Intimidated by soloing? Does the word improvisation strike fear into your heart? Avoiding soloing at jams? Fear no more! Liberate yourself from soloing anxiety and learn to “take a break!” This crash-course in beginning to solo is geared primarily towards guitar players, but open to all instruments. In this course, participants will learn how to embellish a melody, discuss soloing ideas over an entire song form, and soloing over common chord progressions. You also will learn to activate your ears and borrow a few famous licks from the country and bluegrass greats. Exercises will be presented in both musical notation and guitar tab.
Billie Marie Feather is a singer/songwriter/guitarist/banjoist/double bassist, guitar technician, and online music teacher. For her senior year in high school, Billie was accepted into the prestigious music conservatory at The University of North Carolina School of the Arts in Classical Guitar Performance and remained there for her college studies. During her years at UNCSA, Billie was a guest classical guitarist in The Carolina Wind Symphony and has been able to perform all over North Carolina as both a solo artist and in classical guitar ensembles. After graduating in 2006, Billie expanded her musical studies by learning the double bass, electric bass, banjo, and mandolin.
Billie has been a member of numerous bands and currently performs primarily as the lead guitarist with Hank, Pattie and The Current (a string band combining classical, soul, and bluegrass influences), an electric bassist with Charles Latham and The Borrowed Band (a honky-tonk folk fusion group), a guitarist with Keenan McKenzie and the Riffers (a 1940s inspired jazz swing band), and a double-bassist in The Holland Brothers (a Piedmont blues trio). Billie continues to teach and share her love of music with her students through her private studio and through guest lectures around the Southeast. She is also an accomplished songwriter playing her own unique mix of country, folk, and bossa nova in her own band, Billie Feather and The Hallway Waltz.
Billie, currently a master’s candidate in guitar performance at the North Carolina School of the Arts, operates her own stringed instrument repair shop in Durham, NC, and enjoys teaching one-on-one lessons as a Suzuki Certified guitar instructor. As a teacher, Billies says, “I adapt my teaching style to specifically cater to the needs of each individual student. I believe everyone’s path to music is unique and will craft a curriculum to fit your learning style.”
Learn more about taking lessons with Billie Feather
NOTE: This workshop will be recorded and distributed to registered attendees for use as a learning tool. A highlights video will be produced and shared to promote future workshops and events.
You will receive a registration confirmation email with details for joining the workshop. Please be sure that your email address is entered correctly and check your spam or promotions folder if you do not receive the confirmation email. If you are still unable to locate the email confirmation and have not received the reminder email by 5pm the day of the workshop, please call or text Courtney at 919-516-9049.