Category Archives: Courses

101 Beginner Mandolin Crash Course

Welcome to the Pickin’ Lessons Beginner’s Crash Course in Mandolin!

This crash course is for the complete beginner wanting to learn to play the mandolin. Focusing on traditional styles, the course will get you pickin’ some of your favourite melodies and learn how to accompany others, all while developing good technique and practice habits.

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101 Flatpicking Guitar: Beginner’s Crash Course

Welcome to the Pickin’ Lessons Beginner’s Crash Course in Flatpicking Guitar!

This crash course is for the complete beginner wanting to learn to flatpick. Focusing on Bluegrass and other folk styles, the course will get you pickin’ some of your favourite melodies and learn how to accompany others by learning the common chords played on the guitar. Go to lesson...

101 Introduction To Melodic Banjo #1

The style of melodic banjo allows for intricate melody playing on the 5-string, with a very smooth or legato sound. Fiddle tunes can be played note for note, in a way that flows over the banjo neck. In this introduction to the style, we’ll cover:

  • The basics of the technique;
  • Introduce the scale positions commonly used in standard G tuning;
  • Cover the single-string technique basics;
  • Work through several exercises;
  • And finally, put it all together with a pretty tune ‘Boulavogue’.
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101 Introduction To Melodic Banjo #2

In part 2 of this introduction to the melodic banjo techniques, we’ll continue to explore scale positions and exercises, while applying these to another great tune, that is sure to enhance your technique. In the lesson we’ll cover:

  • 3 positions of the G Major scale;
  • Discuss the mixolydian & dorian modes;
  • Cover the 6/8 time signature;
  • Work through several exercises;
  • And finally, put it all together with a great tune ‘The Rakes Of Kildare’.
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101 Introduction To Melodic Banjo #3

In part 3 of this introduction to the melodic banjo techniques, we’ll continue to work out of open G tuning, but look at the key of D major. We’ll cover scale positions and exercises for the key, while applying these to another great tune, that is sure to enhance your technique. Go to lesson...

102 Flatpicking Guitar: Beginner’s Crash Course

G’day and welcome to the second instalment of the beginner’s crash course, 102 Flatpicking Guitar: Beginner’s Crash Course. In this next level, we’ll continue to learn new techniques, new tunes and expand your ability and knowledge on the guitar, focusing on Bluegrass and other folk styles.

This crash course is for the complete beginner wanting to learn to flatpick. Go to lesson...

102 Mandolin Essentials

Welcome to the Pickin’ Lessons Mandolin Essentials Series.

In this mandolin series, we’ll cover important information that I believe will make you a better, more well rounded mandolin player. From working on building your knowledge of the fretboard, keys found in the open position, movable patterns, chords, rhythms, improvisation, useful theory and other similar topics, you will certainly grow your mandolin skills and understanding.

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Arpeggios 101: Mandolin

Arpeggios are broken chords, in other words, the notes used to form a chord, played individually. Understanding how arpeggios are built and fluently being able to play many arpeggio variations will help your playing on all levels – improv, melody creation/analysis, building harmony lines, back-up…

In this Mandolin Arpeggios 101 mini-course, we’ll cover:

  • Common intervals used in arpeggios;
  • Open position major & minor arpeggios;
  • Movable major & minor arpeggios;
  • 4 note extensions – movable major 7, minor 7 & dominant 7 arpeggios;
  • Learn an example solo, using only arpeggio notes from each chord change;
  • Plus, strategies for developing the use of arpeggios in your own playing.
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Fretboard Freedom 101: The Musical Alphabet

Fretboard Freedom: The Musical Alphabet is the first lesson in a course that will help you unlock the fretboard, enabling you to find any note, double stop, chord, scale, arpeggio in any position. It will give you the freedom to find your way in any key and have the ability to transpose/reposition breaks, melodies & chord progressions and improve your ability to improvise. Go to lesson...

Fretboard Freedom 102: The Banjo Octave Pattern

Using the banjo octave pattern to gain fretboard freedom is a crucial and quick step to locate a note anywhere on the fretboard. By using the banjo octave pattern and your knowledge of the notes on one or two strings (see Fretboard Freedom 101: The Musical Alphabet) it becomes quite simple to locate any note on any string, then play a chord, scale, arpeggio, etc. Go to lesson...

Fretboard Freedom 102: The Guitar Octave Pattern

Using the guitar octave pattern to gain fretboard freedom is a crucial and quick step to locate a note anywhere on the fretboard. By using the guitar octave pattern and your knowledge of the notes on one or two strings (see Fretboard Freedom 101: The Musical Alphabet) it becomes quite simple to locate any note on any string, then play a chord, scale, arpeggio, etc. Go to lesson...

Fretboard Freedom 102: The Mandolin Octave Pattern

Using the mandolin octave pattern to gain fretboard freedom is a crucial and quick step to locate a note anywhere on the fretboard. By using the mandolin octave pattern and your knowledge of the notes on one or two strings (see Fretboard Freedom 101: The Musical Alphabet) it becomes quite simple to locate any note on any string, then play a chord, scale, arpeggio, etc. Go to lesson...

Fretboard Freedom 103: Major & Minor 3rd’s (Mandolin)

Using the major & minor 3rd interval patterns to gain fretboard freedom is a crucial and quick step to build arpeggios, double stops & develop your improvising anywhere on the fretboard. By using the interval patterns and your knowledge of the notes on the fretboard (see Fretboard Freedom 101: The Musical Alphabet) it becomes quite simple to unlock any chord, arpeggio, double stop, etc. Go to lesson...

Scales & Technical Practice | Banjo | Level 1

A course focusing on the melodic & single-string techniques including scales, arpeggios, chords, rhythm (back up), improvisation, speed development, general technique exercises & sight-reading.

Scales & Technical Work should form an important, structured part of your practice routine. It will improve your general technique, practical theory knowledge, improvisation, understanding of melody & harmony, rhythm, tone, and so on. Go to lesson...

Scales & Technical Practice | Guitar | Level 1

A course focusing on the flatpicking technique including scales, arpeggios, chords, rhythm, improvisation, speed development, general technique exercises & sight-reading.

Scales & Technical Work should form an important, structured part of your practice routine. It will improve your general technique, practical theory knowledge, improvisation, understanding of melody & harmony, rhythm, tone, and so on. Go to lesson...

Scales & Technical Practice | Mandolin | Level 1

A course focusing on mandolin technique including scales, arpeggios, chords, rhythm, improvisation, speed development, general technique exercises & sight-reading.

Scales & Technical Work should form an important, structured part of your practice routine. It will improve your general technique, practical theory knowledge, improvisation, understanding of melody & harmony, rhythm, tone, and so on. Go to lesson...

Scales & Technical Practice | Overview

Scales & Technical Work should form an important, structured part of your practice routine. It will improve your general technique, practical theory knowledge, improvisation, understanding of melody & harmony, rhythm, tone, and so on.

Check out the Pickin’ Lessons structured, 2 part, scales & technical practice below. Give it a shot & I’m positive you’ll find yourself moving forward in no time! Go to lesson...