Bluegrass Songbook Review

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(More customer reviews)This book covers over 140 traditional bluegrass songs. The tablature is non standard but is well explained in the book and is simple to follow.
If the musician learns half the songs in the book (s)he will be welcome at bluegrass jams. This is the book to own and learn from.
The author lists recorded versions of the song of the singer to listen to. There is an section covering how to sing bluegrass harmony, guitar chords, etc.
I wish the author would put out a volume 2 of the book.

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Over 130 songs in several styles from old-time, traditional, and newgrass, top gospel, and novelty tunes. Includes Ballad Of Jed Clampett, Blue Ridge Mountain Blues, Daddy Sang Bass, Bury Me Beneath The Willow, and Knoxville Girl.

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Mel Bay A Banjo Player's Guide to Jamming Review

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(More customer reviews)When it comes to the left hand, this book has it all. Chord charts, information on how to use moveable chords in a jam, songs to build a repertoire on in both text and audio format. When it comes to the right hand however, there is just one paragraph on what the right hand should be doing and it's not nearly enough for the rhythm impaired.

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If you can play a few tunes on the bluegrass banjo but haven't played much with others (or at all), this book will show you what you need to know to sit in on a hot jam session. Geared toward beginner and intermediate players, this book covers playing chords, including which ones to play and when to play them. You'll also discover how jam sessions work and how to act in a session, along with advice on practicing at home. The included CD contains nine tunes performed at a typical jam session. The music is on the left channel with dialog about the tunes such as the name, the key, and the chord progression on the right.

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Mel Bay A Fiddle Player's Guide to Jamming Review

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(More customer reviews)I may have been expecting too much from this book, but it didn't deliver.
Pros:
Explained vamping and a little about bluegrass jam sessions in general.
Has a diagram with the correct spacing for notes on violin.
Cons:
The CD it came with does not show examples of techniques it teaches, instead it is just music to try to play along with. This was my biggest disappointment because sometimes reading how to do something is not enough, you must hear what it is supposed to sound like.
I have only been playing violin for about 6 months, but when I put tape on my violin according to the spacing chart in this book (which they say you could try), I started playing worse. Obviously not the fault of this book, but just a negative outcome for me. I suggest never using tape or markers for learning violin/fiddling finger placement ... just mentally memorize it over time.

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This book presents everything a beginning or intermediate fiddler player needs to know to participate in a jam session. There are sections that describe the anatomy of a jam session, jam session etiquette, chords and keys for jamming, and vamping. A play-along CD is included with 9 typical bluegrass jam tunes. The tunes are played twice: once with the tune played on the left channel and a verbal description on the right channel, and once in stereo.

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Steve Kaufman's Four-Hour Bluegrass Workout (Homespun Tapes) Review

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(More customer reviews)Steve Kaufman's Four Hour Bluegrass workout introduces 50 fiddle-type tunes. For each tune, the CDs contain a slowed down version, which I found a great way to learn the melody. Then the band kicks it up a notch to full speed. Some are fairly easy to follow along with and some are blazingly fast...a workout indeed. The melody of the entire tune is played once, then the accompaniment is played twice. I found that playing the chords the first time and then the melody the following two time was an excellent way to learn both parts.
Many standard fiddle tunes are included, with straightforward arrangements, often in the style that is common at jam sessions. Learning these tunes provides a great basis for jumping into jams with other players.
Beginners may find even the chords difficult at times, while advanced players are likely to know many of the tunes. I highly recommend this product to intermediate players looking to learn new tunes and to build speed and technique.

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HereÕs a great way to improve your picking, build up speed and stamina, and get those licks and solos working - no matter what instrument you play! Whether you are a professional or a "parking lot" player, these fabulous sessions will get your fingers in shape - fast! On the four CDs, you have a dedicated bluegrass band on the right speaker to give you solid back-up to 49 great tunes, both slowed-down and up-to-speed. The lead part can be heard in the left channel.

