Use the following guidelines to choose your child's fiddle or guitar class.
We are changing the style of the Grey Fox Bluegrass Academy for Kids from a “class structure” to a “round robin” style of learning. Instead of having students assigned to a single class that they stay in for the entire program, they will rotate from instructor to instructor to work with a variety of students on individual components of the program. To facilitate this, we are also changing the way we do our initial assessment of each student, prior to their arrival at Grey Fox. We are no longer using standard beginner, medium, advanced. Instead, we are asking for a little more information so that we have a better idea of how to start off the weekend.
To this end, and in order to help us get to know your child, please read the following which will help us determine your child’s optimal learning style. All students will be expected to not only play but also sing the three songs chosen for this year, so we want to make sure they get all the support they need during the program. It is important that you are honest in your assessment and sign your student up for the color that fits their abilities best.
Fiddle
Orange Violin/Fiddle Skills Your child is still just learning to read music notes or learning to play their fiddle by ear.
Green Violin/Fiddle Skills Your child is playing music with others either in school or in less formal settings.
Red Violin/Fiddle Skills Your child meets the green requirements and can play three or more of the following fiddle tunes from memory or similar level songs from other genres. If they have time and don’t know any of these songs, it would be great if they could learn one or more of them prior to camp. Old Joe Clark, Angelina Baker, Arkansas Traveler, Road to Columbus, Soldier’s Joy, Golden Slippers, Devil’s Dream, Swallowtail Jig or Turkey in the Straw.
Blue Violin/Fiddle Skills Your child meets the green and red requirements and can change keys in basic tunes and songs without writing anything down on paper.
Guitar
Green Guitar Skills The student should know D, A, G and C chords, and can change between them while another person sings along. Students just starting out are also welcome but should be working on getting comfortable playing the first four chords. They should be practicing using a pick.
Red Guitar Skills The student should know D, A, G, C and E chords and can change between them. They should be able to accompany themselves as they sing basic two or three chords songs using a pick.
Blue Guitar Skills The student meets the criteria in the red group and the student should be able to play melodies on the guitar, using more than one string. The student is also familiar with and can play melodies from guitar tablature. |