Home School Band and Choir News + Book Updates

Hey Everyone,

I am currently working on a new curriculum for Home Schoolers that will be a home school band and choir. It will be a 36 week course and will be for ages K-12, but with instruments for the 6-12 grade students. I will post more information as this project develops.

Also in the works are a couple books. My writing partner Greg Kemp and I have recently republished our book T0B for Kindle and you can check it out here:
This is our 2012 Mystery Sci-Fi Political Thriller.

 

Another important update is that Amazon bought out our distributor so all of my books are now on Amazon, and can be found simply by typing in my name and or the title of the book you wish to purchase!

I am hoping to get a deal with Barnes and Noble solidified this year as well, and you should be able to purchase versions of my books from Barnes and Noble as well.

Greg and I are also currently working on a new book tentatively entitled "How to be a TV Detective," which will discuss a great deal of techniques and psychological tips used by some of your favorite television detectives. My hope is that it will be finished by the end of the year.

I am also working on the first of what I hope to be several Child Ballad songbooks. I was able to go to Harvard this last summer and research the collection of Francis J. Child. I filmed a lot of video, took a lot of pictures and hopefully will be able to present that to you along with antique paintings that were made of the Child Ballads. I am also working on a series of videos for youtube to coincide with the release of the songbook, and some performance videos as well.

In addition to all of that, I am also currently working on a series of YouTube videos called "What _____ taught me about music theory," where I will be discussing some of my favorite songs and what I learned from them about music theory. Look for them in the near future.

Until next time, have a great 2019!  

How to Play Mandolin In Other Keys Part 3

Hi Everyone,

As you know the topic we are focusing on this month is how to play in how to play the mandolin in other keys if you are tuned to Open D tuning. 

If you haven’t already, you are going to want to check out this week’s video. In this video we are continuing to move the boxes up and down the neck, and are tackling the key of A! I think you will feel ready to play at any bluegrass jam after you get this week’s lesson mastered!  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8R-EO22jNA

We also have a new lick of the week video out which you can check out here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQ1N_0yFCCc

And if you are also a guitar player, or have a guitar player in your circle of friends who might be interested in slide techniques, you can check out the new slide guitar video for the Open D tuning here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKVpu5dDx4I

For those of you who are members of the newsletter, you are already aware that you are getting access to lots of tips and tricks that aren’t covered anywhere else. And if you are not a member, consider joining so you too can get the most out of this month’s topic. You can join here! http://eepurl.com/cAk3dj

You’re also going to want to check out my books, videos and CDs to get the most out of your lessons. If you look around on the blog, you will see links to all of my books, links to other videos that you may not have seen yet, and tons of other info that should help you as you strive to be the best musician you can be!

I hope you have a great week. Thanks for checking out my new material!

God bless,

Willy

Christmas Coupon!

Hey Everyone!

We are excited to announce our Christmas coupon for 2015! Everyone has that certain someone special who wants an instrument for Christmas. Here at Minnix Music we want to make it easy for you to get started with your instrument.

Simply print out this coupon, or pick one up that is posted at several of the stores in Winston-Salem, and bring it in for one free lesson of your choice: Piano, Guitar, Bass Guitar, Banjo, Mandolin, Ukulele, Voice, or Harmonica! Limit one coupon per customer!

We also have our refer a friend program! Refer a friend who signs up for a month's worth of lessons, and you will get a free lesson for each friend who signs up! What a great way to spread the joy of music this Holiday Season!




Coupon expires 2/1/16, Limit one coupon per customer!

Turkies In The Straw - Irish Version

Here is the last song for the promotion of my new book English Scottish and Irish Ballads: the Irish version of Turkies in the Straw.


Hope you enjoy, and check out my new book!

Why I don’t think Zoroaster influenced Daniel:

-          The Zoroastrian sacred texts (the Avesta) were supposedly written down in 346-360 AD, though the earliest copies we have are from the 1200’s. There are references to Zoroastrian belief as late as Plutarch in AD46 – AD120, who believed Zoroaster lived at 6,000 BC, which is ridiculous.

