The perennial gathering of some of the very best guitarists in the world is always a star-studded display of guitar virtuosity — not only during the live performances on the Guitar Town main stage, but also during the fun, informative morning workshops Guitar Town hosts on both Saturday and Sunday mornings, at 10a.m. at the Copper Conference Center. Guitar aficionados/students and fans are granted a rare opportunity to connect with the Acoustic Day and Electric Day guitarists on a personal level at the workshops in a relaxed “living room-style” format while hearing stories, soaking up advice, gaining technical insight, and witnessing “you’ll never see this anywhere else” jams.
Workshop Schedule
Friday Kick Off Workshops
- 2pm Guitar Workshop – “Learn to Play Guitar in a Day!” – Conference Center
- 3-5pm O’Brien and Deeming Lecture – Conference Center
Acoustic Day Workshop Saturday
- 9am Workshop – “Meet the Gibson Product Specialist” – Conference Center
- 10am Guitar Workshop – “Learn to Play Guitar in a Day!” – West Lake Stage
- 10:30am Musicians Acoustic Workshop – Conference Center
- 11am Guitar Workshop – “Learn to Play Guitar in a Day!” – West Lake Stage
Electric Day Workshop Sunday Conference Center
- 10:30am – Electric Musicians Workshop – Conference Center
Learn to Play Guitar in a Day
- Fri 4pm Upper Level Conference Center
- Sat 10am and 11am Guitar Center Stage – West Lake Overlook
Learn to Play Guitar in a Day!
Stop dreaming and start playing guitar right away! Marlene Hutchinson, creator of “Learn to Play Guitar in a Day!”, as seen on PBS and featured on CBS, NBC and Acoustic Guitar, will present her program designed for the absolute novice. It’s a simple, fun method that will get you playing guitar right away. No music and/or guitar experience is required. Bring your acoustic guitar, stop by to meet Marlene and learn to play. No guitar, no problem ~ we’ll have loaner guitars compliments of Guitar Center.
The 1 hour clinic will include information and skills similar to those presented during the first hour of Marlene’s 5 hour “Learn to Play Guitar in a Day!”™ workshop. Marlene will cover guitar basics; parts of the guitar, positioning, tuning, fingering, reading a chord chart, basic time signatures, and then the attendees will learn to play 2 chords and 3 songs.
Gibson Workshop
Meet the Gibson Product Specialist – overview of our Divisions to include: Gibson Acoustics, Memphis Division, Custom Shop, USA and Epiphone.
A presentation of the different divisions, that build our electric guitars (Nashville), Custom Shop Guitars (Nashville) our semi-hollow bodies (Memphis) and our acoustic division (Bozeman, MT)
There will be various guitars (acoustic, electric, mandolin) that attendees can demo, white wood samples to show how they build the products from some of the divisions.
Plus: Take a tour of the Gibson Luxury Coach/Tour Bus.”
Marlene Hutchinson
Marlene lives and teaches guitar Orange County, California and presents her “Learn to Play Guitar in a Day!” workshop at colleges, universities and other locations around the United States. Her DVD airs on PBS stations and she has been featured on CBS 2, KCal9, NBC 9News, NPR (National Public Radio), Acoustic Guitar, the Women’s International Music Network and several newspapers including the Orange County Register. “Learn to Play Guitar in a Day!” is a 2014 Player’s Choice Award nominee. Additionally, Marlene is a spokesperson/clinician for GAMA (Guitar & Accessories Marketing Association) and a contributing editor for Making Music Magazine.
O’Brien & Deeming Lecture
Luthier and Instructor, Robert O’Brien, and Fingerstyle guitarist, Jim Deeming, join forces in this fun interactive clinic to demonstrate how instrument tonewoods, body sizes and shapes, playing styles and proper setup influences tone and playability of the instrument. Bring your guitar making and playing related questions and enjoy lively commentary intermingled with Jim’s fingerstyle playing.
Jim Deeming
When Jim Deeming takes the stage, audiences know they’re in for a treat before the first song is over. His infectious love of the guitar is evident in every arrangement, whether playing an original or covering one of his heroes, including the likes of Chet Atkins, Merle Travis and Jerry Reed.
Jim got his first guitar at the age of six. His ever evolving fingerstyle technique produces an exciting one-man-band sound which he applies to a wide range of songs from gospel to country, pop, classical and bluegrass. He rounds out his sound with alternate tunings and blistering banjo-style rolls that leave listeners looking around for “the other guitar player”
In addition to performing and recording, he is also a fingerstyle instructor for JamPlay.com with thousands of students in over 50 countries and recently won 2nd place in the 2011 Utah State Open Fingerstyle Championship.
Robert “Robbie” O’Brien
Robert “Robbie” O’Brien began his guitar building career in São Paulo, Brazil in 1997. For three years, Robbie built classical guitars under Antonio Tessarin, who remains one of Brazil’s most highly sought after luthiers. While still living in Brazil and upon returning to the United States, Robbie studied acoustic guitar building under Kent Everett in Atlanta, GA. He has also studied in Spain with renowned classical guitar builder José Romanillos.
In 2003, Robbie founded the Lutherie Program in the Fine Woodworking Department at Red Rocks Community College in Denver, CO. He developed the program into one of the largest lutherie schools in the United States. By the end of his tenure in 2012, the course list had expanded from a single classical guitar building class to include classes in acoustic guitar, electric guitar, archtop guitar, mandolin, violin, guitar setup & repair, French polish, high gloss finishes and inlay.
One of Robbie’s greatest passions in lutherie is teaching. He offers one on one and small group building and finishing classes, as well as master classes. He also offers consultations to individuals and small groups wanting help with their guitar building. To date, Robbie has personally supervised the building of over 500 guitars made by students in Colorado, from teenagers to retirees. Several of his students relocated to Colorado specifically to study with him.
