Mandolin | Danny Knicely | All Levels | Period 2 | Week 3 (July 20-25, 2025)
We’ll learn new fingerings for chords including the dominant seventh chord prevalent in Blues music. We’ll work on the heavy downstroke feel of the right-hand rhythm, explore major and minor pentatonic scales and how to improvise over basic chord progressions including the 1, 4 ,5 and 1, 6, 2, 5, 1 progressions. This class will be taught by ear. Students are welcome to take notes and bring small recording devices.
About the Instructor
Danny Knicely comes from a musical family steeped in a mountain music tradition for generations. He first learned music from his grandfather, A.O. Knicely, who played dances and social events in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia beginning in the 1930’s. Danny has used his roots in old-time and bluegrass to explore various types of music from around the world. Danny has won many awards for his mandolin, guitar, fiddle and flat-foot dance expertise, including first place in the mandolin contest at the prestigious Telluride Bluegrass Festival. His masterful mandolinistry and original compositions can be heard on his debut recording “Roots and Branches” and his colorful, versatile, acoustic guitar picking can be heard on his “Waltz for Aimee” album.