ISBN 9781619115453. 8.75 x 11.75 inches. If you've heard jazz guitarists like Joe Pass play chord melody, you may think that the style requires an encyclopedic knowledge of music theory, musical super-powers, or making a deal with the devil. But fear not! This book will show you how to create your own satisfying chord melody arrangements on the mandolin...and will do so in a practical, applicable, non stroke-inducing way. "Aaron Weinstein has many musical accomplishments. I am very proud to have played a small part with some of them. When he was only 12 he made his first recordings and asked me to play mandolin on them. I was knocked out to encounter someone that young that was conversant in both old-time or contest fiddling and Joe Venuti style jazz. Not long after that Aaron became interested in the mandolin and chords and he came by every so often to play and discuss voicings, improvisation and the like. I showed him some of the Jethro Burns chord melody arrangements that Jethro showed me. I've been teaching those for decades in hopes of one day playing them smoothly myself! Fast forward a few more years and Aaron has a Berklee degree, traveled the world playing hot violin music and is hobnobbing with the greatest NYC jazz stars. And oh yeah, one other thing: he took the art of chord-melody mandolin style to an entirely new level! The rich harmonies of the standard jazz and show tune repertoire, the swinging bass lines and connecting chords and independent voice movements (doing more than one thing at a time) are all present in Aaron's style, thanks to his great ear, open mind and gift at locating things on the fretboard. And now Aaron has documented, explained and shared his discoveries and approach with all of us in this book. Thank you Aaron! This is truly a step-by-step method that you will enjoy. You'll find yourself saying 'oh, of course!' as the author gets you playing and understanding things that sound very detailed and complex. The first section I would call the mandolinistic stuff: the how-to on getting things moving and connected on the fretboard. This part is laid out in a very logical manner with clear explanations and fun activities. After working through these etudes you will know the fretboard better and be a better mandolin playing musician regardless of what style of music is your favorite. As I looked this part over I recalled the parable about 'give someone a fish and he will have a meal. Teach him to fish and he'll eat the rest of his life..' The second part puts your new-found chops to work playing some great solo chord melody tunes Weinstein style. Again the author walks us gently into the material by providing two versions of each piece, the basic structure followed by a more developed version. In the history of mandolin playing there have been many examples of techniques, arrangements and music that might be thought of as 'chord-melody' style. Consider works by Raffaele Calace, or 'Duo' style from the early twentieth century American stylists and then again as modernized by Evan Marshall in the current era. Bach on the mandolin, as played by virtuosi such as Caterina Lichtenberg, Mike Marshall, Carlo Aonzo, Chris Thile and others also illustrates harmony and melody simultaneously. And of course Jethro Burns did so much in the way of bringing jazz and standards to life with chord-melody mandolin that it is often referred to as 'Jethro Style'. The book you have in your hand presents a unique and accessible route to these types of techniques and sounds. Bravo, Aaron! And thank you, my friend." Don Stiernberg.

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.

Is the Mandola the perfect Celtic instrument?Tuned a fifth lower (CGDA) and about 2 inches longer than a mandolin, the mandola is excellent for Celtic music as a solo or band instrument. The Celtic Mandola Music Book is packed with great tunes, chords, exercises, and technique tips, adding to a limited selection of books. This book was written specifically for the mandola and will help you get the most from the alto voice range. The mandola is akin to the viola in the string orchestra but can also be an excellent solo instrument. Blends well with guitars, violins and other string instruments. There are two editions for sale of this book, one written in treble clef and the other in alto clef. Choose which edition best suits your reading skill. Notation, tablature, chords, fingerings and slurring are included in the over 40 pieces. Highly recommended for all mandola players from best-selling author Brent Robitaille. There is a selection of audio and video tracks on the author\'s website. See details inside the book. List of tunes:After the Battle of Aughrim ~ April Snow Reel ~ Black Velvet Band ~ Blind Mary ~ Cape Breton Jig ~ Carolan\'s Concerto ~ Connaughtman\'s Rambles ~ Danny Boy ~ Drowsy Maggy ~ Eleanor Plunkett ~ Fisher?s Hornpipe Flowers of Edinburgh ~ Haste to the Wedding ~ Hector the Hero ~ Hewlett ~ High Road to Linton ~ I\'ll Tell Me Ma ~ Irish Washerwoman ~ John Ryan\'s Polka ~ Kesh Jig ~ Lark in the Clear Air ~ Loch Lomond ~ Merrily Kiss the Quaker ~ Molly Malone ~ Morrison\'s Jig ~ Neil Gow\'s Lament ~ O\'Carolan\'s Draught ~ O\'Dowd?s No. 9 ~ The Parting Glass ~ Planxty George Brabazon ~ Raccoon in the Attic ~ Rakes of Kildare ~ Red Haired Boy ~ Rights of Man ~ Sailor?s Hornpipe ~ Si Bheag Si Mhor ~ Sonny\'s Mazurka ~ Strong Bow ~ Swallow Tail Jig ~ Whiskey in the Jar ~ White Cockade ~ Wind That Shakes the Barley ~.