Home arrow Study with Todd Saturday, 04 September 2010 
Main Menu
 Home
 Biography
 News
 Study with Todd
 Photo Gallery
 Links
 Contact
 MySpace Page
 Performances
 Current Events
 CD's and Books

Study with Todd   PDF  Print  E-mail 

Todd teaches Mandolin, Guitar, and Banjo lessons out of his home in Basking Ridge, New Jersey (near Morristown)).  Todd teaches every range, from beginner to advanced in a variety of styles, with an emphasis on bluegrass and jazz.

He frequently uses his own books.  Todd has transcribed many of the greatest solos in bluegrass, including those by Bill Monroe, David Grisman, Sam Bush and many others.  He covers techniques such as correct hand and finger position, proper use of the pick, and reading both tablature and traditional music notation. He also encourages playing by ear, improvisation, and the use of formal exercises to build speed, strength, and tone.

Bluegrass:
Students start by learning melodies and chord changes of standard tunes. Scales, arpeggios, and positions in corresponding keys help students to understand how to create solos. Transcriptions of solos show how the great players approach soloing.

Improvisation:
To be able to improvise bluegrass or jazz, students must have a total understanding of their instrument. Todd approaches this understanding with fretboard studies. Students will learn the neck both vertically and horizontally in all keys. The great improvisers have complete control over their instruments and are able to express their musical ideas anywhere on the neck at anytime.

How do you get to Carnegie Hall?   PRACTICE!!


: Home :: Biography :: News :: Study with Todd :: Photo Gallery :: Links :: Contact :: MySpace Page :: Performances :: Current Events :: CD's and Books :
©2007 Todd Collins. All rights reserved. 
Website Credits -- Admin Login