I've recently begun downloading material from Jordan's jam camp lessons. I can't really make up my mind and have some of the songs in all three instruments, but most are mandolin and banjo. I have tinkered with stringed instruments for a number of years, with a lot of books, tapes and CD's, but never got very far with any of them. I'd try to play something and it's didn't sound right, so I'd just turn the page without making any significant effort. For some reason I've been able to concentrate of these songs and am starting to see a significant improvement. Three or four weeks ago on the mandolin I was playing two finger chords. Now I'm beginning to do some cross-picking - still not ready to quit my day job yet, but it's been a very surprising and pleasing improvement. Check out "Home Sweet Home" and "A Beautiful Life".
The songs (lessons) sound really good the way they're put together. The mp3's are well done and at a user friendly speed. The process is convenient and the material is easy to download. I simply print the tabs and stick them in a 3-ring binder. And the price is right! I like being able to pick the individual songs I like without paying $25 to $30 for a book full of stuff I won't look at. The songs are rated based on difficulty, but the range goes from beginners to intermediate plus - something for everyone unless perhaps you're a seasoned professional. I'm looking forward to more and more new material on this site. All of that is the good part. The down side is now I want a new mandolin!
Richard
I started playing the guitar and mandolin 4 years ago and have purchased a lot of instructional material along the way. I am so glad I found your website! Not only are your arrangements easy to follow and learn, but now I have the tablature for both instruments for the same songs including the mp3 music to play along with. The slow mp3 really helps me to learn the song quickly. I love bluegrass music and bluegrass gospel is my favorite and you have a great selection. Whats so nice is I can pick and choose just the songs I want and have them delivered to my PC in seconds!
Thanks again for a great product!
Russ
Kenansville, NC
Both of my daughters took music lessons from Jordan, one on guitar and the other on mandolin. I have been teaching myself the banjo but have never had lessons myself. When Jordan first came out with his Jam Camp book I bought one for each of my daughters and I bought one for myself. Jordan's arrangements are easy to understand and his recordings are at a slow enough pace for beginner's to hear the song. The problem I have had in the past from other people's lessons have been that their slow version of the song was so slow you could not recognize it and their fast version was just blazing. Jordan keeps things at a slow enough pace for the beginner but fast enough that you could play it and have fun with it. We are now able to play songs as a family since we have copies of the lessons for each instrument. We were saddened when we found out that Jordan had to move away, but we were equally as excited when we found out he was producing more lessons available on his website. Once we finish learning what we are working on now, we will surely be purchasing more of Jordan's lessons.
Ken
Greenville, SC