Bienvenido
Lesson time: (2min 52sec)
Tom Bekeny presenta su curso de mandolina bluegrass para principiantes y sus consejos para quienes empiezan: educa el oído, busca un músico al que imitar y toca en jam con otros.
Course preview
This lesson is part of the course Mandolina para principiantes con Tom Bekeny
Watch a preview of the full course below.
Lesson transcript:
Introduction to Beginning Bluegrass Mandolin
Hi, my name is Tom Beckeny, and I'm here on behalf of Music Star Productions to talk to you about beginning bluegrass mandolin.
It's nice to be here, and I want to share a little bit about myself. I've been playing bluegrass for a long time now, since the mid-70s. I've been involved in touring, recording, performing, and playing bluegrass; it's been something I've truly enjoyed.
Four Key Takeaways for Aspiring Mandolin Players
Before we dive into playing the mandolin, there are a few important points I want you to keep in mind, especially for those of you who are looking to get more involved.
1. Develop Your Ear
- Listen Actively: One of the things I've noticed with many students is that they become overly dependent on written music, whether it's standard notation or tablature.
- Slow It Down: When I was learning, I would slow down vinyl records to half speed and lower the pitch by an octave. This gave me the opportunity to learn what the performer was doing. Nowadays, there are plenty of digital gadgets that can help you achieve this.
2. Find a Player to Emulate
- Identify Your Inspiration: It's crucial to find a player whose style excites you and interests you.
- Internalize Their Sound: Try to imprint that style in your mind and get that sound resonating within you.
3. Study Bluegrass History
A friend of mine once said it's vital to do your art history. Bluegrass has been around as a music form for just over 60 years.
- Listen to the Legends: Go back and listen to the first-generation players, like Bill Monroe, the originator of this music. This foundation will significantly enrich your playing.
4. Play with Friends
- Join Jam Sessions: Playing with others helps you develop your musicianship, timing, and understanding of how your instrument fits in with other instruments.
- Learn from Experienced Players: Whenever possible, play with people who are more experienced than you. This can provide a significant boost to your playing.
Embrace these principles, and you're sure to enhance your mandolin skills and enjoy your musical journey!
About the instructor
Tom Bekeny es mandolinista, violinista de fiddle y experimentado profesor de mandolina que ha actuado y enseñado en Estados Unidos y en el extranjero durante más de 40 años, así que cuando desglosa cómo tocar, estás aprendiendo de alguien que ha pasado toda una vida tanto sobre el escenario como en el aula. Fue el mandolinista de bandas de la zona de la bahía de San Francisco como Done Gone, Tenbrooks y una versión temprana de la Grant Street String Band con Laurie Lewis. Ha aparecido con Peter Rowan, los Rowan Brothers, David Grisman, George Cole, la vocalista Lua Hadar y Jerry Garcia. Tom ha tocado la mandolina con la muy aclamada Kathy Kallick Band durante casi 20 años y ha ocupado el puesto de fiddle en High Country, la banda de bluegrass tradicional por excelencia de California, desde 1988. Ha grabado con muchos de estos grupos y apareció en el número de verano de 2009 de Mandolin Magazine. Tom también toca en la enormemente popular banda de "jam" de bluegrass tradicional Bangers and Grass, junto a luminarias del bluegrass de la Costa Oeste como Jim Nunally, Steve Pottier, Bill Evans y Chad Manning. Más allá del bluegrass, Tom toca mandolina de jazz con su trío The Missing Man Quartet (MM4), que interpreta jazz directo con arreglos originales que toman material del mundo del jazz y de los estándares del Great American Songbook. En 2013 publicó un proyecto de CD en solitario ("Jazzolin"), en el que toca la mandolina y el fiddle acompañado de batería y bajo. read more