bradlaird - Posted - 05/11/2015:  06:29:54

Howdy folks!

You may have seen my free mandolin lessons ad on the home page of MandoHangout. I have been playing since 1975, teaching since 1982 and creating video mandolin lessons since around 2006. Lots of folks, actually I mean well over a million, have watched my free lessons on YouTube. But a lot of people never get past the free stuff and dig into the premium downloads. (It reminds me of the guy--you've seen them-- who notice the lady in the grocery store handing out free samples and they keep coming around and sending their kid over to get the free cheese spread on a cracker. You think that guy is ever going to actually buy anything? Fat chance! haha)

Sadly, a lot of people will pay hundreds (if not thousands) for a mandolin and then clamp their wallet shut tight and hope to learn to play the thing for free on YouTube. Or maybe they will cough up $20 or $25 bucks for a few half hour lessons down at their local music store thinking that will do the trick.

There is this meme that everything on the internet should be free and, secondly, if it's not free it can't be any good. Well, to disprove that theory I am going to give a complete premium download lesson to anyone who emails me and asks for it. (I can see that guy at the grocery store emailing me now to get the free "whatever".) I am giving this lesson to anyone who asks for it to prove that the lessons are worth far more than the $5.99 which Watch & Learn sells them for. You can repeat the lesson whenever you want to and as many times as you need to. Try that with they guy at the music store. I have over 60 video lessons available (and yes, 20+ are free!) and you can see the full list here:

bradleylaird.com/playthemandol...deos.html

The lesson I am giving away is called "Mississippi Sawyer." It includes a QuickTime video lesson which is over 26 min. long. It teaches two versions of the tune Mississippi Sawyer and the chords. It also teaches a cool set of "jazz chords" which I think you will enjoy. These are the kind of chords you often hear when Texas contest fiddlers play a tune like this with a guitar and a tenor guitar backing them up. The lesson also includes a PDF file with the tab and standard notation AND two MP3 practice tracks.

All you have to do is send me an email to brad@bradleylaird.com and ask nicely. Put "Free Premium Download" in the subject line. I'll send you back an email with a Dropbox link to the file. It is a zip file and is 165 MB in size so be prepared for a pretty big download.

Take care,

Bradley Laird

Rob Beck - Posted - 05/12/2015:  03:15:48

Sounds like a good idea Brad, I hope it generates some more traffic to your site.  

I am tempted to take you up on your offer, but suspect that I may become one of "those guys" as your material looks a little too bluegrass-centric for my tastes (nothing wrong in that of course, just currently not my thing - I am prepared to be proved wrong though!) and then I would feel guilty! ;)

Good luck with it!

Rob

bradlaird - Posted - 05/12/2015:  05:50:36

Rob: If the set of Texas Style/Jazz chords (a la Jethro Burns) at the end of the lesson doesn't wave your flag I'll eat my hat. Hat of my choosing.

This old tune is well-traveled in Old Time and Bluegrass circles and even if you prefer other styles of music you'll pick up some thoughts on augmented and diminished chords which you can use in other styles.

No guilt. Costs me nothing to do this. (Other than a little time to reply to the email.) It's just ones and zeros.

Brad

bradlaird - Posted - 05/13/2015:  06:28:20

I just posted a demo from this lesson on YouTube. Here it is with instructions for picking it up for free: bradleylaird.com/blog-articles...wyer.html

Wilbur - Posted - 05/13/2015:  17:28:09

Thanks Brad.  I got the lesson.  I won't let this lesson go to waste.

Rob Beck - Posted - 05/14/2015:  07:06:56

Thanks for the link to the lesson Brad.  I am happy to say that both your hat and digestive system are safe!  That jazz chord progression at the end is pretty cool! 

Rob

bradlaird - Posted - 05/21/2015:  12:40:30

Man! I had that hat soaking overnight in brine to soften 'er up.

On the jazz chords... told ya! : D

To everyone else: Offer still stands...

TSSN - Posted - 05/26/2015:  04:10:49

Brad,, I downloaded mine too.  Solid, wise instruction, as always.  Many thanks!

bradlaird - Posted - 06/26/2015:  15:24:14

Thanks, Patrick (TSSN)! Not many takers on the offer here lately. Quite a few on the first day or two after I posted. Once it got pushed off the home page the responses went to zero. Offer is still open. Read my original post at the top. I am happy to send the free video/tab/tracks to anyone who asks for it.