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Bluegrass Jam Camp

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Taught by Pierre Bastide using the Wernick Method*

Paris (75012) – France – L’Établisienne

88, bvd de Picpus, Paris IdeF 75012

June 26-27, 2021

Saturday and Sunday, 9am-5pm both days

Tuition: 90 €

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


Pierre Bastide (aka ResoMan) has picked the banjo and dobro for many years and plays with Franco-américain, Silkwood, Pierre Bastide Syndicate, and other bands. He also enjoys playing swing, blues, country, old time 2-finger, and most forms of modern music. He has led several resonator guitar workshops in Europe and coordinates The La Roche Bluegrass Workshop. Pierre is a regular at the famed Walnut Valley Festival in Kansas, where he earned the title of Unofficial Reso Champion 2006. In a news article about WVF campground jams he was mentioned as the “French dobro player that sounded like a Nashville sessions player.”

Pierre’s students say:

“Pierre Bastide is as dedicated as they come, a strong and sympathetic workshop organiser/teacher and a supportive jam leader with a thoughtful and passionate attitude. His sensitivity when it comes to working with those who are just starting out is second to none.”

“He is very supportive and encouraging. Pierre knows how to take the time to make sure we understand.”

“Pierre’s passion for jamming makes him a good teacher for this. He is patient in the way he demonstrates how a jam works, and what my part is. He also transfers some of this passion onto the students. Makes them want to jam and shine.”

“In a slow jam with different instruments, he welcomes beginners and makes sure the more advanced players will not speed up too soon and take over. He will go through a step by step explanation of what makes a slow jam work and be fun.”

* 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.
  • 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.

  • We welcome you to register and promptly receive 18 pages of useful student materials, with access to video playlist of 116 jam favorites and great ways to work on jam skills!
  • If dates of this class change, we will promptly update this page and notify all registrants to switch their registration if the new dates work for them. If they don’t work a full refund will be given.
  • Deposits fully refundable on request until 7 days pre-class — a change from our usual policy.
  • Watch our class listing, always updated, and go here to be notified of future classes.

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