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Bluegrass Jam Class

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Taught by Debbie Wagner using the Wernick Method*

Appleton, WI at Heid Music

308 E. College Avenue, Appleton, WI 54911

Wednesdays, June 30 – August 11, 2021

5-7:30pm each Wednesday; no class on July 21

Tuition: $175 for 6 sessions

$50 deposit reserves your spot. 50% refundable for cancellations more than one month in advance

$25 tuition discount for next banjo player to sign up!

All Wernick Method classes this summer will be conducted either outdoors or in very well-ventilated indoor spaces.


Debbie Wagner was introduced to guitar in grade school and quickly developed a love for the instrument. She has led jams for over 10 years, teaches guitar to beginning adults, and performs in a duo in her local community for charity events. Debbie enjoys many different music styles, and bluegrass became a favorite in 2013 at her first bluegrass camp, which she attends each year. She has recently taken up mandolin, learning by Skype from another Wernick Method teacher in Tennessee. Debbie is thrilled to introduce the Wernick Method to the Green Bay area.

Debbie’s students say:

“It was always a daydream of mine to be moseying around with a guitar and spreading smiles through song. Debbie has made that a reality for me. Her unique ability to teach & inspire is remarkable. I had no idea what I was doing, but the way she was able to read me as a person and design a road map for my learning is truly a gift.”

“My husband and I have been attending her jamming get-togethers for over four years. Debbie accepts everyone at their own level and encourages us all to give our best, no judgement. The first time I attended, her enthusiasm and upbeat personality drew us back. Debbie is fantastic as a leader with musical skill, solid singing voice and an invigorated attitude that never wavered.”

“Debbie is a friendly, welcoming and effective jam leader. I didn’t know anyone at first but Debbie made me and everyone else feel very welcome. I like the way she runs the jam. I recommend her as a jam leader for any instrument, at any level.”

* Wernick Method Classes teach real bluegrass jamming!

  • All bluegrass instruments welcome
  • No jamming experience necessary
  • You will be jamming the first class!
  • Friendly, encouraging, knowledgeable teaching.
  • Gentle tempos! Mistakes expected!
  • Music reading not needed or used
  • Singing not required, but encouraged and taught.
  • Easy 2- and 3-chord songs, slow speeds.
  • Soloing not required! “Faking” solos taught.
  • Understanding, low-pressure, time-tested teaching
  • Intermediates welcome, and given added challenges
  • Hands-on learning in large and small groups
  • Learn many bluegrass standards
  • Full ground rules and etiquette of typical jams
  • How to lead songs and how to follow new songs
  • How to find melodies, fake solos, sing harmony
  • Ear skills taught and emphasized, as in real bluegrass
  • Group and individualized instruction on backup skills

Do you qualify? It’s easier than you may think!

If you play guitar, mandolin, banjo, fiddle, bass, or dobro… you can be part of a bluegrass jam.

Only requirements:

  • You must be able to tune your instrument (electronic tuning devices welcome) and
  • change smoothly between G, C, D, and A. (Fiddles and basses need to know which notes work with which chords)

For more info or to send payment in the mail, email office@letspick.org.

Click any photo to enlarge.

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