Fingerstyle Productions: Fingerstyle Blog and Newsdesk

Welcome to the fingerstyle blog!

Fingerstyle's 2012 Workshop Calendar out now!

Wendy tutoring February 24th - 26th at Meredith Farm, Victoria

The inaugural Meredith Farm Bluegrass Jam Camp will take place on the weekend of 24th - 26th of Feb 2012. The camp is focussed on teaching newer players of bluegrass instruments - fiddle, banjo, guitar, mandolins, double bass and dobro - to learn to jam and play with each other.

Cats in Hats confirmed for the Apollonian Hotel Boreen Point 19th February

More details as they come to hand.

http://www.apollonianhotel.com.au/

Posted 27th November 2011

Pre Banjo Conference Concert Change of Venue for 2011

Thursday 8th December, concert $10, or phone Tranquil Park to book concert/dinner tickets 483 Mountain View Road Maleny QLD 4552 (07)5494 2544

X-Train from the USA are featuring in this concert. Click here for info re flyer for another X-Train Concert at Samford.

Posted 18th November 2011

Jam Tarts at the Apollonian Hotel, Laguna Street, Boreen Point.

The Sunshine Coast is blessed to have some of the best musicians in Australia living here. Come along and hear local musicians getting together to make acoustic music and have a heap of fun doing it.
Local band Grass Roots – Terry Contini, Terry Cook, Neil Murray, Bungy Nichols, Phoebe Rainer, will be leading the jam and conclude the Blackboard concert with a short performance.
Onlookers are most welcome. If you play an instrument come along and join in (players at all levels welcome). Acoustics instruments only.
When: 1.00 pm to 5.00 pm on the first and third Saturday of the month. Jam 1.00 pm to 3.00 pm, followed by a Blackboard Concert from 3.00 pm to 5.00 pm (contact Neil on 0409 453 032 to book a spot), concluding with a short performance by Grass Roots.
Where: Apollonian Hotel, Laguna Street, Boreen Point – Map – about a 20 minute drive from Noosa Beach.
Come early for lunch or stay afterwards for dinner – Noosa’s historic Apollonian Hotel offers an excellent pub-style menu – plus wide cool verandahs in summer, open fireplaces in winter, all in a rainforest setting with lawns where children can play.
Have a drink and stay overnight in the hotel’s unique former railway worker’s accommodation http://www.apollonianhotel.com.au/

Grass Roots band

Posted 8th November 2011

18th Imbil Acoustic Music Festival - a resounding success!!

Wendy Holman facilitated a Monster jam with the assistance of Cats in Hats. The jam made a joyful sound! Wendy had souvenier song booklets with chord maps and words so everyone could participate. This is a link to the pdf file of the songbook .

Wendy with Cats in Hats and Dave Peters also performed at the Saturday night concert ... so watch this space - clips will be up on YouTube very shortly.

It was announced during the concert that this was the last year that Steve and Sue Treloar would be organizing the event. Many thanks for the long hours and dedication that Steve and Sue have put into helping to keep acoustic music alive and well on the Sunshine Coast. I am sure we will still see them at the event and they will always be there as consultants to the new organizers.

Posted 9th September 2011

Gibson RB12 now at a bargain price of $4580. See the Banjostore for more details.

Posted 30th September 2011

Acoustic Music Revue
Majestic Theatre, Pomona
15th October 2011
Featuring Mic Conway, (ex Captain Matchbox)
Robbie Long (Australian guitar picking champ)
And some of the best Sunshine Coast acoustic musos.
A great night of humour and music!
Don’t miss it!
http://www.themajestictheatre.com.au/html/program.html
http://www.micconway.com/biography.html
http://www.robbieguitarlong.com/

Posted 1st August 2011

Another three banjos for the Banjo Store - a KK Cushman, Tanglewood and Samick Artist.

Posted 26th July 2011

As promised!! Three gorgeous top shelf banjos for the banjo store. They are a Stelling Red Fox, an Ome Odyssey and a Yates Maple banjo. Click here for the full details.

Posted 29th June 2011

Two more instruments for the Store - Gibson Granada and a White Swallow Cherryneck

Click here or on the images for more details.

Posted 16th June 2011

Two more instruments for the Store - Gibson RB12 and a Paul Reilly Ponytail

Click here or on the images for more details.

Posted 6th June 2011

Wendy confirmed again as tutor for this year's Banjo Conference at Maleny, December. Click here for more details.

Ross Nickerson will be returning with his band X-Train.

