NEW! Fiddlin' Arthur Smith intensive in February!
SUZY'S NEW FIDDLE CLASS
February - Fiddlin' Arthur Smith intensive! 8 half-hour class sessions focusing on this wonderful fiddler's tunes.
NEW! Fiddlin' Arthur Smith intensive in February!
SUZY'S NEW FIDDLE CLASS
February - Fiddlin' Arthur Smith intensive! 8 half-hour class sessions focusing on this wonderful fiddler's tunes.
Arthur Smith was an extremely influential old-time fiddler from Tennessee, active from the late 20s into the 40s on records and especially on the radio, where his Opry performances reached far and wide. He played and/or wrote many great breakdowns and also wonderful rags and hillbilly blues tunes, many of which have become standards. Because of the smoothness and bluesy feel of his fiddling, he is sometimes called the father of bluegrass fiddling. Besides learning Arthur Smith’s own versions, we may delve into some interpretations of Arthur Smith tunes by fiddlers like Otis Burris, Buddy Pendleton, John Ashby, etc.
Class meets twice weekly on Zoom for half-hour lessons, at 5:30 pm Pacific Time (8:30 pm East Coast time). For our last meeting, we’ll meet for a full hour for review/jam session, in which we’ll be joined by Eric Thompson on guitar. Tuition for the 4 week session (8 class meetings including the jam) is $150 - payable either via check (preferred) or PayPal.
Class size is limited to 15 people (that is the maximum that will fit on my laptop screen at one time). All material will be taught by ear, no written music. Geared towards intermediate-advanced players, this class offers a chance not only to learn some wonderful new repertoire (or to dig deeper into Arthur Smith tunes that you may already know) but also to build up your ear-training skills.
Source material will be provided in advance; we’ll stick closely to the source, including learning the bowings and some of the variations used on the original recordings. All learning will be done by ear, no written music. After each lesson, I’ll make a short video going through the tune once at a slow tempo, and then once at a more lively tempo. Source material, short videos and a video of the full class (useful if you have to miss a class) will be in a Drop Box folder, available for download to participants.
For Feb. the dates will be:
FEb. 1, Feb. 3, FEb. 8, FEb. 10 (review), Feb. 15, Feb. 17, Feb 22, Feb. 24 (review and jam)
For more info, questions, or to sign up, send an email: suzy@ericandsuzy.com
Here is what participants have to say about Suzy's online half-hour fiddle classes:
"Playing regularly and with instruction has certainly improved my playing and I’ve been able to get a number of tunes under my fingers at a decent speed.”
"Thanks again for doing this, it has been such a positive constant during this shelter in place time. It has really helped to have something challenging to focus on. And its a nice little community of fiddlers, albeit virtual.”
“Your class has been manna from heaven. It restored my spirit and soul when I was just about paralyzed with anguish and frustration at the (partially avoidable!) tragedy our world began to experience this past spring. Fiddling along with you has been a deep pleasure, education, and respite from the world's turmoil.”
“These classes have both helped me learn tunes, improved my ability to follow by ear, improved my bowing. The social aspect has also been very helpful.”
"I’m so glad you are inspired to continue teaching next year. It has been an important part of coping for me during this crazy year. It also has helped me improve on the fiddle!!!”
"Thanks so much for doing this. This year has been so challenging for me and my family, and your class has become a bright spot in my week. I also realize that this class has been an opportunity for learning that otherwise would not have happened, so there’s a silver lining to this pandemic.”
" I’ve learned a lot in your class and want to continue the learning."
"I am filled with appreciation for the structure and inspiration that your fiddle classes have offered during these times of isolation."
Class meets twice weekly on Zoom for half-hour lessons, at 5:30 pm Pacific Time (8:30 pm East Coast time). For our last meeting, we’ll meet for a full hour for review/jam session, in which we’ll be joined by Eric Thompson on guitar. Tuition for the 4 week session (8 class meetings including the jam) is $150 - payable either via check (preferred) or PayPal.
Class size is limited to 15 people (that is the maximum that will fit on my laptop screen at one time). All material will be taught by ear, no written music. Geared towards intermediate-advanced players, this class offers a chance not only to learn some wonderful new repertoire (or to dig deeper into Arthur Smith tunes that you may already know) but also to build up your ear-training skills.
Source material will be provided in advance; we’ll stick closely to the source, including learning the bowings and some of the variations used on the original recordings. All learning will be done by ear, no written music. After each lesson, I’ll make a short video going through the tune once at a slow tempo, and then once at a more lively tempo. Source material, short videos and a video of the full class (useful if you have to miss a class) will be in a Drop Box folder, available for download to participants.
For Feb. the dates will be:
FEb. 1, Feb. 3, FEb. 8, FEb. 10 (review), Feb. 15, Feb. 17, Feb 22, Feb. 24 (review and jam)
For more info, questions, or to sign up, send an email: suzy@ericandsuzy.com
Here is what participants have to say about Suzy's online half-hour fiddle classes:
"Playing regularly and with instruction has certainly improved my playing and I’ve been able to get a number of tunes under my fingers at a decent speed.”
