With Online Audio-Compiled by John LaBarbera this enjoyable collection of Mandolin music features pieces from various parts of northern central and southern Italy. Italian Folk Music For Mandolin includescomplete texts and translations of the songs with accurate accompanying arrangements for two Mandolins or Violin and Guitar. The selections include medieval and Renaissance instrumental folk dances sixteenth-century NeapolitanVillanelle work songs lullabies narrative ballads prisoner songs and popular dances including tarantellas pizzica Sardinian ballo tondo quadrille waltz and saltarello. The price of this book includes access toonline audio of all the featured pieces.

In this collection Robert Bancalari has made 26 pieces by J. S. Bach accessible to the mandolinist. Adapted from various suites sonatas and partitas the pieces in this collection include 'BoureeAngloise' from Partita in A Minor for Solo Flute 'Marche' from The Anna Magdalena Bach Notebook 'Fantasie' from Partita No. 3 in A Minor and more.  J. S. Bach For Mandolin iswritten in standard notation and tablature. The price of the book includes access to online audio tracks featuring recordings of 13 of the 26 solos.  

For Mandolin and Fiddle-If you have tried and failed to learn to read standard music notation for the Mandolin or Fiddle using traditional methods or you have never tried and want to this book is for you.Learn to play from music in theMandolin and Fiddle-friendly major keys of C G D A F and B-flat and their relative minor keys. Also learn to play in various time signatures including 4/4 (common time) 2/2 (cut time) 3/4 (waltz) and 6/8 (jig). You willalso be taught to recognise and play whole notes half notes quarter notes and eighth notes. Includes online audio.

Most of the music in this book comes from editions or manuscripts from England in the late 1500’s. There are also a few French pieces. The cittern was popular in Italy England and France. Aside from various tunings there weretwo 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 chosenfor 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 theinstrument. 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 courtdances 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 vocalsettings. 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 thevoicing of the harmonies have been changed so as to fit on the mandolin.

This book is designed for mandolinists seeking to develop their left and right-hand technique. The exercises included help reinforce fundamental actions of playing and challenge the player to master the various permutationsand combinations of these fundamentals. Each hand is given primary focus working across all four strings or up and down the fretboard before both hands are challenged simultaneously. Through these exercises a player canimprove their functioning abilities and facilitate better control over the instrument. Practicing these workouts can help with the mechanics of playing as well helping a player improve accuracy speed and agility in bothhands.