Moab Folk Camp 2026 - Classes
Susan Cattaneo
Songwriting - The Story Behind Your Song
We all have a story to tell – moments of love and loss, family and friendship, youth and aging are just some of the experiences that make us human. These unique stories can be the stuff of great songs. Using specific prompts and targeted songwriting techniques such as song form, metaphor writing, and title writing, we will mine our histories for lyric and melodic ideas that can be developed into songs that resonate not only with you but with your audience as well.
Guitar - All The Women We Love:
The Songs of Linda, Bonnie, Emmylou and More!
Join me as we dive into the musical catalogues of Linda Ronstadt, Bonnie Raitt, Emmylou Harris plus a few more surprises! We'll play and sing along to some of your favorite tunes plus learn some deep cuts from these amazing female artists. We'll work on specific rhythm parts and explore some songs in alternate tunings. Come prepared to play!
Songwriting - The Story Behind Your Song
We all have a story to tell – moments of love and loss, family and friendship, youth and aging are just some of the experiences that make us human. These unique stories can be the stuff of great songs. Using specific prompts and targeted songwriting techniques such as song form, metaphor writing, and title writing, we will mine our histories for lyric and melodic ideas that can be developed into songs that resonate not only with you but with your audience as well.
Guitar - All The Women We Love:
The Songs of Linda, Bonnie, Emmylou and More!
Join me as we dive into the musical catalogues of Linda Ronstadt, Bonnie Raitt, Emmylou Harris plus a few more surprises! We'll play and sing along to some of your favorite tunes plus learn some deep cuts from these amazing female artists. We'll work on specific rhythm parts and explore some songs in alternate tunings. Come prepared to play!
Steve Baughman
Guitar - Right Hand Boot Camp
Do you ever get tired of using the same right hand tricks over and over? In this class we’ll learn to add spice, groove, and new textures to your guitar accompaniment. With a few simple right handed adjustments you’ll add Calypso, percussive palm slaps, muting, and more comment to your playing. We will also spend one class doing a thorough dive into the must-know Travis pick. This is a hands-on class with lots of playing. It will focus mainly on fingerpicking, although if you’re a flat picker, talk to the teacher before about whether the class might also work for your own playing. Early intermediate levels and up.
Clawhammer Banjo
Few things illustrate “greater than the sum of its parts” better than clawhammer technique. The simple “boom chuck“ repetition with thumb on the pickup note generates a groove that has made the five-string banjo such an essential part of the old-time sound for over 150 years. Once you have internalized the “bum ditty,” an astonishing amount of music can flow effortlessly from your Banjo. So we will work on getting that technique in your blood.
Guitar - Right Hand Boot Camp
Do you ever get tired of using the same right hand tricks over and over? In this class we’ll learn to add spice, groove, and new textures to your guitar accompaniment. With a few simple right handed adjustments you’ll add Calypso, percussive palm slaps, muting, and more comment to your playing. We will also spend one class doing a thorough dive into the must-know Travis pick. This is a hands-on class with lots of playing. It will focus mainly on fingerpicking, although if you’re a flat picker, talk to the teacher before about whether the class might also work for your own playing. Early intermediate levels and up.
Clawhammer Banjo
Few things illustrate “greater than the sum of its parts” better than clawhammer technique. The simple “boom chuck“ repetition with thumb on the pickup note generates a groove that has made the five-string banjo such an essential part of the old-time sound for over 150 years. Once you have internalized the “bum ditty,” an astonishing amount of music can flow effortlessly from your Banjo. So we will work on getting that technique in your blood.
Lewis Mock
Folk and Country Style Lead Guitar
Folk and Country lead guitar is different than lick style soloing. The typical three chord progressions of these two genres require a much more melodic approach than bluegrass, rock or jazz. Learning to play the melody to a simple song as well as how to embellish those melodies to create something solid but unique is an art all it’s own. We will learn how to create melodies to songs using major and minor scales, chord steps, arpeggios, and crosspicking to build melody based solos to make your playing better and more interesting. Bring
Guitar: How to Back Yourself Up like a Pro
This class will cover different approaches to making whatever song you sing sound better with ideas and techniques to improve your guitar chops. Creating introductions, endings, fills, chord progressions and structure, bass lines, licks and tips, fingerpicking, flat picking, dynamics, and rhythm. All the things that make you, as a singer, or backing up another singer, sound more professional. Bring your guitar, picks, capo, and open mind!
