Doo-Wop! Singing & Playing

This class will offer the basic skills for someone who wants to put their voice together with an instrument for the first, or nearly the first time.

If you can play 5-10 chords on a uke or guitar, and would like to accompany yourself while singing, this class will help you do just that! This class will help you play in time while you sing a melody, help you gain confidence with the fingerings and rhythm patterns through guided repetition, and give you the basic tools to pick up a chord and lyric sheet and be your own one-person band. Each weekly class will involve playing a new song or two, making music with others in the class, and honing the specific skills needed to get your fingers and voice working together so you can self-accompany and attend old time, bluegrass, and other singing jams. This class is ideal for ukulele and guitar players. Please email [email protected] with any questions.

More information:

1) The format of the class will be song-based, where we tackle songs as a group, using lyrics and charts. We will cover an average of 2 songs per class. My teaching model for this class is that it will run kind of like a dance class, where you do a little warm up then get right to it with learning a few routines, or, in this case, songs. We will spend some time breaking down the song, but the goal for each class will be to have the songs up and running in a relatively clean, complete way. If you are a beginner this might feel like it is moving fast, but you will be supported by the group and be able to catch more than you think (and more and more each time), while more advanced players will have a chance to get these two songs really under their fingers and in their voices.

2) I'll also have students bring in songs they are working on and perform for the class. This will give you a chance to spot check your coordination and get coached on your overall ability to put singing and playing together. . .plus get through any nerves! 

3) The rep will be quite standard rep, because the goal is for you to have the basic bag of tricks that you can use to play old time and bluegrass songs with others. All of the songs we'll do will help you be able to play just about anything that you come across, because so many songs have similar patterns. I'll ask you for some song ideas, and as the class goes along we can certainly venture into more unusual directions if people want to. If a song coming up has a tricky chord or two, I'll let you know in advance so you have the option of getting that chord under your fingers for the coming week. 

4) The other big component of the class will be working in small groups, ideally in combinations that include different instruments, for example: two people, one on uke one on guitar, one singing melody and one singing harmony. In this way, the class is also part "ensemble" class, in that you will be really working to put it all together not just with your own voice and hands, but in tandem with other musicians. We'll work towards the recital at the end for anyone who is interested in performing.