ISBN 9781619115453. 8.75 x 11.75 inches. If you've heard jazz guitarists like Joe Pass play chord melody, you may think that the style requires an encyclopedic knowledge of music theory, musical super-powers, or making a deal with the devil. But fear not! This book will show you how to create your own satisfying chord melody arrangements on the mandolin...and will do so in a practical, applicable, non stroke-inducing way. "Aaron Weinstein has many musical accomplishments. I am very proud to have played a small part with some of them. When he was only 12 he made his first recordings and asked me to play mandolin on them. I was knocked out to encounter someone that young that was conversant in both old-time or contest fiddling and Joe Venuti style jazz. Not long after that Aaron became interested in the mandolin and chords and he came by every so often to play and discuss voicings, improvisation and the like. I showed him some of the Jethro Burns chord melody arrangements that Jethro showed me. I've been teaching those for decades in hopes of one day playing them smoothly myself! Fast forward a few more years and Aaron has a Berklee degree, traveled the world playing hot violin music and is hobnobbing with the greatest NYC jazz stars. And oh yeah, one other thing: he took the art of chord-melody mandolin style to an entirely new level! The rich harmonies of the standard jazz and show tune repertoire, the swinging bass lines and connecting chords and independent voice movements (doing more than one thing at a time) are all present in Aaron's style, thanks to his great ear, open mind and gift at locating things on the fretboard. And now Aaron has documented, explained and shared his discoveries and approach with all of us in this book. Thank you Aaron! This is truly a step-by-step method that you will enjoy. You'll find yourself saying 'oh, of course!' as the author gets you playing and understanding things that sound very detailed and complex. The first section I would call the mandolinistic stuff: the how-to on getting things moving and connected on the fretboard. This part is laid out in a very logical manner with clear explanations and fun activities. After working through these etudes you will know the fretboard better and be a better mandolin playing musician regardless of what style of music is your favorite. As I looked this part over I recalled the parable about 'give someone a fish and he will have a meal. Teach him to fish and he'll eat the rest of his life..' The second part puts your new-found chops to work playing some great solo chord melody tunes Weinstein style. Again the author walks us gently into the material by providing two versions of each piece, the basic structure followed by a more developed version. In the history of mandolin playing there have been many examples of techniques, arrangements and music that might be thought of as 'chord-melody' style. Consider works by Raffaele Calace, or 'Duo' style from the early twentieth century American stylists and then again as modernized by Evan Marshall in the current era. Bach on the mandolin, as played by virtuosi such as Caterina Lichtenberg, Mike Marshall, Carlo Aonzo, Chris Thile and others also illustrates harmony and melody simultaneously. And of course Jethro Burns did so much in the way of bringing jazz and standards to life with chord-melody mandolin that it is often referred to as 'Jethro Style'. The book you have in your hand presents a unique and accessible route to these types of techniques and sounds. Bravo, Aaron! And thank you, my friend." Don Stiernberg.

ISBN 9781610654944. Here's a wonderfully diverse collection of 56 beginning mandolin solos in notation and tablature with suggested guitar chords. This book makes an excellent supplement to any introductory mandolin method. You'll notice your progress and gather sight-reading confidence as you read through this carefully graded series of pieces from various ethnic origins. Dix Bruce performs all of the tunes in the book on the companion online audio.

ISBN 9781610659444. Brazilian Choro: A Method for Mandolin focuses on teaching bandolim technique for playing Choro. The combination of method book and online audio offers a great opportunity to add performance practice to the black-and-white notes on the page. The book, presented in both English and Portuguese, is written for two different groups--Brazilians learning to play bandolim in the Choro tradition, and non-Brazilians who play other styles and want to learn Choro. Mr. Sa, a native Carioca who as played Choro since childhood, understands Choro intuitively and brings a Brazilian perspective to the project. Ms. Mair, a classical mandolinist who has spent much of the past four years refining her Choro technique in Rio, brings an outsider's viewpoint, recognizing the subtle distinctions that make Choro style unique. Together these renowned performers and university professors have created a pathway to help you play Choro with a true Carioca accent. Music presented in standard notation. Online audio available for download.

ISBN 9781610659864.

The mandolin is used in nearly every type of music today so it is a great choice of instrument whether you like jazz, folk, classical, country, bluegrass, rock, blues, Irish or many kinds of world music. Much of this music is available only in standard notation so that is where this book starts; TAB comes later. By learning the basic information presented in this volume, you will be prepared to approach any style. This book introduces the student to the instrument, explaining basics such as tuning and how to hold the instrument. The student is introduced to notes on each string and various left- and right-hand techniques. Chords, scales and arpeggios are introduced and students begin applying their new skills to real world repertoire in a variety of keys. 64 pages with access to online audio.

ISBN 9781619114005. The American Mandolin Method is the new standard for mandolin instruction. Master teachers and performers of the mandolin, Brian Wicklund and Ben Winship have crafted Volume 2 of their series to be used both as a follow up to Volume 1 and for intermediate players who are already experienced with the mandolin. Using clear illustrations and lucid explanations, the authors review skills such as efficiently holding the mandolin, fretting, picking technique and creating good tone. Students learn techniques such as slides, hammer-ons, pull-offs, bar chords, chop chords and 7th chords while progressing step-by-step through over two dozen universally played jam tunes. The very listenable, high quality, extended length online audio recording available with the book allows students to play along with the tunes to simulate jamming. Also included are folded scale exercises, and common sense tips from the authors' long experience teaching and performing. Includes access to online audio.

In this sequel to The Complete Mandolinist, world-renowned mandolinist Marilynn Mair expands on her previous method books, presenting over 100 compositions that span 5 centuries, works she has thoughtfully edited or arranged for mandolin. Each piece is accompanied by a paragraph or two of musical context, and the book also includes 24 short essays on the evolution of musical style, drawn from Marilynns decades as a Professor of Music History. Music by great composers like Bach, Vivaldi, Mozart, and Beethoven mixes with interesting compositions by little-known mandolin composers like Piccone, Barbella, Leone, and Gervasio, works Marilynn has discovered during her performing and recording career. Concert pieces range from quite easy to very advanced, with most lying between those two extremes. In addition to music of the Renaissance, Baroque, Classical, Romantic, and 20th Century, Marilynn includes contemporary pieces by some of her favorite composers writing today. This book holds a musical world Marilynn has compiled and presents to you. The Complete Mandolinist, Volume 2: Music in Context, is a book you will reach for again and again.