Second Saturday Monthly Beginning September 11

This workshop is a great way for the beginning to intermediate guitarist to explore a variety of skills. We will cover chords, the CAGED system,chord progressions, scales, arpeggios, fingerpicking, strums, rhythm and music theory. You will learn a bunch of new songs and get to try out your new skills in a fun and supportive environment. There will be plenty of time for playing, questions and answers. No need to sign up in advance, just come on down for a fun Saturday afternoon.

Third Saturday Monthly Beginning September 18

Greg will be teaching the fundamentals of bluegrass music for all instruments and conducting a slow jam so students can practice their craft. Come learn a bunch of fun tunes and be introduced to other musicians at your same level.

Third Saturday Monthly Beginning September 18, 2010

This workshop will get you hooked on playing ukulele. Whether you are a beginner or intermediate player, your voice will soar and your heart will laugh and sing as your fingers dance across the fretboard. We will spend the first half of the workshop learning basic strums, rhythm, chords, chord progressions and fingerpicking. The second half of the workshop will be spent playing songs together. No need for printed music because we will be playing easy songs using three basic chords that you will master in no time. There will be plenty of time for questions and answers. No need to sign up in advance, just come on down with your ukulele and plan on having a fun time with a bunch of great folks.

Begins Monday, September 20

In this Irish Session class, you will learn the skills of playing traditional Irish music in a group and, along the way, pick up some great tunes. The class provides a semi-structured and supportive environment in which to explore the vast repertoire of jigs, reels, and what have you, with the ear, either in class or from the CD of tunes that each class member receives at the beginning of the ten-week session. Open to players of all traditional Irish instruments (fiddle, flute, accordion, whistle, banjo, concertina, etc.)

Begins Tuesday, September 21

Always wanted to learn the old time banjo? Now’s your chance to get started! Get that banjo out from under the bed and come on down. We will be learning how to play the old time banjo from step one! We will start with the basics of how to hold and tune the banjo and then move quickly into mastering the frailing strum and left hand techniques. Utilizing by-ear learning, clear, step-by-step instruction, and time for individual coaching, we’ll have some fun learning how to wrangle this amazing instrument. By the end of the eight weeks, you should be comfortable with the frailing strum, adept at basic chord changes, know how to do hammer-ons, slides, and pull-offs, and have several old-time tunes in your repertoire. We may even learn about a few alternate tunings and start practicing drop-thumbing!

New! You can now PRE-REGISTER and PAY ONLINE for this class at http://www.gracefamilymusic.com/leela-ellie/Leela-lessons.html

Begins Wednesday, September 22

With a patient, light-hearted approach, Leela will help you discover the power of voices raised in harmony. Through large and small group singing, we will practice the fundamentals of two-, three-, and four-part harmony using by-ear techniques. This class is all about singing . . . singing together, finding your voice, experiencing the power of voices raised in song together, listening, laughing, and generally having lots of fun. We will learn to understand harmonies and how they work by SINGING many different kinds of songs, from contemporary folk to old country. All abilities and experience levels are welcome. Come explore the possibilities!

New! You can now PRE-REGISTER and PAY ONLINE for this class at http://www.gracefamilymusic.com/leela-ellie/Leela-lessons.html

Here is what a few former members of Leela’s By-Ear Harmony Singing classes have said: "I loved Leela's harmony singing class! No matter how tired I was at the end of the day, it lifted me to go sit with a small group of strangers and sing! The friendly informal atmosphere and Leela's teaching style made it a comfortable experience for everyone. It was marvelous to learn a different song each week and to find at the end of a class, I could sing not only the melody but the high harmony and low harmony--by heart. To be able to stand at the end of the night and make music, interchanging the parts--inspiring! "

"The class was fun and it brought me joy to sing with others. I found a greater range in my voice and began to exercise it in a way I never have. Leela is a fabulous teacher! Even for a beginner like me, I felt I could sing with others and hold my own and I also had room to make mistakes and sing off key."

Begins Wednesday, September 22

This is a great class for any musician that wants to improve performance skills. We will focus on getting comfortable on stage, dealing with stage fright, connecting with the audience as well as the mechanics of using a microphone. You will have a great time in this class in a very supportive environment. You can count on being stretched a bit out of your comfort zone. This class will culminate in a Friday Night Coffeehouse performance November 19.

Fourth Saturday Monthly Beginning September 25

Saturday afternoons at Artichoke are a wonderful way to energize your heart and body, make new friends, and have a rousing good time! We guarantee you will leave with a smile on your face. This is a wonderful venue in which to develop your musicality, work on your improvisational skills, sing a bunch of great songs, and make beautiful harmony with new and old friends.

