When is a person ready for workshops?

[unknown-user]

I have yet to go to any workshops or short courses because I don’t feel ready but I feel like I am getting closer to a point where I could benefit from the experience.

[carl-swanson]

Karin- I’m the one who made the comment on another thread about people with inadequate technique attenting workshops. There are I suppose all kinds of workshops, and I’m assuming here that most workshops you see promoted have to do with playing some syle of music, like ‘Getting Started Playing Pop,’ or even the excellent harmony workshops that Ray Pool gives. The point that I was trying to make is that you can’t be struggling to simply find and play the notes if you are going to benefit from any of these workshops. Before signing up for a workshop, I would suggest you find out what the minimum technical level is the teacher there expects. Ask the person teaching it to name some pieces that reflect the technical level of the workshop. Another thing you can do is take a hard and objective look at your own playing. Can you play your pieces smoothly, without constantly stopping and starting? Can you hold the tempo all the way through? Are you fishing for one note at a time, either on the melody or on chords? If you are, then you probably need to focus more at this time on improving your playing skills.

[Elizabeth Volpé Bligh]

Carl brings up some very good points! If you are not sure that your skills are up to the level necessary to participate, I am sure nobody would mind if you audited instead. You could ask if it would be all right if you could jump in and participate if the level is appropriate for you. As long as you pay the fee that goes along with your level of participation, then I don’t see how there would be a problem. I have given workshops where the attendees have a wide spectrum of skills, so I ask the beginners to do easier things than the more advanced players. I always give out hand-outs so that people come away with something they can digest later if it’s too overwhelming all at once.

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