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Bluegrass Fakebook 150 All Time Favorites Includes 50 Gospel Tunes for Guitar Banjo & Mandolin Review

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(More customer reviews)The book is essentially a collection of 150 songs played by bluegrass bands. All songs have chord, melody notation and lyrics. There are also chord charts for guitar, mandolin and banjo. Most of the songs are arranged in a key of G, you can use capo to play in different key. Very recommended for bands and playing at bluegrass jam sessions.

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Bluegrass Fakebook by Bert Casey - This handy songbook contains bluegrass lyrics, bluegrass gospel lyrics, chord progressions, and melody lines to 150 of the all-time favorite Bluegrass songs, including 50 gospel tunes, as well as many "new" bluegrass songs. Printed in large, easy-to-read type with one song per page, this book is excellent for use on stage or in jam sessions, because everyone can read along. Also includes chord charts for the guitar, banjo, and mandolin to help you learn your favorite bluegrass chords and a listing of currently available recordings of each song. Now all those obscure verses you can never remember are right at your fingertips.

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The Fiddler's Fakebook Review

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(More customer reviews)Printed in 1983, the Fakebook remains the undisputed champion of music references for fiddlers, and it's aided a fair number of other non-fiddlers as well.
Inside its broad covers you'll find nearly 500 tunes from the various fiddle traditions. Jigs, reels, hornpipes, rags and breakdowns, each clearly labeled for origins (Irish, bluegrass, French-Canadian, old-time, etc.) and including a short list of recordings where the tune can be heard. Just flip it open randomly for a taste of its contents, and imagine the sound of tunes like "Haste to the Wedding," "Leather Britches," "The Munster Buttermilk," "Drowsy Maggie," "The Wind That Shakes the Barley," "Hanged Man's Reel" and "Great Big Taters in Sandy Land."
Eight pages of textbook materials -- music theory, history and culture, style and genre -- give a wonderfully brief overview of the things you'd like to know without loading the book down with endless information which, frankly, can get in the way of the tunes and make it too bulky for carrying. Better still, the book is held together by a sturdy plastic binding which allows you to plop it down on your music stand with ease. There's nothing so frustrating as a music book with tight bindings which make it impossible to play straight from the page.

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Contains nearly 500 jigs, reels, rags, and hornpipes from all the major fiddling traditions. Special introductory materials on regional styles, bowing, and ornamentation. Includes an extensive discography.

