Instructor: Michael Watry

Time: Saturdays 3:00 - 4:30 pm beginning Oct. 3rd and ending Oct. 24th (1.5 hours a week for 4 weeks)

Location: The downtown Meeker Music store, 624 N. Tejon St. Enter through front door and head up the staircase on the left. Parking on Tejon is metered, but many side streets are not.

Description: Would you like to improve your ability to hear music, especially for the purpose of quickly mastering a new song in a jam setting? In this course we will cover practical tips for better hearing a song, then playing it in a jam. Class is open to most levels of musicians - you must be able to play a handful of chords in good time.  Particular subjects covered include:

• Hearing chord changes, recognizing the current chord, and predicting the likely next chord

• Hearing and recognizing the melody notes using the current chord to predict the likely notes in the melody

• Picking out harmony lines based on the melody and chords

We'll work through interesting sample songs where we'll work on hearing the phrasing of the melody, the chordchanges, any special rhythm patterns, and of course, the melody for singing or for soloing.  We'll also have homework where you pick songs to study and bring back to class what you have learned. 

Prequequsites: Basic ability on your instrument(s) and reasonable sense of timing

What to Bring: Your instrument(s)

Instructor: Doug Kladder and Mark Rounsley

Time: Tuesdays 6:00-7:00 pm beginning Oct. 6th

Location: The downtown Meeker Music store, 624 N. Tejon St. Park in back of store off the alley in the Meeker lot (not the loading dock) and ring the back doorbell as the store closes at 6:00 and you will not be able to enter the front part of the store from the back classroom when class lets out.

Description: Have you ever wanted to join a campfire sing-along, play along with a guitarist, or participate in an acoustic jam session? Or perhaps you play a stringed instrument but aren’t comfortable playing breaks yet. Playing harmonica can fill that gap and add a new dimension to a jam and you will be a unique voice in a sea of stringed instruments.

In addition to teaching harmonica technique, this course emphasizes making music with others. You will learn to play familiar melodies, recognize chord changes, accompany singers, and develop the confidence to play in informal jam sessions.

Designed for beginners, each class combines hands-on instruction, music accompaniment, and group playing in a relaxed, encouraging atmosphere. Every class ends with students playing music together.

The course is team-taught by two local harmonica players with different approaches. In the first 3 classes, Doug will focus on first-position playing - melodies, accompaniment, and fills commonly used in folk, country, bluegrass, and gospel music. Blues will be emphasized in last 3 classes, where Mark will introduce cross-harp playing in second position, exploring blues rhythms, riffs, and the fundamentals of improvisation.

By the end of the workshop, you’ll have the skills and confidence to pick up your harmonica and join friends in making music.

Prerequisites: None

What to Bring: Two 10-hole diatonic harmonicas in the keys of C and G - Hohner Special 20’s are available at Meeker at a discount, but any harmonica brand will do.

Instructor: Malcolm McKinley

Time: Tuesdays 7:15-8:15 pm beginning Oct. 6th

Location: The downtown Meeker Music store, 624 N. Tejon St. Park in back of store off the alley in the Meeker lot and wait for the 6:00 class to let out at 7:00 and enter as others are leaving before the door closes and locks. If arriving after 7:00 and the door is shut, please ring the doorbell - if you ring it before 7:00 you will disturb the previous class.

Description: This class will focus on advanced fingerstyle techniques, musical expression, finger placement, muting, harmonics, and alternative tunings.

Areas Covered:

• Developing a more personal and expressive playing style

• Identifying and changing inefficient playing habits

• Using the entire soundboard through intentional finger placement and muting

• Introduction to alternate tunings, including DADGAD and Open G

• Natural, artificial, and slapped harmonics

• Two-string pull-offs and left-hand techniques

• Left-hand and right-hand independence

• Creative percussive and rhythmic techniques

• Finding musical inspiration and developing your own voice

By the end of the course, students should have a broader technical vocabulary and a deeper understanding of how to use the guitar as a complete musical instrument, rather than relying solely on traditional chord shapes and patterns.

Prerequisites: Beginning Fingerstyle Guitar or equivalent

What to Bring: Your own instrument, music stand, and tuner

Instructor: Ray DeMers

Time: Wednesdays 6:00-7:00pm beginning Oct. 7th

Location: The downtown Meeker Music store, 624 N. Tejon St. Park in back of store off the alley in the Meeker lot (not the loading dock) and ring the back doorbell as the store closes at 6:00 and you will not be able to enter the front part of the store from the back classroom when class lets out.

Description:This class is targeted at the beginning banjo student. This course will cover basic banjo rolls, chords, and a variety of different bluegrass songs, while learning to play melody and back up chords.

Prerequisites: No prior music experience necessary. Students should bring their own instruments and music stands.

What to Bring: Your own instrument, thumb and finger picks, music stand, and tuner

Instructor: Ray De Mers

Time: Wednesday 7:15-8:15 pm beginning Oct. 7th

Location: The downtown Meeker Music store, 624 N. Tejon St. Park in back of store off the alley in the Meeker lot (not the loading dock) and wait for the 6:00 class to let out at 7:00 and enter as others are leaving before the door closes and locks. If arriving after 7:00 and the door is shut, please ring the doorbell - if you ring it before 7:00 you will disturb the previous class.

Description: This class is a continuation of last year’s Beginning Blues Guitar Soloing class, but any intermediate player is welcome. We will learn even more skills needed to create your own phrases over a basic blues chord progression by applying the major and minor pentatonic scales, while rhythmically and musically incorporating techniques such as hammer-ons, pull-offs, slides, and bends. We’ll also begin to get away from the first position boxes and start playing more up the neck. If you’ve been wanting to get away from tab and really want learn how to improvise, then this is the course for you.

Prerequisites: Beginning Blues Guitar Soloing or equivalent

What to Bring: Your own instrument, music stand, and tuner

Instructor: Revele

Time: Thursdays 6:00-7:00 pm beginning Oct. 8th

Location: The downtown Meeker Music store, 624 N. Tejon St. Park in back of store off the alley in the Meeker lot and ring the back doorbell as the store closes at 6:00 and you will not be able to enter the front part of the store from the back classroom when class lets out.

Description: We will learn how to identify and apply harmonies to teach you to expand and build your vocal skillset.

Prerequisites: None, but previous students welcome

What to Bring: Your own music stand

Instructor: Revele

Time: Tuesdays 7:15-8:15 pm beginning Oct. 8th

Location: The downtown Meeker Music store, 624 N. Tejon St. Park in back of store off the alley in the Meeker lot and wait for the 6:00 class to let out at 7:00 and enter as others are leaving before the door closes and locks. If arriving after 7:00 and the door is shut, please ring the doorbell - if you ring it before 7:00 you will disturb the previous class.

Description: Learn all things voice! A lot of ground will be covered in this class and this will help you gain confidence, strength and most importantly it will help you find your own voice. 

Prerequisites: None, but previous students welcome

What to Bring: Your own music stand