Summer Workshops start June 16, 17 and 18 and meet for 10 weekly sessions. They cover a variety of levels. All workshops meet one hour each week except the Songwriting and Harmony Singing classes (which meet for 1 and1/2 hours each week). We meet in groups of 15 - 20 in a relaxed atmosphere where there is opportunity for individual attention when needed. All the workshop materials (song sheets) are free. Small recording devices are welcome. Please use batteries.
*No Classes July 14, 15, 16; August 11, 12, 13; September 1.
Workshop fees
Regular Workshops - $160
Songwriting - $175
Harmony Singing - $175
TAKE TWO workshops during the same series and discount your second class by $10.
Please note that your workshop fees are non-refundable unless your workshop is already full or you cancel two full weeks before the start of the series. You may transfer your fee to another class during the first two weeks of the series.
Workshops are led by Carol McComb
Bay Area musician, songwriter, producer, Kaleidoscope and Elektra recording artist. Her instruction book, Country and Blues Guitar for the Musically Hopeless (Klutz Press) has sold over 100,000 copies. Carol is a frequent contributor to Acoustic Guitar Magazine. Her songs have been recorded by Bill Staines, Laurie Lewis, Keith Little, the Good Ol’ Persons, and others. She is a founding board member of the California Coast Music Camp and has taught at the Puget Sound Guitar Workshop for many years. Carol has been teaching this workshop series at Gryphon Stringed Instruments in Palo Alto for 31 years.
Workshops are held in Palo Alto
at Gryphon Stringed Instruments,
211 Lambert Ave., Palo Alto
(corner of Park & Lambert).
Loaner Guitars
Gryphon Stringed Instruments (where these classes are held) has a limited number of loaner guitars available for those enrolled in the Starting to Play class. Please call Gryphon directly to make arrangements. This service is only available to those in the Starting to Play workshop.
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Mondays
5- Starting to Play (choice of two times)
6- Folk Standards
7- Folk Favorites #2
8- Starting to Play (choice of two times)
Tuesdays
5- Country Classics #1
6- Already Picking Some
7- Texas Songwriters
8-9:30 Songwriter’s Circle
Wednesdays
5- Beginning Singing
6- Light Rock & Pop #1
7- Bluegrass and Carter Style #3
8-9:30 Harmony Singing By Ear |
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Summer 2008 Workshops
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Starting to Play
We play and sing songs, covering all the basic chords and learn several strums, bass runs, and how to hammer-on. A basic foundation in folk-style guitar for those who have never played at all or for those who know just a little bit. Our songs are from contemporary folk, country and traditional sources, most of which are well-known favorites. Lots of help with developing good practice techniques and skills. This class is popular, so it is offered at two different times.
Level 1
Folk Standards
Designed to reinforce the basic techniques covered in “Starting to Play”, using more bass runs, hammering-on, new chords, introducing barre chords, and using a variety of right-hand strums. Songs are from both traditional and contemporary sources with an emphasis on repertoire and building one’s general knowledge of folk-style guitar. Lots of chord drilling and skill building is covered in class.
Level 1-2
Folk Favorites #2
Similar to “Standards” but a little bit harder and quicker paced. Again, designed to reinforce the basic techniques covered in “Starting to Play”. In “Favorites” we learn lots of bass runs, some easy guitar fills, hammering-on, new chords, introduce barre chords and the use of chord inversions. Songs are from both traditional and contemporary sources. (Folk Favorites 1 and 2 are the same level, just different songs.)
Level 2
Light Rock & Pop #1
Popular songs with easy chords and easy strums. You’ll learn new chords, how to use a flatpick (and keep the pick from falling into the soundhole or flying across the room), plus lots of acoustic rock strums. Some barre chords will be used. Songs from Neil Young, the Beatles, the Indigo Girls, Tracy Chapman, Steve Earle, The Rolling Stones, Bonnie Raitt, the Eagles, Bob Dylan, Sheryl Crow, Green Day, Joni Mitchell, James Taylor, Bruce Springsteen, and many more. This will be a popular class. Sign up early!
