Guitar/music camps for adults - why go?

I must admit I am an addict of adult music camps of all sorts - guitar, folk music, a mix of crafts and music....  Ok so they aren't for classical guitar - in fact I rarely see anyone else with a classical guitar at these camps, so why go?  I guess if you are a dedicated classical guitarist who has no interest in other types of music, there may not be much to interest you musically. On the other hand the amateur guitarists I meet generally have wide-ranging musical tastes, and this is a golden opportunity to discover other musical genres up close, or even add to the type of music we play.  I have been to a number of different camps now and each offers something but they all seem to have one thing in common.  Most of the participants are older - most likely because we finally have the time to indulge our hobbies now our children or careers are not consuming most of our spare time and energy.  This gives us a rare opportunity as adults to meet people from a wide variety of backgrounds with similar interests.  Looking back, perhaps the last time most of us were in that situation was in college.  Unlike college however, we are there because we have made an active choice to switch gears and go back into learning mode.  There is usually the option to stay in a dorm room inexpensively - I've tried it, and that's one aspect of college living that I can do without, so I often stay in a local bed and breakfast, although if you want to take part in early morning yoga or late night jamming staying on-site is a better choice.

So what exactly can we gain by going to these camps?  When I first started to go I thought I would  learn a lot of new guitar techniques and 'instantly' become a better guitarist.  I should have known that nothing is instant on the guitar, and the chances of achieving a breakthrough in an hour or a week are remote :( Even the week-long camps, where you take an hour or hour and a half group lesson with the same instructor each day,  it can only scratch the surface of a new skill.  However what it can do is expose you to new ways of thinking, new methods you may wish to develop over time, new types of music you might want to play, new resources you haven't heard about.  I personally found that I would really like to add some Bossa Nova to my repertoire once I get the hang of those jazz chords - added bonus - usually played on a nylon string guitar :) I certainly got a new appreciation for jazz and blues guitarists! I discovered that old-time music, although not to my personal taste, is a great way to practice listening to chord changes (there are usually not too many options) and celtic music is a good way to listen to modal playing. As for bluegrass - let's just say that watching the incredible speed of play makes a good spectator sport.

The camps often offer music theory classes, too and they can add insight or suggest ways to practice some aspect of theory you may be working on.  I have been to a couple of camps this summer and found many things taught that were directly applicable to classical guitar.  A class on flat picking (not so easy on a nylon string, but possible) used scales and scale patterns to practice basic picking - got to work on that  - a class on Indian Classical Music introduced complex rhythms, with lots of in-class practice - not so easy!.  There was a whole series on modes,  and the jazz instructor went to great lengths to discuss how to pick which inversion to use when selecting jazz chords... and those are just the classes I went to. Other opportunities have included how to record yourself, performance practice (guess who's too cowardly to take that one), composition, harmony...  A word of warning - in the week long camps it's tempting to fill up the day with classes - it's so hard not to take every opportunity.  However I have found it best to leave at least one session free so you can go over/practice the new things that were introduced in class because classes often move fairly fast and cover a lot of ground in one week.

Folk camps also offer the chance to try other musical instruments - ever wanted to try a banjo? violin? ukulele? tin whistle? native american flute? bodhran?  Many offer the opportunity to spend an hour trying one, or beginner classes to get you started.  Personally I only have time for one
instrument with a long learning curve.  On the other hand I found the tin whistle is easy to pick up and play simple tunes on if you have had experience with another wind instrument.

Combined camps (such as the Traditions camps offered by CommonGroundOnTheHill) also offer

my flute

varied crafting opportunities and lectures on topics ranging from philosophy to social activism.  There tend to be more couples at these camps because there is something offered to interest almost everyone.  I gravitate towards those relating to music - I actually made my own Native American flute at Traditions camp.  Sounds pretty good too even if I say so myself, and I'm tempted to challenge myself with the bodhran next time.

Let's not forget the concerts.  There are usually concerts with the guest artist-teachers every night included in the cost of the camp - what a treat!  And the opportunity to jam into the wee hours with professionals if you have the stamina and can pick up and play with others.

And back to my original thought - these camps are a great opportunity to meet a wide variety of people, meet new friends and maybe even find someone to play along with.  Happy camping!


 -