Topic: Workshop: CB Guitar accompaniment for the recalcitrant fingerpicker

[frankie]

Sunday, September 19th at Jalopy Theatre. 4PM.

Chords, runs, and rhythms from the unsung masters of old time country blues guitar accompaniment: Walter Vinson, James Baxter, Dan Sane, Joe McCoy, Dan Smith.

Cameo appearances of ideas from players like Blind Lemon Jefferson, Reverend Gary Davis, Blind Blake, Charlie Patton.

All the ideas presented will be accessible to both flat-pickers and finger-pickers.

Both a guitar and a recording device will be essential.

[Mr.OMuck]

Sounds great Frank! I'll see ya there!

[Frank G]

Is the workshop geared toward a particular level?  I'd love to come, but have never attended a workshop before, so I'm a little intimidated. I've worked through some Stefan Grossman DVDs and can play basic alternating bass stuff.

[frankie]

Is the workshop geared toward a particular level?  I'd love to come, but have never attended a workshop before, so I'm a little intimidated. I've worked through some Stefan Grossman DVDs and can play basic alternating bass stuff.

Hi Frank - the basics of what I'm sharing should be pretty accessible to you if you can keep a steady rhythm and know your basic 1st position chords (F, C, G, D, A, E).  The accompaniment styles I'll be discussing are pretty thumb-heavy, so a thumbpick might be a help (or even a flatpick, if that's an option for you), but you can certainly participate with a bare thumb as well.

Hope this helps - maybe I'll see you there!

[uncle bud]

FrankG, welcome to Weenie Campbell. A workshop is the next best thing to a private lesson, even better in some ways in that you get to meet and see other players learning the music you're into, hear questions answered that you might not have thought of but help your playing, and they can be very invigorating musically.  Add to that the knowledge frankie has about this music and it's a no brainer if you're in the vicinity, IMO. I'm a friend (full disclosure), but can honestly say every time I get to play with him or watch him play I learn something cool.

[Johnm]

Hi all,
Like uncle bud, I am as friend of frankie's, but that having been said, he knows this subject up one side and down the other, and the opportunity to learn from him in a workshop format doesn't come around that often.  I"d certainly take advantage of it if I were in the neighborhood.
All best,
Johnm

[dj]

This is a workshop that I'm really sorry to miss.  It's a style I've grown more interested in over the years and frankie is a master of it.  Frankie: I eagerly await your instructional dvd!

[Frank G]

Thanks all for the info, advice, and welcome!  I just have to check with the wife, but I should be there and am very excited. 

[frankie]

bumpin' a reminder for Sunday.  grab a guitar and we'll get all primitive.

[Frank G]

So I went to the workshop and man, am I glad I did!  I was a little nervous at first when Frankie told me and another student we'd be doing a song in B-flat, but it worked out great.  As I'm kind of new to this music, I was looking at it as an intro to string band music.  I only know a couple of Mississippi Sheiks tunes.

By walking us through the two songs (KC Railroad and Honey Babe Let the Deal Go Down), I learned some new chords, runs and where to use them, timing, and the relationship between the guitar and accompanying instruments.  The runs were particularly helpful, especially the way Frankie showed how to add Rev Gary Davis and Blind Lemon Jefferson examples to the songs.  The almost two hours went by like two minutes.

Frankie is a great teacher who paced the workshop perfectly.  He stopped for questions and repeated himself when asked.  As I guess you all know, he's a wealth of knowledge.  I absorbed it like a sponge. 

[sustaireblues]

Sounds like a great time!
Wish I could have been there,

Joe