Four-Chord Camp

Crack the code and learn a squillion new songs just like THAT!

If you play guitar, piano, banjo, ukulele, harp, or bass and are feeling a little stuck, this workshop will catapult you out of your rut.

See, so many songs are built out of really simple elements. That doesn't mean they're easy, necessarily, or that all of them sound the same. But once you understand the harmonic patterns that show up in song after song, learning new ones is waaaaaay easier.

Music theory sounds kinda boring. But this won't be boring. You'll be playing so many songs!

Have you seen the video of the Australian comedy group Axis of Awesome, doing a bunch of songs with four chords? In that performance, all the songs even have the same four chords! (Note: there's a little salty language in the beginning of the clip and the same word later on during the song).

Many songs are built around four chords, and there are also a lot of songs built around three and four-chord loops. There are even some great two-chord songs! In this workshop, we'll explore simple but classic songs that have stood the test of time, and make time for recent favorites as well.

To participate in this workshop, you don't even need any experience - we'll get you started playing right away. More experienced players will be able to add riffs and melody lines to the songs. Bonus points if you sing!

"Okay guys! 'Viva la Vida' in A-flat! That's Db, Eb, Ab, and F-minor. Take it from the top!" (SMU Central University Libraries)Get ready to learn:

• A whole lotta two, three, and four chord songs
• The musical rules that make it easier to remember which chords go together
• How to identify the sections of a song in order to pull the whole thing together faster
• What to do if you're playing bass, drums, violin, or another non-chordal instrument
• How to apply your chord knowledge to bells, autoharp, accordion, and some other irresistible and instantly accessible instruments

You'll get the opportunity to play in an ensemble setting, plus one-on-one time with the instructor. The workshop will end in a concert for your parents and friends.

This workshop will be offered the weeks of May 28 and June 4, 2012 at 56 17th Street in Ansley Park. Sign up now!

All Eclectic Music workshops are one-week, half-day workshops in which participants (ages five and up) are grouped based on age and experience. Two workshops can be combined to create a full-day workshop. Tuition starts at $160 per workshop and are 10% off until April 1.