Begins September 28, 2010

This class will explore songwriting as a means to uncover and express deeply-felt truths of the songwriter. We'll look at aspects of songwriting craft, but our main focus will be on the songwriting process itself. What makes a song feel 'true'? How does the songwriter invite and listen for truths that want to be told, then stay true to the song's heart even while using craft to shape it into a work of art?

We'll draw inspiration from great songwriters and poets, and most of all from the collective wisdom and experience of class participants. We'll write in class and between classes, share our songs, and explore ways of listening and responding that help draw out the writer's intention rather than impose the listener's. We'll create an inspiring, non-judgmental and fun space in which to deepen our songwriting practice.

As poet William Stafford wrote, "There is a knack about writing; that knack apparently comes to the individual through performing the act of writing and the act of considering writings. The aim is to induce a kind of jog through literature and its settings. It's a group project, the class; and if we can work it right the riches of the group will provide for us all."

The class is most suited for those already writing songs, but all levels are welcome. To register or if you have any questions, please contact Matt Meighan at matt@mattmeighan.com, 503-853-5555, or SongwritingAsTruthTelling.com.

Class size is limited to eight participants, so pre-registration is required.

Note: This is an on-going class. If you would like to be kept informed when future classes are scheduled, please let me know. Classes may fill up in advance.

First Saturday Monthly Beginning October 2

The Slow Jam gives everyone an opportunity to learn to play and sing without a book in front of them. It is a great way to build a music theory base and to learn to hear chord changes. Saturday afternoons at Artichoke are a wonderful way to energize your heart and body, make new friends, and have a rousing good time! We guarantee you will leave with a smile on your face.

One day Songwriting workshop Sunday Nov 7

The beauty of a well-written song comes from unique point of view expressed in a unique way. In this workshop, we'll help you express your own truth in song by giving you tools to enhance your creativity and hone your craft (but banish your critic).

Topics will include:

    • Courting the muse: inspiration, song ideas
    • Fleshing out partial songs
    • Editing with heart
    • The Muse, the Creator, the Editor and the Censor


We will do creative exercises, guided free-writes, voluntary sharing, and respectful listening. Participants will come away with fresh inspiration, song ideas, and tools for starting and finishing songs.

Workshop will be held at Artichoke. For details contact Matt at 503-853-5555 or matt@mattmeighan.com or Chris at 503-720-5894 or chris@chriskokesh.com

4th Saturday Monthly - No Class in August

This workshop is perfect for the beginning to advanced mandolinist who would like an espresso shot of ideas once a month. Each workshop will be an intensive 2 hours of learning 4 new songs, ideas, and exercises with time for questions and answers. As always in Brian's workshop, each student is sent home with chord charts, tab/notation charts, written ideas and handoust explaining all of the subjects covered. The first workshop will be Saturday, February 27th and will start with easy, peasy songs in the Bluegrass, Old-time, Rag, and Swing genres. The subsequent months will have 2 songs from Brian and 2 songs/ideas decided by the students in order to keep everyone learning what they would like. No need to sign up in advance, just show up.

Second Saturday each month, 10 am to noon

Welcome to the world of blues guitar! This class will immerse you into this wonderful style of music. Along the way, you will also learn about different blues players, old and new. You'll learn numerous songs and techniques including strums, rhythms, turnarounds, fills and more. We'll also cover basic theory as it applies to the blues. Lots of playing in class and all songs are provide in tab format. Contact Dave for more information at 503 757-7522 or dave@davemullany.com.

Every First Saturday

Join a monthly First Saturday Beginner's Uke Jam with Marianne Brogan, ukulele teacher, and founder of the Portland Ukulele Association. Elementary Ukulele Jam will give beginners an opportunity to work on a variety of skills: rhythm and strumming, chord vocabulary, listening skills, finger picking, and singing. We will play a variety of songs in a relaxed environment -- songs with 3-4 chords in a variety of styles. Lite instruction, lots of fun. All levels welcome! Materials provided. At Artichoke Music back room (door is off the parking lot).

First Saturday Morning Monthly

45-minute introduction to the ukulele: 3 chords, two strums, 8 notes, one stupid ukulele trick! Whether you have little or no musical instrument-playing experience, or you have a musical background, but no ukulele experience and want a short intro before going to the beginners jam - this is a great way to start. At Artichoke Music back room (door is off the parking lot).