See the descriptions below for the classes offered this spring.
Register for any class either below or on the REGISTRATION page by selecting your membership status and clicking the “ADD TO CART” button. After registering for each class you want, click the “cart” icon in the upper right (lower left on mobile devices) to check out. If you have trouble registering, please visit our REGISTRATION page for detailed instructions on how to register.
Cost for all classes is $99 for members, $109 for non-members, and $50 for member children < 18 (those < 13 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian who need not be registered for the course).
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Beginning Mountain Dulcimer
Cost: $99/$109/$50
Instructor: Brian Nordmann
Time: Tuesdays 11:00am-12:00pm beginning April 1st
Location: The downtown Meeker Music store, 624 N. Tejon St. (Park in front, use front door, and head through the store to the classroom in back. Parking on Tejon St. is metered, but many side streets are not.)
Description: This course will introduce you to the world of the mountain (aka Appalachian) dulcimer. You will become familiar with the dulcimer and some of the music styles associated with the instrument. You’ll learn several tunes, some easy music theory, and the history of the instrument. You will NOT become a professional dulcimer player after these six weeks, but you will be able to play music with friends and at slow jams.
Prerequisites: No prior experience on any instrument neeeded
What to Bring: Your own instrument and music stand
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Next Level Singing (Continued)
Cost: $99/$109/$50
Instructor: Revele
Time: Tuesdays 6:00-7:00 pm beginning April 1st
(No class April 15th, makeup class on May 13th)
Location: The downtown Meeker Music store, 624 N. Tejon St. (Park in back of store off the alley in the Meeker lot and ring the back doorbell as the store closes at 6:00 and you will not be able to enter the front part of the store from the back classroom when class lets out.)
Description: (A continuing class for those who have taken Revele’s voice classes in the past) An hour of working out your voice, singing with your peers, and also performing solo. If this all sounds intimidating, this class is for you! We will roll up our sleeves and work through vocal issues and inhibitions while having a great time. Singing is art and art should never be stressful. Learning about how the voice works can be fascinating and fun! Come join us - no prerequisite required, just a positive attitude and willingness to sing (even if you’re shy, it will be okay… I promise)!
Prerequisites: None
What to Bring: Your own music stand
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Open Mic Ready Session 2
Cost: $99/$109/$50
Instructor: Revele
Time: Tuesdays 7:00-8:00 pm beginning April 1st
(No class April 15th, makeup class on May 13th)
Location: The downtown Meeker Music store, 624 N. Tejon St. (Park in back of store off the alley in the Meeker lot and wait for the 6:00 class to let out at 7:00 before entering. If arriving late, please ring the doorbell - if you ring it before 7:00 you will disturb the previous class.)
Description: (A continuation from last fall’s Open Mic Ready course) Let’s dive deeper into stage performance and getting you prepared not just for an open mic stage but for ANY stage. We will work on getting you out of your comfort zone and focus on vocal technique, confidence, stage presence, mic technique, and whatever else needs to be addressed for the members of the class. Previous classes or experience not required.
Prerequisites: None
What to Bring: Your own music stand
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Mandolin 2.0
Cost: $99/$109/$50
Instructor: Ray De Mers
Time: Wednesdays 6:00-7:00 pm beginning April 2nd
Location: The downtown Meeker Music store, 624 N. Tejon St. (Park in back of store off the alley in the Meeker lot and ring the back doorbell as the store closes at 6:00 and you will not be able to enter the front part of the store from the back classroom when class lets out.)
Description: This class is targeted at the intermediate mandolin player and is a follow-on to last fall’s beginning mandolin class, but other intermediate players are welcome. The course will teach a variety of musical styles, including chord melody, rhythm and back-up techniques, and movable chords.
Prerequisites: Basic mandolin skills in picking and strumming chords
What to Bring: Your own instrument and music stand.
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Bluegrass Banjo 2.0
Cost: $99/$109/$50
Instructor: Ray De Mers
Time: Wednesday 7:15-8:15 pm beginning April 2nd
Location: The downtown Meeker Music store, 624 N. Tejon St. (Park in back of store off the alley in the Meeker lot and ring the back doorbell as the store is closed at that time.)
