SKU: MB.30906M
ISBN 9781513476643. 8.75X11.75 inches.
This solo collection presents 19 iconic melodies from the American traditional song book plus 6 modern original compositions by William Bay, president of Mel Bay Publications; all selections have been arranged in tablature for the 5-string banjo in gDGBD tuning by Catalonian multi-instrumentalist and bluegrass specialist, Llu?s G?mez.Any collection of American ballads would be incomplete without settings of the beautiful melodies penned by Stephen Foster, several of which appear here including Beautiful Dreamer, Darling Nellie Gray, I Dream of Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair, and Hard Times, Come Again No More. Some of these tunes are arranged in uncommon banjo keys, all without retuning the banjo or using a capo. These keys may be challenging at first but will teach you a lot about the banjo fretboard.The authorÃ?s generous preface offers tips on practice, performance and interpretation rarely found in tablature collections such as these, but this book has it all, including online recordings of each arrangement.
SKU: MB.99480M
ISBN 9780786690466. 8.75 x 11.75 inches.
The world of melodic jazz banjo soloing is revealed in this comprehensive method which leads a student from basic intervals to advanced theoretical concepts and finally to a firm foundation in jazz fundamentals. Included are over 90 exercises and examples written in both tablature fingerings and standard music notation which show how scales and arpeggios are used and how they apply to real playing situations. Every five-string banjoist can benefit from the information contained in this breakthrough volume whether they aspire to jazz or just want to find out more about the possibilities and structure of the banjo.Starting with basic intervals, Straight-Ahead Jazz for Banjo shows the structure of all basic chord types and qualities and matches these to the scales that generate them. The books basic concept model is to treat the five-string banjos potential in an inclusive technical context so that the student can make use of open and fifth strings to create a smooth legato style. Each of the 90 exercises are recorded with a metronome and progress to 16 additional examples of original jazz phrases in a variety of keys. Topics include functional major and minor key harmony, diminished and augmented scales and how they are used, and the integration of altered scale substitutes in the art of jazz improvisation. It stresses listening and learning in a logical structured manner with an example of a daily practice plan. The unique emphasis of the book is on the fingerings which make the instrument work for you technically and thus open up added possibilities for the development of a students personal style. This long-awaited volume will surely bring new focus and perspective to any banjo style and will be a classic reference for many new generations of banjoists. Includes access to online audio.
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.20313M
ISBN 9780786687541. 8.75 x 11.75 inches.
This book and extensive online audio recording is intended to be a tune repertoire book. It includes over 100 Old-Time festival favorites. Some are cliche, others unusual, some easy, some difficult. The book contains 2 lines of tablature (one basic and one advanced) as well as standard notation and suggested chords. The basic version should be playable by those with general clawhammer skills. The advanced version will require more time and finesse as it is more ornamental (often more than just melodic) and may include less than intuitive ways of playing some passages. Includes access to online audio.
