Introduction to Clawhammer Banjo (8 sessions)

Name: Introduction to Clawhammer Banjo (8 sessions)
Start: 2025-01-07T17:00:00-06:00
Location: 209 East Sheridan Street, Ely, MN, United States, Minnesota 55731

Schedule

Tue, 07 Jan, 2025 at 05:00 pm

UTC-06:00

Location

209 East Sheridan Street, Ely, MN, United States, Minnesota 55731 | Ely, MN

Register here: https://elyfolkschool.app.neoncrm.com/np/clients/elyfolkschool/event.jsp?event=14442&
8x Tuesday Sessions:
January 7th, 14th, 21st, February 4th, 11th, 18th, and 25th, and March 4th 2025
7:00 PM - 7:30 PM
Tuition: $160, Materials: $2
Come learn Claw Hammer Banjo! Dust off that old banjo you've got sitting around and learn Claw Hammer style! Claw Hammer style banjo is the oldest form of banjo playing but is still incredibly relevant today. While not as popular as three-finger style (bluegrass style), Claw Hammer is popular in folk music for dances and community jam sessions including here in Ely. Over the 8 sessions this winter we will go from ground zero and get you playing tunes on the Banjo! No musical experience is needed!
By the end of the sessions you will not only learn to play the Banjo but also learn key skills and resources needed to continue your education on your own.
We will learn things like:
How to tune and maintain your instrument
How to get a good sound of your instrument
A couple of tunes and songs
How to pick out and learn a tune on your own.
How to hop in on a jam session
Banjo jokes
Cultural information about the instrument and style
Chords and how to use them to learn new songs fast
Recommended for adult learners (16+) with no prior experience required. Students must provide their own instrument.

About your instructor: Blake Ferree was born and raised in North Carolina before falling in love with the Minnesota Canadian wilderness and moving full-time to Ely in 2022 to enjoy the paddling culture. As a college student in the Appalachian mountains, he studied the fiddle and banjo styles native to the Appalachian region. He will occasionally play fiddle for dances in the Ely area and loves to join in at Jam sessions at the folk schools both in Ely and Duluth. Now taking his first dive into teaching old-time music, Blake hopes to help nurture the music culture in Ely and the Folk school by getting more people excited about this community style of music.