Folk and Country Style Lead Guitar
Folk and Country lead guitar is different than lick style soloing. The typical three chord progressions of these two genres require a much more melodic approach than bluegrass, rock or jazz. Learning to play the melody to a simple song as well as how to embellish those melodies to create something solid but unique is an art all it’s own. We will learn how to create melodies to songs using major and minor scales, chord steps, arpeggios, and crosspicking to build melody based solos to make your playing better and more interesting. Bring
Guitar: How to Back Yourself Up like a Pro
This class will cover different approaches to making whatever song you sing sound better with ideas and techniques to improve your guitar chops. Creating introductions, endings, fills, chord progressions and structure, bass lines, licks and tips, fingerpicking, flat picking, dynamics, and rhythm. All the things that make you, as a singer, or backing up another singer, sound more professional. Bring your guitar, picks, capo, and open mind!
Cindy Scott
Voice
Finding Your Voice
Using a few simple concepts, Cindy takes some of the mystery out of that invisible instrument called the voice. The class will address common issues vocalists face, including vocal strain, navigating your “break” and more. You will learn how to improve range, flexibility, and power OVER TIME, but there are likely to be some instant improvements, too.
The Singing Puzzle
Using some basic games designed to help develop your ear, we will explore the wonderful world of finding harmony parts! You will learn how to hear and find parts on your own. Games and hands-on exercises reinforce interval recognition, hearing root motions, and part independence. In class, we will use these tools to sing in two parts, three parts, maybe even four parts! This welcoming, participatory class is open to everyone, so come sing with us!
One time workshop
Mining for Magic Master Class:
In this two-hour class I’ll guide you towards crafting a deeper connection with yourself and your audience while performing. You may self-accompany or have someone play for you. All are welcome to attend. Limit 6 performers plus 2 alternates.
“Great artists are people who find a way to be themselves in their art. Any sort of pretension induces mediocrity in art and life alike.” —Dame Margot Fonteyn, prima ballerina
Voice
Finding Your Voice
Using a few simple concepts, Cindy takes some of the mystery out of that invisible instrument called the voice. The class will address common issues vocalists face, including vocal strain, navigating your “break” and more. You will learn how to improve range, flexibility, and power OVER TIME, but there are likely to be some instant improvements, too.
The Singing Puzzle
Using some basic games designed to help develop your ear, we will explore the wonderful world of finding harmony parts! You will learn how to hear and find parts on your own. Games and hands-on exercises reinforce interval recognition, hearing root motions, and part independence. In class, we will use these tools to sing in two parts, three parts, maybe even four parts! This welcoming, participatory class is open to everyone, so come sing with us!
One time workshop
Mining for Magic Master Class:
In this two-hour class I’ll guide you towards crafting a deeper connection with yourself and your audience while performing. You may self-accompany or have someone play for you. All are welcome to attend. Limit 6 performers plus 2 alternates.
“Great artists are people who find a way to be themselves in their art. Any sort of pretension induces mediocrity in art and life alike.” —Dame Margot Fonteyn, prima ballerina
Cosy Sheridan
Songwriting
Join me in a week of creative discovery as we look at the art and the craft of songwriting. The art is our emotions, memories and intuition. The craft is the skills we can learn - the tools in the toolbox. How do we find the story and then how do we turn that story into a lyric; where do we go to find a chord progression; how do we build our melody? In this class we will begin the week looking within to find the kernel of our song, and then we will look out at the songs of other songwriters - skilled technicians - and see what we can learn from their songs. Bring your instrument, something to write with, and a way to record your song-in-process (an iPhone works just fine). All levels welcome!
Lunchtime Songwriting Session
Each day of camp we will gather with our sandwiches and salads and soups and have a supportive songwriting critique and feedback session. We generally get to about 4 or 5 songs each day. We have been doing this for 10 years now and it has become one of my favorite times of camp; each camper brings their own gentle listening skills to each songwriter's song-in-progress.
Songwriting
Join me in a week of creative discovery as we look at the art and the craft of songwriting. The art is our emotions, memories and intuition. The craft is the skills we can learn - the tools in the toolbox. How do we find the story and then how do we turn that story into a lyric; where do we go to find a chord progression; how do we build our melody? In this class we will begin the week looking within to find the kernel of our song, and then we will look out at the songs of other songwriters - skilled technicians - and see what we can learn from their songs. Bring your instrument, something to write with, and a way to record your song-in-process (an iPhone works just fine). All levels welcome!
Lunchtime Songwriting Session
Each day of camp we will gather with our sandwiches and salads and soups and have a supportive songwriting critique and feedback session. We generally get to about 4 or 5 songs each day. We have been doing this for 10 years now and it has become one of my favorite times of camp; each camper brings their own gentle listening skills to each songwriter's song-in-progress.
