Bluegrass Courses
BLUE/SOAA 2150 American Folk Music (3 credits)
A multi-cultural survey of America’s diverse ethnic and regional traditions of folk music, how they have been revived and popularized in the 20th century, and their contributions to contemporary popular culture around the world.
BLUE 2240, 3240, 4240 Bluegrass Seminar I, II, and III (1 credit)
This course focuses on listening and performance skills; musical analysis; how to engage an audience musically, visually and verbally; how to work as a fulltime or part-time musician; and how to live one’s life as an artist.
BLUE 2310 Guitar I (Introductory Group Class) (1 credit)
A course for beginners, as well as those who have some playing experience. Basic flat-picked lead playing and accompaniment, with emphasis on clarity, smoothness, and solid rhythm; focus on folk, bluegrass, gospel, and country traditions.
The following are individual instruction courses, each of which is a flexibly designed course of study under an experienced musician. It provides an opportunity for the student to gain confidence with the fundamentals of the instrument and to develop musically:
- BLUE 2410, 3410, 4410 Acoustic Guitar I, II, and III (1 credit)
- BLUE 2420, 3420, 4420 Country Electric Guitar I, II, and III (1 credit)
- BLUE 2430, 3430, 4430 Mandolin I, II, and III (1 credit)
- BLUE 2440, 3440, 4440 Bluegrass Banjo I, II, and III (1 credit)
- BLUE 2450, 3450, 4450 Old Time Banjo I, II, and III (1 credit)
- BLUE 2460, 3460, 4460 Bluegrass Fiddle I, II, and III (1 credit)
- BLUE 2470, 3470, 4470 Old Time Fiddle I, II, and III (1 credit)
- BLUE 2480, 3480, 4480 Dobro I, II, and III (1 credit)
- BLUE 2490, 3490, 4490 Acoustic BASS I, II, and III (1 credit)
- BLUE 2510, 3510, 4510 Bluegrass Band I, II, and III (1 credit)
A flexibly designed course of study under the direction of an experienced musician and band leader with focus on individual instrumentation and ensemble performance.
A flexibly designed course of study under the direction of an experienced musician and band leader with focus on individual instrumentation and ensemble performance.
BLUE 2530, 3530, 4530 Country Band I, II, and III (1 credit)
A flexibly designed course of study under the direction of an experienced musician and band leader with focus on individual instrumentation and ensemble performance.
BLUE 3110 Introduction to Bluegrass Music (3 credits)
An introductory study of the principal figures in bluegrass music, their lives, times, and music.
BLUE 3120 Country Music Then and Now (3 credits)
A study of the history of country music including genres of country music; impact of country music traditions on other music; history of country music in America; and country music outside the United States.
BLUE 3320 Guitar II (Intermediate Group Class) (1 credit)
For students who have completed BLUE 2310 and those who play at an equivalent or higher level. An expansion of skills developed in BLUE 2310, with an introduction to Doc Watson style cross picking and Merle Travis style finger picking.
BLUE 4130 Survey of Contemporary Bluegrass (3 credits)
An overview of the diverse musical forms that make up contemporary bluegrass music, with an emphasis on the lasting contributions of significant artists and the tension between traditional and exploratory approaches.
BLUE 4147/5147 Bluegrass and America’s Music (3 credits)
The musical and commercial interaction between bluegrass and American Folk music, jazz, pop, gospel, blues, rock, and classical traditions.
BLUE 4150 Roots of Bluegrass Music (3 credits)
An exploration of the diverse musical genres preceding the emergence of bluegrass music, which serves as the building block for the structure of bluegrass music.
BLUE 4167/5167 Bluegrass—The First Generation (3 credits)
A study of the musicians and the innovations that shaped the structure on which today’s bluegrass is built.
BLUE 4210 Music Theory for Acoustic Players (3 credits)
Chord construction, harmonies, scales, transposition, etc. in a laboratory setting. Reading standard music notation, while included, is not a prerequisite.
BLUE 4220 Bluegrass Harmony Part Singing (3 credits)
A study of bluegrass harmony singing, chord structure, and theory, emphasizing learning intervals, numbers, and elementary ear training.
BLUE 4230 Songwriting (1-3 credits)
Students will create original songs under the tutelage of a songwriter with professional credentials.
BLUE 4900 Independent Study (1-3 credits)
BLUE 4957/5957 Special Topics (1-6 credits)
Center for Appalachian Studies and Services
East Tennessee State University
Box 70556
Johnson City, TN. 37614-1707
Phone (423) 439 -5348
Fax: (423) 439-7870