~ Clawhammer Workshops with Adam Hurt ~
~ Flatpick Guitar Workshops with Adam Schlenker ~
~ Mandolin Workshops with Tristan Scroggins (Beginner and Int/Adv) ~

Scroll down to learn about each workshop series and to register.
To purchase previous blocks of workshops, click here.

Here's what Adam has to say about this upcoming class series...

By popular request: come learn some favorite tunes from my newer “Back to the Earth” album of gourd banjo music! This workshop series for intermediate to advanced clawhammer banjo players will cover the basic settings of Bowback, Biddy, Lily of the Valley, and Waiting for the Boatsman, with additional material to possibly be covered as there is time. Since not everyone owns a gourd banjo or similar low-tuned instrument, and since not all banjos of this type can be tuned the same way, I plan to teach the repertoire on a standard-tuned fretted banjo. After we finish learning each tune, I will demonstrate it on my low-tuned fretless gourd banjo, discuss considerations particular to such banjos, and invite questions about the material in a fretless or low-tuned context.

The classes will be taught completely by ear with clear demonstration by me and much repetition as a group. Tablature will be provided as a memory aid, but not until AFTER each class session has finished. Not used to learning by ear? Have no fear! I break tunes into manageable-length segments for clean rhythmic looping, isolating unique content. This approach enables us to focus on the material that truly matters and is the most challenging, while bypassing any sections of music that are recycled from elsewhere. We will move slowly and cover all important left- and right-hand behavior so that nothing is left to chance. Since videos from the Zoom sessions are made available to all participants, you can go back over anything that was out of reach when presented in real-time—again and again, without the pressure of having to “master” material by the time that each class session ends.

In order to get the most out of this workshop series, I recommend that all participants have a solid command of the fundamentals of the clawhammer style, including drop-thumbing, as we will not be reworking basic technique. We will be using multiple tunings over the course of our case-study repertoire, so facility with more than one tuning is imperative for all participants, as is a willingness to either capo at the second fret or tune the entire banjo up to the equivalent of capoing at the second fret for tunes played in the higher keys. Some familiarity with the gEADE “Sandy River Belle” tuning is helpful but not essential. Each class session will last for roughly 75 minutes, and participants will be muted for the entire period, the better for everyone to feel comfortable playing along with me and trying new things.

Click here to email Megan with Nashville Acoustic Camps for logistical questions about attending these awesome virtual workshops.
Click here to email Adam Hurt with clawhammer banjo and workshop content questions.

Time to Level Up - Flatpick Guitar Workshops
with Adam Schlenker
More workshops to come in the future, in the meantime, click here to purchase previous workshops
or to purchase other instructional materials (books and recordings) from Adam, click here.

Mandolin - Bluegrass Skill Builder Workshops
with Tristan Scroggins
More workshops to come in the future, in the meantime, click here to purchase previous workshops
or to purchase other instructional materials (books and recordings) from Tristan, click here.

All of us here at Nashville Acoustic Camps believe wholeheartedly in the value of the online guitar backup program Strum Machine. Megan, in her fiddle lessons/workshops and Adam in his flatpicking lessons and workshops, both recommend (oh, let's be honest, they pretty much require it) a subscription to Strum Machine. It is incredibly helpful for learning tunes, practicing improvisation, and just about everything you can think of when it comes to playing traditional music. Click here to learn more about the most popular and useful traditional music backup program there is on the whole planet.