Posted 31st May 2011

More instruments for the Store. These are a Antonio Lorca classical guitar and a
Martin D16GT-2010 for the Guitar Store, and a Martinez, Washburn B160K and Prucha Diamondpoint for the Banjo Store or on one of the images for more details.

Posted 29th April 2011

Doc Watson Day - 16th July 2011

Doc Watson Day is the third Saturday in July and I'm thinking of organising a camping weekend and Kyogle Acoustic Music Society (KAMS Concert). Our regular jam happens to fall on that Saturday 16th July, which follows the Redlands Bluegrass Convention. I am trying to gauge interest in an Overnight Barn Concert and Camp-oven Cook-off down here in Kyogle at the showgrounds. Please let me know what what you would y charge as a performer for a half hour performance (off-site accommodation can be arranged); or how much you would pay for concert entry and camping facility if you an attendee. Please note that KAMS shows are all-ages and alcohol-free.

KAMS is going well. Our youth arm, Youth KAMS have already had ABC Producer Catherine Marciniak visit for a film workshop to train them for documentary making, made a film for a YAPA Grant http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dyzBymal1_A and started their own electric venue project https://www.facebook.com/#!/home.php?sk=group_110138059070745&ap=1 . We just won a grant for a Pearl Rhythm Traveler and currently have grant submissions in for PA & lights and a dual-action luggage trailer. Our Old Time Show was a hoot and people want more. There are pics of recent events on our facebook page below, which you can like for updates of our happenings.

For further information email Kym Watling kymwatling@gmail.com (This is not a Fingerstyle event. Do not reply to Fingerstyle)

Posted 18th April 2011

Festival coming up in Victoria - The Kelly County Pick

The 13th Annual ‘Kelly Country Pick’ Beechworth, Victoria
Bluegrass, Old Timey, Western Swing
19th, 20th, 21st August 2011

Combined with

The 2nd Kelly Country Pick Music Camp
16th, 17th, 18th August 2011
The Old Priory, Beechworth.

Wendy is the tutor for the Bluegrass and Old Timey banjo. See here for more details.

Posted 7th April 2011

Banjo Store additions. A trio of charming open back banjos from Terry Cook, Queensland. Click here for more details.


Rubicon Blonde	Rubicon Florentine	Rubicon Dragon

Posted 28th March 2011

The Coowonga Folk Club based in Central Queensland has organised an acoustic music camping weekend at Stony Creek in the Byfield Forrest 40 k north of Yeppoon. All music lovers are invited. Click here for the brochure an click here for the map.

Posted 14th February 2011

New Arrivals! Deering Sierra, and Martin D16H. Click here for more details

Posted 26th January 2011

Two more gorgeous banjos! And what a contrast! Glossy perfection - A Prucha Diamond Point versus the "why wait 40 years" distressed-finish Yates, USA.
Finger-lickingly delicious eye candy for banjo pickers... Which one would you choose?

Posted 26th January 2011

CD REVIEW – ‘Bittersweet’ by Tarnation. (Victoria, Australia 2010)

There are several reasons I buy a CD: because it’s a definitive album I just have to have; because I’m supporting my mates and getting the word out; and finally, it’s a source of juicy material for my own repertoire. Click here for more

Banjo Convention Notes

Slow Jam Workshops tutor: Wendy Holman
of Fingerstyle Productions

As a sample of what we got up to, here are a couple of sound bites from the two more advanced groups of banjo pickers at the 2011 event ... click here for more.

2011 3rd Annual Banjo Convention Concert

Concert Thursday 6th January. Click here for more details.

Posted 19th December 2010

Fingerstyle - Acoustic Guitars Are Coming!
Fingerstyle Guitar Store will promote top names in pre-loved guitars

www.fingerstyle.com.au is well known as THE place to shop for quality pre-loved banjos. Now we're doing the same for acoustic guitar players.

You'll find classy pre-loved names such as Maton, Larivee, Martin, De Gruchi, and Taylor. And we're not the only ones to respect Japanese makers guitars can respond to the test of time and playing-in. Makers such as Yamaha, Fender, Ibanez, K Yairi, and Takamine.
And after 40 years in the acoustic music business we've got an eye and an ear (and hands) to spot the best!
Instruments are carefully selected, honestly described, and speedily delivered - anywhere in the world.

We'll help you find the guitar that 'does it for you'.

Posted 19th October 2010

2 new instruments for the store. An Ovation Guitar and a K Yairi Guitar. Click here for more details.

Posted 14th October 2010

The 17th Imbil Acoustic Music Weekend, to be held over the weekend of November 5th, 6th & 7th, 2010, is promising to be a great weekend of acoustic music held at the usual venue at the Borumba Deer Park 9km outside Imbil. The music at the Imbil Music Weekend is ever evolving and is made up of many genres including bluegrass, old-time, Irish, acoustic blues, folk and gypsy jazz. It is a grass roots camping weekend for musicians and their families. Click here for more details.

