Loarcutus - Posted - 07/07/2016:  12:25:32

I have numerous friends who have gone to camps, attended workshops, etc. and when I have asked them what they learned; just one take-away; I usually get a blank stare with the obligatory, "huh"...For the life of me I can't figure out why someone would spend their hard earned $$ and not come away with something concrete that they could work on is beyond me!

Case in point: a friend attended the Mandolin Symposium a couple of years ago and was in a learning track with David Grisman. I asked him what he learned....blank stare. I said, you're kidding me, you didn't even ask for a pointer or two on tremolo from the king of tremolo....nope! Blew me away....not one single take-away from a whole week! And this guy is a pretty good player.

My experience: Summergrass last year, John Moore did a workshop with Adam Steffey and covered double stops...later I got a 15 min private tutorial from John in the green room. It has literally changed my mandolin picking life, and I incorporate the principles of what he shared in my playing now as habit!

So what say ye? I kinda think workshops/camps tend to have aspects that are just money grabs for no-names like us to hob-nob with the stars, but in my experience you can certainly learn if you apply yourself.

Interested in your takes on this subject, Oh and if you did learn something concrete, please share at least the subject?

Edited by - Loarcutus on 07/07/2016 12:31:18

UsuallyPickin - Posted - 07/07/2016:  12:31:11

If I wasn't learning to be a better musician , not to mention having a great time, the jamming is generally amazing, I wouldn't bother. I usually learn several new tunes and a "trick" or two. John Moore is a most excellent teacher and his right hand technique is amazing. I learned more about cross picking in one, two hour lesson with him than all my previous years of book study. R/

Texasbanjo - Posted - 07/08/2016:  05:06:08

I used to go to Camp Bluegrass in Levelland, TX, and their camp workshop was 5 days long and you definitely learned a LOT.  There were group lessons in the morning, various different things in the afternoon, including private lessons (for a price), slow jams,  group singing, some sort of theory lessons.  In the evening there was a faculty jam (which was worth the price of the camp) and after that, jamming, jamming, jamming, both slow and regular.  You might check that out.  campbluegrass.com .

Joe Carr used to teach a mandolin class that was fantastic for beginners, and there were also classes for intermediate and advanced.  Joe's gone now, so I don't know who's teaching mandolin classes, but I'd bet it was still someone who is an excellent instructor.  

Camp Bluegrass, if I remember right, is the 3rd week in July.

m - Posted - 07/09/2016:  00:29:46

As with every thing else, one gets out  a camp what one puts into it     

zimmphil - Posted - 01/18/2017:  17:50:46

As others have said, you get out what you put in. At Guitar & Mandolin Camp North we offer a weekend of "all music all the time", with classes, workshops, jams, and one-on-one sessions with some of the best musicians in the world... no exaggeration! Check us out: http://musiccampsnorth.com/2017-guitar-and-mandolin-camp-north-faculty/

I hope to see some of you at camp!

Phil Zimmerman (President, Music Camps North, Inc.)

m - Posted - 01/20/2017:  13:51:58

The only camp I attend is the Monroemandocamp in Nashville, run by Mike Compton and Heidi Herzog and that camp for me lasts all year long in that there is enough material to work on and base my studies on for the next year. If one is serious, there is always something to take home from a camp. You learn from the classes, the jamming and the convos with all the folks who are there. I'm sure that this is pretty much the case for all camps. If you don't get anything out of a camp, that is your problem.

Loarcutus - Posted - 02/12/2017:  01:48:01

So Mike, what concrete technique did you learn your last go-round at the Monroe Camp?

I'm sincerely interested in your response as I'm considering going.