Banjo Books
O'Carolan's best-loved harp tunes are notated in a contemporary style that makes them accessible to all instrumentalists. This ideal collection with accompanying audio lays bare 20 classic Irish compositions for melody and backing players using standard notation and chords. For all 5-string banjo players, fretting and picking-hand fingerings are included in the transcriptions which match the play-along tracks. This is Hanway's fourth collection demonstrating Celtic fingerstyle banjo in G tuning. It is part of a Celtic 5-string series that includes Mel Bay's Easy Irish and Celtic Tunes for 5-String Banjo: Best-Loved Jigs and Reels (2012) and Mel Bay's Easy Irish andCeltic Melodies for 5-String Banjo: Best-Loved Airs and Session Tunes (2013). Tom Hanway's pioneering work, Mel Bay's Complete Book of Irish & Celtic 5-String Banjo (1998), was acclaimed by Bluegrass Unlimited magazine (1999) "as 'the bible' for any 5-string player with an interest in this joyous music." The current collection breathes life into the Gaelic classical melodies of Ireland. Access to online audio download.
If you've ever felt compelled to play Flight of the Bumblebee on the 5-string banjo, this is the book for you!Challenging banjo transcriptions of classical masterpieces may seem like a humorous anachronism to some, but not for Italian master Claudio Parravicini, a conservatory graduate who, while majoring in French horn, always believed that the banjo was 'a virtuoso instrument capable of enriching any musical genre. In the author's words, 'I chose the classical pieces in this book on the basis of how they might advance right and left-hand banjo technique and even refine the player's musical sensibility ¦ Some pieces, like Flight of the Bumblebee will challenge yourability to play rapidly, while others like Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata, are much slower, but will test your musical abilities in other ways. The other pieces in the book are: Prelude No. 2 in C minor and Inventions No. 4 and No. 6 by J. S. Bach, Flight of the Bumblebee by Korsakov, Perpetual Motion and Carnival of Venice by Paganini, and Toccata for Piano or Harpsichord by Paradisi. Classical Masterpieces for Banjo is written in tablature only in standard G tuning [gDGBD] using three-finger banjo technique in the traditional, melodic and single-string style. Each selection is guaranteed to further your technique and delight your audience, or simply expand your vision of what is possible on the 5-string banjo.
The melodic style is a beautiful three finger picking style which can be traced to the early 1900's and became a fully accepted style for playing the five-string banjo in the 1960's, and is today an integral part of the three-finger style of many banjo players at all playing levels. Plus, the songs arranged in this style are easy and fun to learn. Although the melodic style may sound impossible with all of those notes coming from it, surprisingly you will find that it is not that difficult to learn and no previous musical knowledge is needed. This course covers the melodic style from the very basics of this picking style to the advanced techniques and provides many fun toplay and well-known songs arranged in the three-finger melodic style for upper level beginning players through advanced level players. Includes access to online audio.
A Clawhammer Christmas by Dan Levenson is a collection of 30 of the most loved Christmas songs transcribed in tablature for the 5-string banjo in the clawhammer style with chords provided for accompaniment instruments. Written in his clear and traditional style, Dan has finally made these holiday favorites accessible to all clawhammer banjo players with good basic skills. All songs have been written in one of the three basic old-time banjo tunings of G, double-C or G modal. This will allow you to find the tune in a fingering you know and easily capo to your preferred singing key. Build your skills as you entertain family and friends and maybe even yourself! Ring in the holiday season with the joyful sound of the 5-string banjo played clawhammer style and have a double-thumb, drop-thumb Clawhammer Christmas!
Five-string banjo enthusiasts who play in the stroke, clawhammer or guitar styles will enjoy these 50 melodic, tab-only arrangements. The collection is unique in that it includes reels, polkas, jigs, hornpipes, minstrel songs, ballads, light classics, and a Christmas tune—nearly all in C tuning with the fourth string a step lower than the typical 5-string G tuning. Well-known classical and popular composers: Beethoven, Foster, and Vivaldi, plus collector/historian-authors: Converse, Emmett, Howe, Kerr, O’Neill, and Ryan—are all represented in this book.With the exception of two Twiss originals, the music was chosen from sources available circa 1840 – 1890. Some of these settings can be used as accompaniment to unison singing; all are designed to lie well on the 5-string fretboard for optimal playability. Using a custom-built fretted, nylon-string banjo, the author has provided online recordings of every tune for ease of learning.
The Absolute Beginners Irish Tenor Banjo book tells you everything you need to know about playing this unique instrument from the very first moment you pick it up. Featuring helpful and practical guides to everything from holding your tenor banjo to playing your first tunes, this book and accompanying download card featuring professional backing tracks will take you through your beginning stages and beyond.
While one of a kind is a hard rating to achieve at Mel Bay Publications, Kevin Allison has done it with The Ceilidh Dance Book. A ceilidh is a traditional Scottish gathering where people share songs, stories, music, and dancing that is very much alive today. In Scotland, there are hundreds of ceilidh bands, each of which has their own trademark tune sets, making it possible for a man in a kilt to make a living as a performing musician. This book not only provides 85 Scottish tunes in sets as they might be used in a ceilidh event ”it also offers detailed, beat-by-beat descriptions of the dance steps for twenty-four dances! From The Highland Scottish to The Mooncoin Jig, with this book in hand, you'll be able to both play in the band and step to the music with the locals. The kilt is optional. Arranged for mandolin or fiddle with suggested chord backup, in standard notation only.