Description: This class is a continuation of a previously taught Beginning Bluegrass Banjo class where we will continue to work on chords and melodies up and down the neck. We will also work on different right hand finger picking techniques as well as some new rhythm patterns. All of this while learning new songs that incorporate these ideas.
Prerequisites: Beginning Bluegrass Banjo class or equivalent
What to Bring: Your own instrument and music stand
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Carter Style Guitar
Cost: $99/$109/$50
Instructor: Greg Schochet
Time: Thursdays 6:00-7:00 pm beginning April 3rd.
Location: The downtown Meeker Music store, 624 N. Tejon St. (Park in back of store off the alley in the Meeker lot and ring the back doorbell as the store closes at 6:00 and you will not be able to enter the front part of the store from the back classroom when class lets out.)
Description: In this class we'll explore the playing of one of American roots music's most influential guitarists, Maybelle Carter. Maybelle's alternating bass note style has been the backbone of all traditional guitar for over 100 years, and her way of combining melody with strums is still the gold standard. We'll look at some Carter Family gems, as well as her legacy through other players like Jimmie Rodgers, Doc Watson and Norman Blake.
Prerequisites: Ability to play basic first position chords and pick individual notes
What to Bring: Your own instrument and music stand
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Beginning COntra Dancing
Cost: $99/$109/$50
Instructor: Reid Miller
Time: Saturdays 10:00-11:30 am for 4 weeks beginning April 5th
(No class April 26th, makeup class on May 3rd)
Location: The downtown Meeker Music store, 624 N. Tejon St. (Park in front, use front door, and head to the classroom upstairs. Parking on Tejon St. is metered, but many side streets are not.)
Description: Welcome to Beginning Contra Dance! This class is perfect for newcomers and others ready for increasing the joy of their contra dance experience. Learn and refine the basics, from simple steps to the fundamental moves that make contra dancing fun and engaging for all. No partner or experience is necessary — just bring your enthusiasm, a willingness to learn, and be ready for a lot of smiling. Join us for live music, energizing movement, and engaging community!
Prerequisites: None
What to Bring: Just yourself and comfortable shoes! No partner needed.
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Fiddling by Ear
Cost: $99/$109/$50
Instructor: Katie Champlin
Time: Saturdays 1:00-2:00 pm beginning April 5th
(No class April 26th, makeup class on May 17th)
Location: The downtown Meeker Music store, 624 N. Tejon St. (Park in front, use front door, and head to the classroom upstairs. Parking on Tejon St. is metered, but many side streets are not.)
Description: If you have an intermediate knowledge of playing the violin with sheet music but desire to play from the heart, this class is the one for you! Over the 6-week course we will focus on call and response, improvisation, and chord reading to develop the skills to jump into any jam circle and take a lead sans sheet music- and with confidence!
Prerequisites: Beginning fiddle class or equivalent
What to Bring: Your own instrument and music stand
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Ear Training for Jam Sessions
Cost: $99/$109/$50
Instructor: Michael Watry
Time: Saturdays 2:30-3:45 pm for 5 weeks beginning April 5th
(No class April 26th, makeup class on May 10th)
Location: The downtown Meeker Music store, 624 N. Tejon St. (Park in front, use front door, and head to the classroom upstairs. Parking on Tejon St. is metered, but many side streets are not.)
Description: Would you like to improve your ability to hear music, especially for the purpose of quickly mastering a new song in a jam setting? In this course we will cover practical tips on how to better hear a song, then play it in a jam.
Particular subjects covered include:
Hearing chord changes, recognizing the current chord, and predicting the likely next chord
Hearing and recognizing the melody notes given the current chord, and predicting the likely notes in the melody
Hearing intervals in a musical line
Hearing the harmony lines that one can sing with the melody
We'll have a set of songs to study, and with each song we'll work on hearing the phrasing of the melody, the chord changes, any special rhythm patterns, and of course the melody for singing and soloing. Songs to study will be shared via YouTube links (YouTube playback allows slowing the song without shifting the pitch of the notes). You also may bring and share songs you'd like the class to analyze. We'll do some jamming, sometimes with modifications to use as an exercise in ear training, so bring your instrument be it guitar, mandolin, banjo, dobro, bass or anything else!
Prequequsites: Basic ability on your instrument(s) and reasonable sense of timing
What to Bring: Your instrument(s)