This is the ideal beginner's book, presenting the basics of playing the 5-string banjo is a way that is both fun and produces quick results. Janet Davis takes you on an extensive tour of this instrument's fundamental techniques as well as some intermediate possibilities including rolls, chords, bluegrass banjo techniques, playing up the neck, licks, endings, and other basic information needed to play bluegrass and melodic-style banjo. Thorough performance notes are provided from beginning to end revealing the secrets of this versatile traditional instrument.

Many musicians, including some that are technically quite advanced, never break away from the printed page to learn by simply listening and re-creating. the common name for this process is playing by ear. with some basic guidelines, any musician with rudimentary skills can teach himself or herself to play by ear, adding a new dimension to their playing skills. This book teaches the 5-string banjoist to listen and play solos and chord progressions by ear, providing essential ear training and techniques needed to participate in jam sessions of all types! Chapters include: Learning Chord Progressions by Ear; Faking a Solo; Playing the Melody by Ear; and Using Licks. Written in tablature only. the companion recording is in split-track format with the melody track on the left and the rhythm on the right.

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. First Lessons on Banjo covers the most basic rolls, the Alternating Thumb Roll and two Forward Rolls, plus the three basic chords plus the relative minor chord. All musical examples are presented in tablature, with the melody notes in boldface type so the student knows which notes to emphasize. All arrangements include lyrics, which is very important to the novice who is trying to train the ear to hear the melody among the fill notes. Several tips and suggestions about the proper mental approach are included that will lead to playing by ear and arranging at an earlier stage in the student's development. There are also suggestions about developing the proper mental approach and about speed reading of tablature. These suggestions are not found in any other banjo instruction book. the 'finale' arrangement is Cripple Creek, a popular banjo standard that when mastered, should give the novice a great sense of accomplishment. the accompanying recording includes all tabbed examples, with the rhythm instruments and lead banjo in separate channels. the songs are played at three tempos, the first tempo VERY slow, then a medium tempo version, and finally at performing speed with guitar, mandolin and bass accompaniment. the up- tempo accompanied versions are all together at the end of the recording so it the final tracks be used as a listening recording. This also allows the student to play along with all the more interesting arrangements in sequence without skipping around the recording.

This second edition of Song Sheets to Software includes completely revised and updated listings of music software, instructional media, and music-related Internet Web sites of use to all musicians, whether hobbyist or professional. This book is a particularly valuable resource for the private studio and classroom music teacher.

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. Each song is presented first as a beginner-intermediate arrangement, played in the first position in Scruggs style. Most songs are then presented in an up-the-neck arrangement. the CD features five-string banjo solos played in three-finger style and accompanied by guitar, mandolin and bass. This is a split-track recording, the lead banjo is on one channel and the accompaniment instruments on the other. the CD can be used as a solo recording, a teaching recording or a play-along recording.

Many instruments in this book can be built in a half hour or less by children as young as age 5, using common household items. Songs include guitar and autoharp chords as well as dulcimer tablature. Includes access to online audio.

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 to play and well-known songs arranged in the three-finger melodic style for upper level beginning players through advanced level players.

This is a step-at-a-time enjoyable method for learning to play great sounding country guitar. Dix Bruce, in his humorous yet musically right-on teaching style, introduces you to country back-up, bass runs, Carter-style bluegrass picking, the Nashville Numbering System for indicating chord changes, use of the capo, transposition, and much more. Work at your own pace and learn to sound like the country greats! Written in standard notation and tablature.

You Can Teach Yourself Mandolin is written as a teach-yourself text with play-along examples and tunes on the companion recording. In the author's words, It is aimed at helping you get started immediately on your way to mandolinhood by giving you the basics of the mandolin and mandolin playing. with this informal, often humorous text, Dix Bruce will guide you step-by-step through the basics of learning this versatile instrument. Learn all about accompanying yourself and others, common chords, and useful strums, reading simple melodies, playing a colorful assortment of mandolin folk songs, and more. All musical examples and tunes are written in both standard notation and tablature. Diagrams of all the principal chords used on the mandolin are shown in the Chord Appendix, making this book a particularly useful study aid for the beginning mandolinist. Illustrated with drawings and photographs of vintage instruments.

Madeline MacNeil's performances are characterized by her effortless vocals and impeccable mountain and hammered dulcimer playing. In this book she reveals some of the secrets of her success with the mountain dulcimer. Early on, she reminds the reader that the dulcimer is not a toy or a stringed kazoo but a serious, expressive musical instrument capable of stretching as far as the imagination. She endorses both playing by ear and learning to read standard notation. In easily-understood language she manages to explore some very complex, even esoteric concepts, making this a particularly valuable book for the beginning instrumentalists. You Can Teach Yourself Dulcimer is simply a great fundamental book. Twelve intensive lessons in 95 pages. Standard notation and tablature. Illustrated with photographs and drawings.