Jimi75
May 15th, 2009, 02:32 AM
Hey there,
I think it is also pretty common overseas that big music stores arrange workshops with good musicians. Here in Germany especially in the mid 90's we had some cool guitar stores that were not too big and they were run by passionate musicians (which is the reason the went bancropt...) where you could learn from the cool players and attend workshops in small circles of sometimes only 10 people, most of the time for a couple of Deutsche Mark back then.
Whom of you folks has participated in workshops? There's two types of workshops, the one where the artist really wants to convey something and the one where the artist only talks about his sig model and wants to sell something.
Here's some workshops I have participated in:
John Petrucci (DreamTheater) - 3 times during the 90's, one time together with Mike Portnoy who is DreamTheater's Drummer. Brilliant workshops, no sales talk, just music music music, a lot of detailled information and time to talk! Very personal workshops.
Yngwie Malmsteen - Yngwie's star show - few information and Yngwie threatening one guy in the audience - not worth a penny.
Marty Friedman (ex Megadeth) - very informative workshop. Everybody awaited a Metal workshop, but Marty taught exotic scales, following the chords in E-major and such. Marty is a very nice person who speaks a little German, too. I remember he was afraid that it could be to loud for my former girlfriend (now my wife:) she accompanied me) and Marty offered her a fresh pair of earplugs!
Noel Redding (Jimi Hendrix Experience) & Jerry Donahue (The Hellcasters) - Noel played guitar only at that occasion, some Hendrix stuff, some of his own, no info really, also Jerry Donahue only talked about the Dunlop picks he is using, but both guys were extraoridarily friendly. Especially with Noel I had a special bond, because we get to know each other pretty well when I later on worked for Fender and spend a week at the tradefair personally with Noel.
Wolf Marshall (the guy who wrote a ton of tablature books) - it was a workshop I participated in when being in Seattle in 1998. Wolf explained Eric Johnson's trademark licks. It was a very nice workshop at the GC Seattle. A lot of good information on gear and how to use the wah, too.
Jennifer Batten (ex Michael Jackson) - strange workshop that felt sterile. Jennifer is cool but you can not get in touch with her really (she had her bodyguard with her :thwap: also at the several tradefairs she took part in!)
She did a lot of hightech blabla
Robben Ford Masterclass - I cought one place out of 25 and payed around 300 -USD for an entire day Master Class with Robben. I have expected more, Robben showed licks that were below intermediate and so some of the participants didn't get their money worth until he finally started getting into the fine licks in the late afternoon. He did not much of talking, but he had a great sound and a nice way of explaining things. The host missed to ask us all before the workshop what our playing status was, and so Robben prepared a more easy programm. Robben is a well organized man, who had his files and documentation with him and so and I knew from the beginning that improvising the day was not his baby. Anyways, of course I could take some licks home and it was really inspiring to see how accurate he was playing.
Lets hear about your experiences with workshops.
Jimi75
:AOK:
I think it is also pretty common overseas that big music stores arrange workshops with good musicians. Here in Germany especially in the mid 90's we had some cool guitar stores that were not too big and they were run by passionate musicians (which is the reason the went bancropt...) where you could learn from the cool players and attend workshops in small circles of sometimes only 10 people, most of the time for a couple of Deutsche Mark back then.
Whom of you folks has participated in workshops? There's two types of workshops, the one where the artist really wants to convey something and the one where the artist only talks about his sig model and wants to sell something.
Here's some workshops I have participated in:
John Petrucci (DreamTheater) - 3 times during the 90's, one time together with Mike Portnoy who is DreamTheater's Drummer. Brilliant workshops, no sales talk, just music music music, a lot of detailled information and time to talk! Very personal workshops.
Yngwie Malmsteen - Yngwie's star show - few information and Yngwie threatening one guy in the audience - not worth a penny.
Marty Friedman (ex Megadeth) - very informative workshop. Everybody awaited a Metal workshop, but Marty taught exotic scales, following the chords in E-major and such. Marty is a very nice person who speaks a little German, too. I remember he was afraid that it could be to loud for my former girlfriend (now my wife:) she accompanied me) and Marty offered her a fresh pair of earplugs!
Noel Redding (Jimi Hendrix Experience) & Jerry Donahue (The Hellcasters) - Noel played guitar only at that occasion, some Hendrix stuff, some of his own, no info really, also Jerry Donahue only talked about the Dunlop picks he is using, but both guys were extraoridarily friendly. Especially with Noel I had a special bond, because we get to know each other pretty well when I later on worked for Fender and spend a week at the tradefair personally with Noel.
Wolf Marshall (the guy who wrote a ton of tablature books) - it was a workshop I participated in when being in Seattle in 1998. Wolf explained Eric Johnson's trademark licks. It was a very nice workshop at the GC Seattle. A lot of good information on gear and how to use the wah, too.
Jennifer Batten (ex Michael Jackson) - strange workshop that felt sterile. Jennifer is cool but you can not get in touch with her really (she had her bodyguard with her :thwap: also at the several tradefairs she took part in!)
She did a lot of hightech blabla
Robben Ford Masterclass - I cought one place out of 25 and payed around 300 -USD for an entire day Master Class with Robben. I have expected more, Robben showed licks that were below intermediate and so some of the participants didn't get their money worth until he finally started getting into the fine licks in the late afternoon. He did not much of talking, but he had a great sound and a nice way of explaining things. The host missed to ask us all before the workshop what our playing status was, and so Robben prepared a more easy programm. Robben is a well organized man, who had his files and documentation with him and so and I knew from the beginning that improvising the day was not his baby. Anyways, of course I could take some licks home and it was really inspiring to see how accurate he was playing.
Lets hear about your experiences with workshops.
Jimi75
:AOK: