# Venting!



## Gilliangirl (Feb 26, 2006)

Well, the bluegrass class I signed up for has been cancelled due to lack of enrollment. They need 8 people to run the class; I'm the only one who signed up. This is the 4th class that Chinook Learning Services has cancelled on me due to lack of enrollment. I don't get it?? This is Calgary, population over 1 million, country-lovin' Calgary. What is up with that? I'm so mad.


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## Ripper (Jul 1, 2006)

Wow, sorry to hear about that, it really sucks. It's funny how sometimes its hard to get people to enroll in these things, but for what's it is worth, it happens here too. Good luck in finding what you're looking for and don't let it get you down


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## Gilliangirl (Feb 26, 2006)

Thank you for the sympathy, Ripper. It's frustrating when I want to better my skills and I can't because of stuff like this.


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## Ripper (Jul 1, 2006)

Understandable. Have you checked into whether there are any bluegrass jam/session groups around? Out here they get together once a week and anyone can play or just watch, it's a good way to help pick up some new tricks and licks


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## Gilliangirl (Feb 26, 2006)

I did actually. Last week I went to the Foothills Bluegrass Society get-together here in Calgary. I found it on the 'net. 

http://www.foothillsbluegrass.com/

Everyone was very nice so maybe I can weasel my way in to that group LOL It was a bit weird tho' as there appeared to be two groups going on. The really advanced types took off to a room by themselves and shut the door. Not very neighbourly. There was a friendlier group in the main hall that I hope I can join (if they're open to it)

I just find it so weird that Calgary is so big yet there's so little available in terms of musical resources.


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

Who knows---although bluegrass isn't my thing, if I ever get a mandolin, maybe I'd take something like that to see what I could learn. I probably wouldn't--but you never know.


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## Ripper (Jul 1, 2006)

It is wierd how that works isn't it. Sometimes too some of these groups get a little on the snobbish side about things too which takes some of the fun out of it.


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## torndownunit (May 14, 2006)

Maybe they just aren't advertising the class well enough? It can't be that hard to find a class of 8 people. Someone could likely do it here, never mind an area with a population that big.


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## I_cant_play (Jun 26, 2006)

Have you considered taking private lessons? It's a lot more expensive but if the teacher is good he'll tailor the lesson plan to your needs and if you actually practice the stuff at home it can make the expense worthwhile. I'm sure you can find someone that has some experience teaching bluegrass in Calgary.


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## Gilliangirl (Feb 26, 2006)

torndownunit said:


> Maybe they just aren't advertising the class well enough? It can't be that hard to find a class of 8 people. Someone could likely do it here, never mind an area with a population that big.


I think you're right. They've got skinny little catalogues that sit in flyer bins outside the supermarkets, along with all the other real estate news, etc. People just basically ignore them. It's a shame really.


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## Gilliangirl (Feb 26, 2006)

I_cant_play said:


> Have you considered taking private lessons? It's a lot more expensive but if the teacher is good he'll tailor the lesson plan to your needs and if you actually practice the stuff at home it can make the expense worthwhile. I'm sure you can find someone that has some experience teaching bluegrass in Calgary.


Yeah, I guess I'll have to but lessons are sooooo expensive. These classes were $189.00 for eight 2-hour classes. Private lessons are probably going to run me $60.00 an hour. I'm pretty good about practicing, altho' I tend to wander into just playing old songs that I know so I have to keep myself focused. LOL


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

Gilliangirl said:


> Yeah, I guess I'll have to but lessons are sooooo expensive. These classes were $189.00 for eight 2-hour classes. Private lessons are probably going to run me $60.00 an hour. I'm pretty good about practicing, altho' I tend to wander into just playing old songs that I know so I have to keep myself focused. LOL


I can't vouch for them as teachers, but while I was checking out the store last time they also had lessons going on, and they do teach mandolin lessons--and a customer came in to see if a new special shipment of mandolins had come in--and where there's mandolins, there's often bluegrass.

Might be worth a look--and they may also know about bluegrass classes elsewhere. They seemed open to suggesting other places for some things.

Not much info on the website--but here it is

Again--it may not be helpful or good, but maybe worth a phone call.


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## Gilliangirl (Feb 26, 2006)

zontar said:


> I can't vouch for them as teachers, but while I was checking out the store last time they also had lessons going on, and they do teach mandolin lessons--and a customer came in to see if a new special shipment of mandolins had come in--and where there's mandolins, there's often bluegrass.
> 
> Might be worth a look--and they may also know about bluegrass classes elsewhere. They seemed open to suggesting other places for some things.
> 
> ...


Vintage Music? I know that guy.... have stopped in his shop a few times. He had this old Stella in there awhile back that I really wish I'd bought. Anyway, he's not far from me so I'll check him out. Thank you Zontar!


