Classes at Moab Folk Camp in 2017
Nina Gerber
Guitar
A Little Theory Won’t Hurt You - This class will be the "theory-lite" version of theory applied to the guitar. If you can count to seven, you can do it. We will learn some scales, which are the first step to simple licks to spice up your rhythm playing. We’ll also learn how chords are built, which will help you understand and create your own different voicings. When you have some chord theory in your toolbox, you’ll have a better idea of what chords to use in your songs. You’ll be amazed to see how a little knowledge can go a long way. By learning some simple theory vocabulary, you’ll find you can communicate more easily with other musicians, hopefully making playing music together more enjoyable.
Spicing Up Your Guitar Arrangements This workshop will help you expand your musical horizons. We’ll be looking at different arrangements for songs we already play. Bring your guitar and a song; it can be any song: a song you’ve written or something you’ve learned. We’ll look at different chord options. We’ll work with some alternative rhythmic ideas. We’ll explore a few different right hand techniques to spice up your playing.
Guitar
A Little Theory Won’t Hurt You - This class will be the "theory-lite" version of theory applied to the guitar. If you can count to seven, you can do it. We will learn some scales, which are the first step to simple licks to spice up your rhythm playing. We’ll also learn how chords are built, which will help you understand and create your own different voicings. When you have some chord theory in your toolbox, you’ll have a better idea of what chords to use in your songs. You’ll be amazed to see how a little knowledge can go a long way. By learning some simple theory vocabulary, you’ll find you can communicate more easily with other musicians, hopefully making playing music together more enjoyable.
Spicing Up Your Guitar Arrangements This workshop will help you expand your musical horizons. We’ll be looking at different arrangements for songs we already play. Bring your guitar and a song; it can be any song: a song you’ve written or something you’ve learned. We’ll look at different chord options. We’ll work with some alternative rhythmic ideas. We’ll explore a few different right hand techniques to spice up your playing.
Cara Luft
Sing Your Heart Out
In this vocal class we will learn how to capture the essence of a song with your voice in a group context and sing better lines while picking up some vocal techniques along the way . This will include harmony and vocal exercises.
School of Rock for Folkies
With voices and instruments working together in a group context, participants will acquire the “tools” necessary for bringing a song to life. Does that sound like fun or what!? Come prepared to rock out folk-style (i.e. taking rock songs and folkin’ them up!). If you sing (untrained more or less) and play an instrument (beyond the beginner stage), then this class is for you. Some of those “tools” mentioned will include: how to learn and arrange a song as a group, dynamics within a song, blending instruments, listening to each other, knowing when to play simply and when to step it up, how to play in support of the vocalist or soloist, and how to get out of the way and let the song speak. We will also explore how to do tasteful fills, how to sing in harmony, and performance techniques. Any acoustic instrument is welcome (guitar, bass, dobro, mandolin, fiddle, banjo, ukulele, bodhran, accordion, etc etc), and don’t forget about the voice! Come prepared to have fun!
Sing Your Heart Out
In this vocal class we will learn how to capture the essence of a song with your voice in a group context and sing better lines while picking up some vocal techniques along the way . This will include harmony and vocal exercises.
School of Rock for Folkies
With voices and instruments working together in a group context, participants will acquire the “tools” necessary for bringing a song to life. Does that sound like fun or what!? Come prepared to rock out folk-style (i.e. taking rock songs and folkin’ them up!). If you sing (untrained more or less) and play an instrument (beyond the beginner stage), then this class is for you. Some of those “tools” mentioned will include: how to learn and arrange a song as a group, dynamics within a song, blending instruments, listening to each other, knowing when to play simply and when to step it up, how to play in support of the vocalist or soloist, and how to get out of the way and let the song speak. We will also explore how to do tasteful fills, how to sing in harmony, and performance techniques. Any acoustic instrument is welcome (guitar, bass, dobro, mandolin, fiddle, banjo, ukulele, bodhran, accordion, etc etc), and don’t forget about the voice! Come prepared to have fun!
Johnsmith
Songwriting
Roll Up Your Sleeves
This class will be a "roll up your sleeves and start writing" workshop. Most of us just need a gentle push to sit down and do it. Along with a few helpful writing exercises, there will be song assignment prompts. Throughout the week, we will share and critique our new "works in progress" in a safe, supportive, constructive circle. (John will teach this in successive classes.)
Performance
How to be comfortable in your own skin while bearing your soul on stage - Singing through the Fear.
You've got your songs, now it's time for gathering the skills to deliver them in public with confidence and grace. In this class we will talk about the art of delivery. ‘How to be comfortable in your own skin while bearing your soul on stage’. How to deal with the fear. Staying grounded, connecting with the audience, eye contact, dynamics of your voice and instrument, introductions, pre-show mojo, set lists, and more. If time, we'll take turns in the classroom critiquing each others performances.
Songwriting
Roll Up Your Sleeves
This class will be a "roll up your sleeves and start writing" workshop. Most of us just need a gentle push to sit down and do it. Along with a few helpful writing exercises, there will be song assignment prompts. Throughout the week, we will share and critique our new "works in progress" in a safe, supportive, constructive circle. (John will teach this in successive classes.)
Performance
How to be comfortable in your own skin while bearing your soul on stage - Singing through the Fear.
You've got your songs, now it's time for gathering the skills to deliver them in public with confidence and grace. In this class we will talk about the art of delivery. ‘How to be comfortable in your own skin while bearing your soul on stage’. How to deal with the fear. Staying grounded, connecting with the audience, eye contact, dynamics of your voice and instrument, introductions, pre-show mojo, set lists, and more. If time, we'll take turns in the classroom critiquing each others performances.
