Uses the concept of a "virtual camp we call Blue Mountain Banjo Camp (BMBC), run by an invented camp director ... situated in the Blue Ridge Mountains of the Appalachian Range,"--P. 8. Provides imaginative "interviews, workshops, and campfire conversations with Bob Altschuler, Bobby Anderson, Bob Carlin, Janet Davis, Wayne Erbsen, John Herrmann, Geoff Hohwald, David Holt, Adam Hurt, Steve Kaufman, Bill Keith, Brad Leftwich, James McKinney, Alan Munde, Ken Perlman, Pete Seeger, Rich Stillman, Tony Trischka, Pete Wernick, Todd Wright, and more."-- p.9.

The Banjo Encyclopedia is a comprehensive, in-depth banjo instructional tool that covers the many intricacies of bluegrass banjo playing, including numerous topics that may have been overlooked in banjo instruction to date. The Banjo Encyclopedia can take a student from the beginning, to intermediate, and right through to more advanced styles of banjo playing. Ross Nickerson uses his many years of experience helping hundreds of aspiring banjo pickers by offering the banjo student an opportunity to learn in a practical, straightforward manner. This wide-ranging banjo instructional book will focus on many techniques that will help every aspect of a banjo player's musicianship while simplifying many subjects in the learning process. The downloadable audio with 99-track recording will enable the student to learn easily by hearing author Ross Nickerson demonstrate each song, and perform many of the banjo licks and phrases included in the book slow, and up to tempo. The audio download available online includes anadvanced song section with a full bluegrass band accompanying Ross along with additional intermediate songs for the student to learn. The Banjo Encyclopedia is undoubtedly one of the most complete five-string banjo books on the market today and a must for every banjo player's collection. Includes access to onlineaudio

Start from scratch on the five-string banjo Learn how to make your right and left hands work together Explore bluegrass and old-time banjo styles Join the banjo revolution! Thanks to its prevalence in folk and bluegrass, the banjo is almost the very essence of Americana. And now a new generation of musicians from the country, pop, and jazz worlds have made the sound of the banjo new again. This book is for anyone who wants to pay their respects to tradition as well as those who want to create the next chart-topper ... or both! Packed with the essentials you need to know—from top techniques to choosing the right instrument—you'll learn, and be able to show off, just why the banjo is never out of style! Inside... Tackle the basics with chords and simple picking patterns Explore historic, traditional, and modern styles Get connected with the banjo world Go beyond the book with online lessons

Start picking the five-string banjo like a pro with this definitive guide to bluegrass banjo! Whether you’re an absolute beginner or an experienced player, Bluegrass Banjo For Dummies gets you started off the right way and is your road map for mastering today’s most popular traditional and contemporary banjo picking styles. Online audio and video clips combine with the book’s clear step-by-step instructions to provide the most complete – and fun - banjo instruction experience available anywhere! Bluegrass banjo has never been more popular and is heard today not only in country and folk music, but in jazz, rock and country styles. Bluegrass Banjo For Dummies provides everything you need to know to play just about any kind of music on the five-string banjo by getting you started with the roll patterns essential to Scruggs style picking. You’ll then add left-hand techniques such as slides, hammer-ons and pull-offs, play great sounding licks and perform classic tunes like “Cripple Creek” and “Old Joe Clark.” You’ll navigate up the neck on the instrument as well as learn the essential skills you need to play with others in jam sessions and in bands. You’ll even tackle contemporary banjo styles using melodic and single-string scales and picking techniques. Choose a banjo and accessories that are just right for you and your budget. Put on your fingerpicks, find your optimal hand position and start playing with the help of online audio and video. Explore the fingerboard using melodic and single-string playing styles. Accompany others in different keys with roll patterns and chord vamping techniques. Keep your banjo sounding its best with practical and easy set up tips. Bill Evans is one of the world’s most popular banjo players and teachers, with over forty years of professional experience. In Bluegrass Banjo For Dummies, he shares the tips, secrets and shortcuts that have helped thousands of musicians, including many of today’s top young professionals, to become great banjo players.

The first true beginner's book revealing the secrets of good Scruggs style 5-string banjo technique. Clearly illustrated with over 40 photographs, it includes basic rolls, exciting and easy to play song arrangements, and up the neck breaks. It is easy to understand with step by step instruction making this the perfect book for individual or group instruction. An audio CD lets you hear all songs at 3 speeds very slow (for learning), medium tempo (for practicing), and full tempo (performance speed).

