Australia’s First Jam Camp Under Way

by | 30 Apr, 2011

Golden Beach Jam Camp 2011

Australia’s first jam camp gets under way this weekend with jammers traveling from as far afield as Hobart in Tasmania and several places in Victoria.

The 2011 Golden Beach camp is the joint initiative undertaken by Greg McGrath (editor, australianbluegrass.com) and Pete Wernik of the USA. Pete (aka Dr. Banjo) has been developing a program that teaches people to enjoying the experience of developing their musical skills and playing music together in a group.

Pete Wernick, a highly successful and respected teacher from the USA, who believes that learning solos to easy instrumentals is almost always the principal focus of a beginner but not necessarily an healthy focus. This is largely brought about by the emphasis from lessons and instruction materials. Even an easy solo on a banjo, guitar, fiddle or mandolin is quite a challenge for a beginner, and can take a great deal of time to learn to do smoothly. If a teacher can group a few beginners together, they can have fun jamming right away, which sparks the motivational fire and builds success on success. This is the starting point for the Wernick Method that is being unveiled in Golden Beach this weekend.

25 musicians will take part in this inaugural event which Greg hopes that is just the first of many such events to be hosted across the country.

Camps may be organised in practically any location to which people are prepared to travel. If you are keen to see such a camp hosted closer to home, contact Greg or Pete and they will certainly attempt to make it happen.

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