ASBF 2014 Workshops
Return to ASBF 2014
ALL WORKSHOPS will be on Saturday October 18th, 2014
11am - 12:15pm
A. Lloyd Wright, Old Time Dulcimer in Alternate Tunings
B. Silas Lowe: Songwriting Workshop
C. Phil Jamison, Flatfoot Dancing
D. Paul Brown: Three Strands of Appalachian Fiddle
E. Marshall Wilborn: The Bass in Bluegrass
F. Alan Munde and Dennis McDaniel: Fiddle Tunes for the Banjo and Mandolin
G. Terri McMurray: Space & Time on the Banjo
12:30 – 1:45 pm
A. Tim Keough: Fingerstyle and Clawhammer Ukulele
B. Mike Besinaiz and Robin Howell: Cajun Twin Fiddling
C. J.T. Harechmak, Lloyd & April Wright: Shape-Note Singing
D. John Schwab: Old-Time Backup Guitar
E. Son Armado: Introduction to the Son Jarocho Fandango
F. Alfalfa Brothers Sometimes Annual World Tour Talkabout
G. Dan Foster & Will Webster: Going to the Source: The Music of Narmour & Smith
2014 WORKSHOP DESCRIPTIONS
11:00 am – 12:15 pm
A. Lloyd Wright, Old Time Dulcimer in Alternate Tunings
We will explore fiddle tunes, in several keys, on the dulcimer using alternate tunings instead of a capo.
B. Silas Lowe: Songwriting Workshop
How to write a song. Unlocking the inner songwriter in you to become the outer songwriter of you. It's not as hard as you thought. Techniques for consistent output. Tricks for effective thru lines. Results may vary.
C. Phil Jamison, Flatfoot Dancing
Flatfooting is a traditional style of step dancing from Appalachia that involves percussive footwork. In this workshop, for dancers of all levels, we will focus on the traditional flatfooting steps and styles of western North Carolina. No prior experience is required, but wear smooth-soled shoes (preferably leather) and no taps please.
D. Paul Brown: Three Strands of Appalachian Fiddle
This hands-on workshop will give you context for many of the old time fiddle tunes you play. If you don't play, it will be fascinating nevertheless, drawing interesting strands of connection and understanding. It acquaints participants with the Celtic-derived old southern Virginia mountain style of fiddling (epitomized by players including Crockett Ward, Emmett Lundy, Luther Davis, Parley Parsons and Charlie Higgins); the more bluesy, African-American-inflected Round Peak styles (as played by fiddlers including Ben & Tommy Jarrell, Fred Cockerham, Earnest East and others); and the more modern styles reflecting both the old techniques and repertoires combined with the influences of Arthur Smith and other performance-oriented fiddlers. (Fiddlers in this group include Benton Flippen, Robert Sykes, Earnest East, Fred Cockerham, Joe Greene, and Benny Jarrell.) This is a rare chance to hear the styles performed by someone who knew and played with many of the main proponents, and try them yourself.
E. Marshall Wilborn: The Bass in Bluegrass
We'll discuss timing, the metronome, strings and setup, right and left hand technique, slap, and any other issues people want to address.
F. Alan Munde and Dennis McDaniel: Fiddle Tunes for the Banjo and Mandolin
You don't have to be a fiddle player to play fiddle tunes. Come join Alan Munde (banjo), Dennis McDaniel (mandolin) and Jimmy Reina (guitar) and learn how to play a few classic fiddle tunes on other instruments. You might be surprised who comes to sit in on this workshop.
G. Terri McMurray: Space & Time on the Banjo
Though I am a physics teacher, we are talking about timing and attack here. Some of my favorite tunes have very few notes and a tremendous amount of drive. We’ll look at a couple of these tunes and focus on when not to play notes as well as when to let them ring. The music will be largely inspired by the playing of Tommy Jarrell and Kyle Creed.
12:30 – 1:45 pm
A. Tim Keough: Fingerstyle and Clawhammer Ukulele
Learn to spice up songs and take your playing to the next level with basic fingerstyle and clawhammer techniques for ukulele. Tim is the founder of ukulelesecrets.org and the ukuleletim channel on YouTube.
B. Mike Besinaiz and Robin Howell: Cajun Twin Fiddling
Twin fiddling traditions represent the music in its purest form, one playing the melody while the other provided the séconde, or back-up part, as it was brought to Louisiana with the early immigrants. We will be teaching the fundamentals and technique of cajun fiddling with a two-step, We are going to do Choupique two-step!
C. J.T. Harechmak, Lloyd & April Wright: Shape-Note Singing
A workshop on the tradition of shape-note singing. Developed during the time of the American Colonies, shape note singing was a way to teach people to not just sight read notes but to sing in multi-part harmony. Local Sacred Harp singers will show you how it relates to the longstanding tradition of Sacred Harp singing, once very popular throughout the South, and how it influenced gospel music of the early 20th century. Come learn the shapes -- no singing experience necessary!
D. John Schwab: Old-Time Backup Guitar
This workshop will cover topics from Chapters 1 & 3 of my book (“Old-Time Backup Guitar: Learn From the Masters”), and I'll be teaching at least 4 different styles of backing up straightforward tunes in the key of G (or A). We'll cover approaches used by Hub Mahaffey, Luches Kessinger, Asa Martin, Ernest V. Stoneman, and maybe others. This "G-tune toolbox" is loads of fun and really useful, too!
E. Son Armado: Introduction to the Son Jarocho Fandango
An introduction to the musical elements and history of the Son Jarocho Fandango, a folk tradition from Veracruz. Son Jarocho is a popular education-based art form centered around community gatherings and celebrations known as Fandangos. The Fandango involves music, dance, and poetry in the context of a communally created and shared space, with the Tarima (a wooden dance platform) as the gathering point. Participants will learn the dance, or Zapateado, to two sones jarochos "La Guacamaya" and "El Colas". Participants will also learn some of the basic techniques of the jarana Veracruzana, the rhythm string instrument of son jarocho.
F. Alfalfa Brothers Sometimes Annual World Tour Talkabout
Hang out for a fun time under the oak trees and listen to a bunch of geezers talk about how great the Austin bluegrass scene was in the late 70's and early 80s; if y'all behave and act respectful they might even pick a tune or two.
G. Dan Foster & Will Webster: Going to the Source:The Music of Narmour & Smith
There's more to the folk process than meets the eye. And there is nothing wrong with gaining knowledge across space and time through the wonders of technology beyond the 78rpm disk. Take a tune you've known for years and spend a little time listening and learning from one of the musicians it came from years ago. You might be surprised at what you discover. Will and Dan plan to spend a little time on the subject, looking at some tunes by Narmour & Smith from the perspective of the fiddler and guitar player. They'll be digging in to tunes like Carroll County Blues and the Dry Gin Rag for buried treasure.
Workshop Areas:
(A) Acorn Hill
(B) Water Tank
(C) Pavilion
(D) Dying Oak
(E) Prison Yard
(F) Shady Grove
(G) Two Trees