Caffe Lena School of Music: Intermediate Workshops on Clawhammer Banjo

Caffè Lena presents extraordinary music in an intimate setting steeped in history. It is widely recognized as the longest continuously operating folk music venue in the United States. The Library of Congress calls Caffè Lena “An American treasure,” and we have been recognized by The GRAMMY Foundation for our important contributions to the development of American music. Caffe Lena's programs are made possible in part by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

Caffe Lena

Valuable lessons for intermediate banjoists with host of the popular podcast Get Up in the Cool

Cameron DeWhitt

Intermediate Clawhammer Banjo with Cameron DeWhittSundays Oct 31, Nov 7, 14, 2021 1:30-3:00pm ET/ 12:30pm CT/11:30AM MT/10:30 AM PTWear a costume to the first class and win a Caffe Lena T-shirt! This is an Online Class via the ZOOM platform. All sessions are recorded and made available to registered students for review forever and a day! Cameron presents a valuable series of lessons for Intermediate players:Abstracting Fiddle Melodies for Clawhammer Banjo: Fiddlers sure can play a lot of notes! Playing note-for-note with them on the banjo is possible, but you run the risk of sounding more pedantic than artful in your accompaniment. In this workshop you'll learn to interpret fiddle tunes banjoistically: which notes to leave out, how banjo ornaments differ from fiddle ornaments, and how to harness the power of old time heterophony!Anticipated Notes and Ghost Strokes: Beginning a melody a half beat before it's expected can add forward motion to your playing, and those anticipated notes need the space of a ghost stroke to make their full impact. In this workshop you'll learn basic exercises to build muscle memory for these techniques and apply them to a well known tune. Let the syncopation begin!Slides from Every Angle: The slide is one of the most powerful tools in a clawhammer player's toolbox—it helps with switching positions, gesturing at melodic passages, and adding swagger to forgettable moments in a tune. In this workshop we'll practice drop thumb slides, lazy slides, and melodic slides, then add slides to a well known tune.Playing in 7th Fret Position: The fiddle has a much larger range than the banjo in its first position. This is why you've probably found yourself searching around on the 1st string past the 5th fret trying to keep up during the high part of a tune. That's where the 7th fret position comes in! In this workshop, you'll learn the surprisingly straightforward physicality and intuitiveness of the 7th fret position and how it can help you unlock those high-pitched, notey sections of your favorite fiddle tunes. Check out Cameron's podcast about all things old time and banjo: <a href="https://getupinthecool.fireside.fm/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Get Up in the Cool!</a>

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Caffe Lena School of Music: Intermediate Workshops on Clawhammer Banjo

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