ISBN 9781610657655.

The Banjo Encyclopedia is a comprehensive, in-depth banjo instructional tool that covers the many intricacies of bluegrass banjo playing, including numerous topics that may have been overlooked in banjo instruction to date. The Banjo Encyclopedia can take a student from the beginning, to intermediate, and right through to more advanced styles of banjo playing. Ross Nickerson uses his many years of experience helping hundreds of aspiring banjo pickers by offering the banjo student an opportunity to learn in a practical, straightforward manner. This wide-ranging banjo instructional book will focus on many techniques that will help every aspect of a banjo player's musicianship while simplifying many subjects in the learning process. The downloadable audio with 99-track recording will enable the student to learn easily by hearing author Ross Nickerson demonstrate each song, and perform many of the banjo licks and phrases included in the book slow, and up to tempo. The audio download available online includes an advanced song section with a full bluegrass band accompanying Ross along with additional intermediate songs for the student to learn. The Banjo Encyclopedia is undoubtedly one of the most complete five-string banjo books on the market today and a must for every banjo player's collection. Includes access to online audio.

Song List:

Andy Renwick's Ferret

Angus Campbell

Archie Menzies

The Banks Hornpipe

Bear River Jig

Bee's Wing Hornpipe, The

Belfast hornpipe, The

Belfast Jig

Big John McNeil

Bonaparte Crossing The Alps

Bonniest Lass in a' the World, The

Bonny Lass of Fisherrow, The

Bonny Lea Rig, The

Brae Reel, The

Braes of Auchtertyre, The

Brenda Stubbert's Reel

Caber Feidh

Cape Breton Wedding Reel, The

Captain Campbell

Carleton County Breakdown

Carnie's Canter

Chaisson Reel, The

Cheticamp Reel, The

Chorus Jig

Come Under My Plaidie

Compliments To Buddy Macmaster

Cutting Ferns

Darlin' Don't You Meddle Me

Delphine's Reel

Democratic Rage, The

Devil In The Kitchen

Dillon Brown

Dinkie's Reel

Don't Be Teasing

Dr Keith, Aberdeen

Dragger's Reel, The

Drunken piper, The

Dublin Porter

Duke of Gordon's Birthday, The

Durang's Hornpipe

East Neuk of Bear River, The

Emil Gaudet's Reel

Farmer's Daughter, The

Farmer's Reel, The

Fay's Hornpipe

Fermoy Lasses

Fig For A Kiss

Fisher's Hornpipe (F Setting)

