
A sub-genre of country music which blends improvising with folk-like melodies. Pioneered by Bill Monroe in the 1930s in the "bluegrass" state. Nick will present flatpick techniques.
Lesson 1
Nick Amodeo introduces the Bluegrass Series and explains what to expect in the following lessons.
Length: 2:27 Difficulty: 0.5 Members OnlyLesson 2
Nick discusses the history of bluegrass and the influence it has had on other styles of music.
Length: 27:44 Difficulty: 1.0 Members OnlyLesson 3
Nick explains the musical role that each instrument plays in a bluegrass band.
Length: 17:01 Difficulty: 1.0 Members OnlyLesson 4
Nick explains how to play some of the most commonly used chords in the bluegrass genre.
Length: 19:42 Difficulty: 2.5 FREELesson 5
Welcome to a right hand "boot camp" with Nick Amodeo! In this lesson, Nick demonstrates several picking and strumming exercises that will whip your right hand into shape.
Length: 24:48 Difficulty: 2.0 Members OnlyLesson 6
Nick Amodeo continues his discussion of picking technique in this installment of right hand "boot camp."
Length: 24:33 Difficulty: 3.0 Members OnlyLesson 7
Nick presents several exercises that develop string skipping and crosspicking technique.
Length: 23:35 Difficulty: 3.5 Members OnlyLesson 8
Nick covers some exercises and scales that develop left hand technique.
Length: 33:15 Difficulty: 2.0 Members OnlyLesson 9
Nick explains how to play various slurs such as slides, hammer-ons, and pull-offs. Also included are some common bluegrass licks that utilize these techniques.
Length: 30:54 Difficulty: 3.5 Members OnlyLesson 10
Nick covers some basic bluegrass strumming patterns.
Length: 12:23 Difficulty: 3.0 Members OnlyLesson 11
Nick covers some of the most commonly used scale patterns in bluegrass.
Length: 31:45 Difficulty: 2.0 Members OnlyLesson 12
Nick applies fundamental guitar techniques from previous lessons to the song "Nine Pound Hammer."
Length: 31:39 Difficulty: 3.5 Members OnlyLesson 13
Nick demonstrates his interpretation of "Texas Gales." You might say this one will blow you away!
Length: 38:30 Difficulty: 4.0 Members Only
About Nick Amodeo
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Nick Amodeo is a multi-instrumentalist based out of Denver, Colorado. A self taught musician, he took up guitar at age 12 before moving on to mandolin and electric bass. He is the 2005 Colorado state mandolin champion, and was featured on the 2007 Downbeat magazine Blues Album of the Year, Otis Taylor’s “Definition of a Circle.”
Nick has shared the stage with such artists as Buddy Guy, Chuck Campbell, Mollie O’Brien, Nick Forster and Pete Wernick of Hot Rize, and many others. Nick currently is the mandolin department at Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado and has over 10 years teaching experience.
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Member Comments about this Lesson
Discussions with our instructors are just one of the many benefits of becoming a member of JamPlay.Holding the fingers away from the palm creates more tension in the hand.You can feel it immediately when you hold the pick between the thumb & index finger and then open the middle,ring,& pinky.Two different sets of muscles (extensors and flexors) are being used in opposing motion.Aaron Shearer wrote plenty on the subject of the hands for classical guitar but applies here as well.
Great Excercise. I need that alternating type excercise; it's going to be tough with a metronome.
Your analogy for the Rest Stroke and the Price is Right Wheel is great. haha. That made me laugh...it is so right on. Great exercises here Nick. Thanks!