Sponsored By
 
 
Melodic Embellishment
with Sharon Gilchrist
 
 
About This Course
 
In this workshop, Sharon will use common bluegrass and old-time tunes like “Old Joe Clark,” “Whiskey Before Breakfast,” “June Apple,” “Angeline the Baker,” and more to demonstrate her method for teaching students how to embellish and vary melodies as a way to begin to improvise.
 
 
Try a Sample Lesson
 

In Part 2 of the session, Sharon walks you through the basic melody of “Old Joe Clark” and isolates the four basic rhythms contained in the melody. Then she shows you how to use these rhythms to create variations on the melody.

 
 
 
Meet the Instructor
Sharon Gilchrist
 
 
Sharon Gilchrist has long made her home in the American acoustic music scene. Whether she’s playing mandolin, thumpin’ the upright bass, singing a traditional ballad, or performing one of her original pieces, her music is steeped in traditional Appalachian sounds, delivered with a distinct spacious, graceful, and fiery style all her own. Sharon has performed with Darol Anger, Peter Rowan and Tony Rice Quartet, Uncle Earl, Laurie Lewis and the Right Hands, the Kathy Kallick Band, and many others. She is also a respected mandolin teacher and has taught at music camps throughout the US.
 
 
 
Peghead Play-Along Tracks
 
Peghead Nation is creating a library of accompaniment videos (and downloadable MP3s) for songs and tunes that are taught on the site, classics that you'll find at many jams and picking parties. As a subscriber, you have access to this library and can use the tracks to practice playing tunes and songs at a slow or medium tempo with guitar accompaniment. New songs will be added regularly.
 
 
The Melodic Embellishment Subscription Includes:
  • Eight one-hour sessions, recorded during Sharon's live workshop series
  • Sharon's method for teaching students how to embellish and vary melodies as a way to begin to improvise
  • Instruction on varying simple fiddle tunes in rhythmic and melodic ways
  • Advice on how to begin creating your own solos and improvisations
  • High-quality video recordings
  • Notation and tablature for each session with variations and complete solos
 
 
$20/Month For One Course
 
Additional courses only $10/month each!   •   Save 20% with an annual subscription
 
 
Get started now!
Use promo code SharonLand at checkout
and get your first month free or $20 off an annual subscription.
 
 

In this workshop, Sharon uses common bluegrass and old-time tunes like “Old Joe Clark,” “Whiskey Before Breakfast,” “June Apple,” “Angeline the Baker,” and more to demonstrate her method for teaching students how to embellish and vary melodies as a way to begin to improvise.

 
 
Melodic Embellishment Course Outline
 
Welcome to Melodic Embellishment
 

Sharon talks about what she will be doing in her Melodic Embellishment workshop, and gives you PDFs and MP3s of the tunes she will be using to demonstrate her method of embellishing and varying melodies

 
SESSION 1: “Old Joe Clark” Sustain and Rhythmic Embellishment Techniques
 

Sharon kicks off her workshop by introducing four sustain techniques (single string, two strings, drone, and separating two strings) and three rhythmic techniques (quarter notes, eighth notes, and shuffle bow) and showing you how to use them to create variations on the melody of “Old Joe Clark.”

 
SESSION 2: “Angeline the Baker” Embellishment Techniques
 

Sharon shows you how to use the sustain and rhythmic embellishment techniques you learned in the last lesson on “Angeline the Baker” and shows you how to move the melody into different octaves and add drones and double stops.

 
SESSION 3: “Soldier’s Joy” Embellishment Techniques, Upper and Lower Octaves and Bill Monroe Solo
 

Sharon shows you the melody to both parts of “Soldier’s Joy” in a higher octave, and the melody to the B part in a lower octave. She also shows you a Bill Monroe solo in which Monroe simplifies the melody so he can play it at a fast tempo.

 
SESSION 4: Rhythmic and Melodic Variations on “Soldier’s Joy”
 

Sharon shows you some rhythmic and melodic variations on “Soldier’s Joy” and gives you ideas on incorporating them into your own versions of “Soldier’s Joy.” She starts by showing you how to simplify the basic melody of “Soldier’s Joy” like Bill Monroe did, and how the simplified melody allows you to drive the melody by accenting beats two and four or vary your rhythmic accents in different ways. She also talks about varying the melody of “Soldier’s Joy’ with double stops and chord tones.

 
SESSION 5: Variations on “June Apple”
 

Sharon shows you a variety of variations on “June Apple,” including a variation that subtracts melody notes and keeps the eighth notes driving, a technique called the “Monroe Jump,” the melody in the lower octave, and variations that include sequences and other embellishments. She also gives advice on how to practice the material you’re learning in this class and prioritizing your practice sessions.

 
SESSION 6: Sequences in D and “Whiskey Before Breakfast” Variations
 

Sharon introduces you to the concept of sequences, and shows you variations on “Whiskey Before Breakfast,” including some that use sequences.

 
SESSION 7: “Clinch Mountain Backstep” Variations
 

In this session, Sharon shows you some variations for “Clinch Mountain Backstep.” She starts by playing through the melody and adding some of the variation techniques you’ve learned, like playing the melody with drones, shuffle bow rhythm, the two-string technique, and the separating two strings technique. Sharon also talks about adding double stops to the melody and then introduces a new technique that she calls “back and forths.”

 
SESSION 8: “Gold Rush” Variations
 

In this session, Sharon shows you variations for “Gold Rush” and introduces two new concepts: contrasts in melody range and repeated figures.

 
 
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Sponsored By
 
 
 
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    ● Courses
    ● Live Workshops
    ● Instructors
    ● Sample Lessons
    ● Notation Guide
    ● For Beginners
 
 
    ● Vintage Vault
    ● New Gear
    ● Fine Lutherie
 
 
    ● Workshops
    ● Advice
    ● Repertoire
 
 
    ● Recordings
    ● Events
    ● Breaking News
 
 
    ● In The Studio
    ● Live Onstage
    ● Backroom
 
 
    ● New Products
    ● Inside Look
    ● Performances
    ● Partner Pages
 
 
© Copyright 2020 PegheadNation.com