Guitar Break Weekend
Guitar Break Weekend: Blues Rock 2
Where & when: Barnett Hill, Guildford,UK
Saturday/Sunday 27 & 28 November 2010
Tutors: Neville Marten & Jason Sidwell
The course
Stuck for inspiration? Lacking ideas for solos? Shuffle rhythms a bit lame? If you want to take your blues rock playing to the next level here is an event you won’t want to miss; a weekend of full-on tuition with two of the UK’s best known and busiest players/tutors, Neville Marten and Jason Sidwell.
During this busy weekend you will be shown the most important scales, riffs, pro tips and stylistic traits of numerous big name players from BB King and Eric Clapton to modern legends like Robben Ford and Joe Bonamassa.
Technique, theory and jamming – a weekend 100% committed to learning and playing a fabulous musical style in an informal environment!
Over the course of the weekend the following topics will be covered:
• the minor pentatonic scale: five positions
• improving your picking skills: pentatonic exercises
• playing longer licks
• the major pentatonic scale: five positions
• the six note blues scale
• blending the blues scale with minor and major pentatonic scales: sound more professional!
• Getting the most out of scales and licks over 12 bar blues
• Blues Zen: getting the job done with two notes!
• Blues/rock riffing that will inspire a soloist
• the modes favoured by blues/rock masters: the Dorian (minor) and the Mixolydian (major)
• exercises and licks to get familiar with these modes
• tweaking the pentatonic: breathe new life into the common blues box!
• nail the chord changes: arpeggio approaches
• The jazz blues scale: Lydian Dominant
• Accommodating modern rock approaches (eg fast picking, legato, string skipping) into blues/rock playing.
• chord extensions: beyond 7th chords to get your rhythm playing up to pro level
• groove analysis: 12/8 and 4/4 time
Payment details: Full payment or a non-refundable deposit of £100 made online.
What to bring
To bring - guitar, amp, lead and note book. Use of recording equipment is permitted during the day. You will be provided with course material as well as blank tab sheets.
What's included
The course consists of two full days (10am-5pm) of first class tuition from Neville and Jason, all-day refreshments*, lunch, evening meal on Saturday and all your course materials.
*Includes coffee, tea and water and excludes alcoholic beverages.
Notes
Accommodation is not included in the Guitar Break package.
If you wish to book just the Saturday or Sunday then please call
0845 458 7372.
The Tutors
Neville Marten - Neville Marten is the editor of Guitar Techniques – the world’s most respected guitar tuition magazine that he launched in 1993. He is also ex-editor of the UK’s longest running guitar magazine, Guitarist. He splits his gigging appearances between Marty Wilde’s Wildcats band playing early rock and roll and Deluxe-O-Matic that covers everything from Cream and Jimi Hendrix through to U2 and The Foo Fighters. Neville also teaches the ‘Mojo Masters’ course each year at the world renowned International Guitar Foundation festival (IGF).
Jason Sidwell - Jason has been the senior music editor of Guitar Techniques, Guitarist and Total Guitar magazines since 1998, writing and editing more tutorial columns than he cares to remember! Away from magazines, Jason splits his time between various funk/soul bands, solo guitar performances (www.uniquedayguitar.com) and playing in shows/musicals. He debuts a new funk fusion band this year formed with Guitar Techniques tutor and head of guitar at BIMM Bristol, Stuart Ryan. Jason teaches the ‘Funk and Beyond’ course at IGF each year and his DVD, ‘Funk Empowerment: Groove Guitar Mastery using the CAGED system’ is available at www.ukmastersdvd.com.
What do the levels mean?
Rudimentary/Level 1
This is beginner level. We would expect no more than the basics: you’d know how to hold the guitar, would have some idea of tuning it and know a few chords and scales. Other than that you are a total novice with up to a year’s worth of playing.
Lower Intermediate/Level 2
You can play a bit. You know a variety of chords, can strum with some degree of confidence, play some riffs and songs and will have made some inroads into the playing styles that interest you – blues lead, jazz chords, fingerstyle approach etc… Typically, you will have been playing for up to three years.
Intermediate/Level 3
There’s some sophistication in your playing. Your chord knowledge good, you know plenty of songs, your strumming/picking is confident, you understand some theory and you can play lead/improvise with various scales. You’re good enough to be in a band but would benefit from advice and tips to move to the next level. We’d assume you’ve been playing for anything up to ten years.
Advanced/Level 4
You can play well. Your technique in your chosen subject is very solid, your theory knowledge good and you can play/improvise to a high level. What you require are pro tips, more detailed stylistic advice and tuition that is more conceptually based (eg ‘try this approach with this scale over xx chords’). You’re looking for your own voice on the guitar and seeking fresh inspiration having been playing for well over ten years.
Combined levels
Sometimes Guitar Break will combine levels – ie Blues/Rock level 2/3. This is for players who feel they’re at the top of level 2, ready for level 3, and for players who think that while they’re probably at level 3 technically, they would benefit from a recap on theory, technique or other aspects of their playing. On these courses we always have enough tutors to individually look after those at each end of the ability spectrum.