As part of the 2013 RGT Conference, which takes place in London on September 8th, 2013, country guitarist extraordinaire and music educator Lee Hodgson will be presenting a seminar titled “Breakneck Breakdown.”
Lee became a professional guitarist in 1979, working with pop and jazz-funk bands mainly, although he soon became involved with the British country music scene, gigging up to six nights a week at age 18.
After touring with a with a No.1 pop band, Odyssey in 1980-81 (jamming with Stevie Wonders’ band along the way), he became increasingly ingrained into the country music scene, spending 14 years (1987-2001) with Memphis Roots, with which he had the opportunity to perform at the Royal Albert Hall and Wembley arena, as well as countless clubs and festivals.
Alongside all of this, since 1990 Lee has been teaching at London’s Guitar Institute (now part of the Institute of Contemporary Music Performance/ICMP aka the Institute). He also conduct regular masterclasses around the UK for the likes of Guitar Weekends and The Academy of Music and Sound.
Read more about Lee by visiting his Tutor page at the Institute, and check out the video below for a sample of his burnin’ country pickin’.
Lee Hodgson Video Preview
Breakneck Breakdown Seminar Outline
This seminar will be a “fiery demonstration of a range of country guitar lead licks and patterns with insight into Lee’s method of efficient technical learning,” and it promises to provide insight into both teaching guitar and learning country guitar licks for the advancing guitarist.
Lee’s approach will show how to make real progress using key playing ideas and techniques, and specifically the seminar will focus on the following “Power of Three” which are outlined in the chart below.
| Problem | Solution (practice, practice, practice!) |
| I can’t play (X) fast enough. | Practice: acceleration while looping. |
| I’ve fastidiously practiced at home, but I can’t reproduce (X) on a gig/session | Practice: start the lick in every possible place: displace it (15 displacement possibilities, reducible to three entry points other than on the downbeat, all referenced to 1/16 note rhythms). |
| I can confidently play (X) ascending but not descending or vice versa | Practice: analyse the physicality of retrograde inversion (it’s not necessarily the reverse motion), while looping. |
This seminar should not be missed, so make sure to sign up for the 2013 RGT Conference below, and stop by Lee’s seminar during your time at the conference this fall.
Registration is now open for the 2013 RGT Guitar Tutors Conference, which will take place in London on September 8th. Registration is by advanced booking only, so make sure to visit the Registration Page and sign up today!
Do you have a question or comment about this seminar, or about the 2013 RGT Guitar Tutor Conference in general? Post your questions or comments below and we’ll be happy to help you out any way we can.