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Banjo For Dummies Review

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(More customer reviews)A little personal background: I've been playing the 5-string banjo since 1979. Started with Scruggs-style Bluegrass, dabbled with Melodics, discovered the joy of Clawhammer (and antique banjos) and then found my `calling' in Classic style (1870-1920). Lately I've been playing a lot of the very earliest ("Minstrel") style. Yes, I also play some Tenor...
I bought this book because I'm an inveterate banjo-tutor collector; part of this is because I just love all things banjo and part is that I've always wanted to find the "perfect" banjo tutor.
I've been reading thru it for a week now, playing some of the examples, etc. (esp. the Minstrel and Classic stuff, as that's what I've been playing mostly of late). I'm very impressed!
I guess I can't really say what I expected of this book. I've had a couple of the computer related ones over the years and, quite frankly, they didn't help me out much. A lot of that was pure 'lack of interest' in the subject matter (boss sez, you gotta learn Mickysoft XXXX but we're not going to really use it...). Of course, there's the negative cachet of "For Dummies"...even though I qualify when it comes to the computer.
Still, I expect great things from great banjoists and the track record is a tough one to live up to. Tony T. has all those great banjo books out there, Sonny O. builds awesome banjos, Bill K. makes them tuner things, Alan M. teaches college for gawd sakes. What will poor Bill E. come up with?
I can tell you in quite succinct terms: he's come up with a great book. The really scary part is that he's come up with a great book that deals with 5-string playing across the board...Minstrel, Classic, Clawhammer, Scruggs, Melodic, Single-string...its all there, clearly and cleanly discussed, excellent examples and well thought out progressions from simple to complex...and there's a CD included that is jam-packed with slowly and clearly played examples.
To cap that, he covers choosing a banjo (and then upgrading later on), setting it up, buying strings, bridges, tuners. travelling with a banjo, etc, etc,...all up to date, web links included. How cool is that?
No, it ain't the alpha/omega of banjo books and it doesn't cover everything you ever wanted to know about XXX style. However, it provides an awesome introduction into the world of the 5-string banjo.
Quirks: interestingly, he has chosen to interlace the clawhammer and three-finger basic instruction. It was disconcerting at first for me to be playing thru the CH tab for "Red River Valley" and then look at the next page where it starts again...to find out it is bluegrass tab (after I'd tried to CH it). Well, that's really my fault for not READING along and just grabbing tab out of the book. Once I had figured that out, I found it really interesting to play the two versions back to back. Makes you think about how the styles are laid around the same framework.
Another quirk (for the OFs like myself) is that the tab is quite small. This is not to say that I couldn't read it with my glasses on...just that I'm getting to where I appreciate large print more and more...
Outstanding things (the whole book qualifies, but these are just things that jumped out at me): page 88. What a great picture of how to bend your fingerpicks! The chapter on networking is worth the price of admission all by itself. The 'gear guide' is awesome...and who ever thought of teaching somebody how to use an electronic tuner? It is one of the first questions that I get from beginners...
Great work Bill! I think this one will be a huge success. I know I will be using it as a teaching aide for years to come.

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A complete guide to the world of the five-string banjo written for both beginners and more experienced players.
Packed with over 120 how-to photos and 130 musical examples.
94 track CD included - hear and play along with every exercise and song.
The only book to offer instruction in clawhammer, bluegrass, melodic, single-string, minstrel and classic styles.

From Earl Scruggs’ driving bluegrass picking to the genre-busting jazz fusion of Béla Fleck and the multi-million selling movie soundtrack O Brother Where Are Thou?, the five-string banjo can be heard just about everywhere in American music these days.
Banjo For Dummies is the most complete guide to the five-string banjo ever written. It covers everything you need to get into the banjo: including how to choose, tune and care for your instrument, developing a good playing posture, fretting your first chords and getting comfortable with the left and right hand picking patterns used for clawhammer and bluegrass playing techniques. You’ll then add the left hand, spicing up your playing with slides, hammer-ons, pull-offs, and chokes for an authentic five-string banjo sound.
From there, you’ll move on the play 19th century minstrel style, early 20th century classic style as well as try your hand at more advanced examples of bluegrass style. An in-depth chapter on bluegrass music explores Scruggs licks and techniques as well as melodic and single-string styles, with song examples. Also included is a banjo buyer’s guide, a section on music theory as applied to bluegrass and old-time music, an accessories guide (advice on cases, picks, straps, metronomes, computer aids and much more), information on how to find a good teacher, banjo camp or festival, chord charts, bios of twelve influential players, practice tips and much, much more!
Banjo For Dummies is accessible and fun to read and it’s easy to locate just what you’re interested in playing. Included are 20 songs including several new compositions written by the author just for this book, including Reno Rag (single-string style), "Winston’s Jig” (Irish three-finger), and "Everyday Breakdown” (Scruggs style). All musical examples are played slowly on the accompanying CD, many with guitar and mandolin accompaniment.
Bill Evans is one of the world’s most celebrated banjo players and teachers. He has taught thousands of people to play the five-string banjo in private lessons and group workshops literally all over the world. In addition to leading the Bill Evans String Summit, Bill has performed with Dry Branch Fire Squad, David Grisman, Peter Rowan, Tony Trischka and many others and he hosts his own acclaimed banjo camp, the NashCamp Fall Banjo Retreat in the Nashville area. As an American music historian, he has taught at San Francisco State University, the University Virginia and Duke University. He has written a popular instructional column for Banjo Newsletter magazine for the last fifteen years and hosts three popular instructional DVDs for AcuTab Publications. To learn more about Bill, visit his homepage at www.nativeandfine.com.