Fred Wilson's Hornpipe

Glencoe March

Green Meadow Reel

Haggis, The

Hector's Fancy

Hector's New Dance Hall

High Level Hornpipe, The

Homeward Bound

Honeymoon, The

Inverness Jig

Irishman's Heart To The Ladies

Iron Man, The

Island Boy

Jack Webster's Reel

Jackson's Jig

Jenny Dang The Weaver

JEROME'S FAREWELL TO GIBRALTAR

Jerry Holland's Jig

Joe Kearney's Reel

Joe MacInnis' March

Kenmure's On and Awa', Willie

Killiecrankie

Koehler's Hornpipe

Lad O'beirne's Reel

Lasses of Glenaladale, The

Levantine's Barrel

Light and Airy

Little Donald In The Pigpen

Little Jack's Reel

Londonderry Hornpipe

Lord Gordon

Lord MacDonald's Reel

Macdonald's March Reel

Mackinnon's Rant

Marchioness of Tullibardine, The

Marie ? Pierre

Marquis of Huntly, The

Meeting of Waters, The

Miller o' Drone, The

Miller's Reel

Miramichi Fire, The

Miss Barker's Hornpipe

Miss Georgina Campbell

Miss Gordon

Miss Lyall Strathspey

Miss Maxwell

Mr. Murray

Munlochy Bridge

Munster Lass, The

North Side of the Grampians, The

Northside Tune

Orange and Blue, The

Ottawa Valley Reel

Paddy On The Turnpike

Pigeon On The Gatepost

Plains of Boyle, The

Poppy Leaf, ThePride of the Ball

Prince Edward Island Wedding Reel

Princess Reel

River Bend Jig

Robert Cormack, Aberdeen

Robert Stubbert

Rock Valley Jig

Rose in the Garden, The

Rose of Tennessee, The

Rothiemurchus Rant, The

Royal Circus Jig

Shandon Bells

Shores of Lough Gowna, The

Silver and Gold

Sleepy Maggie

Souris Breakwater

Southern Melody

St Anne's Reel -Original Version

St Anne's Reel -Prince County Version

St Kilda Wedding

Stack Of Barley

Stella's Trip To Kamloops

Stool of Repentance, The

Teviot Bridge

Trip To Windsor

West Point Jig

When I Go Out the Door

Where the North River Flows

Whiskey Jig

Wilfred's Fiddle

You Married My Daughter, and Yet 

ISBN 9781610658089. First Lessons on Banjo is an ultra-easy instruction manual for beginning five-string banjo played in the three fingerstyle in G tuning. It can be used by those with no previous experience with the banjo or music of any sort. It is so basic it can be used even by small children. The book features very detailed descriptions of even the most basic aspects such as wearing the picks properly, the correct picking motion, and noting the strings properly. These are aspects that are so basic most manuals skip over them. There are many detailed photos, several from the player's point of view, not from in front of the banjo. First Lessons on Banjo covers the most basic rolls, the Alternating Thumb Roll and two Forward Rolls, plus the three basic chords plus the relative minor chord. All musical examples are presented in tablature, with the melody notes in boldface type so the student knows which notes to emphasize. All arrangements include lyrics, which is very important to the novice who is trying to train the ear to hear the melody among the fill notes. Several tips and suggestions about the proper mental approach are included that will lead to playing by ear and arranging at an earlier stage in the student's development. There are also suggestions about developing the proper mental approach and about speed reading of tablature. These suggestions are not found in any other banjo instruction book. The 'finale' arrangement is Cripple Creek, a popular banjo standard that when mastered, should give the novice a great sense of accomplishment. The accompanying recording includes all tabbed examples, with the rhythm instruments and lead banjo in separate channels. The songs are played at three tempos, the first tempo VERY slow, then a medium tempo version, and finally at performing speed with guitar, mandolin and bass accompaniment. The up- tempo accompanied versions are all together at the end of the recording so it the final tracks be used as a listening recording. This also allows the student to play along with all the more interesting arrangements in sequence without skipping around the recording. Includes access to online audio.

ISBN 9781619112988. Fiddle Tunes for Banjo Made Easy is a collection of must-know, easy-to-learn bluegrass instrumental standards. Ross records each song at three speeds and also includes a rhythm backup track. The slow speed is ideal for hearing the notes clearly and being able to play along in rhythm; the medium speed is a perfect goal for the beginning and intermediate student while the faster speed demonstrates what the song can sound like with a hard, driving push. The tablature is large for ease of reading and includes accent marks for melody notes where needed. Ross also provides tips and suggestions for each song to save you valuable practice time. These are tips on the more challenging spots that Ross has learned firsthand from teaching these privately for many years. In addition, there is a whole page of instruction on learning the chords to the song, how to play the song using only the chords, chord charts written out for each song and tips for memorizing and playing without tab. Fiddle Tunes for Banjo Made Easy is not just another tab book; it covers all the bases and gives you a realistic balanced approach for learning the songs the EASY way. Access to online audio.

ISBN 9781610652445.

The non-jazz improvisation series is a concept that germinated in Dick Weissman's mind while he was attending music school. He wrote a 15-piece arrangement of the old square dance tune, Cripple Creek, and wanted the trombone to take a solo as part of the arrangement. When the trombonist kept playing a bebop solo that was totally unsuitable for the chart, Dick realized that - in addition to the many musicians who do not improvise - there are even jazz musicians who don't know how to improvise outside the limits of their own stylistic backgrounds.This book approaches the five-string banjo as a musical instrument freed from the prison of specific musical genres. Old-time music, clawhammer, bluegrass and many eclectic adaptations of the banjo are utilized to demonstrate a variety of musical styles. A number of the selections are in different tunings. All examples are written out in traditional and tablature notation.

ISBN 9781610657716.

The world of melodic jazz banjo soloing is revealed in this comprehensive method which leads a student from basic intervals to advanced theoretical concepts and finally to a firm foundation in jazz fundamentals. Included are over 90 exercises and examples written in both tablature fingerings and standard music notation which show how scales and arpeggios are used and how they apply to real playing situations. Every five-string banjoist can benefit from the information contained in this breakthrough volume whether they aspire to jazz or just want to find out more about the possibilities and structure of the banjo. Includes access to online audio.Starting with basic intervals, Straight-Ahead Jazz for Banjo shows the structure of all basic chord types and qualities and matches these to the scales that generate them. The book's basic concept model is to treat the five-string banjo's potential in an inclusive technical context so that the student can make use of open and fifth strings to create a smooth legato style. Each of the 90+ exercises are recorded with a metronome and progress to 16 additional examples of original jazz phrases in a variety of keys. Topics include functional major and minor key harmony, diminished and augmented scales and how they are used, and the integration of altered scale substitutes in the art of jazz improvisation. It stresses listening and learning in a logical structured manner with an example of a daily practice plan. The unique emphasis of the book is on the fingerings which make the instrument work for you technically and thus open up added possibilities for the development of a student's personal style. This long-awaited volume will surely bring new focus and perspective to any banjo style and will be a classic reference for many new generations of banjoists. Includes access to online audio.

ISBN 9781609749149. The finest tenor banjo method available, this text represents Mel Bay's own approach to fundamental musicianship on this versatile instrument. This book is the standard by which others are judged. Easy-to-understand and thorough in its approach, this method addresses both melody playing and chord strumming. Through numerous studies, folk songs and several duets, students are systematically introduced to the various notes and positions on the tenor banjo fretboard. Photos aid in learning proper hand and sitting positions. Once in two volumes, this method is now presented it its entirety in this single comprehensive edition, written in standard notation only.As the tuning of the mandola is identical to that of the tenor banjo (CGDA), this method can serve as a note-reading approach for learning the mandola as well. Tenor banjo chord references can also serve for the mandola. As with the guitar, however, these instruments actually sound an octave lower than written in treble clef.

ISBN 9781609743789. Harry Reser was one of the greatest tenor banjo virtuosos of all time. This book features over twenty tunes from Harry's career, many of them Reser originals. The tunes are notated in standard notation and tablature. Each song has a set of performance notes that offer background on the tune and helpful playing tips.