Topic: New Lesson from Stefan Grossman's Guitar Workshop

[SGGW]

Playing the Classic Rags of Scott Joplin, James Scott and Joseph Lamb
Taught by David Laibman

[float=left][/float]?It is its own story - not an imitation of a piano, or of a dixieland or jazz band. It is, simply - ragtime guitar. In these lessons, I have tried, for the most part, to meet two goals. First, to create versions of some of the most beautiful classical rags that ?lay down? well on guitar, so when you play them you are working with the instrument, not fighting it. I have tried to pitch and arrange the pieces so that a lot of the action is in first position rather than high up on the neck, and to keep left-hand gymnastics to a minimum. Second, I didn?t want these arrangements to sound like ?student? arrangements, too elementary to be believable. It is all about striking a balance. I am generally pleased with the result, and I hope you will be too. While the focus of these lessons is on the ?greats? - Joplin (Original Rags, The Entertainer), Lamb (Contentment Rag, Ragtime Nightingale) and Scott (Ragtime Oriole) - I have also included one of my own recent compositions: Pandora?s Rag. This version is simpler than the one I play on my recent CD, Adventures in Ragtime, in Em, G and E, rather than Am, C and A, and not so high up the neck. I hope you like it; I think it has some nice harmonies.

?No one will ever touch the ragtime masters, but I would not be doing them justice if I didn?t try to use their inspiration to strike out on my own a bit. And that is what you should do too! It would be great if you learn to play these charming and challenging pieces. But even greater if you improve the arrangements, adapt them to your own tastes, see if you can apply the various techniques to other music - ragtime, and beyond - that can give pleasure to yourself and others, and enrich the treasure-house of fingerstyle guitar. None of us has tapped even a fraction of its full potential - and that?s what makes it fun!? ? David Laibman

This is a double DVD lesson with over four hours of music and instruction.

245 minutes ? Level 3/4 ? Detailed tab/music PDF file on the DVD

More info at: http://www.guitarvideos.com/artists/david-laibman/playing-the-classic-rags-of-scott-joplin-james-scott-and-joseph-lamb

[Rivers]

Looks good. I learned a lot from working with David Laibman GW ragtime recordings a long time ago, and am glad to see he's still in the game.