This book and accompanying audio download include popular and lesser-known old-time tunes for the clawhammer banjo. This book is a followup to Dan Levenson's Old-Time Festival Tunes for Clawhammer Banjo (MB20313M) and includes 62 more tunes of varying difficulty. Old favorites as well as new additions are presented, including many time-tested standards. The material is presented in standard notation and basic/advanced tablature. Suggested chords are also included to help you along the way. Fiddle players will enjoy the companion to this book, Old-Time Favorites for Fiddle and Mandolin (MB30225M), which shares the same basic standard notation. Includes access to online audio.
Play 47 Irish selections on the tenor banjo with this collection of reels, jigs, slip jigs, hornpipes, polkas & slides. The tunes are presented in multiple keys (both traditional and modal), and are presented in both standard notation and tablature with chord names and large diagrams. Songs include: Bag of Spuds · Cherish the Ladies · Drowsy Maggie · Farewell to Whiskey · Lark in the Morning · Rocky Road to Dublin · The Tempest · and more. Audio tracks are available for learning and listening with pitch and speed control for download or streaming online. Also features traditional Irish GDAE tuning with a chart of basic chords.
A complete program which takes you from the beginning to advanced level. Easy to follow text and realistic demonstration photographs.
Tenor Banjo Chord Book contains all of the Tenor Banjo chords you'll ever need.
Suitable for beginners to intermediate players, Tenor Banjo Chord Book includes all of the essential chords in all 12 keys for the Tenor Banjo in C-G-D-A tuning.
This narrow format book fits neatly into your case so you can take it everywhere.
40 American folk songs, arranged for the Clawhammer Banjo by Michael Miles.
This songbook includes the well-known traditional tunes She'll Be Comin' 'Round The Mountain, Amazing Grace, When The Saints Go Marching In, In The Good Old Summertime and more.
Complete with full lyrics and easy-to-read chord boxes, this songbook allows Banjo players to pick and sing along to 30 of Dylan's greatest hits, including All Along The Watchtower, Blowin' In The Wind, Like A Rolling Stone, The Times They Are A-Changin' and more.
Centerstream Publishing is proud to present Todd Taylor's incredible arrangements in notes & banjo tab of classics including: Dust in the Wind • El Cumbachero • Freebird • How Great Thou Art • I Can't Stop Loving You • Norwegian Wood • Rocket Man • Wayfaring Stranger • Yakety Sax • and more, plus some of Todd's terrific originals. The book includes a bonus CD of Todd's masterful playing on six searing tracks. An absolute must for all banjo players!
Old Time String Band Banjo Styles introduces the traditional, rural string band Banjo styles as played in the southern mountains of the eastern United States, which were used to “second” Vocal songs and Fiddle tunes during the Golden Age of recorded String band music, from the early 1920s through to the early 1930s.
Renowned instructor and Grammy nominee Bob Carlin is one of the best-known banjoists performing today. This book, an update of his 1983 classic with the welcome addition of a CD, teaches readers how to play 32 best-loved pieces from his first two solo recordings: Fiddle Tunes for Clawhammer Banjo and Where Did You Get That Hat?. Includes fantastic photos from throughout Bob's career.
The Absolute Beginners award-winning method has been designed to make learning the 5-string Banjo easier than ever before!
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.
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.
This book is designed to aid the novice attempting to learn the 5-string banjo using 3-Finger Style, where the strings are picked by three fingers (thumb,index and middle) of the right hand. Upon completing this volume, you will have learned how to combine left-hand notes with right-hand patterns so as to perform bluegrass style solos and back-up. You will also have the foundation needed to explore other styles of music, such as blues and jazz. No prior knowledge of music or any musical instrument is needed to learn from this method. Enough detail is given to allow the beginner to fully grasp each concept. In addition, exercises are designed to facilitate a gradual increase in the student’s understanding and dexterity. When a new concept is presented for the right hand, the left hand performs previously learned tasks. Likewise, a new left-hand technique is demonstrated with familiar right-hand patterns. This instructional technique is used throughout the text.
A complete tutor for the Intermediate and Advanced Player: a clawhammer encyclopedia for players of all levels. One of the world's top players addresses nearly every aspect of the popular 5-string banjo style known as clawhammer or frailing. Online Audio included.
Featuring 28 well-known Christmas songs arranged for tenor banjo with chord symbols for an accompaniment instrument. Book contains chord diagrams for tenor banjo and guitar as well as common strum patterns to use for rhythm backup. All songs are arranged in standard notation and tablature for tenor banjo. Difficulty Level: Beginning
Thirty-three gospel favorites written in tablature for G-tuning banjo. Each song has a melody tab and an accompaniment tab.
The First Jam series was created to give children and beginners of all ages a book of simple, common tunes to learn. These are standard “Jam” tunes in the Bluegrass/Old Time music styles. All the books in this series are written in the same keys; they can all be played together without any problems. So get your friends or family who play guitar, mandolin, banjo, ukulele, dulcimer or Dobro together, grab these books and start jamming.