"Thanks again for doing this, it has been such a positive constant during this shelter in place time. It has really helped to have something challenging to focus on. And its a nice little community of fiddlers, albeit virtual.”
“Your class has been manna from heaven. It restored my spirit and soul when I was just about paralyzed with anguish and frustration at the (partially avoidable!) tragedy our world began to experience this past spring. Fiddling along with you has been a deep pleasure, education, and respite from the world's turmoil.”
“These classes have both helped me learn tunes, improved my ability to follow by ear, improved my bowing. The social aspect has also been very helpful.”
"I’m so glad you are inspired to continue teaching next year. It has been an important part of coping for me during this crazy year. It also has helped me improve on the fiddle!!!”
"Thanks so much for doing this. This year has been so challenging for me and my family, and your class has become a bright spot in my week. I also realize that this class has been an opportunity for learning that otherwise would not have happened, so there’s a silver lining to this pandemic.”
" I’ve learned a lot in your class and want to continue the learning."
"I am filled with appreciation for the structure and inspiration that your fiddle classes have offered during these times of isolation."
CORONAVIRUS update:
Our in-person classes and lessons are cancelled, but if you are interested in lessons on Zoom, please send us an email! Eric is available for guitar and mandolin lessons; Suzy teaches fiddle. In addition, Suzy is teaching an ongoing Fiddles At Four class on Zoom, at 4 pm Pacific time, on Mon, Wed. and Fri. It's a half-hour long. On Monday and Wednesday, she teaches a new tune on Mon and Weds (usually a simpler, though not necessarily easier, tune on Monday and a more elaborate tune on Wednesday) and Friday is a jam. Email Suzy if you are interested and she'll send you the link.
About Suzy's String Band Blues Workshop:
We’ll learn and arrange vocal songs and a few instrumentals, with the repertoire drawn from the jug band, black country blues and hillbilly blues artists of the 1920’s and 1930s, like the Memphis Jug Band, the Mississippi Sheiks, Bessie Smith, East Texas Serenaders, and lesser known (but equally wonderful) artists. We work directly from the source material, (provided in advance, along with lyric sheets.) Suzy chooses the material based on the instruments in the class, and will consider all requests, either for specific songs or artists. This music is a lot of fun to play as a group, and there’s almost no limit to the number of musicians that can play it together!
Any instrument is welcome - guitar, fiddle, ukulele, mandolin, bass, harmonica, etc. at an intermediate-ish level. You should have some facility on your instrument - be able to change chords easily (if you play a chord instrument) and be open to learning by ear. Advanced beginners who are game to try something new, or want to explore the world of blues and rags on the fiddle or mandolin, are also welcome. Suzy will adapt the material according to the levels of the players. We do a lot of singing so if you don’t play an instrument but want to join the class, bring your kazoo!
Summer 2020 - CAMPS
All of the camps that one or the other (or both) of us were going to be teaching at are CANCELLED due to Coronavirus. The good news is that in 2021, we will be at all of those camps, which include Kamp Kaufman, Montana Fiddle Camp, Fiddlekids, Voice Works, Festival of American Fiddle Tunes, Port Townsend Acoustic Blues Week and Puget Sound Guitar Workshop.
Our in-person classes and lessons are cancelled, but if you are interested in lessons on Zoom, please send us an email! Eric is available for guitar and mandolin lessons; Suzy teaches fiddle. In addition, Suzy is teaching an ongoing Fiddles At Four class on Zoom, at 4 pm Pacific time, on Mon, Wed. and Fri. It's a half-hour long. On Monday and Wednesday, she teaches a new tune on Mon and Weds (usually a simpler, though not necessarily easier, tune on Monday and a more elaborate tune on Wednesday) and Friday is a jam. Email Suzy if you are interested and she'll send you the link.
About Suzy's String Band Blues Workshop:
We’ll learn and arrange vocal songs and a few instrumentals, with the repertoire drawn from the jug band, black country blues and hillbilly blues artists of the 1920’s and 1930s, like the Memphis Jug Band, the Mississippi Sheiks, Bessie Smith, East Texas Serenaders, and lesser known (but equally wonderful) artists. We work directly from the source material, (provided in advance, along with lyric sheets.) Suzy chooses the material based on the instruments in the class, and will consider all requests, either for specific songs or artists. This music is a lot of fun to play as a group, and there’s almost no limit to the number of musicians that can play it together!
Any instrument is welcome - guitar, fiddle, ukulele, mandolin, bass, harmonica, etc. at an intermediate-ish level. You should have some facility on your instrument - be able to change chords easily (if you play a chord instrument) and be open to learning by ear. Advanced beginners who are game to try something new, or want to explore the world of blues and rags on the fiddle or mandolin, are also welcome. Suzy will adapt the material according to the levels of the players. We do a lot of singing so if you don’t play an instrument but want to join the class, bring your kazoo!
Summer 2020 - CAMPS
All of the camps that one or the other (or both) of us were going to be teaching at are CANCELLED due to Coronavirus. The good news is that in 2021, we will be at all of those camps, which include Kamp Kaufman, Montana Fiddle Camp, Fiddlekids, Voice Works, Festival of American Fiddle Tunes, Port Townsend Acoustic Blues Week and Puget Sound Guitar Workshop.