One of the things that's most interesting about the National Guitar Workshop (NGW) is that new experience of finding a groove with a band.  There are four of us in the "Blues Core" course together and none of us play in a band.  So when we are able to work together on a song, especially when everyone is dead on the rhythm, it's pretty exciting.  One of the students commented on how the sound comes together to create something unique.  And to do that with a drummer and a bass player together and each of us taking our solos, it's pretty incredible.  It's an experience you can't read about or ever get playing on your own.  And you don't have to be shredding some complex solo.  It can come from just playing a rhthym pattern, knowing and feeling your guitar part and how it contributes to the overall sound. 

So in a way, it's not surprising that many of the attendees at NGW are what I call "repeat offenders."  Some of them have previously attended the "Rock Core" curriculum, others started in core classes and have expanded their skills and repertoire by getting into Jazz sessions or the Blues Summit.  Some of the attendees are local, but many others have traveled a long distance to attend.  I've met folks from St Louis, Orlando, Mexico, Italy and Paris.  There's nothing else like the NGW. 

I think the Core curriculum is possibly the most fun because you get a balance of theory and that time to develop a groove.  Tomorrow morning we're going to head into Chicago to go see Buddy Guy at his club.  Should be fun. 

The National Guitar Workshop has additional sessions through the summer in Austin, Texas and at the main campus in Purchase, New York.

• NGW: Main site, Community, Faculty, Guest Artists, Curriculum
• GuitarVibe: NGW Tuesday, NGW Thursday, James Hogan