First Lessons on Banjo is an ultra-easy instruction manual for beginning five-string banjo played in the three finger style in G tuning. It can be used by those with no previous experience with the banjo or music of any sort. It is so basic it can be used even by small children. the book features very detailed descriptions of even the most basic aspects such as wearing the picks properly, the correct picking motion, and noting the strings properly. These are aspects that are so basic most manuals skip over them. There are many detailed photos, several from the player's point of view, not from in front of the banjo. First Lessons on Banjo covers the most basic rolls, the Alternating Thumb Roll and two Forward Rolls, plus the three basic chords plus the relative minor chord. All musical examples are presented in tablature, with the melody notes in boldface type so the student knows which notes to emphasize. All arrangements include lyrics, which is very important to the novice who is trying to train the ear to hear the melody among the fill notes. Several tips and suggestions about the proper mental approach are included that will lead to playing by ear and arranging at an earlier stage in the student's development. There are also suggestions about developing the proper mental approach and about speed reading of tablature. These suggestions are not found in any other banjo instruction book. the 'finale' arrangement is Cripple Creek, a popular banjo standard that when mastered, should give the novice a great sense of accomplishment. the accompanying recording includes all tabbed examples, with the rhythm instruments and lead banjo in separate channels. the songs are played at three tempos, the first tempo VERY slow, then a medium tempo version, and finally at performing speed with guitar, mandolin and bass accompaniment. the up- tempo accompanied versions are all together at the end of the recording so it the final tracks be used as a listening recording. This also allows the student to play along with all the more interesting arrangements in sequence without skipping around the recording.

Kyle Creed Clawhammer Banjo Master is a collection of clawhammer banjo tablature as played by Kyle Creed, with modern interpretations by Bob Carlin and Dan Levenson. This book is the first in a series of transcriptions of tunes from the old masters-in this case, Kyle Creed-who gave definition to our style of old time clawhammer banjo playing. the repertoire, presented in tablature, is intended to be a starting point for your journey through the old time music world. As such, each piece is presented in multiple arrangements, but on the page and on the accompanying audio CD. the recordings are for the most part played at a learning tempo and are close to the written notation but not exact in all cases.

Easy to play five-string banjo arrangements of twelve Christmas favorites by banjo master Ross Nickerson. Each song is arranged and performed using proper three-finger bluegrass technique. the arrangements are carefully designed to bring out the melody, but easy enough for a beginner or intermediate player to learn quickly.The tablature in the book is large and easy to read with accent marks for melody notes, as well as right and left-hand fingering indications. This book is not simply a tablature book! Christmas Music Made Easy for Banjo also features instruction on learning the chords to each song, chord progression charts for each song, special learning tips for each arrangement, a full page of advice on memorizing the songs and more. In the instructional sections of the book Ross draws on his many years of experience teaching students privately to anticipate and point out the most common obstacles and challenges with each song. This section also features a page of general advice that includes suggestions on the best use of practice time and how to develop the skills needed to succeed with each piece. Additionally, Christmas Music Made Easy for Banjo features a high quality studio recorded CD of all the songs played at three speeds including a backup rhythm track to practice along with. Also included is a page entitled Advice on using the CD and Rhythm Tracks to help ensure that the student fully utilizes the audio recordings to learn the songs more efficiently and with greater ease.

Many folk banjoists draw influence from greats such as Pete Seeger, Woody Guthrie, The Weavers, Peter, Paul and Mary, and many others. These folk musicians traveled the country singing the folk songs that many of us now know, some of which are still played in jam sessions. First Lessons Folk Banjo is a great introduction to learning these types of folk songs on this wonderful instrument.Included are lessons on singing and playing backup with the banjo, strumming and picking exercises, and many classic folk songs. The music is written intablature, and the book comes with accompanying audio available for download online.

Welcome to Gospel Tunes for Clawhammer Banjo. After many years of requests by you and the publisher, I have made this collection of Gospel favorites available to those of you who play the clawhammer banjo style. the versions of the tabs presented here are neither overly simple nor particularly complex. Anyone with basic clawhammer skills should be able to play the tab as written or get close enough so they can create a satisfying version of each tune for themselves.Should you find you need an instructional book, please get my Clawhammer Banjo from Scratch book with companion CD's (MB20190BCD) and the corresponding DVD's which are also available from Mel Bay. You may also wish to see Jack Hatfield's Old-Time Gospel Banjo Solos (MB96755BCD) for 3 finger bluegrass/Scruggs versions of many of the tunes presented here.