Cyd Smith
Guitar
Intro to Swing Guitar (with Uke auditing option)
Have you ever been moved by the irresistible rhythm of swing? By learning just a few new chords flavored with 6ths, 7ths and 9ths, you’ll find the doors to this infectious music swinging wide open. This is a class for those of you who are already comfortable playing first position chords on your guitar. We’ll focus on learning a few moveable chord positions: these are chord shapes that use only 3 or 4 notes out of your 6 strings, which means that for most folks they are easier to play than bar chords! We’ll also delve into the soul of the music—swing feel and rhythm.
I’ll also have ukulele charts for this class, so if you a confident ukulele player, you may audit the class. This means that the guitarists will get most of the attention, but if you are a ukulele player who can read the charts and follow along on your own, you will be welcomed!
Ukulele
Hummin’ and Strummin’ the Ukulele
This is a class for all you folks that already know a few chords on the ukulele. Come and chill out at the end of a Moab Music day with this opportunity to practice your uke chops in a congenial group. I’ll provide the lyrics and uke chords for some fun songs, and you’ll provide the voices and the ukes! We’ll make sure we play in a few different keys, we’ll spend a day learning some Hawaiian favorites, and then finally we’ll spend a day preparing a ukulele extravaganza for the student concert.
Guitar
Intro to Swing Guitar (with Uke auditing option)
Have you ever been moved by the irresistible rhythm of swing? By learning just a few new chords flavored with 6ths, 7ths and 9ths, you’ll find the doors to this infectious music swinging wide open. This is a class for those of you who are already comfortable playing first position chords on your guitar. We’ll focus on learning a few moveable chord positions: these are chord shapes that use only 3 or 4 notes out of your 6 strings, which means that for most folks they are easier to play than bar chords! We’ll also delve into the soul of the music—swing feel and rhythm.
I’ll also have ukulele charts for this class, so if you a confident ukulele player, you may audit the class. This means that the guitarists will get most of the attention, but if you are a ukulele player who can read the charts and follow along on your own, you will be welcomed!
Ukulele
Hummin’ and Strummin’ the Ukulele
This is a class for all you folks that already know a few chords on the ukulele. Come and chill out at the end of a Moab Music day with this opportunity to practice your uke chops in a congenial group. I’ll provide the lyrics and uke chords for some fun songs, and you’ll provide the voices and the ukes! We’ll make sure we play in a few different keys, we’ll spend a day learning some Hawaiian favorites, and then finally we’ll spend a day preparing a ukulele extravaganza for the student concert.
Eric Jones
Beginning Mandolin
Beginning mandolin class is tailored to first-time players and those considering the addition of mando to their musical tool belt. We will focus on fundamentals like pick-control exercises, chord building and the amazing coincidence of having four fingers on your left hand and four pairs of strings on your mandolin. We will learn to play a fiddle tune melody or two and chord along with folk songs. Mandolin rhythm, double stops and back-up will round out the class.
Cosy Sheridan
SONGWRITING
Lunchtime Songwriting: Sing Us Your Song
Bring your lunch; we will workshop songs during the lunch hour. This class will be a safe place to try out your song. Maybe you're still writing it, or you wrote it last winter and you're not sure if it's done. Each day we will listen to each other's songs and help each other move our songs forward - with compassionate listening and feedback. We'll talk about songwriting, too - how do we start some new songs, or finish older ones. Come to listen or come to sing - everyone is invited.
SONGWRITING
Lunchtime Songwriting: Sing Us Your Song
Bring your lunch; we will workshop songs during the lunch hour. This class will be a safe place to try out your song. Maybe you're still writing it, or you wrote it last winter and you're not sure if it's done. Each day we will listen to each other's songs and help each other move our songs forward - with compassionate listening and feedback. We'll talk about songwriting, too - how do we start some new songs, or finish older ones. Come to listen or come to sing - everyone is invited.
Charlie Koch
Survival Bass
Would you like to be able to play electric bass at a jam ? Or maybe in a band that already has a guitar player? We will focus on a few basic approaches to playing electric bass: moving between the root and the 5th of the chord, and walking from one chord to another. If you already have some skill playing guitar then by the end of this class you should be able to play along on many 3 chord tunes.
Survival Bass
Would you like to be able to play electric bass at a jam ? Or maybe in a band that already has a guitar player? We will focus on a few basic approaches to playing electric bass: moving between the root and the 5th of the chord, and walking from one chord to another. If you already have some skill playing guitar then by the end of this class you should be able to play along on many 3 chord tunes.
Anke Summerhill
Beginning Guitar
3 EASY CHORDS AND A SONG
We will learn a few basic beginning guitar chords and an easy song or two.
This class is for the very beginner, who would like to explore the instrument as a means
of accompanying themselves while singing.
Beginning Guitar
3 EASY CHORDS AND A SONG
We will learn a few basic beginning guitar chords and an easy song or two.
This class is for the very beginner, who would like to explore the instrument as a means
of accompanying themselves while singing.
Chad Niehaus
Open-Air Art Class
Plein Air Printmaking
This art class is suitable for all — from those who insist they can’t draw
to confident studio professionals. This year, we will be creating pastel
drawings outside. I will share techniques and tips for pastel art making,
but will largely be there to encourage you to let loose and create! If at
all possible, please bring a box of soft pastels (small box is fine). I
will have extra soft pastel sets for loan and will provide the rest of the
art supplies you’ll need.
Open-Air Art Class
Plein Air Printmaking
This art class is suitable for all — from those who insist they can’t draw
to confident studio professionals. This year, we will be creating pastel
drawings outside. I will share techniques and tips for pastel art making,
but will largely be there to encourage you to let loose and create! If at
all possible, please bring a box of soft pastels (small box is fine). I
will have extra soft pastel sets for loan and will provide the rest of the
art supplies you’ll need.