-          What we know about Zoroaster was written down at least 929 years after he was supposed to have lived. We don’t know anything specifically about him that comes from the time in which he lived.

-          Zoroaster was supposed to have died in 583 BC, which would put him contemporaneously with the prophet Daniel, though they claim that he wrote the Avesta sometime before the 10 Century BC. It is ridiculous to believe the Zoroaster lived from 1000 BC to 583 BC that would make Zoroaster over 400 years old.

-          Many claim that the stories of Jesus were based on Zoroaster, however, the stories of Zoroaster were written down in 346-360 AD, 300 years after Jesus lived. Isn’t it more conceivable that Zoroastrian similarities to Jesus were based on Jesus, since they were written down 300 years later?

-          Many of the stories about Zoroaster are similar also to Daniel, and we know that the earliest references to Daniel are at the latest within a couple hundred years of when Daniel lived. Doesn’t it make sense that maybe Zoroaster was based on Daniel, and not the other way around?

-          Babylonian and Persian society was polytheistic before Daniel. Many of the Persian kings were descended from Esther. Monotheism developed in Israel first before Persia, and history shows that for a fact that Babylon conquered Israel, bringing monotheism in contact with Babylonian religion. The Babylonians were overthrown by the polytheistic Persians, who were then brought into contact with the monotheistic Jews. After Persian contact with Jews Persians became monotheistic. We can’t prove that Zoroastrianism as we know it today even existed at the time of the Jewish captivity in Babylon, therefore, wouldn’t it make sense that the Monotheistic elements of Zoroastrianism came from Daniel, and not the other way around?

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000 Maniacs, 10, 2nd Coming, ADAD Tuning, ADAD Tuning Mandolin, Animal Die-offs, Beach Boys, Bible Prophecy, Billy Joel, black jack davey, blues song, Bob Dylan, Bonaparte's Retreat Tuning, Brian Wilson, Chrisstmas Carols Mandolin, Christmas music, Christmas Songs Mandolin, Cross Roads, Cross Roads Mandolin, Crossroads, Crossroads Mandolin, custom built mandolins, dana, dana's tune, Dead Man's Tuning, digi tech, digitech, digitech jamman, Don Henley, End Times, Faith, Gabriel's Message, Gabriel's Message Mandolin, God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen Mandolin, guitar, guitar lessons, Hard Rain, Heart of the Matter, Hebrews 11, How to make mandolins, how to play thanksgiving songs, how to write a blues song, I'll Fly Away, Immanuel, Immanuel Marc Greenblum, Immanuel movie music, Immanuel Music, jam man, James Taylor at Christmas, jamman, jamman looper, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells Mandolin, Larry Hopkins, Leaning On The Everlasting Arms, List of Messianic Prophecies, loop, loop pedal, lord of the dance mandolin, Luke 9, Luke 9:21, Mad About You, Maggie May, Maggie May Mandolin, mandolin, mandolin builder, Mandolin Christmas, Mandolin Christmas Carols, mandolin lessons, mandolin music, mandolin studies, Mandolin Tabs, Mass Animal Deaths, Mike Love, minnix, music lessons, music teacher, Pekin, piano, piano lessons, Post-Trib Rapture, Pre-Trib Rapture, Rapture, Red maple, Red Maple Fiddle Shop, Red Maple Violin Shop, Robert Johnson Mandolin, Rod Stewart, Rod Stewart Mandolin, Sassafras, simple gifts mandolin, Slide Mandolin, song writing, songwriting, st. patrick's day song mandolin, Sting, thanksgiving song mandolin, The Beach Boys Christmas Album, The First Noel, The First Noel Mandolin, These Are Days, These Are Days Mandolin, trevor's green eyes, violin, willy, willy minnix, Winston Salem Banjo Lessons, Winston Salem Drum Lessons, Winston Salem Guitar Lessons, Winston Salem Mandolin Lessons, Winston Salem Music Lessons, Winston Salem Piano Lessons, Winston Salem Voice Lessons

New Articles Out in Forsyth Magazines

I have four articles out this month in Forsyth Magazine!

