Welcome to Nashville Acoustic Camps.
We believe that bluegrass and old time music are for everyone and we hope to foster an environment of inclusivity and tolerance at all of our camps and events. No one will ever be turned away from our house based on race, religion (or lack thereof), gender, orientation, or identity. It is our goal to help bridge the gaps between people by sharing and playing music together.

Nashville Acoustic Camps and Covid 19
We do not currently have any Covid requirements.We will always ask our campers to choose to stay home if they are experiencing symptoms. Ourbunk rooms do accommodate up to six people so keep that in mind when making your lodging decision. Scroll down for more details about the lodging but we are also more than happy to answer all your questions. Click here to email us.

What is the lodging like?
This is a house camp. It is held in our home, a large place on a couple acres out in the woods just north of Nashville proper. The beds are bunk style and each room houses up to six people. There are regular bathrooms and a shower (Everyone shares a couple of showers and yes, you do have to do some strategic scheduling, but it generally works out just fine.) in the house as well as a cabin on the property. The bunks are comfortable and we provide all the bedding and towels. But make no mistake, it is a house and therefore you will be sharing your space with other people. Because we have limited space and plumbing, onsite lodging is not guaranteed when you request it in your registration form. But we will let you know right away if you do or do not get in.

What is included with being an on-site lodging or day camper?
All campers get breakfast, lunch, and an afternoon snack. Day campers can pay an extra $25 to add dinners . All campers may attend all classes and participate in all the evening jams and field trips. 

What are the age parameters for camp?
You must be 18 years or older to attend our camps.

Are there single rooms available or rooms for couples?
Currently, we do not have rooms available for couples, or single, unshared rooms. However, you are welcome to put up your own tent in a flat shady area in the yard. You would pay the full lodging price and have access to all the showers and the full three meals a day, etc.

If I don't get in to the on-site lodging or would rather have a little more space to myself, where should I stay?
The closest hotel is the Deerfield Inn in Greenbrier, TN. It is nothing fancy but it's close (5 minute drive), clean, and comfortable. Tell them the music camp sent you. Prices are very reasonable. Also, any hotel in Goodlettsville, TN (which is a little closer to civilization) is about a 12 minute drive and there are several familiar chain hotels available. There are also many Air BnB options around the area. Look for Ridgetop, TN and work out from there. We specifically recommend this Air BnB which is only a mile from camp and a great space. You can also rent a self-contained camper and have it delivered to camp.One of our campers rented this camper and had a wonderful experience and the guy who owns it already knows where to find us. Highly recommended. If you choose to stay off-site, you are still welcome to participate in every single camp activity, day or night. You will be responsible for your dinners but can stay and jam at camp as late as you'd like. If you would like to have all your meals at camp but stay off-site, that's an extra $25 and you can choose that option when you pay your balance.

What if I have food allergies or dietary restrictions?
Just let us know. We'll work with you. When it comes to allergies, we'll make sure you're safe while you're here. If you are vegetarian, vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free, paleo, carb-counting, non-GMO, or otherwise, we totally respect your decision but we are a small camp with an even smaller kitchen staff. To be safe, you should consider bringing some "go-to" foods to have on hand and we'll make room in the fridge.

When should I arrive?
If you're driving yourself to camp, arrival time is any time after 5 p.m. on Thursday evening. If you are a day camper you're welcome to stop in Thursday evening for a welcome jam and some delicious supper. You can also just arrive before the start of classes Friday morning at 9 a.m. If you are flying in, please schedule a flight for any time on Thursday but know that we won't begin airport pickups until after 5 p.m. on Thursday evening. Please send us your itinerary as soon as you purchase your flights. If we are inundated with too many airport pickups at any particular camp, we reserve the right to connect several of you so you can share an Uber up to camp. There is no public transportation and taking a cab from the airport is an expensive option. Also, if your flight arrives really late or you won't be able to fit in the airport pickup parameters for some other reason, we would also suggest getting an Uber up to camp. Address and directions can be found on the Essentials and Contact pages of this website.

When should I plan my escape?
We'll be done with classes at around noon on Sunday so if you are flying, plan your flight to leave after 2pm on Sunday. If you're driving you are free to pack up and head home with all your new knowledge at that point!