Posted 16th September, 2010

New gear for the banjostore!

Morgan Monroe Cameron banjo

Guitar capo - planet waves

Lick cards

Posted 7th September, 2010

GOLD STAR GF-100HF BLUEGRASS BANJO & CASE - 2008

Just arrived from USA. Excellent Condition. Mahogany neck and Mahogany resonator with dual concentric purfling rings. Three-ply rock maple rim with cast bell bronze flathead tone ring.

Posted 14th August, 2010

Another banjo for the store .Fender Leo - Pre-Loved - C1979 Excellent condition. Collectors opportunity! All original parts. No fretwear. Original aluminium-bound signature case also in excellent condition.A1 condition in original case. One owner. Click here for more details.

Posted 11th August, 2010

New banjo for the Store - a stunning White Swallow with a Rosewood Fingerboard. Click here for more details.

Posted 7th August, 2010

Wendy Holman now has her own channel on YouTube.

Posted 16th July, 2010

Stuart Newman Custom Banjo number "Cooktown Orchids" has become available. Click here for more information.

Posted 25th June, 2010

Three more quality banjos for the Store. A Prucha Bat Custom, Grundy Flint River and a Eucalypt Custom Resonator.

Click on the photos or here for more information.

Posted 12th June, 2010

Photos now available of the first Fingerstyle Pickathon at Imbil. Click here for the photos.

Posted 8th May, 2010

Another excellent value consignment banjo for the Store. This time it is a one owner Leo Fender.

Posted 3rd May, 2010

Two pre-loved Australian-made banjos for the Store. White Swallow bluegrass models are now $1990 new. Grab a bargain!.

Posted 19th April, 2010

Stolen banjos alert!

Stolen in Brisbane recently - a Bellbird banjo (details and pics below) and the second was a very rare 1918 Paragon 5-string banjo. Both banjos are very distinctive.

Bellbird Banjo:

Hemony Model, very dark mahogany stain.
Radiussed fingerboard, wider than standard neck
Concentric rings on back of resonator
Distinctive Bellbird shape peghead and inlays.
Bound headstock in ivoroid with pinstripe.
"Kenn Sharples" engraved clearly engraved on pearl truss rod cover.

Posted 27th March 2010

New instruments for the Store. 2 gorgeous old openback banjos - a Dobson and a Waldo and a Samick Manadolin. Click here for more details.

Posted 23rd March 2010

Read all about the wonder software for musicians - Band in a Box.

Posted 14th March 2010

A new exciting picking/jamming event .

Imbil Pickathon 21st to 23 May 2010. For all you pickers and grinners! Wendy of Fingerstyle is organising the first of what I hope will become an annual event to promote and encourage picking. This event is an opportunity for pickers of bluegrass and old timey instruments to get together in one casual friendly location and pick like crazy for a whole weekend.

See here for more information.

Posted 14th March 2010

More additions to the Banjo Store

A KEL KROYDON CUSTOM - Pre-Loved - NEW - 2010. This banjo was originally a 2007 Gibson copy Style 11 made by the American Made Banjo Company. and a White Swallow Southern Cross Custom Excellent Condition. Custom made for Wendy Holman by Alan Funk, SA. Birds Eye Maple neck. African Blackwood fingerboard (very dense, smooth wood).

Posted 2/3/2010

Stuart Newman Custom Openback Banjos added to the Banjo Store.

Fingerstyle is proud to present two exciting new-generation open-backs recently completed by Australian luthier, Stuart Newman. Stuart melds the warmth, beauty, and tonal qualities of selected timbers with the cutting edge of modern banjo construction. Headstock design by Wendy Holman of Fingerstyle and Stuart Newman. All inlays and decorative artistry by Stuart Newman.

For more information click here.

Posted 28/2/2010

Keep an eye out for new banjos for the Store. Firstly, there is a Robin Smith and a Gibson RB12.

For further details click here.

Posted 20/1/2010

2010 version of Band in a Box NOW IN STOCK!

Band in a Box (BIB) gives you the power to create your own music without having to understand how to write music. Want a backing band with a bluegrass feel, a country rock rhythm, or maybe a slow, tearful waltz? With Band in a Box, you're only a few clicks of the mouse away. Enter the chords, choose a speed and a style for the band to play in and click on 'Play'. Turn your practice into real music now and save $36!
RRP $225, our price, $189 AUD (while stocks last)

Posted 23/1/10