra while sitting in with his Dad’s bluegrass band on the weekends. Jeremy attended South Plains College in Texas, to study commercial music and went on to free lance with many other musicians and singers. After moving to Nashville, Jeremy eventually met the other members of what is now, The Infamous Stringdusters. They currently tour all over the US and in other countries as well.
Jeremy has taught at Rockygrass Academy and also teaches privately. We’re pleased to have him join us for his first year at the CBA Music Camp.
www.thestringdusters.com
Fiddle, oldtime, levels 2/3—Jack will teach some Southern fiddle tunes, adding proper bowings, slides, accents and double-stops to demonstrate old-time fiddling. We’ll also practice special exercises to develop techniques that are essential to old-time fiddling. Emphasis will be on bowing techniques used to get the high energy, rhythmic sounds necessary for square dance playing. Some pieces will use special tunings. We’ll do it in class by ear, although supplemental written material will be provided.
Prerequisites: You should already be able to play in the usual keys (A, D, G and C), know a number of tunes, and be able to play at reasonable old-time jam-session speeds. Also, you should be able to learn short phrases by ear, and be willing to retune to the special tunings used in traditional fiddling.
Jack Tuttle has been a mainstay of the Bay Area fiddle scene for thirty years. He has performed professionally in the U.S., Canada and Japan and has been a member of numerous bands including the Fog City Ramblers (bluegrass), the Gryphon Quintet (swing), and the Mayfield String Band (old-time). He currently plays bluegrass with his three children and has recorded a duet album with his daughter, Molly. Jack is the music editor of Fiddler Magazine and has written twelve instructional books. He has taught more than a thousand students over thirty years in both private and group lessons. In 2007, Jack was presented with the California Bluegrass Association's distinguished Honorary Lifetime Membership Award. Jack has been an indispensable teacher at the CBA Music Camp since its inception, and we’re proud to have him on our staff.
www.jacktuttle.com
