Ever been confused by someone at a jam asking you to kick off a tune with 4 potatoes?

In this video, instructor Hayes Griffin shows you the only technique you’ll ever need to kick off a bluegrass or old time fiddle tune - potatoes! And just to be clear from the get-go, you can leave your root vegetables in the pantry for this lesson

By the end of the video, you’ll know two different guitar variations in 3 keys for this common kick-off phrase adapted from the fiddle.

In Mandolin Secrets Guitar Club you’ll find: 

• Sheet music/tabs
• Play-a-long track
• How-to-play-instructions  

Click Here To Watch Video 

In this week’s episode, Magnus and Hayes are discussing:

• Magnus’ new Academy release Covid Fever. This tune is a new composition and his first bluegrass fiddletune, inspired by Bill Monroe. 
• If you could take a lesson with any player out there, who would it be and why?
• Do you use a metronome and/or backing tracks to practice? If so, what are some of your favorites? 

Here are weblinks mentioned in the show:

Learn more about the upcoming Mandolin Bootcamp, March 2022
https://mandolinsecrets.com/bootcamp

Sign up for LIVE stream notifications:
https://mandolinsecrets.com/live

In this video, I’m showing you how to play the jazz-blues Jethro’s Jungle in the key of D-major. This is a original of me, Magnus Zetterlund, and we are using some double stops and typical jazz and swing mandolin phrases.

In Mandolin Secrets Academy you’ll find:

• Sheet music/tabs
• Play-a-long track
• How-to-play-instructions

Click Here To Watch Video   

To get a comprehensive understanding of the jazz blues form, check out my Fretboard Success program, following the link below.
http://www.mandolinsecrets.com/fretboardsuccess

Here’s a live concert video from Swedish folk music ensembles Nordic and Folk’Avant. We are performing Minous Vals by me, Magnus Zetterlund. The concert was recorded at Palladium in Malmö, in November 2021.

In Mandolin Secrets Academy you’ll find:

• Sheet music/tabs
• Play-a-long track
• How-to-play-instructions

Click Here To Watch Video

Listen to the tune and add it to your streaming service:
http://www.mandolinsecrets.com/minousvals

This video shows you how to do the Ghost Note Strum, a percussive technique that I use a lot for a more expressive mandolin style.

A ghost note has a rhythmic value but not a pitch. So, when you mute the strings with your fretting hand and strike them with the pick, that is a ghost note.

We are doing an A-major and C-Major scale exercise in the closed position.

 In Mandolin Secrets Academy you’ll find:

• Sheet music/tabs
• Play-a-long track
• How-to-play-instructions 

Click Here To Watch Video

In this video, Hayes Griffin shows you how to spice up the fiddle tune “Angeline the Baker” with some right hand arpeggiation, also known as “crosspicking.”

In Mandolin Secrets Academy you’ll find:

• Sheet music/tabs
• Play-a-long track
• How-to-play-instructions

 Click Here To Watch Video

In this week’s episode, Magnus and Hayes discuss:  

•   What is crosspicking? 

•   What are the most essential components of your practice space? 

•   Some favorite cleaning/maintenance products for your instrument.

•   We are listening to Hayes new sophisticated arrangement of Angeline The Baker.

Here are the web links mentioned in the show.

Sign up for LIVE stream notifications:
https://mandolinsecrets.com/live

Learn more about the upcoming crosspicking webinar on January 29th, 2022:
https://mandolinsecrets.com/webinar

Learn more about our Mandolin Crosspicking Video Course:
https://mandolinsecrets.com/crosspicking

We want to embrace the opportunity with the start of a new year to set some good mandolin and guitar goals. In this video, I will share some tips for making your own SMARTER goals that will set you up for a successful 2022. 

Click the link to watch the video

In this week’s episode, Magnus and Hayes catch up after the New Year, discussing:

• Do you have any New Year's resolutions for music?
• Do you have any tips for fingerboard mapping (memorizing the notes on the fingerboard)?
• Magnus new cross picking arrangement of Auld Lang Syne

Here are weblinks mentioned in the show.

Your Best Year Ever (book by Michael Hyatt):
https://yourbestyeareverbook.com/

Sign up for LIVE stream notifications:
https://mandolinsecrets.com/live

In this video, Hayes Griffin shows you how to play the chords to the swing standard “Sweet Georgia Brown.”

This song is nearly a century old and has become a favorite jam tune in jazz, swing, Western swing, and even bluegrass circles!

At the end of the lesson, you will know how to play the chords to this tune in the key of F major.

Hayes also shows you a bit of music theory, explaining how to these chords outline the Circle of Fifths and use chromatically descending tritone resolutions.

Click Here To Watch Video