Tag Archives: Music lessons
Bluegrass Banjo Lesson Now Available
I’ve just published a new lesson on the bluegrass rolls for the five-string banjo. Check it out here!
Posted in Music Lessons, Products
Tagged Banjo, Bluegrass, Free lessons, Music lessons, Products
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Newsletter Launched!
I’m happy to announce that the first volume of the Mike Op Music Newsletter went out yesterday! This newsletter is an opportunity for me to stay in touch with students, friends, and readers. The newsletters feature updates on myself, links … Continue reading
Bye Bye Blackbird Chord Melody
Here is my guitar chord melody arrangement for “Bye Bye Blackbird,” composed by Ray Henderson, published in 1926. A jazz standard, “Bye Bye Blackbird” has been recorded by many notable musicians including Miles Davis, Nina Simone, Frank Sinatra, Keith Jarrett, … Continue reading
Posted in Jazz, Music Lessons, Products
Tagged Free lessons, Guitar, Jazz, Music lessons, Products
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Ear Training Resource
Ear training is one of the fundamental skills a musician works to acquire. Recognizing intervallic relationships between different notes enables accurate sight singing, transcription, imitation, and allows the improvising musician to know what how something will sound before they even … Continue reading
Posted in Music Lessons, Products
Tagged Ear training, Free lessons, Music lessons, Products
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New Year’s Resolutions
It’s a little late, but one month into 2013, I’ve finally settled on some resolutions for this blog! I’m adding a couple of new running topics to the blog such as album and concert reviews, instructional book, DVD, and website … Continue reading
Posted in Music Lessons, Pedagogy, Performance, Products, Reviews
Tagged Banjo, Guitar, Hindustani music, Mandolin, Music lessons, Pedagogy, Performance, Products, Reviews
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Free Guitar Resource: Open Chord Bass Notes
Here is a very useful chart for rhythm guitar, alternating bass, and for fingerpicking, bluegrass, and old-time accompaniment. It provides the root, third, and fifth of all of the basic open chords in multiple positions. Open Chord Bass Notes
Posted in Music Lessons, Pedagogy, Products
Tagged Fingerstyle, Free lessons, Guitar, Music lessons, Pedagogy
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Jazz Article at Guitar International Magazine
Guitar International Magazine has just published my article “Jazz Improvisation: Licks as a Learning Tool” on their website. This article provides a method for getting the most from pre-composed licks as a model of jazz improvisation.
Posted in Music Lessons, Pedagogy
Tagged Free lessons, Guitar, Music lessons, Pedagogy, Reviews
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Coming Soon: Website Reviews
As any student of music is surely aware, there is a virtually unlimited number of instructional resources available, often for free, online. Even when I was learning guitar, I relied heavily upon a number of websites for tablature, playing exercises, … Continue reading
Posted in Music Lessons, Pedagogy, Reviews
Tagged Banjo, Free lessons, Guitar, Mandolin, Music lessons, Pedagogy, Reviews
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Coming Soon: The Mike Op Music Beginner Guitar Series!
I’m just putting the finishing touches on my new instructional program the Mike Op Music Beginner Guitar Series! Hopefully this online guitar course will be available for purchase before Christmas. Here’s what it’s all about: This eight-part program is intended … Continue reading
Posted in Music Lessons, Pedagogy, Products
Tagged Guitar, Music lessons, Pedagogy, Products
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Free Mandolin Lesson Now Available
Another new mandolin lesson is now available under the Sample Lessons on this site. Here we have a three part lesson dealing with melodic variation, using “Bury Me Beneath the Willow” as our model. Enjoy!
