beginner old time banjo

with J.P.Harris

about the class

In this Beginner Old-Time Banjo class, JP will teach the basics of clawhammer-style old time banjo. Primarily self taught in all aspects of his music career, the course will be structured to accommodate the untrained, aspiring musician through layperson's fundamentals. Literature covering and expanding upon each weeks' lessons will be provided to every student.

 -WEEK ONE will cover posture, right hand technique, and a general introduction to clawhammer old time banjo.

-WEEK TWO will cover left hand technique and the "number system," an alternate form of understanding chords and their relationships to each other in traditional music.

-WEEK THREE will combine weeks one and two into a lesson showing the main four chords used in most if not all old time tunes and songs.

-WEEK FOUR will be spent teaching a "standard" old time fiddle tune for banjo, as well as instruction on how to read tablature.

Classes will meet on Mondays from 6-7pm at Soft Junk on Gallatin Pike

Cost for four Mondays (February 12, 19, 26, March 4) is $125

About the Teacher

JP Harris is a professional country singer, songwriter, and clawhammer banjoist residing in Nashville, TN. He has been playing clawhammer old time banjo for over twenty years, primarily self taught and with no formal music education of any sort. Through more than a decade spent at fiddler's conventions and festivals, JP developed his own amalgamation of fretless banjo playing, from various regional subsets of the instrument.