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Bluegrass Mandolin Jam Tunes Book/ 2 CD's Set Review

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(More customer reviews)I have tried other products that offer the tab and practice tracks for this type of tunes, and have been repeatedly disappointed by tracks that were kludgy, out of time, out of tune, had multitracks that didn't sync up, and of course horrible arrangements and sloppy tab. I tried downloading free stuff, but was frustrated by lack of a cohesive set of material.
Finally!! I saw Rick's site in someone's review, and I am so glad I did. I contacted Rick via email and received a prompt reply that fully answered all of my questions. I went through the many free lessons and samples available on his site, and immediately ordered the Mandolin Jam Tunes. It arrived in about four days, well packaged, well produced, and high quality through and through.
I cannot say enough good about this product. I am well on my way to learning the tunes, and eagerly await the next volume of Jam Tunes. Thanks Rick, Great Work!!!

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Bluegrass Mandolin Jam Tunes are my arrangements of 25 of the most common and most often played picking tunes, and are intended for the advanced beginner to the upper intermediated player. These are not for the beginner who is just starting out. Both books are written in standard notation and tablature, and are accompanied by 2 CD's each, with 3 practice tracks per tune, totaling over 2 hours of practice material. Each CD track has a guitar, mandolin and bass rhythm section. The 1st track is slow, with the melody and rhythm, so you can learn the melody and practice your rhythm playing as well. The 2nd track is the same as the 1st, but with the melody removed. Now you have a slow, backup band to solo over, to play my version of the melody or make up one of your own. The 3rd track is faster and goes 3 times through the tune starting with a mandolin solo, then a guitar solo, and then rhythm only, so you have a place in the tune to play your solo, just like in a real jam session. The slow versions are at 106 beats per minute, slow enough to learn, but not plodding. The faster version is fast enough to give you a good workout, but not up to performance speed. It is at 170 beats per minute. My students and others have told me, the tempos I've chosen are the perfect "in between speeds" for practicing, than other books/cds they've purchased to learn with. Not too slow and not too fast. Free samples of the Tab and Mp3's from the book may be downloaded at our website

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ALL STAR BLUEGRASS JAM-ALONG FOR BANJO BK/CD (Homespun Tapes) Review

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(More customer reviews)Here's my first impression of this book/CD:
You get a TAB book with arrangements for 21 "essential" tunes. The songs are in different keys, and for many of them you have to use a capo. There are even three waltzes. The TABs are first basic versions, then solo/up the neck versions. The up the neck versions are often in melodic style. The TABs seems very good, and a little different from what you find in Janet Davis "You Can Teach Yourself Banjo".
Then to the CD. There is one track for each song. Each track has bass, guitar and mandolin all the way through. First, the song is played with banjo in a basic version, then up the neck, then backup banjo (mostly pinch) and then without any banjo - you jam along yourself. Tempo is moderate to slow.
Tony Trischka's banjo playing is really beautiful. It is very clean and right on time all the way. You will enjoy just listening to the CD. His banjo sounds great!
Sound quality is great, but you might like or dislike that the backup band is in the left channel and the banjo alone to the right. The benefit of this, is that you can listen to the left channel only to get the backing band playing without Tony Trischka.
The really great new thing about this book/CD, is that there are versions for banjo, fiddle, mandolin, guitar and bass. This must be the best way to start a bluegrass band. Let each band member rehearse with their own book. When you meet, you are all ready to jam!

