The ToneWay® Project: helping people play music

Success Stories: Randy Shelton

Here’s a letter (unedited) I got a few weeks ago that just makes me so happy. Seeing this kind of enthusiasm for learning keeps me going, page revision after page revision. My favorite part is how learning music had a direct, measurable effect on his health and quality of life…

Dear Luke,

This letter is to thank you and your entire family for putting up the ToneWay.com web site, sharing with the world ways that music can enlighten one’s life. I am retired, sixty five years old, and was tired of sitting around the house watching TV or playing card games online. I had never played an instrument or sang, ever, in my entire life. After attending several bluegrass festivals I got the bug to learn to play so I could participate in jams in the evenings. ToneWay.com popped up as the result of a Google search and I was “off to the races”. I was excited to play my first song, Shady Grove, with your help, on July 25, 2011.

After a couple of weeks of playing along with your lessons every day, my wife said to me, “you are much calmer, your blood pressure must be down”. I realized… Continue reading ‘Success Stories: Randy Shelton’

You’ve Got What It Takes… We All Do

Whenever I’m at a party or other non-musical gathering of people, it seems like I always get into a conversation about music education. The ubiquitous icebreaker question: “So… what do you do?” leads to an explanation of the work I’m doing with the ToneWay Project—which, for those of you who don’t know, is our family’s decade-long effort to make music accessible to anyone who wants to play, using stringed instruments and mountain music as a foundation. Anyway, what comes next is usually hearing about their take on music-making. And after scores of these conversations, I’ve noticed some interesting patterns.

First of all, it is a rare person indeed who doesn’t have a hunger to play music. They won’t always tell you directly, but you can see it in the way they idolize their friend or relative who plays this or that instrument.

On the other hand, most people have discounted music-making as an option for themselves… Continue reading ‘You’ve Got What It Takes… We All Do’

More peeking inside our music class…

…this time, with a pen.

Elizabeth Englund, a reporter for UCSC‘s newspaper, recently interviewed us and watched one of our guided slow jams unfold…

In the third and final class of the Mountain Music Workshop, 10 students file into Harvey West Club Room and begin tuning their banjos, fiddles and guitars. This is no average music class — the students have learned all that they know not by rote, but by simply listening and playing together.

“Some of them are brand new to their instruments!” Leslie Abbott said excitedly.

The Mountain Music Workshop is taught twice a year by the Abbott family, and tonight Leslie Abbott and her son Luke lead the lesson. Luke is confident that his protegés are ready to lead the jam while he sits back and facilitates.

“Who wants to lead the first song?” Luke asks.

Some of the students are clearly uneasy at this prospect, and his question is met by nervous laughter and glances around the room.

“The worst thing that will happen is that it will all fall apart, and that will be fun,” Luke assures them. “Don’t be shy, play nice and loud!”

One brave woman with her guitar steps up and… Continue reading ‘More peeking inside our music class…’

Peek inside a Santa Cruz group music class

Running time: 3:34 seconds.

On Wednesday, we taught the first class in a three-week course that we offer twice a year through Santa Cruz Parks and Recreation. Kyle and I brought the Abbott-y Blogcast camera with us to document the experience. You can see the result above. Pardon me if I sound gushy, but I was (and am) just so excited about helping all these folks get started playing music together! Several of them hadn’t ever played with others before. It was so rewarding!

Last year, we made some big changes to the class to make it easier to teach. Now, anyone can lead a class. No musical talent or teaching experience is required; only a basic understanding of the ToneWay Music Method and a willingness to learn and use the curriculum we’ve prepared. Read Become a Jam Coach for more information.

Can’t wait for next Wednesday!

—Luke

Success Stories: Don Diehl

Don first wrote us in September of 2009, asking for information on getting a jam group going in his area. He told us:

I am 63. I’ve set around and accompanied myself on the guitar for years, just strumming and singing, giving little attention to timing or meter. About twice a year, I venture into some jam sessions. I do pretty good on songs I have down well like “Faded Love” or “Red River Valley”, but will tend to break time on other songs.

We suggested that he try our Get Started online workshop, and he ended up ordering our Get Started Plus book and CD. About a month later, here’s the letter we got… Continue reading ‘Success Stories: Don Diehl’

Become a Jam Coach!

Jam coaches Billy and Ivanna play guitar and sing together in a JamShop.

Helping people learn to play music together can be deeply satisfying. As a jam coach, you are a powerful catalyst for the musical growth of others. Just as importantly, helping others helps you discover steps you have overlooked in your own musical journey.

Not a teacher, you say? No problem. Most ToneWay jam coaches have no teaching experience—in fact, most of our Santa Cruz jam coaches only have a couple years of music experience themselves! Yet the service they provide for beginners is highly valued. Just listen to some of the actual feedback these Santa Cruz jam coaches have received:

The environment at the JamShop is wonderful. Thanks so much for leading us all! —Shannon

It’s wonderful to play with others like this. —Marilyn

… Continue reading ‘Become a Jam Coach!’

Welcome to the ToneWay Project!

If you’ve been to our web site before, you may notice some changes. For starters, we have a new name: The ToneWay Project. Our “Mountain Music for Everyone” moniker will still be used on our materials and elsewhere, but the main name was changed to reflect the ongoing nature of our work.

In addition, we have a new, short, easy-to-remember website: ToneWay.com. I’ve been working on the new site since early 2009; much of the changes are “under the hood”, but there are some significant improvements to the JamPool so I hope that makes it even more useful going forward. There are also more changes on the way; more videos, some enhancements to the song collection, perhaps… suggestions welcome!

Finally, we have the new blog. What will show up here? Who knows. Stay tuned!

Cheers,
Luke and the gang

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