We just wrapped up a “Starting Point” workshop for 5th to 9th graders, which is a simplified version of a regular workshop curriculum. The whole event went so well and the kids were awesome.
Brian Beasley did a great job of capturing what went on, so I’ll just point you there: Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, and Wrap up.
The remarkable thing about this workshop, is that the majority of the kids (I think 60%) had never played an instrument before, and something like 90% of the kids had never played the instrument they were playing for the workshop (they decided to pick up a new instrument). Yet, at the end of just four days they were playing musically, together, as a band. There were a number of times during the “Battle of the Bands” on the last day that our jaw was on the floor with what we were hearing and we experienced actual compelling moments that caused emotion to well up inside. It was incredible.
If there is a thesis to Building Your Band, the podcast and the website, it’s this: you probably don’t need better players or more skills to sound better, you need better production. These kids were teachable, and delivered those goods.