Once rainy afternoon in Bollington, we took the nipper swimming and when filling our boots with chocolate afterwards, my wife noticed an add on the notice board in the leisure centre:
“Adult Guitar Class. Play popular songs.
Tuesdays 7.30 – 9.30 p.m. at the Dog & Partridge.
Bollington.
Tel: Mark 07989 600001”
Well I gave Mark a call, and he promptly invited me down to come and watch half a session. Looked like just what I was after.
The sessions are Mark (Lineham) at the front with a PA/amp and an iPod where he’ll get you organised and start playing along to the tracks in real time as a group.
He picks the tracks from a predefined set list that have previously been tabbed and shared amongst the group.
so, your playing with a group, playing to the song in real time, playing a wide variety of tracks… and most importantly for me stretching my boundaries in all aspects (New chords, chord transitions, different tempos.. you name it!).
Learning this way was just what I was after because:
a) I was bumbling along at my own pace at home and not really pushing any boundaries very rapidly in my playing. (these sessions have certainly stretched that)
b) I was playing a max of 4 chords in all the songs I was learning, (I must now know about 20 that I can now play without having to refer to a chord diagram!)
c) I had been listening to the song and then playing it slowly until I felt comfortable with the riffs and just missing out any chords I struggled with. Although a good way to learn, its the missing hard riffs/chords out and not even attempting them that was doing me no favors here.
d) I was playing songs that I would never have even thought of playing, not just because of their difficulty but also the type of music, artists i had never even heard of! just made me realise how much more there is out there.
I must also say that the atmosphere amongst the group is very good, very friendly and thoroughly enjoyable to play and learn in. And to boot you can get a pint from the bar downstairs to keep yourself from dehydrating while your learning! 🙂
I can also honestly say that by stretching my acoustic rhythm work I find playing Lead Electric a lot easier, its as if I’ve managed to slip some foundations under a precariously built house.
I can also recommend to anyone in the area wanting to learn as a beginner (Mark also does a beginners class on a Monday night) or as an ‘experienced’ (loosely used) player then its is certainly a session i can recommend if you want to extend the type of songs you are playing and improve your chord work, or even if all you want is to play in a group atmosphere and have a couple of drinks as a social activity once a week.
Class details:
Teacher: Mark Lineham
Location: Bollington, Dog & Partridge
Day: Monday (Beginner) Tues: Intermediate
Tel: Mark 07989 600001