2 in Forsyth Family and 2 in Forsyth Women!

http://www.forsythwoman.com/http://www.forsythfamilymagazine.com/

Sir Pizza: A Little Slice of Hoosier Heaven in the Piedmont

Sir Pizza: A Little Slice of Hoosier Heaven in the Piedmont

I’m originally from Richmond, IN, known for Earlham College, Tom Raper RVs, being the “Birthplace of Recorded Jazz,” and also for this funky little pizza chain that serves awesome pizza with tiny chopped up pieces of pepperoni. Richmond’s not that big of a town, about 40,000 people, but we have not one, not two, not three, but FOUR of these pizza shops around town! That’s how much we love this particular pizza.

Recently, I moved here to the Piedmont area from the frozen tundra of rural Illinois, where the closest thing to a good pizza was a round piece of cardboard with some tomato soup thrown at it and a couple pepperoni’s and some stale cheese tossed on for good measure. Sadly, where we were there was no “Chicago style” to be found! On the way down, we passed through Richmond, and I desperately wanted to stop at my favorite pizza restaurant that all the locals know as “Clara’s,” which has a double decker British city bus inside the restaurant, where people can eat their pizza while looking at all of the interesting décor like bicycles and beaded curtains hanging from the ceiling, or the porch swings that you can sit on while dining on heavenly pizza, and where every table has a Tiffany lamp lighting your meal. But we were running late, so I had to settle for a quick burger at a truck stop.

So, imagine my surprise when I dropped my wife off at work one morning in High Point, and spotted on my way a place called “Sir Pizza.” I was intrigued. I saw the cool little Tiffany lamp logo, and thought to myself, “Is this place like ‘Clara’s?’ No, couldn’t be, that’s a Hoosier thing. Couldn’t even find one in Illinois. Why would there be one here?” So I went home.

A couple days later, I was driving by again, and this time went all the way through High Point, and saw another Sir Pizza. So that night, I gathered my family and decided to give it a try. “Tonight my children, you will experience True Pizza.” I felt like a lonely prophet beholding the Promised Land after years of wandering in the wilderness. For years I had told them that such pizza existed somewhere in the world, but alas, rural Illinois did not offer pizza of that variety. I walked in and asked the friendly lady behind the counter for a menu, and then probed, “Do you guys (I’m not quite southern yet, y’all) make your pizza with the tiny little pepperonis?”

“Yes, we sure do.”

Suddenly, the rapture happened, and I stood before the throne of God with angels singing anthems of delight! Well, no, that didn’t quite happen, but I was pretty happy. So I got my 8 inch “Royal Feast” for me and my wife, and a Hawaiian 16 inch for the kids and went home, happy as could be. My kids, who for so long went without true pizza ate it with joy, declaring it to be the best pizza they ever ate (though, compared to cardboard pizza, real tomato sauce on a cracker would be a step in the right direction). But it really wasn’t much of a surprise to see all of the “Best Pizza” awards displayed behind the counter.

So while I was waiting for my pizza of infinite bounty and delight, I found out from the lady behind the counter that Sir Pizza did indeed originate in Indiana, but she didn’t know all of the particulars. I don’t know if it is directly connected with the pizza chain from Richmond, but to find such a treasure of Hoosier happiness down here in my new home made me so happy. I have lived all over the country, Indiana, Texas, Georgia, New York and yes, the frozen tundra of rural Illinois, but I have to say that moving to Winston-Salem has been one of my happiest moves. I love it here, and am so thankful for a place to find some good pizza!

About the Author:

Willy Minnix is a seasoned music teacher, author, sound technician and multi-instrumentalist. He lives and teaches in Winston-Salem with his wife and four budding musicians! His book “Mandolin: Dead Man’s Tuning Vol. 1” is one of the only books on the market that delves into alternate tunings for Mandolin. You can find out more information about Willy, his books, or the instruments he teaches at his website www.willyminnix.com