If I'm coming early or staying late to visit Nashville, do you have any recommendations for where to stay and what to do?
If you are interested in spending some extra time in Nashville either before or after camp, click here for a great list of jams, venues, and general musical things. We recommend this travel blog for great ideas for sightseeing and eating and all the fun Nashville stuff.
https://thenashvilleguide.com/

We recommend this Air Bnb if you're looking to stay in Nashville before or after camp. It's on Music Row and very near downtown. 
https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/21139386?s=41&ref_device_id=4df3aa6690c039c39efc2090e71bdebf6feeb8ba&user_id=96454758&_branch_match_id=509864592433986943%E2%80%8B&guests=1&adults=1&source_impression_id=p3_1583097185_MSgsbJkuaBryW0Ed

Do I need to be able to read music or tab?
No. Most camp classes are "call and response" style so the most important thing you need is a desire to learn and the patience to know that sometimes you might not process every piece of information the week of camp. That's OK, just bring a recording device (your smartphone is perfect for this job) and you can enjoy learning and revisiting the information all through the year after camp! 

What level player should I be before I can attend?
We prefer for all campers to be able to pick/play a few tunes already and to be able to play basic rhythm. If you're a brand new beginner you may find things a little more challenging. (Unless the camp you're looking at is called a "beginner camp" in which case, feel free to buy your instrument on the way to camp and we'll get you started!) However, we want everyone to get something out of camp so we try to tailor classes to your ability. If you are feeling overwhelmed during camp, or maybe like things are going too slow (either way!), let us know and we will work to fit you into a more appropriate class. We always have extra teachers and helpers available to help you get up to speed but if you are just starting on an instrument, please let us know so we can make sure that particular camp is a good fit for you.

How does registration work?
We have two kinds of camp registration. Some camps are "first come first served" and whoever registers and pays a deposit gets in until we get up the total number of campers we're taking at that event. For these camps, we sometimes allow previous campers to register early. We will post that information whenever that is the case. We have recently added some camps that are "lottery style" registration. We take the names of people who are interested in attending and then we draw names and inform those people that they've gotten in. We give them a couple of weeks to register and if any of them are not able to attend, we draw new names and inform those people. Almost all of our camps sell out fairly quickly and we end up with waiting lists. We often have spots come open as we get closer to camp so we always recommend getting on the waiting list for a camp you'd like to attend, if it is sold out. We also tend to give special dispensation to people who have been on waiting lists in the past, when it comes to registration in a following year.

What is the general timeline of registration to the actual camp event?
*4-5 months before the camp is scheduled - Registration opens. If you're on our mailing list, you'll hear about upcoming registrations all throughout the year.
*Within an hour after you pay your deposit - You'll receive an email either confirming you got in or letting you know that you are on the waiting list. If you are placed on the waiting list we will refund your deposit immediately. Please let us know if you use a different email than the one associated with your payment receipt.
*A few days after registration day - Camps usually sell out within a few days so as soon as registration is closed, you'll get a welcome email with some starter info.
*A little more than 60 days before camp - You'll receive an email reminding you that your balance is due very soon. A few weeks later, anyone still owing a balance will receive a payment reminder email with a deadline after which they'll lose their spot.
*2-3 weeks before camp - You'll receive the camp schedule and few other reminders about directions and what to bring. Previous camp schedules are at the bottom of the camp website page so you can always get a sense of what to expect, even if some of the details are a little different in the current year.
*A few days before camp - You'll get any last minute changes or reminders or extra encouragement.
*Anytime - You can email us and check in with questions. We want to make sure you have the best and most successful camp experience possible!

What's the scoop with refunds and final payment and all that?
Here's the deal. We are pretty tough on this part because with the camps being so small and there being waiting lists for just about every camp we host (Thank you for that, we're so grateful for the interest!) we have to be pretty strict about refunds and balances being paid on time. This allows us to continue to get the greatest teachers in all the land and notify those people on the waiting list in time for them to make travel arrangements. We endeavor to provide the exact instructor lineup we advertise when a camp goes on sale. Sometimes, especially in these uncertain times, changes to the lineup are outside our control. You can be sure we'll get you the best replacements you could possibly imagine and the refund policy will still apply.

*Deposits are due at registration. Your spot is not secure until your deposit is paid.

*Camp fee balance is due 60 days before camp starts. You will get plenty of notice and reminding.

*Deposits are non-refundable. 

*If you pay the whole balance at the time of registration but need to cancel, you will be refunded your fee, minus the non-refundable deposit, as long as you cancel before 60 days prior to camp.

*If you need to cancel within the 60 day prior to camp mark, we will not be able to refund your money. We will endeavor to use your camp fee to help scholarship a camper who might need a little extra financial assistance to attend camp.

*If you do not pay your balance by the deadline, your spot will be given to another camper and your deposit will not be refunded.

*We are not able to apply your payments to another camp.

*We reserve the right to disallow someone from registering or to not allow them to attend a camp for which they are already registered based on behaviors enumerated in the code of conduct.