Banjo Books

Early American Banjo by Tim Twiss provides complete banjo tablature transcriptions of the instrumental solos that first appeared in standard notation in Buckley's Banjo Guide of 1868. This modern tablature edition of over 100 mid-19th century jigs, waltzes, polkas, hornpipes and reels provides insight to the transition between the African down-stroke technique, which preceded claw-hammer style and the newer, more refined plucking technique. James Buckley (1803 ' 1872), sometimes referred to as the 'Father of the Classical Banjo,  was one of the most prolific transcribers of early banjo music. His compositions and arrangements were performed on the minstrel stage, andhis scholarly discipline produced a lasting record of banjo music of his era. This repertoire collection includes easy tunes as well as more complex pieces suited for the concert stage. The player will delight in discovering how fresh and unusual some of this music sounds, even today 'all in modern banjo tab. While best experienced on a period reproduction, gut-string fretless banjo in a lower tuning, any 5-string banjo in C tuning (gCGBD) may be used to interpret this collection. Includes access to online audio.

Kyle Creed Clawhammer Banjo Master is a collection of clawhammer banjo tablature as played by Kyle Creed, with modern interpretations by Bob Carlin and Dan Levenson. This book is the first in a series of transcriptions of tunes from the old masters 'in this case, Kyle Creed 'who gave definition to our style of old time clawhammer banjo playing. The repertoire, presented in tablature, is intended to be a starting point for your journey through the old time music world. As such, each piece is presented in multiple arrangements, both on the page and through the online audio. Includes access to online audio recordings that are for the most part played at a learning tempo and are close to the written notation but not exact in all cases.

22 favorites from the fab four arranged for 5-string Banjo in notes and tab, including: All My Loving • Can't Buy Me Love • Come Together • Day Tripper • Eleanor Rigby • Here, There and Everywhere • I Want to Hold Your Hand • Let It Be • Michelle • Paperback Writer • Penny Lane • Something • While My Guitar Gently Weeps • Yellow Submarine • Yesterday and more.

You need only minimal playing skills and three chords--G, C, and D7--to accompany all the great songs in this innovative book. If you are just getting started, or if you are a "casual" player on a chording instrument, this is the perfect book for you. The book is absolutely bursting with a great variety of music: Old-time, bluegrass, gospel, Christmas, children's, Stephen Foster, British and Celtic, cowboy, blues, and more. Because melody and lyrics are provided with every song, singers will also enjoy this wonderful collection of the world's favorite songs. Truly a book of outstanding arrangements, made playable for folks who play for their own enjoyment. (Some of these songs, like "Dark Hollow" and "Way Downtown," are hard to find in print.) Guitar, uke, and five-string banjo diagrams are included for the three chords, along with tips on strumming and transposing tips for singers. An invaluable reference book for teachers and pros, too!

Over 650 bluegrass, blues and jazz licks in Scruggs, single string and melodic style. Learn to use licks to create solos, play back up and expand your musical understanding and knowledge of the fingerboard.

The Banjo Playlist: Blue Book is a fantastic selection of over 30 classic songs to play and sing, specially arranger for the beginner banjo player. Contains classics from Jonny Cash, Woody Guthrie and Bill Monroe, with a handful of more recent hits from Amy McDonald, Paolo Nutini and The Proclaimers. Includes full lyrics, strumming patterns and banjo chord diagrams. Suitable for 5 string banjo.

The versions of the tabs presented here are neither overly simple nor particularly complex. Anyone with basic clawhammer skills should be able to play the tab as written or get close enough so they can create a satisfying version of each tune for themselves. Book with Online Audio Link.

This book presents 31 of the most-loved old-time gospel songs arranged in the three-finger style, complete with musical notation, banjo tablature, chords and lyrics.

First Lessons on Banjo is an ultra-easy instruction manual for beginning five-string banjo played in the three finger style 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.

This Book & CD pack 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.

This comprehensive book contains 139 solos for the 5-string banjo. Arranged by Neil Griffin, Mark Barnett, Karl Kurth, Carl Jackson, and Bob Forrest, this book is the perfect resource to expand you repertoire of solo pieces.

With its wealth of information on how technique can be tastefully applied, Back-Up Banjo is the definitive book on the subject of banjo accompaniment.

Alan Munde is one of the finest players to ever pick up the five string banjo. From his early days with Jimmy Martin through his tenure with Country Gazette, Alan has continually expanded the breadth of his vision.

Wade Ward - Clawhammer Banjo Master is a collection of clawhammer banjo tablature as played by Wade Ward, with modern interpretations by Bob Carlin and Dan Levenson. This book is the second in a series of transcriptions of tunes from the old masters--in this case, Wade Ward--who gave definition to our style of old time clawhammer banjo playing. The repertoire, presented in tablature, is intended to be a starting point for your journey through the old time music world. As such, each piece is presented in multiple arrangements, both on the page and on the accompanying online audio. The recordings are for the most part played at a learning tempo and are close to the written notation, but not exact in all cases.

Art Rosenbaum is one of America's foremost performers and teachers of traditional five-string Banjo playing. He has a long-time interest in the myriad of old-time tunings that give breadth and richness to mountain and old-time Banjo picking, and has learned first-hand from old-timers in the South and Midwest.

Harry Reser was on of the greatest tenor banjo virtuosos of all time.

A compilation of favorite solos on Irish, Scottish and New England fiddle tunes arranged for banjo by one of America's foremost clawhammer banjoists, Ken Perlman. Book with online audio link

Pete Seeger. The basic manual for banjo players, with melody line, lyrics and banjo accompaniment and solos notated in standard form and tablature.

This handy book shows left-hand fingering photos, notation, and diagrams for all of the basic 5-string banjo chords in G tuning (GDGBD). The sections are arranged alphabetically, grouping all chords with the same root in a section.

This book presents an extremely comprehensive collection of 5-string and plectrum banjo chord forms for G and C tunings.

The great sound of tenor banjo is a cornerstone of Dixieland and traditional jazz (C, G, D, A tuning). Using classic favorites, Joe Carr teaches the basics of accompaniment, basic melody and the popular chord melody style.

Finally! A chord book written for the young beginner (or even beginners of any age) showing a creative and simple way to learn and play banjo chords. Chords are taught beginning with the most essential to more advanced. Chords are presented with exercises that build upon each other and eventually lead the student to playing logical and common chord progressions. These progressions include I-iii-vi-ii-V-I and twelve bar blues in many different keys. Chords are shown in chord diagram form with photographs showing finger positions in relationship to the fretboard. Examples and exercises are presented in strum bar notation.

Easy to play five-string banjo arrangements of twenty-four Children's favorites by banjo master Ross Nickerson. Not only are these songs fun to play but from an instructional standpoint they are perfect for helping you develop the ability to bring out the melody in the bluegrass banjo style. Accenting the melody within the steady rhythmic roll of banjo playing is one of the biggest challenges facing banjo students and these familiar melodies are ideal for your development of that skill. Each song is arranged and performed using proper three-finger bluegrass technique. The arrangements are carefully designed to bring out the melody, but easy enough for a beginner or intermediate player to learn quickly.

This unique book of scales and arpeggios for banjo by John Bullard covers all of the major and minor keys. Written in tablature and standard notation, this book brings banjo players the same practical and time-proven system of study common to other classical instruments. Students will learn the scales and arpeggios and apply them in flowing, musical exercises.