STILLHOUSE JUNKIES WORKSHOPS

Creating that Band Sound: Arranging Workshop

The band will take attendees through the challenging and often frustrating process of arranging original material and covers for an ensemble, including the nuances that help songs stand out and keep audiences engaged. Using examples from the band's own repertoire, workshop participants will learn how to put together a bigger picture road map for a song and dive into the particulars of unison/harmonized melody, stops, holds, solos and written instrumental parts, group dynamics, intros, and endings. We'll look at classic formulas from the bluegrass and folk world including two-bar Nashville-style bridges, verse repetition, tagged endings, and a few common twists. Attendees will also develop their musicianship through discussion and demonstration of tasteful comping, fills, solo support, interlocked grooves, and perhaps most importantly, when to just lay out and let the rest of the band play. 

Taking Your Rhythm Playing to the Next Level

Using examples from their own repertoire as well as well-worn bluegrass and folk standards, the band will offer a number of strategies and instrument-specific (guitar, bass, fiddle) techniques to promote more dynamic, fluid rhythmic accompaniment in an ensemble or even duo setting. Technical examples include percussive chopping, slapping, and plucking, crosspicking, palm muting, hybrid picking on the guitar using pick and fingers simultaneously, hammer-ons, and pull-offs. The band will also explore the nuances of breaking down the groove, tempo, and rhythmic backbone of specific songs and look at specific examples of rhythm playing in context ranging from sparse to intricate.