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These fabulous collections for players of all levels feature 21 must-know bluegrass songs and instrumentals, created especially for learning players by the genre's leading artists. The artist plays a basic solo that states the melody of the tune, then a more adventurous improvisation, and each solo is transcribed in detail. The CD provides the audio versions of the solos, plus multiple rhythm tracks performed at moderate tempo for easy play-along. This great series will help you build your repertoire and get your licks in shape, so you can shine in your next performance or jam session! Songs include: Bill Cheatham * Blackberry Blossom * Down in the Willow Garden * I Am a Pilgrim * I'll Fly Away * In the Pines * John Hardy * Old Joe Clark * Soldier's Joy * more!

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Fiddle Jam: A Way-Cool Easy Way to Learn How to Improvise (Jazz Instruction) Review

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(More customer reviews)I've spent a'lot of money during my life on music instruction books and this one will be at the top of the list. It's awesome! The ideas are so helpful. Someone who's spent 15 minutes goofing around with a fiddle, or someone who's been a serious student for 20 years could both benefit from this book.Very creative.....very fun!

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Take a walk on the wild side with your violin or fiddle (or viola or cello)! This book/CD pack is designed to introduce players ranging from first year students to clasically trained professionals to modern "improv-based" jazz, blues, rock, cajun, funk and other hybrid styles. Its "just jam along and you can't go wrong" approach teaches two-string symmetrical fingering blocks called "EZ-Zones" to encourage new improvisers into a more creative state earlier in their musical development.

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ALL STAR BLUEGRASS JAM-ALONG FOR BASS BK/CD (Book & CD) Review

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(More customer reviews)This is a good collection of bluegrass standards to play along with. It is part of a series covering the various instruments in a bluegrass outfit. Regarding the bass book, the general description ("The artist plays a basic solo that states the melody of the tune, then a more adventurous improvisation, and each solo is transcribed in detail.") just does not apply. There is no bass improvisation, solo or solo transcription in here, just a basic bass line that repeats over and over. I am transitioning from electric to upright bass, and I was looking for material to play along with, and this book/CD does the job very well.

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These fabulous collections for players of all levels feature 21 must-know bluegrss songs and instrumentals, created especially for learning players by the genre's leading artists. The artist plays a basic solo that states the melody of the tune, then a more adventurous improvisation, and each solo is transcribed in detail. The CD provides the audio versions of the solos, plus multiple rhythm tracks performed at moderate tempo for easy play-along. This great series will help you build your repertoire and get your licks in shape, so you can shine in your next performance or jam session! Songs include: Bill Cheatham * Blackberry Blossom * Down in the Willow Garden * I Am a Pilgrim * I'll Fly Away * In the Pines * John Hardy * Old Joe Clark * Soldier's Joy * more!

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ALL STAR BLUEGRASS JAM-ALONG FOR GUITAR BK/CD (Jam Along Book & CD) Review

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(More customer reviews)Grier's jam book is well worth the price. The tune selection is nicely varied, although the picking style is sometimes repetitious. Usually, when I buy a book like this I find maybe one tune worth learning. In this I found four. I do like Grier's picking style for the most part. He plays the tune melody but inserts jazzy emblishments that add interest and challenge to the tunes. This style is like no other I have heard as an expienced jammer on the U.S. east coast. Great for intermediate and advanced pickers. A determined beginner might handle several tunes, but most are pretty demanding. All tunes played at a medium tempo.

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These fabulous collections for players of all levels feature 21 must-know bluegrass songs and instrumentals, created especially for learning players by the genre's leading artists. The artist plays a basic solo that states the melody of the tune, then a more adventurous improvisation, and each solo is transcribed in detail. The CD provides the audio versions of the solos, plus multiple rhythm tracks performed at moderate tempo for easy play-along. This great series will help you build your repertoire and get your licks in shape, so you can shine in your next performance or jam session! Songs include: Bill Cheatham * Blackberry Blossom * Down in the Willow Garden * I Am a Pilgrim * I'll Fly Away * In the Pines * John Hardy * Old Joe Clark * Soldier's Joy * more!

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