Frequently asked questions:
What is the Big Jersey Guitar Club?
Hello! I’m Frank Vignola. Welcome to my virtual Guitar Club!
Learning Clubs feature exclusive instructional videos, charts, and play-a-longs. Each week I lead a live jam session via Zoom.
Join Big Jersey Guitar Club: the place for jamming, studying, listening to, and watching performances of jazz guitar!
How do the Learning Clubs work?
The Learning Clubs let us take a deep dive into particular areas of jazz guitar study. We explore topics such as: jazz composers, harmonic & melodic studies, improvisational techniques, and songs. Each Learning Club lasts for ten weeks.
When you sign up, a link is immediately provided giving you access to the online course materials folder, which include charts and video lessons where I break down each song, and play-a-long background files I have created for you to jam with.
Each of the ten weeks includes a virtual jam session via Zoom, which I lead, where we work on the Club songs for about 45 minutes. Then, each week, I pick a different club song and discuss comping and soloing techniques.
Within 48 hours of each week’s session, you can submit any questions about the material that you have (using the “ASK” button on top of this site), and I will record a video for download where I discuss and answer the questions about the materials that have been submitted during the week.
I am so excited about this new approach to learning and hope you’ll join me in a Learning Club!
How do the Jam sessions work?
You sign up and show up, virtually, via our Zoom platform. I lead the jam session and play a lot of rhythm guitar so you can interact with me, solo and try out all of the techniques you are working out. (Everyone is muted, except Frank and the band, so it’s a great way to work out your ideas). And, after the session, a link is provided so you can download the jam session for future play-a-long, study and enjoyment.
What level player do I need to be to join and participate in a Learning Club?
All levels are welcome and find participation fun and engaging (see BJGC Testimonials).
All courses come with charts and with additional video lessons giving helpful background information, such as, how to play the song, how to play that unfamiliar chord, or what scale to play on that chord.
What if I miss the starting date for a Learning Club?
No Problem!
Since all Learning Club virtual jam sessions are recorded and placed in the club materials folder (within 24 hours), you can jump in at any time and have access to the recorded sessions so that you can listen to, and play along with it as many times as you wish.
What if I miss a Learning Club Jam session?
Not to worry!
All Learning Club sessions are recorded and placed in the club materials folder (within 24 hours) so that participants can download the session and listen to and play along with it as often as you like.
Is there a way to “hang out” with the other participants?
What would a jam session be without an opportunity to “do the hang?”
All Learning Club sessions “open” half an hour before the start time, so we can hang out and ‘schmooze’, catch up, maybe listen to a couple tunes. After hanging out for a while, (which is totally optional) we get to jamming. This pre-jam hangout has become a fun and welcome prelude to the session for me and the participants!
Why do the materials seem to be taking a long time to download to my computer?
The Learning Club materials folders (which grow over the ten-weeks) end up being approximately 13-20MB. Depending on your connection speed, it might take several hours to download the entire “batch” of files in the folder to your computer. If you are having trouble, here are some additional suggestions & resources.
How do manage or cancel my Let’s Practice Subscription?
Please click here for instructions (instructions open in a new page for your convenience).
I forgot my Big Jersey Guitar Club password…
Click “Login” in the upper right of the website, then click “forgot password?” to obtain a password reset email (the link is good for 24 hours). Unfortunately, we cannot change your password for you.