Author Archives: Mike
Review: Coursera Introduction to Improvisation
I’ve completed the second week of Gary Burton’s Intro to Improvisation online course through Coursera. The lessons progressed from the first week’s discussion of parallels between language and music to a more theoretical description of ten of the commonly used … Continue reading
Posted in Jazz, Pedagogy, Reviews
Tagged Coursera Reviews, Guitar, Jazz, Pedagogy, Reviews
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Review: Coursera Introduction to Improvisation
I’ve just completed the assignments for Week 1 of Gary Burton’s introductory improvisation class. I think it’s off to a good start, and he really throws you right into the thick of things. The first lectures address music as a … Continue reading
Posted in Jazz, Music Lessons, Pedagogy, Reviews
Tagged Coursera Reviews, Guitar, Jazz, Music lessons, Pedagogy, Reviews
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SoundCloud Page
I just set up a page on SoundCloud where I’ll be uploading my music. Feel free to check it out, follow my stream, and see what I’m listening to. The address is http://soundcloud.com/mikeopmusic
Posted in Performance, Products
Tagged Banjo, Bluegrass, Clawhammer, Fingerstyle, Guitar, Hindustani music, Jazz, Mandolin, Old-time, Performance, Products
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Review: Coursera Introduction to Improvisation
Today I had my first glimpse of the online Introduction to Improvisation course offered by Berklee College of Music. It is a five-week class presenting some of the fundamentals of jazz improvisation. I’ll be giving a week-by-week review as a … Continue reading
Posted in Jazz, Music Lessons, Pedagogy, Reviews
Tagged Coursera Reviews, Guitar, Jazz, Music lessons, Pedagogy, Reviews
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Fabrizio Sotti EPK
Here is the full length EPK for Fabrizio Sotti’s upcoming album, Right Now. I’m finishing up my feature on Sotti for Guitar International, to be published mid-May. Check for it then to hear the story behind the artist and the … Continue reading
Debashish Bhattacharya Interview and Streaming Audio
A new album released by Debashish Bhattacharya featuring John McLaughlin is available for streaming on the CBC music blog. This album is a departure from Bhattacharaya’s previous albums, which featured traditional Hindustani classical music. I’ll be reviewing the new album, Beyond … Continue reading
Posted in Ethnomusicology, India, Jazz, Reviews
Tagged Ethnomusicology, Guitar, Hindustani music, India, Jazz, Reviews
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Music Lessons in Koh Samui
I am currently teaching from two locations on Koh Samui. I am available every day in Ban Lamai and every Wednesday and Friday in Ban Maenam. I teach private guitar, banjo, and mandolin lessons, as well as music theory, jazz … Continue reading
Posted in Music Lessons, Products
Tagged Americana, Banjo, Bluegrass, Clawhammer, Ear training, Fingerstyle, Guitar, Jazz, Mandolin, Music lessons, Old-time, Products, Thailand
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A Link Between Country Music and Jazz
A couple of recent articles / reviews from The Atlantic and All About Jazz touch on some of the interesting overlap between country music and jazz over the last century. Skip Heller’s review of Chet Atkins’ and Les Paul’s album Guitar Monsters and Noah … Continue reading
Posted in Ethnomusicology, Jazz, Reviews
Tagged Americana, Ethnomusicology, Jazz, Reviews
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New Book! Guitar: A Course for Adult Beginners
I just finished printing my new book Guitar: A Course for Adult Beginners. The content is related to that found in my Beginner Guitar Series. However, the book is more focused as a workbook/songbook, emphasizing the methods for building a basic vocabulary … Continue reading
Posted in Music Lessons, Pedagogy, Products
Tagged Americana, Bluegrass, Guitar, Music lessons, Old-time, Pedagogy, Products
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Time Article on Music Collectives
Here’s an interesting article from Time entitled “Can Music Collectives Fill the Gap Between Labels and DIY?,” by Lily Rothman. Rothman opens a brief discussion of the role of collectives, showing the different forms they may take, the people involved, and … Continue reading
