Welcome to Paul Gilbert’s Great Guitar Escape

4 days and nights of non-stop guitar, start to finish, amid the magical landscape of Cambria Pines Lodge in Cambria, California.

Participants of all ages, levels, interests, and tastes welcome!

Paul Gilbert's Great Guitar Escape 3.0 is an event for players and music-lovers of all ages, levels, interests, and taste! Whether you are a master player, a beginner, or just an enthusiastic fan, our four day programs offer activities and workshops for you. Our environments are non-competitive and are strictly about immersing oneself in the joys of music and our lovely surroundings!

Registration Opens Nov. 24th!

Paul's Special Guests!

Kiko Loureiro

David Ellefson

Bumblefoot

Andy Timmons

Mimi Fox

Doug Doppler

Stig Mathisen

Jeff Bowders

Schedule

Every day is a full schedule of guitar seminars, jams, and performances. But we need to eat and drink too! The day begins with a hearty breakfast. We will enjoy not only the food, but also the experience of hanging out without barriers. We are all “backstage,” and it’s a good time to talk about music or whatever is on your mind.
-Paul

Monday July 25

  • 3:00PM     Check In

  • 5:30-7:00PM     Welcome Reception

    with Paul Gilbert and the Instructors.  Photo Op!

  • 7:00-8:30PM     Dinner

  • 8:30-9:30PM     Instructor Concert

  • 10:00PM     Camper Jamming

Tuesday July 26

  • 7:00-9:30AM     Breakfast

  • 10:00-11:30AM     Paul Gilbert Workshop

    “Practical tips on how to play, how to survive, and how to best enjoy the daily jam sessions with me!”

  • 11:30Am-1:00PM     Breakout Sessions

    • Bumblefoot- String Theory: How the string divides, visualizing the string rather than the fretboard
    • Andy- Tone Quest: Elements Of Great Tone
  • 1:33-2:30PM     Lunch

  • 2:30-4:00PM     Breakout Sessions

    • Stig- Technique Building and Practice Routines (all levels)
    • Doug- TBA
    • Dave- Playing with a Pick: Live and Recording
  • 4:00-5:30PM     Jamming with Paul

    Building Confidence in the Key of A

  • 5:30-7:00PM     Breakout Sessions

    • Kiko- Licks and Phrases Kiko will show cool licks and phrases from his solos and songs. 
    • Mimi- Flying Solo: the Art of Solo Jazz Guitar All aspects of solo guitar technique including:walkin g bass lines, single lines, chordal embellishments, creative use of harmonics, and rhythmic cohesion.
  • 7:00-8:30PM     Dinner

  • 8:30-9:30PM     Instructor Concert

  • 10:00PM     Camper Jamming

Wednesday July 27

  • 7:00-9:30AM     Breakfast

  • 10:00-11:30AM     Paul Gilbert Workshop

    Secrets for playing with speed, and still keeping an expressive touch and connection to the music

  • 11:30AM-1:00PM     Breakout Sessions

    • Bumblefoot- Pretty Math: How to Make Melodies That Always Work
    • Mimi- From Blues to Jazz Discover how to go from playing a one/four/five blues to using all kinds of cool jazz substitutions for both comping and soloing.
  • 1:00-2:30PM     Lunch

  • 2:30-4:00PM     Breakout Sessions

    • Stig-Mastery of Tone: It’s All in the Hands (all levels)
    • Doug- TBA
    • Dave- Thrash Metal Bass
  • 4:00-5:30PM     Jamming with Paul

    Building Confidence in the Key of E

  • 5:30-7:00PM     Breakout Sessions

    • Kiko- Creative Melodies How to create melodies for compositions and solos using the Modes arpeggios and triads. Explaining the modes, how to think melodically and scape from the nonsense scale runs.
    • Andy- Melody in Your Playing: Break Away from Scales!
  • 7:00-8:30PM     Dinner

  • 8:30-9:30PM     Instructor Concert

  • 10:00PM     Camper Jamming

Thursday July 28

  • 7:00-9:30AM     Breakfast

  • 10:00-11:30AM     Paul Gilbert Workshop

    Scales, the “raw material” for soloing, and how to remember, refine, and expand on these fingering patterns.