Eric Jones
Mandolin
Beginning Mandolin
This class is tailored to first-time players and those would like to add mandolin to their musical tool belt. It will help you develop pick control, build chords, and navigate the melody-friendly fret board. We will learn to play a fiddle tune or two and chord along with folk songs. Mandolin rhythm, double stops, and back-up will round out the class.
Mandolin
Beginning Mandolin
This class is tailored to first-time players and those would like to add mandolin to their musical tool belt. It will help you develop pick control, build chords, and navigate the melody-friendly fret board. We will learn to play a fiddle tune or two and chord along with folk songs. Mandolin rhythm, double stops, and back-up will round out the class.
Mandy Danzig
Guitar & Ukulele
Guitar: Dive into Open D: The Water Is Fine! This class focuses on making open D tunings (DADF#AD and DADGAD) approachable and immediately usable.
We’ll start with a Joni Mitchell cover, using just 2 or three moveable chord shapes to get a feel for how the tuning works and to demonstrate how much can be done with just these shapes. From there, we’ll explore songs from artists like the Indigo Girls and Robert Johnson to hear how these tunings show up across styles.
The focus is less on memorizing chords and more on developing an ear for texture, voicing, and color, so you can use these tunings creatively and confidently. We’ll convert a couple of familiar songs into these tunings, and you’ll leave with the tools to arrange your own covers or start writing in Open D.
Ukulele: Making Songs Breathe
All-levels
This class dives into what makes a ukulele arrangement work. We’ll focus on strumming patterns, rhythmic accents, and the subtle choices that help a song rise, fall, and truly breathe. You’ll learn how to build a song from the inside out, adding contrast, texture, and movement so your playing stays engaging for both you and your listeners.
Players of all levels are welcome. Beginners will find clear, accessible ways into each concept, while more experienced players will discover new layers of intention and expression. The goal is simple: to help you make music that feels good to play and meaningful to share.
Guitar & Ukulele
Guitar: Dive into Open D: The Water Is Fine! This class focuses on making open D tunings (DADF#AD and DADGAD) approachable and immediately usable.
We’ll start with a Joni Mitchell cover, using just 2 or three moveable chord shapes to get a feel for how the tuning works and to demonstrate how much can be done with just these shapes. From there, we’ll explore songs from artists like the Indigo Girls and Robert Johnson to hear how these tunings show up across styles.
The focus is less on memorizing chords and more on developing an ear for texture, voicing, and color, so you can use these tunings creatively and confidently. We’ll convert a couple of familiar songs into these tunings, and you’ll leave with the tools to arrange your own covers or start writing in Open D.
Ukulele: Making Songs Breathe
All-levels
This class dives into what makes a ukulele arrangement work. We’ll focus on strumming patterns, rhythmic accents, and the subtle choices that help a song rise, fall, and truly breathe. You’ll learn how to build a song from the inside out, adding contrast, texture, and movement so your playing stays engaging for both you and your listeners.
Players of all levels are welcome. Beginners will find clear, accessible ways into each concept, while more experienced players will discover new layers of intention and expression. The goal is simple: to help you make music that feels good to play and meaningful to share.
Anke Summerhill
Guitar
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 beginner who would like to explore the instrument as a means of accompanying themselves while singing. (*Level 1)
Guitar
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 beginner who would like to explore the instrument as a means of accompanying themselves while singing. (*Level 1)
Charlie Koch
Bass & Guitar
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.
Bass & Guitar
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.
Deb Cox
Guitar
Intro to Swing Chords
Have you ever wanted to play songs from the Great American Songbook? It seems tough, but come to this class and you’ll learn the chords that will allow you to do it. They are four-note chords, adding a 6, 7, or 9 that create such a rich sound. The chords are challenging at first, but you’ll learn new shapes that can be repeated up the neck for new keys. These new shapes will open all sorts of jazzy doors and can spice up your original songs too.
Guitar
Intro to Swing Chords
Have you ever wanted to play songs from the Great American Songbook? It seems tough, but come to this class and you’ll learn the chords that will allow you to do it. They are four-note chords, adding a 6, 7, or 9 that create such a rich sound. The chords are challenging at first, but you’ll learn new shapes that can be repeated up the neck for new keys. These new shapes will open all sorts of jazzy doors and can spice up your original songs too.
Chad Niehaus
Outdoor Art
Join me as we absorb, process, and interpret elements of the singular Moab landscape. We’ll be gathering source material through our senses, then expressing that information as abstracted soft pastel paintings. No experience necessary, just a willingness to get loose and create without concern for the finished product.
Outdoor Art
Join me as we absorb, process, and interpret elements of the singular Moab landscape. We’ll be gathering source material through our senses, then expressing that information as abstracted soft pastel paintings. No experience necessary, just a willingness to get loose and create without concern for the finished product.