What Will You Get From This Class?

After four weeks you will be able to:

• Play mandolin chord accompaniment for the top 20 swing jam tunes
• Know the most common fretboard "shapes" used in swing chords, so you can find your own chords
• Keep rock-solid time and join a swing or gypsy jazz jam with your mandolin
• You'll also receive a free 20-song songbook with mandolin fingerings for all chords.

How Much Time Will This Take?

You'll need to practice the course lessons at least 12 minutes each day, 5 days a week. In addition, you'll have a few short videos to watch.

You'll have forever access to the course videos, so you can stretch this out if you want to. Plus, you can come back at any point in the future if ever you feel the need (which you won't, because you'll ingrain the skills down to the marrow the first time around.)

If you use the practice-along videos each day, you'll see huge leaps in your abilities. Where you used to feel insecure in a swing jam, you'll be razor-confident.

What Do You Need to Already Know Taking This Class?

• This class was designed and is appropriate for all levels. New mandolinists as well as seasoned players will see excellent results from this course.
• You should know at least a couple of chords and be fairly comfortable switching between them.

What Equipment Will You Need?

You'll need:

• A mandolin
• A pick
• The Internet
• Something to watch the videos on

When is This Class?

This is an asynchronous class, meaning you will have forever access to all videos and written materials.

You can go through this four-week course at your own pace and at your own convenience, and stretch it out as long as you need.

What Will the Classes Be Like?

This course is all action, no fluff.

In each short lesson, you'll get specific, simple exercises that will train you in the basic jazz chord shapes.

Then you'll simply learn to play the chords for the top 20 tunes you'll hear at swing & gypsy jazz jams.

You'll know exactly what to practice each day so you make the most of every second. You'll have laser-focus on just the training that makes the difference. You can noodle on your own time - this is a strategic practice to build the specific skill of fingering jazz chords on mandolin.

Who Is This Class For?

This class is for mandolin players ages 7 to 97 who want to feel more confident playing swing & gypsy jazz with others.

Good accompaniment can make or break a jam session. And when at least one person can play all the chords confidently, everyone else has an easier time of it. You can be that person!

If you want to be the backbone of any swing jam you step into, this class is for you.

Who is This Class NOT For?

Anyone not willing to practice at least 12 minutes a day, 5 days a week for this month-long class.

Anyone not willing to follow simple instructions and do the time-tested exercises.

What Are the Next Steps?

Here's how to register and get the skills you need to join the swing jam:

1. Click the button below

2. You'll go to a checkout page

3. You'll then go to a confirmation page with a video telling you more about what's in store and what to do next.

What People are Saying...

I can't believe how easy it is to play in time and always know where I am in a song! I only wish I'd taken this course 2 years ago!!  Susan (Texas)

My friends and I never knew how to "kick off" songs at our little circle. We'd always just stumble in and get together eventually. Now, I know how to count off songs, and I'm teaching my buddies to all do it too! This makes the jam SO MUCH BETTER!  Matthew (Ohio)

Tim doesn't just EXPLAIN how rhythm works - he makes you KNOW how it works. First in your body from the feet up, and then with your pick and strings.  Travis (Australia)

Who Is Teaching This Class?

Tim Connell has spent his career providing practical solutions to musicians of all backgrounds.

His work led him to a degree in Music Pedagogy from New England Conservatory and to a multi-decade career teaching music to public school students.

His passion for the mandolin has resulted in several high-profile collaborations with luminaries of the American acoustic music world.