Music Workshop Overview

Thank you so much for coming out today, everyone. I really appreciate you spending your precious three hours with us this afternoon.

Workshop Goals

Before we start, I'd like to outline what we'll be covering in this workshop today:

• Common Blues Styles: We'll look at various styles that are often found in blues.

• Different Grooves: We'll discuss different grooves and ways of playing on those grooves.

• Musicianship and Interaction: This includes playing as a group and interacting with other musicians on stage.

• Using Your Ears: One of the most important skills for any musician.

Instrument Check

To tailor our session, let's find out which instruments you all play:

• Guitar Players: Put your hands up. (Loads of guitar players.)
• Piano Players: Any piano players? (A couple of piano players.)
• Drummers: Who plays drums? (Great, a few drummers.)
• Bass Players: Any bass players in the house? (No.)
• Other Instruments:
  • Harp: Great!
  • Any others? (Cool.)

It's beneficial to know about as many instruments as possible, as understanding the roles of different instruments can really influence your own playing.

Workshop Structure

In the first half of the workshop, we'll focus on some grooves and other aspects of playing the blues.

Understanding the Blues

The blues is often misunderstood as a singular style, but it is, in fact, a vastly varied form that evolved from the southern states of America. It encompasses:

• Various shades, styles, and grooves.
• A complexity that makes it impossible to cover everything in one session.

Our goal is to open the door for you to explore further.

Instructor Introductions

Let me introduce myself and my fellow instructors:

Paddy Milner

• Instrument: Piano and keyboards.
• Experience: Blues has always been central to my musical journey. Most recently, I've been on tour with Tom Jones and had the fortune of playing with legends like Jack Bruce and Johnny Johnson.

Marcus Von Vassy

• Instrument: Guitar and vocals.
• Experience: Like Paddy, blues was the first genre that captured my attention as a guitarist. I play with a band called Ten Years After and have had the opportunity to learn from my musical heroes.

Jay Darwish

• Instrument: Double bass and electric bass.
• Journey: My entry into blues was through jazz, studying contemporary music, and meeting musicians like Marcus and Paddy who helped me appreciate blues's role in jazz.

Pat Lovett

• Instrument: Drums.
• Experience: I started with blues and later explored jazz and New Orleans music. Understanding blues connects you to virtually everything in music, and it's about intention rather than just playing patterns.

Core Principles of Blues

• Less is More: We will discuss how to convey the essence of the music without overplaying.

• Playing in a Group: It's not just about individual skill; it's about how you interact and support other musicians on stage.

Final Thoughts

There are many resources for learning how to play instruments, but not as many for how to perform effectively within a group. We hope to help you with skills and listening techniques that will enhance your stage presence and performance.

Let's dive in and get started!