Guitar Sessions

Participants are required to have two years of guitar playing experience to participate. This program is not suitable for bass guitarists.

Participants are requested to perform a placement audition. Be prepared to play a short piece of music no more than two minutes long. Your audition piece will help the audition team measure your ability in the style you wish to study for the week. You do not need to read music, but if you do, you will be asked to demonstrate your skills in this area.

Electric guitarists should bring their guitars, cords for connection to amplifiers, and electronic guitar tuners. Acoustic guitarists should bring guitars (and pickups, if applicable). We provide amplifiers for all participants to use in our ensembles for rehearsal and final performances. No amplifiers are provided for use in practice rooms, so you may elect to bring a set of practice headphones and a very small practice amplifier. Students should bring a notebook and pens/pencils.

Though not required, you are permitted to bring laptops, computers, tablets, etc. Wireless internet and electrical outlet plugs are provided throughout the campus. Please keep in mind that it is your responsibility to keep your items safe. Berklee is not responsible for the loss of these items.

Guitar Sessions offers ensembles, classes, and clinics in styles such as blues, metal, jam band funk/fusion, classic rock, contemporary rock, acoustic rock/pop, and jazz, as well as courses in fingerstyle acoustic guitar and courses for the performing songwriter. You'll choose your main style for ensemble work and from there you can branch out in our clinics and jams. At this time, players with a classical background can choose to branch out in a fingerstyle acoustic, jazz, acoustic rock/pop, or songwriting ensemble if they choose to bring their nylon-string instruments. Fretboard classes will be helpful to all students in any style.

Every participant's schedule will include a class in each of the following:

• Fretboard harmony: Learn music theory and how it applies to the guitar. The class includes scales, modes, chord voicings, and chord inversions.
• Style: Focus on the specifics in the style of your choosing (such as blues, groove funk, fusion, performing songwriter, classic rock, contemporary rock, metal, or jazz) and explore theory and concepts as they apply to your chosen style.
• Ensemble: Rehearse with other instrumentalists and perform in concert with your group on the last day of the program. Friends and family will not want to miss these performances.
• Visiting artists: Guitar Sessions will host several visiting artists and clinicians during the week. Past programs have included John Abercrombie, J. Geils, Wayne Krantz, John Petrucci, Vernon Reid, and Tommy Emmanuel.
• Jam sessions: Play with a professional rhythm section under the direction of Guitar Sessions faculty members. Diverse musical styles in various venues allow you to learn more about your favorite styles and to stretch your musical boundaries.

Please note that the following schedule and course descriptions are only a sample and are subject to change. You will receive personalized schedules on the first day of the program.

2016 Featured Faculty Performers and Clinicians 

• Guy Van Duser
• Robert Godin
• Jane Miller
• John Baboian
• Dan Bowden
• Kevin Belz
• Jeffrey Lockhart
• Sheryl Bailey
• Shaun Michaud
• Jon Finn

Berklee, along with a generous donation from Godin Guitars, offers a limited number of merit-based, partial-tuition scholarships to the Guitar Sessions program.

Please note: You must be registered for a program in order to be considered for a scholarship.

Requirements:

• Three links to YouTube video performances

Scholarship Submission Deadline: June 1, 2016

• Scholarship submission period begins November 18, 2015 and ends June 1, 2016.
• Decisions will be issued by July 1. 
• Late submissions after June 1, 2016 will be accepted based on available funds. 

How to apply:

Step 1: Create an account and register for the Guitar Sessions Program.

Step 2: Complete the Scholarship Form under the Guitar Sessions Program:

• Three links to YouTube video performances.

Video Performance Guidelines:

• Videos can be home, live, or studio recordings. 
• Sound quality of featured musician must be clearly audible (video quality is not a factor). 
• Each video should be 3-5 minutes in length.
• Recordings of the performances should be recent (within the last year). 
• Editing or overdubbing of your performance in any way is not permissible.
• Videos should show the style you wish to study at the program. 
• The three videos should be in a smiliar style with contrasting tempos. 

If you have any questions about scholarships, please contact the Scholarship Office directly at scholarships@berklee.edu or 617 747-8681.