Music Camp Reports?

willem
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Mon Aug 04, 2014 2:30 pm

jimcjimc wrote:
Not sure why I couldn't attach the file, but I tweeted it also:

A quick update on my recent camp experience.

I enjoyed the three classes I took for the week, with each class focusing on various right hand techniques:

1) A class called the daily groove where the teacher introduced lots of different strums, including pop strums, rock strums, reggae, soul, bo-diddley, hootenany strum, shuffle beats, etc, etc - This is what I will work most on over the next few months.
2) A basic fingerpicking class covering arpeggio and travis picking - lots of ideas for practice
3) A basic intro to flat-picking class - focused on holding the pick and up-down technique and learning songs like arkansas traveler and turkey in the straw by ear a measure at a time - listening to the note and finding it on the fretboard. This is something I had not really done before. I hope to continue to work on it - just not my highest priority at the moment

I did a duet at the student concert with a fellow student who played the banjo. This was something I had not done before and it was a good experience to perform on stage with another musician - you need to work out things like starting, stopping, breaks between verses for leads, and instrumentals. It went well. It was a comedy routine/musical performance around the old Loudon Wainwright song, "Dead Skunk in the Middle of the Road".

There was also a lot of opportunities around camp to join jams and music circles. I didn't really take enough advantage of these as I need to work on a lot of other things first, including having a repertoire of songs when it's your turn in the circle, being able to recognize chord changes without looking at other people's fingers, playing leads, just more confidence in my musical abilities, etc.
Great Jim, I think those camps are amazing,, thx for the foto, what a great memorie for Shel it is,, a great thing for the IGC too,, win a ,, mmm a something

Thx for sharing 'cos thats all I get out those camps.

Willem


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daryl
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Mon Aug 04, 2014 5:12 pm

Great picture of Michele. Thanks Jim! And those right-hand classes sound great! I'll bet you'll see a huge improvement in your right hand in no time. Thanks for the "report".


tombo1230
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Mon Aug 04, 2014 7:52 pm

Thanks for posting this Jim. Always good to know what fellow members are up to and great photo of Shell.

Tom N.


TGNesh
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Thu Aug 07, 2014 8:51 am

Many thanks for the report Jim! I, like Neil, am of course also very curious how things go at other camps. Personally I can't compare since I've never attended one, except for IGC.

Sounds like you had a fabulous time! Will you join for IGC 2014?

Thanks again Jim, also for the great pic, Shel must be a very happy and lucky woman! ;)

Ness

jimcjimc wrote:
Not sure why I couldn't attach the file, but I tweeted it also:

A quick update on my recent camp experience.

I enjoyed the three classes I took for the week, with each class focusing on various right hand techniques:

1) A class called the daily groove where the teacher introduced lots of different strums, including pop strums, rock strums, reggae, soul, bo-diddley, hootenany strum, shuffle beats, etc, etc - This is what I will work most on over the next few months.
2) A basic fingerpicking class covering arpeggio and travis picking - lots of ideas for practice
3) A basic intro to flat-picking class - focused on holding the pick and up-down technique and learning songs like arkansas traveler and turkey in the straw by ear a measure at a time - listening to the note and finding it on the fretboard. This is something I had not really done before. I hope to continue to work on it - just not my highest priority at the moment

I did a duet at the student concert with a fellow student who played the banjo. This was something I had not done before and it was a good experience to perform on stage with another musician - you need to work out things like starting, stopping, breaks between verses for leads, and instrumentals. It went well. It was a comedy routine/musical performance around the old Loudon Wainwright song, "Dead Skunk in the Middle of the Road".

There was also a lot of opportunities around camp to join jams and music circles. I didn't really take enough advantage of these as I need to work on a lot of other things first, including having a repertoire of songs when it's your turn in the circle, being able to recognize chord changes without looking at other people's fingers, playing leads, just more confidence in my musical abilities, etc.


michelew
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Fri Aug 08, 2014 12:02 am

Hi everyone,

I'm back home after an amazing trip to Seattle and Puget Sound. I'm seriously jet lagged so I hope I'm making sense.

Firstly, I consider myself to be extremely fortunate to have been able to attend the PSGW with a special group of TG friends. And yes I still can't believe I now own the most beautiful ukulele I've ever seen, yet alone played. Wayne Henderson is the sweetest and most down to earth person you're likely to meet and BOY can he make a uke. It's the lightest and most resonant uke I've played and sounds SO beautiful.

[i've been trying to post a close up photo of the uke. No luck]

The camp...well I won't repeat the information that Dennis and others have already posted about the PSGW. You can find those threads here along with a bunch of suggestion that could be considered for IGC too.

http://www.totallyguitars.com/forum/24- ... -camp.html

http://www.totallyguitars.com/forum/9-a ... =30#109666

The PSGW was magical. The camp has been running for more than forty years and it shows. Many people I spoke to returned year after year.

I doubt I'll be able to do it justice. But there are a number of things that it found especially good.