  • 11:30AM-1:00PM     Breakout Sessions

    • Kiko and Dave- Expanding Harmony Concepts for Rock How to apply some interesting harmony concepts from Classical music and jazz into rock. Megadeth solos and Riffs
    • Andy- The Working Guitarist: Reality vs Fantasy
  • 1:00-2:30PM     Lunch

  • 2:30-4:00PM     Breakout Sessions

    • Bumblefoot- Weird Tapping 2- handed techniques using percussive hits, harmonics, multiple strings
    • Mimi- Modal Playing to the Max Playing over one chord for a long time ( modal pieces ) can be challenging. Explore all aspects of modal playing including: harmonic side stepping, chord substitution, super imposition of compound arpeggios, complex pentatonic usage, and four note groupings. 
  • 4:00-5:30PM     Jamming with Paul

    Building Confidence with Chord Changes

  • 5:30-7:00PM     Breakout Sessions

    • Stig- The Art of Melodic Soloing (intermediate to advanced players)
    • Doug- TBA
  • 7:00-8:30PM     Dinner

  • 8:30-9:30PM     Instructor Concert

  • 10:00PM     Camper Jamming

Friday July 29

  • 7:00-9:30AM     Breakfast

  • 10:00-11:30AM     Paul Finale and Summary Workshop

    How to search for the music inside of you, and how to find new ideas and inspiration.

  • 11:30AM     Check Out and Departure

Schedule subject to change

Location

Cambria Pines Lodge

Nestled on 25 wooded acres, Cambria Pines Lodge offers comfortable accommodations, delightful gardens, and a charming experience all around. Accommodations range from cozy cabins to serene suites. Amenities include an outdoor pool and hot tub, day spa, parking, and wifi. The Fireside Lounge hosts nightly live entertainment brought to you by our counselors and attendees. Jam rooms are located throughout the main lodge. The organic kitchen garden provides homegrown organic produce to the restaurant at Cambria Pines Lodge, while other areas of the theme gardens offer incredible landscaping.

Area Attractions

Cambria was name “one of America’s prettiest towns” by Forbes magazine. Nestled into the rugged windswept coast just north of Hearst Castle along scenic Highway 1, the area offers some of the most pristine views to the west coast. Rich in history and natural wonders, the surrounding area provides visitors with a variety of opportunities to explore.

Travel Directions

Cambria Pines Lodge

Address
2905 Burton Drive
Cambria, CA 93428

Website
Cambria Pines Lodge

Contact
Email Us!

Get Directions

Nonstop Flights to San Louis Obispo are available from:
Dallas, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and San Fransisco.

Open Resort Location In Maps App

Instrument Travel

FAA Rules - Bringing Musical Instruments on Flights

Pricing and Registration

We are limiting the Great Guitar Escape to 75 lucky participants so be sure to sign up before all the spots are gone!

Room Types and Pricing

  • Shared Suite with Three Beds
    1,499

    Large Suite with one King bed, one murphy bed and one pullout bed. You will be paired with 2 roommates. You may either name your own roommates or one will be assigned by Dreamcatcher Events. Roommate matches are based on age and gender. If signing up with a roommates in mind, please enter their name in the “Roommate” field as you continue registration. Pricing is per person.

  • Shared Room with Two Beds
    1,799

    Standard Room with two beds and a roommate. You may either name your own roommate or one will be assigned by Dreamcatcher Events. Roommate matches are based on age and gender. If signing up with a roommate in mind, please enter their name in the “Roommate” field as you continue registration. Pricing is per person.

  • Single with One King Bed
    2,999

    Single with One Bed – A standard room with one king bed. Pricing is per person.

What's Included

  • Accommodations
  • 3 amazing meals a day
  • All workshops, activities and entertainment for 4 days and nights
  • Incredible welcome kit from D’Addario
  • Parking
  • Wi-Fi

What's Not Included

  • Transportation
  • Alcohol and snacks
  • Sighteseeing excursions in the area
  • Personal musical gear – please bring your own instruments

Complimentary Gear!!

If you registered by January 5th, 2016 you’ll receive your complimentary Pigtronix Philosopher’s Tone Pedal when you arrive at camp!

Pricing and Registration Policy

  • Registration & Payments
    • All rates are per-person, unless stated otherwise.
    • All prices subject to change. Prior sales excluded. Dreamcatcher Events reserves the right to change any price, package or offering at any time without prior notice.
    • All rates are subject to 8.9% surcharge, which includes all local, state, and occupancy taxes.
  • Installment Payment Plans
    • Upon registration, a non-refundable deposit of 50% of the total purchase amount is charged to your credit card.
    • 100% of the remaining balance due on installment sales is automatically charged to the credit card on file on July 1, 2016.
    • Any registrations received after July 1, 2016 must be paid in full at the time of registration.
  • Cancellations
    • All payments and deposits are final and non-refundable.

For complete details please see our Registration and Payment Policy

Dreamcatcher Events would like to thank our partners