ISBN 9781619112728. Italian Folk Music for Mandolin is an enjoyable collection of pieces from various parts of northern, central and southern Italy. This anthology includes complete texts and translations of the songs with accurate accompanying arrangements for two mandolins, or violin and guitar. The selections include medieval and Renaissance instrumental folk dances, sixteenth-century Neapolitan Villanelle, work songs, lullabies, narrative ballads, prisoner songs, and popular dances including tarantellas, pizzica, Sardinian ballo tondo, quadrille, waltz and saltarello. The book includes an accompanying online audio of all the pieces presented.

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 9781609740818. This user-friendly and very comprehensive text is ideal for daily practice. Contents include pentatonic scales, major scales, pure minor scales, harmonic minor scales, melodic minor scales and scales presented in various positions on the mandolin fingerboard. This is an ideal book for the bluegrass, jazz or classical mandolin player. Written in notation, tab and fretboard diagrams.

ISBN 9781609742959. Most of the music in this book comes from editions or manuscripts from England in the late 1500ICOs. There are also a few French pieces. The cittern was popular in Italy, England and France. Aside from various tunings, there were two main kinds of instruments being played during the 16th and 17th centuries: the 4 course (four sets of doubled strings), and the 6 course cittern with several editions of music to go along with both. The pieces I have chosen for this book were all written for the 4 course instrument and fall into three main categories: dance music, song arrangements and free pieces. The free pieces are basically preludes that explore the melodic range of the instrument. As the title suggests these pieces can be played very freely and need not have a very strict tempo. The dance pieces are not really meant to be danced to, but rather take their form and rhythm from the popular court dances of the time. These can be played with a wide range of overall tempo, but once a tempo is chosen, should be strictly adhered to. The song arrangements are settings of popular songs of the time as well as more formal vocal settings. Care should be taken in making the melody clear and singing. Since the range of the cittern and mandolin are the same, John Holenko has kept the melodies intact. Because of the difference in tuning however, the voicing of the harmonies have been changed so as to fit on the mandolin.

ISBN 9781619113435. This book is designed for mandolinists seeking to develop their left and right-hand technique. The exercises included help reinforce fundamental actions of playing, and challenge the player to master the various permutations and combinations of these fundamentals. Each hand is given primary focus, working across all four strings or up and down the fretboard before both hands are challenged simultaneously. Through these exercises, a player can improve their functioning abilities and facilitate better control over the instrument. Practicing these workouts can help with the mechanics of playing as well, helping a player improve accuracy, speed, and agility in both hands.

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.