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## peter benn (Mar 29, 2007)

Another idea might be to find a tiny bar (no P.A.) and offer to host a weekend afternoon bluegrass jam, maybe even just sitting around a table, playing unplugged and unmiked.

It would be hard for a bar owner to object to something like that, and the listing for your bluegrass event might bring in some new people.


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## I_cant_play (Jun 26, 2006)

Gilliangirl said:


> Yeah, I guess I'll have to but lessons are sooooo expensive. These classes were $189.00 for eight 2-hour classes. Private lessons are probably going to run me $60.00 an hour. I'm pretty good about practicing, altho' I tend to wander into just playing old songs that I know so I have to keep myself focused. LOL


The group lessons are definitely a better deal when you just start. However, they'll only take you so far skill-wise because eventually at the higher levels there's too many people of varying skill levels which tends to slow down everyone's progress because the teacher can't be everywhere at the same time. That's why the teachers I've talked to said there are only group lessons for level 1 and 2 or something like that. 

Also, I had an excellent guitar teacher that charged $19 for a half hour lesson. I'm of the opinion that a good teacher with a good lesson plan should not need more than half hour to do his thing. I remember once having a one hour lesson with him because I had missed a lesson the previous week and I was exhausted after about 45 minutes. What I was getting at with the practicing was that if you can actually learn (maybe not perfectly..) most of the material a private teacher gives you each week, it can actually end up cheaper than group lessons because you improve so much faster and don't have to wait for other people who don't practice as much. 

I recently had an experience with a flamenco teacher (it's what I'm into currently) and I thought I would first take the 2 levels of group classes with him and then move onto private lessons. Well, as it turns out, I was one of the few people in the class that had even played guitar before so while he was going around showing people how to pluck a string and how to play basic chords I was twiddling my thumbs. At the end of the two classes I realized that he could have taught me the same material in about 3-4 private lessons instead of 16 one hour lessons. That would have saved me money and about 3-4 months. 

Anyway, I'm just saying, if you decide to go the private lesson route, make sure you milk every lesson for what it's worth. I would often overhear the previous student with my old teacher play while I was waiting and sometimes she would spend months on one song (a very basic song). I could tell she didn't even touch the guitar at home. For her, that was a waste of a looooot of money. But if you actually learn the stuff...

sorry about the long windedness :smile:


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## RIFF WRATH (Jan 22, 2007)

Gillian...I wonder if the poor response is due to the extreme weather???...I know the weather affects my activity to some degree in the winter...the hibernation thing...I would maybe check and see when they propose to offer again???
as optomistic as ever
RIFF


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## shoretyus (Jan 6, 2007)

Gilliangirl. My suggestion until you find a teacher is to buy/steal/rent a copy of Will the Circle be unbroken by Nitty Gritty dirt band and start following along. Learn you alternate picking in several keys. Get a book and learn some fiddle tunes. 

Basically woodshed till it hurts. Then when you do find a jam you will be a bit prepared. Of course following a fiddler can be hard. But just playing the bassline with alternate picking covers a lot of angles. Most of the basic guitar in bluegrass is just that. 

here is a link 
http://www.flatpick.com/blues/blueslicks.htm


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## Gilliangirl (Feb 26, 2006)

peter benn said:


> Another idea might be to find a tiny bar (no P.A.) and offer to host a weekend afternoon bluegrass jam, maybe even just sitting around a table, playing unplugged and unmiked.
> 
> It would be hard for a bar owner to object to something like that, and the listing for your bluegrass event might bring in some new people.


!! That's a spectacular idea!! Hmmmm........ (puts thinking cap on)

Thanks Peter Benn :smile:


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## Gilliangirl (Feb 26, 2006)

I_cant_play said:


> That's why the teachers I've talked to said there are only group lessons for level 1 and 2 or something like that.


I always wondered why there were no advanced group lessons. Makes sense.

I did hire a teacher a long time ago but we ended up talking for the whole half-hour and I didn't learn a darn thing, other than why his girlfriend broke up with him in high school! LOL They say good teachers are hard to come by. I think that's probably true.

I took one group lesson about 2 and a half years ago to get me back in touch with other guitar players in Calgary, but the teacher ended up spending all his time dealing with the few who did not practice from week to week, while us keeners got ignored. It was so frustrating to have to wait while the teacher showed someone how to play an Am chord, in a level 2 guitar class!