- choice of classes - if you go to the PSGW website and look at the brochure, you'll see the vast array of classes that were on offer. There were three structure class periods each day and ten options to choose from for each period. These catered to skills ranging from beginner to advanced and offered a huge range subjects. You can read those for yourself. What surprised me was that the classes catered to all learning styles and enabled you to learn by doing. We were able to apply the things being taught in class and I found myself playing for about 60-80% of the class. I took percussion, group singing and the daily groove course that Jim did. Each teacher provided a program which built on the previous day's material, but also enable you to drop in and do just one day or two if you happen to change classes part way through. While we were learning in groups, they also were able to focus in on issues that individuals were experiencing. The anecdotes were interesting and often funny.

- the amount of talent - to my knowledge all of the teachers were professional musicians/teachers; gigging, touring and/or recording artists. I was amazed at how many of the students (even in the classes I took) were also working and recording musicians. The amount of talent and creativity was mind bending.

- other activities - besides the classes the camp offered a huge amount of other musical and recreational activities. This included song circles, jams, extra workshops on everything from learning to play mandolin, to how to read music, to how to write up professional song charts. There were also staff and student concerts and a dance where you could also play in the band or sing a song. There were so many opportunities to play for and with others and to perform generally.

- the support was incredible. I was definitely one of the least skilled people at camp. But the amount of support and encouragement I received was more than I ever expected.

My mind is still processing the things I experienced and learned. But I know I'm taking the following away with me:

- more confidence to play in front of and with people, and a desire to find a way to do this more,
- foundation rhythms and grooves that I can continue to develop,
- a new motivation to generally improve and to learn some simple songs that I can keep in my head and
- connection to an amazing musical community and new friends.

- oh and a gorgeous ukulele made by an amazingly humble and awesome musician.

Neil, I'd suggest talking to the PSGW organisers and sending someone to attend a camp. I think Matt for example would get a lot out of it as both a student and a camp designer.

Yep, I'm a happy bunny. The trip was well worth it.

M


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daryl
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Fri Aug 08, 2014 4:48 am

Michele, You're report is wonderful and inspiring. I'd love to see that close-up of your new uke and would love to see a video of it. How about doing "Take Your Love With Me" again? I love that uke song. I've missed you around here.


TGNesh
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Fri Aug 08, 2014 5:35 am

Many many thanks Shel! I'm with Daryl, really appreciate the report!!

And yes, we need an upload with your brand new awesome uke! I'd say, go for 'Back To The Earth' ;)

A little envious here, would have loved to join you all. The camp sounds fantastic!

So you got any specific tips for me? (for sing/playalongs) :)

Nessa


willem
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Fri Aug 08, 2014 11:34 am

Thanks Michel for the story,, I will read it again to get a picture from the whole camp,, would love to see a video or some photos with friends or attenders,, you were brain dead you told me when you arrived back in Sidney so I think you got a lot of information maybe to much?

Willem


michelew
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Sat Aug 09, 2014 10:24 pm

Hi all,

Daryl, Nessa - you're welcome. GOSH I would have LOVED it if you had been there. I think you'd both enjoy it, even if you just went to the jams and concerts and had a chance to play with so many talented people. Nessa many of them were multi instrumentalists and in your league, in terms of skills and experience and just knowledge of music generally.

I haven't had success uploading photos. I'm about to go away for a couple of weeks, but I'll try to work something up and to record it when I'm back.

Willem - sorry. My filter must be off line.

Ness - regarding sing and play-alongs; There were about 140 something students at the camp and about....20 -30 staff ... Or more. I'm not sure how you'd replicate it for IGC since it is smaller, but here are some things to consider.

The PSGW catered for different skill levels. There were organised play-alongs:
- some very simple which focused on 3 or 4 open chord songs. The progression was called out and written on a whiteboard as were the chord shapes. The tempo was fairly slow.
- Some were more complex and there were chord charts on the wall so you could follow along.
- Others were much more impromptu and people learned by watching and replicating, played from memory, sheet music or common songbooks or just watched and waited for their turn to play something.

So Wiley's suggestion for a way to project charts on a wall that people can follow is a good one. I was surprised at how much fun I had by just playing along and singing.

More skilled players soloed or improvised other parts. That was a lot of fun to listen to.

One of the things I loved the most was just being immersed in music for a week. It didn't matter how much or how little you played. I imagine that IGC will be the same in that respect. I hope everyone who has a chance to go has a great time, as I imagine you all will.

Enjoy and play your hearts out.

Shel


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neverfoundthetime
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Sat Aug 09, 2014 11:34 pm

Hi Shel, great report! I can tell you had a blast. I met Pierre after camp so I heard from him too.
So happy for you and you new Yuke!
If you post a pic, just check the size, not sure where the limit is but I suggest keeping below 560k. The last pic I posted (me with Pierre) was 506K and worked ok.

Big smile for you from Canada!
Chris


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