Presents 24 carols skillfully arranged by flatpicking guitar champion Steve Kaufman that range in treatment from beautiful, lyrical guitar settings to rousing, joyous flatpicking solos. In notation and tablature. the CD is designed as a listening recording first and instructional tool second. All 24 songs are played through three times at least. the first time is as it appears in the book and the two versions that follow are improvised versions. Making this a listening tool and an ear training tool. Recorded Digital to Analog in true stereo sound.

This wonderful collection gives the mandolin player a wide variety of material from which to choose. Well-known soloist Steve Kaufman includes beautiful, meaningful carols arranged specifically for mandolin. The book includes both a simple melody edition and an intermediate advanced solo version, all in both notation and tab. The mandolin backup parts are discussed in the first section of the book, and chord symbols as well as guitar tablature are provided for the backup parts. A 'must-have' book for the mandolin player! In notation and tablature. The companion online audio is designed as a listening recording first and an instructional tool second. All 24 songs are played through at least three times. The first time is the basic melody as it appears in the book followed by the intermediate version and another improvised version, making thisboth a listening tool and an ear training tool. Recorded Direct to Digital in true stereo sound. Includes access to online audio

The author, three-time national flatpicking guitar champion, has compiled this rousing collection of dazzling flatpicking guitar solos. A companion audio featuring Steve's foot-tapping rendition of each arrangement is included. The book is in notation and tablature. All the songs in the book are performed on the audio. Onthe video, Steve plays both slow and fast versions of each solo. Steve's performance on the up-tempo versions of the challenging solos is absolutelyastonishing. Includes access to audio and video online

In this book, journalist, composer, songwriter, teacher, and 2003 Winfield Flatpicking Guitar Champion, Jeff Troxel, delivers a masterclass in arranging fiddle tunes for flatpicking guitar. These 20 themes and variations on favorite bluegrass melodies are designed to improve overall musicianship and augment your own arranging skills. Ideal for the intermediate to advanced flatpicking guitarist, the author reveals techniques for enabling readers to create their own theme and variations settings. Suggested rhythm guitar chords and light left-hand fingerings are also provided. Troxel points out that one of the unexpected benefits of learning and memorizing themes with variations is that the process will ultimately facilitate linear and harmonic improvisation. It would be a painstaking process to learn this skill from a teacher or a harmony textbook, but once memorized, the scale and arpeggio patterns within these tunes and variations will set you on a viable path towards original improvised lines. As a bonus, the author includes a generous appendix containing several of his Flatpicking Guitar Magazine articles that deal with aspects of musicianship that every guitarist should know. While written in standard notation and tab, if you have relied solely on tablature and recordings in the past, this book can provide the key to understanding essential music theory and reading standard notation. If you’re not quite ready to learn to read standard notation, you can still use the tab and the author’s excellent online recordings to learn these delightful arrangements. In any case, it will be fun to get these settings of standard bluegrass tunes “in-hand” and use them in future jam sessions.

Guitarist, composer, songwriter, and Mel Bay author—Jeff Troxel has been successful in the flatpicking contest world as well as being a sought-after college and summer camp instructor. In this book, he shares a lifetime of knowledge about one specific role of the bluegrass guitarist— that of accompaniment or “backup”. Beginning in Chapter One, Troxel lays the foundation for what is to come in rendering alternating bass lines, chord progressions, ornamentation, intros, endings, bass runs, chord-melodies, pedal tones, and other essential concepts that contribute to effective rhythm guitar playing. Five appendices address: Basic Music Theory, Capos and Transposition, Tuning, Guitars, Picks and Strings, and Lead Sheets for the dozen bluegrass tunes featured in the book. All music appears in standard notation and tablature with 69 audio tracks. By the time you finish reading and playing the examples in this book, you’ll be ready to jam or perform with the best! Includes access to online audio.

Many great Scottish traditional tunes can be traced back to 17th century lute music. In this collection, multi-instrumentalist Rob MacKillop has transcribed and arranged 25 popular tunes derived from various lute manuscripts. While idiomatic to the guitar, some of these arrangements include fast runs and chord changes, so are best suited to the intermediate-level flatpicking guitarist. This guitar collection consists of the same melodies in the same keys found in its mandolin counterpart, Tunes From 17th Century Scotland Arranged for Mandolin (Mel Bay Publications). In both books, suggested chords are provided wherever appropriate. Consequently, the settings work fine as either mandolin/violin and guitar duets, or as solos for either instrument. Until now, most of these appealing dance tunes and airs have not been available as guitar arrangements. Here, except for two tunes in drop-D tuning, all are in standard guitar tuning. With MacKillop’s spirited online recording, generous performance notes and standard notation and tablature for each selection, get ready to explore a wonderful new take on an old repertoire! Includes access to online audio.

Lively Guitar Tunes is a collection of 38 lively, up-tempo tunes arranged for guitar. The collection includes fiddle tunes, reels, hornpipes, jigs, sea chanteys, bluegrass, old-time melodies and some original compositions–an ideal collection for adding to repertoire, improving picking technique or just having fun playing the guitar. Backup chords and tablature are included, and each tune is recorded with melody and guitar accompaniment. Includes access to online audio.

The first authorized compilation of Doc Watson's life and music is meant to serve not only as a biography, but also as a unique instructional book. A running dialogue with Doc reveals the story behind each tune, while Steve Kaufman provides additional performance tips. Here's your opportunity to learn from the best! the obvious rapport between the author and his subject produced a formula that fittingly captures the 50-year legacy of a remarkable musician. Written in notation and tablature for the intermediate level flatpicking guitarist with a few nods to fingerstyle technique. Includes an insightful illustrated essay by Dan Miller of Flatpicking Guitar Magazine.

Steve Kaufman, Three Time National Flatpicking Champion, does it again. the third installment of a four part series brings us Steve's favorite hornpipes transcribed for guitar. Though the title says Fifty hornpipes, there are actually a few more. This large collection of hornpipes will build your repertoire as well as help you develop more ideas, licks and runs for arranging your own melodies. Your goal is to learn the song, memorize it and then race with the Champ.

Flatpicking Guitar Magazine declares Norman Blake a legend, and includes him in the first name club on the Internet flatpicking news list. the Norman Blake Anthology offers complete lyrics and melody lines to 40 original songs, written and notated just as Norman sings them. Often, the vocal version is followed by a second flatpicking solo edition in notation and tablature including introductions and solos within a given tune- all authorized by Norman himself! 200 pages, illustrated with photos from a distinguished 30-year career. Intermediate in difficulty.