> sorry about the long windedness


Don't apologize.... I appreciate the response. Thanks I can't play :smile:


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## Gilliangirl (Feb 26, 2006)

RIFF WRATH said:


> Gillian...I wonder if the poor response is due to the extreme weather???...I know the weather affects my activity to some degree in the winter...the hibernation thing...I would maybe check and see when they propose to offer again???
> as optomistic as ever
> RIFF


It's funny because I asked them why they don't offer classes in the summer. The response? 'We don't usually get a big enough turn-out.'


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## Gilliangirl (Feb 26, 2006)

shoretyus said:


> Gilliangirl. My suggestion until you find a teacher is to buy/steal/rent a copy of Will the Circle be unbroken by Nitty Gritty dirt band and start following along. Learn you alternate picking in several keys. Get a book and learn some fiddle tunes.
> 
> Basically woodshed till it hurts. Then when you do find a jam you will be a bit prepared. Of course following a fiddler can be hard. But just playing the bassline with alternate picking covers a lot of angles. Most of the basic guitar in bluegrass is just that.
> 
> ...


Thanks Shortyus, the NGDB cd is a good idea. I can already do alternate picking in different keys, travis pick, clawhammer, etc. But it would be good to play along with some stuff! Thank you for the link :banana:


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## I_cant_play (Jun 26, 2006)

Gilliangirl said:


> I always wondered why there were no advanced group lessons. Makes sense.
> 
> I did hire a teacher a long time ago but we ended up talking for the whole half-hour and I didn't learn a darn thing, other than why his girlfriend broke up with him in high school! LOL They say good teachers are hard to come by. I think that's probably true.
> 
> ...


I'd bite the bullet and just take ONE lesson with every teacher I could find until I found a good one. I know they charge less per lesson if you sign up for a month but still...I realize I got really really lucky with my first teacher cause the 2 I've had since don't come close.


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## shoretyus (Jan 6, 2007)

Gilliangirl said:


> I can already do alternate picking in different keys, travis pick, clawhammer, etc. But it would be good to play along with some stuff! Thank you for the link :banana:


Ah aren't you supposed to clawhammer a banjo?


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## Gilliangirl (Feb 26, 2006)

shoretyus said:


> Ah aren't you supposed to clawhammer a banjo?


Sorry, I was thinking blockpick and typing clawhammer. We've called it clawhammer but I know it's mostly referred to in banjo. It's where you pick the bass string and then the three treble strings at the same time with index, middle, and ring fingers. Whatever it's called, I can do that LOL I don't have a clue how to play banjo!


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## lolligagger (Feb 4, 2006)

Hey gg,

I'm sorry and a little surprised to hear about your experience at the bluegrass jam...most grassers are known to be friendly. I have found a few sub-clicks at the Edmonton jam sessions, but I don't pay them no never mind. 

In Edmonton, we have a different format which might help create a more inviting atmosphere. Slowpitch starts in the upstairs of a community hall, and after an hour or so the folks who are just starting out (or want to continue to play slow pitch for that matter) head down stairs to the basement. The more advance players remain upstairs and literally anyone can join them, although sometimes they kick it up a notch or to possibly with the intent of weeding out the newbies who just picked up an instrument the week before. 

The musical library alone is worth the price of membership as it includes CD's, instructional DVDs, fake books, instructional method books...oh yeah, there is also a 10% discount at a couple of different music stores in town and discount price concert tickets. Besides all that they have bar-b-ques, pot luck dinners, open stages, band scrambles and festive dinners such as christmas.

Overall, I think this music society does a great job of encouraging people to participate in a live music playing setting, and expand their love for playing bluegrass music. 

Admittedly, I felt a little awkward the first time I showed up, but like anything else you will become more comfortable once you learn the tribal customs...I say give the bluegrass circle another chance. Just my $0.02 for your consideration. Here is a link to the Edmonton club.

http://www.bluegrassnorth.com/home.html


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## Gilliangirl (Feb 26, 2006)

lolligagger said:


> Hey gg,
> 
> I'm sorry and a little surprised to hear about your experience at the bluegrass jam...most grassers are known to be friendly. I have found a few sub-clicks at the Edmonton jam sessions, but I don't pay them no never mind.
> 
> ...


Hi Lolli! Thanks for the link! Funny you should mention the Slo-pitch thing. I just found out that we have something similar in Calgary. Apparently it's held at the Good Companion Hall (for you Calgarians who are reading this) and the beginners start in the basement and the advanced are upstairs (or something along those lines). It's held on Wednesday nights starting at 7 pm. If the roads weren't so cruddy (blizzard this morning) I would head over there tonight but I think I might wait a week. I did tell the other place that I'd come back so I will try them again. The Slo-pitch guys have a fiddle player, mando player, and a resonator player, as well as a few guitar players, so they're well-stocked. Glad to hear you're enjoying it so much up there! I'll let you know how it goes down here :smile:


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