Phil believes that players find the greatest satisfaction from creating their own solos. This workshop assumes that participants have played the banjo for awhile, can play bluegrass songs, and want to make the step towards creating their own solos.

Participants are encouraged to take notes. I’ll also give out handouts, and there will be opportunities to try out ideas.

 Space requirements:

Enough room for multiple students to listen to taped musical selections on multiple recorders at multiple listening stations. Students should be able to find enough space to work on their solos independently.

 Sample activities sequence:

 I.                     Discuss the creative possibilities on the banjo. The fact that all bluegrass banjo
playing contains a great deal of information. That’s the challenge, and that’s the appeal.

 II.                   Play recorded examples or great solos: (Eddie Adcock “A Legend in My Time,” Bob Black, “Indian Killed a Woodcock,” Bela Fleck “Who’s That Knocking at My Window,” etc etc) Invite comment on why they are great..

 III.                  Different types of solos for different types of situations: traditional bluegrass, progressive acoustic, the current wave, in terms of:

     ·        Degree of referencing the melody in different situations
     ·        Implications of the chord structure (substitutions, expansions, simplifications)
     ·        Discussion: how are approaches such as “Scruggs,” “Reno,” or “Keith” relevant
           to today’s playing. 

IV.               Mood of the solo vs. showcasing the players’ technical ability technical ability.

V.                 The Keys to developing one’s solos:

     ·        Listening to music a lot
     ·        Playing one’s instrument in an engaged fashion
     ·        Recognizing when a phrase is a good idea
     ·        Remembering the idea
     ·        Critiquing the idea
     ·        Practicing the idea so that it can be played at will
     ·        Avoid “over-rich” playing. Don’t cram all ones ideas into one solo

VI.               Alerting your band on solos special features such as pauses, quiet passages, alterations in the song form.

VII        Degrees of interpretive freedom. 

VIII       Breaks with contrasting moods (demonstrate “The Baby’s Moods” and “Love is Like a Flower.”

IX         Exercise: Attendees construct solos of whatever songs they choose. If they want, we’ll distribute tabbed portions of songs. Their work would be to complete the solo, maintaining the mood (or altering it if appropriate).

X         Workshop Leader Consults with workshop participants