SKU: MB.30906M

ISBN 9781513476643. 8.75X11.75 inches.

This solo collection presents 19 iconic melodies from the American traditional song book plus 6 modern original compositions by William Bay, president of Mel Bay Publications; all selections have been arranged in tablature for the 5-string banjo in gDGBD tuning by Catalonian multi-instrumentalist and bluegrass specialist, Llu?s G?mez.Any collection of American ballads would be incomplete without settings of the beautiful melodies penned by Stephen Foster, several of which appear here including Beautiful Dreamer, Darling Nellie Gray, I Dream of Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair, and Hard Times, Come Again No More. Some of these tunes are arranged in uncommon banjo keys, all without retuning the banjo or using a capo. These keys may be challenging at first but will teach you a lot about the banjo fretboard.The authorÃ?s generous preface offers tips on practice, performance and interpretation rarely found in tablature collections such as these, but this book has it all, including online recordings of each arrangement.

SKU: MB.99126M

ISBN 9781513465791. 8.75x11.75 inches.

Provides the intermediate clawhammer 5-string banjo player with a fresh repertoire of 21 traditional and 5 original tunes as played by the author with the Boiled Buzzards Old Time String Band. The book briefly addresses clawhammer basics with a few pages of exercises and scales before presenting the tunes. The banjo tunings in this book are: double C tuning gCGCD , modified double C tuning eCGCD , G tuning GDGBD , A tuning aEAC#E , D tuning aDADE , and Double-D tuning drop 5th f#DADE . Written in banjo tablature only with suggested backup chords. Voted one of the top 10 clawhammer banjo players by Banjo Newsletter readers, Levenson advises the reader that the tablature in this book is to be used only as a guide and to play the tune as you hear it, not slavishly as written. This approach allows the reader to play within his/her style and level of ability. Includes access to online audio.

SKU: MB.20803M

ISBN 9780786690916. 8.75 x 11.75 inches.

The Getting Into Bluegrass Banjo book and audio by Alan Munde is the accumulation of successful teaching concepts developed in his 40 plus years as a professional bluegrass musician and teacher. Munde presents a straight-forward and well-founded course of bluegrass banjo essentials. Designed for those who have never played a stringed instrument to those taking up bluegrass banjo as a second instrument. Includes access to online audio. Getting Started - Covers the parts of the banjo, hand positions, first picking patterns, pull-offs, hammer-ons, slides, exercise songs, ending with the professional sounding Levelland Mountain Breakdown. Review of Rolls, New rolls, and combinations of Rolls, with Examples - Offers the most used rolls in bluegrass banjo playing with often-played examples of each. The player learns many of the licks used in the style with an example of how to combine them to make a solo. Roll Logic - How to place a melody into the several different roll patterns. Tools and Techniques - Helps develop left hand techniques through the use of intervals of thirds and sixths.Creating Solos to Songs - At the heart of the book is this revealing section with many examples of how to create many, many solos to the song Jesse James.Songs - Put to use all you have learned on these great standards Ground Hog, Wildwood Flower two versions ,Nine Pound Hammer, Worried Man Blues, Lost All My Money, Old Country Church, Kneel at the Cross, and Train 45.

SKU: MB.22257M

ISBN 9780786692750. 8.75 x 11.75 inches.

Many folk banjoists draw influence from greats such as Pete Seeger, Woody Guthrie, The Weavers, Peter, Paul and Mary, and many others. These folk musicians traveled the country singing the folk songs that many of us now know, some of which are still played in jam sessions. First Lessons Folk Banjo is a great introduction to learning these types of folk songs on this wonderful instrument. Included are lessons on singing and playing backup with the banjo, strumming and picking exercises, and many classic folk songs. The music is written in tablature, and the book comes with accompanying audio. Includes access to online audio.

SKU: MB.20595M

ISBN 9780786691296. 8.75 x 11.75 inches.

Long-time banjo picking ace Alan Munde brings his considerable banjo arranging skills to some of the most played songs in the bluegrass tradition. In these stylistic revealing arrangements, running from straightforward roll approach to the delicately beautiful melodic fingerings, Munde lets the melody of each piece stand out to its fullest. Great Picking Tunes for Banjo includes all-time winners Red Wing, Turkey in the Straw, Arkansas Traveler, Down Yonder, and Home Sweet Home, bluegrass favorites Blackberry Blossom, Cumberland Gap, Black Mountain Rag, John Hardy, and Bury Me Beneath the Willow, fiddle favorites Whiskey Before Breakfast, Flop-Eared Mule, Boston Boy, St. Annes Reel, and 8th of January, plus a host of other jam session standards. In tablature only. Includes access to online audio.

SKU: MB.20622M

ISBN 9780786695751. 8.75 x 11.75 inches.

This book/audio set presents six complete songs and 19 licks and patterns (in both standard and open G tuning) in the styles of banjoists Earl Scruggs and Allen Shelton, and guitarists Chet Atkins and Jerry Reed. Also includes the 3-finger roll tour de force 'Strike It Rich' by 2001 Winfield Fingerstyle Guitar Champion Richard Smith. Written in standard notation and tablature, with fingerings, chord diagrams, and performance notes; a discography is included for further listening.  Includes access to online audio containing performances of all the songs, and the licks and patterns are demonstrated both slowly and up to tempo. For intermediate to advanced level guitarists.