Level 2+
Country Classics #1
Intro to flatpicking with an emphasis on repertoire and learning to flatpick with typical bluegrass and country runs. An easy going workshop that draws from a wide variety of country music including bluegrass, hillbilly, country and western, country swing, and gospel. Songs from the music of the Carter Family, Hank Williams, Buck Owens, Jimmie Rodgers, Kitty Wells, The Everly Brothers, Bill Monroe, Merle Haggard, Doc Watson, etc., plus a few traditional tunes. (Country Classics 1, 2, 3 and 4 are all at the same level, just different songs.)
Level 2-3
Already Picking Some
An introduction to Travis style fingerpicking and standard folk guitar embellishment, including learning how to blend various picking styles and rhythms together, how and when to use hammering-on and bass runs effectively. Includes a review of 12 basic strums and their potential rhythmic variations when combined. Emphasis is on technique, using songs to apply that technique. Songs mostly from contemporary sources like the Beatles, John Denver, James Taylor, Crosby Stills and Nash, Bob Dylan, Tom Paxton, etc. We learn to read tablature in this workshop.
Level 2-3
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(Please note: If a class has a number after it, like Folk Favorites #2 or Bluegrass and Carter Style #3, the number refers to a set of songs and not a harder level.)
*No Classes July 14, 15, 16; August 11, 12, 13; September 1.
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Bluegrass and Carter Style #3
Wonderful songs with easy to play leads. The material in this class will be a unique blend of bluegrass, Carter Family songs and newly written songs in these traditions. We’ll learn songs from the “O Brother, Where Art Thou” soundtrack, the Stanley Bros, Bill Monroe, the Blue Sky Boys, Woody Guthrie, Laurie Lewis, and many others, adding lead breaks in Maybelle Carter’s distinctive style. This approach to playing lead is one of the easiest and most satisfying styles there is. You’ll learn how to build each lead from the ground up, starting with a simple melody and then developing it into a more complex arrangement. Equally suited for flatpickers and fingerpickers. We’ll use tablature for the leads.
Basic songs, level 2-3; Leads, level 3 and 4
Texas Songwriters
New this quarter! Fabulous material drawn from this rich songwriting tradition. Songs from Lyle Lovett, Nanci Griffith, Guy Clark, Townes Van Zandt, Butch Hancock, Joe Ely, Eliza Gilkyson, John Hyatt, Tom Russell, Sarah Elizabeth Campbell, etc. Guitar arrangements will be written in tablature. You should be an experienced fingerpicker to take this class and have had some experience using a flatpick. This will be a popular class. Sign up early!
Levels 3 to 4+
Songwriter’s Circle
Open to songwriters of all levels, including beginners. Come primarily for feedback; come to strengthen your writing skills. We’ll cover the essentials, we’ll do writing exercises in class using creative games, we’ll work individually and in writing teams. Clear and constructive critiquing with suggestions and techniques offered on how to strengthen your lyrics, melodies, chords and rhythmic accompaniment. We’ll explore style and do some basic song arranging, with an ear to industry standards when it’s useful. Drop-ins for song critiquing are welcome on a weekly basis for this class. Weekly drop in fee is $20.
Special fee $175
Meets 1 and 1/2 hours each week.
Beginning Singing
Do you wish you had a better singing voice? We’ll learn vocal exercises and songs to further increase our vocal ranges, learn how to sing with more confidence, learn how to breathe correctly and sing with diaphragm support, learn how to sing in different styles and learn very basic harmonies to easy songs. We’ll tackle questions like: “What is my vocal range?”, “What key is best for me?”, “Can I train my voice to sing more in tune, be stronger, or to sing louder?”, ”Can I learn to sing and play guitar, at the same time?”, etc. If these questions sound familiar to you, come and join us. Shy singers are especially welcome!
No guitar level
Harmony Singing by Ear
New Class! Learn how vocal harmony works and how to create your own in any style of music, Each week we’ll spend part of our time working on the basic issues of harmony singing (ear training, theory, style, the use of tension and resolve, etc.) and the rest on making up harmonies to songs we bring in. We’ll cover 2, 3 and 4 part harmonies, discover how each of these choices can change the overall approach and learn what kinds of harmonies are typical and appropriate for different styles of music. We’ll have guest co-teachers some weeks. Meets 1 1/2 hours each week.
Special Fee $175
No guitar level
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