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.21639M

ISBN 9780786693832. UPC: 786693835. 8.75 x 11.75 inches.

This method is designed for learning the finger style five-string banjo in a larger musical context than previous single style based methods. The Modern 5-String Banjo Method builds the theoretical and technical foundations needed to play in many styles. Beginning with a thorough grounding in the scales and chords coupled with well thought out fingerings in the keys of C, Am, and G, the student is presented with melodies, chord melodies, the folk strum, arpeggios, and the beginnings of the bluegrass banjo style. The varied and beautiful musical studies and exercises come from many traditions and offer a logical and organic approach to learning the five-string banjo leading the student to an authentic understanding of the processes and techniques needed for creating music on the five-string banjo. The Modern 5-String Banjo Method is in tablature only. 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.21028M

ISBN 9780786689224. UPC: 786689226. 8.75 x 11.75 inches.

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. In addition, there is a whole page of instruction on learning the chords to the song, how to play the song using only the chords, chord charts written out for each song and tips for memorizing and playing without tab. Fiddle Tunes for Banjo Made Easy is not just another tab book; it covers all the bases and gives you a realistic balanced approach for learning the songs the EASY way. Includes access to online audio.

SKU: MB.20993M

ISBN 9780786694365. 8.75 x 11.75 inches.

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 students 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. Includes access to online audio.

SKU: MB.22069M

ISBN 9780786692378. 8.75 x 11.75 inches.

Arranging Tunes for Solo Banjo is designed to help players develop a solid understanding of arranging fundamentals for five-string solo banjo. In particular, this book takes an in-depth look at chord melody playing. Examples include popular melodies from the American song book in the keys of C, G and D. The book presents tools and techniques to help you create beautiful and intricate arrangements, with lessons on diatonic chords, altered chords, cycling techniques, and rhythmic variations. This introduction to arranging for the banjo will expand your knowledge of this instrument and its capabilities. Includes access to online audio.