This Mel Bay Qwikguide begins with basic music theory about scales and keys and teaches how to transpose several songs with and without the capo. Then we look at chords in keys and explore some typical chord progressions by swapping numbers (one, four, five) for the chord names (D, G, A). Finally we study the Nashville Numbering System in depth by examining different notation styles and converting several well-known songs to number charts. The more advanced number charts show detailed arrangements with modulations, intros, extros, a variety of chords, repeats, fermatas, strum patterns, beat accents, and much more. If you're interested in why the capo works as it does; if you're a songwriter or gigging musician who needs to know how to read, write, and understand Nashville Number charts, this book is for you!

Joining a jam session can be intimidating. This book presents everything a beginning or intermediate guitar flatpicker needs to know to participate in a jam session. There are sections that describe how jam sessions work, and jam session etiquette. the book also describes the typical chords and keys for jamming, and describes right hand usage. A section is included on the role each instrument plays in bluegrass rhythm. 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.

This book presents everything a beginning or intermediate bass player needs to know to participate in a jam session. There are sections that describe the anatomy of a jam session, jam session etiquette and chords and keys for jamming. 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. Joining a jam session can be intimidating. This book presents everything a beginning or intermediate upright or electric bass player needs to know to participate in a jam session. There are sections that describe how jam sessions work, and jam session etiquette. the book also describes the typical chords and keys for jamming and describes typical bluegrass rhythm. A section is included on the role each instrument plays in bluegrass rhythm. 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.

A collection of over 200 great Bluegrass, Old Time, Country and Gospel standards. Melodies are presented with standard notation and tablature along with lyrics and chords.Learn to play songs written and recorded by the giants of traditional American music: Bill Monroe, the Stanley Brothers, Flatt & Scruggs, Ralph Stanley, the Osborne Brothers, Jimmy Martin, Doc Watson and many more. Also included: Step-by-Step instruction on how to transpose and song to any key!The two CDs include recordings of EVERY song in the book.

First Lessons Mandolin teaches the absolute basics of learning to play mandolin from holding the pick to performing easy mandolin tunes. It doesn't get any easier than this! Students learn how to hold the mandolin correctly, how to read mandolin tablature, basic note reading, the most popular mandolin chords, how to play easy melodies in several musical styles, basic picking technique, how to tune the mandolin, and much more. Along the way students will learn about the greatest mandolin players and their music. the main emphasis of First Lessons Mandolin is to get the student up and playing immediately and to have fun doing it!

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.

This book presents a practical step-by-step approach to fingerstyle guitar arranging technique. Two paths are methodically introduced: 1.) A description of the technical resources used in solo arranging, with examples in standard notation and tablature plus their respective online audio recordings. 2.) An explanation of how these resources might be applied, along with the interpretive criteria needed to achieve maximum musical expression. At the end of the book, all resources are combined in a complete fingered arrangement of the medieval melody, "Scarborough Fair” with an analysis that reflects all aspects of the arranging process. Includes access to online audio.

Rock Guitar Essentials: Gig Savers Complete Edition combines Corey Christiansen's five previous pocket-sized books. Part 1 of this comprehensive edition gives aspiring rock guitarists a working knowledge of the most basic scales commonly used to improvise rock solos and write rock melodies. A discussion on how each scale can be used over a set of chords is provided to help guitarists use these scales when performing. Charts provide the names of the notes on the fretboard and a section on sequencing scales makes it possible for guitarists to easily master rock scales. Part 2 teaches the rock guitarist how to play any barre chord, providing insight on how to play them with ease and agility. Moveable chord shapes and practice etudes are especially useful for beginners. Part 3 presents comprehensive warm-up and technical exercises. Studies begin at the most basic level and progress in difficulty. This chapter gives guitarists the information needed to continue constructing their own technical exercises. Part 4 presents accompaniment patterns for a wide variety of pop styles such as folk, rock/blues, country/bluegrass, jazz, and some Latin styles including bossa nova and samba. Basic fingerstyle accompaniment patterns are taught in a simple manner, presented with rhythmic notation and string numbers. This chapter pays special attention to the blues, covering alternate changes and substitutions in a method that provides easy transposition. (Chapters 3, 4 and 5 are also included in Jazz Guitar Essentials: Gig Savers Complete Edition).

A collection of over 200 great Bluegrass, Old Time, Country and Gospel standards. Melodies are presented with standard notation and tablature along with lyrics and chords.Learn to play songs written and recorded by the giants of traditional American music: Bill Monroe, the Stanley Brothers, Flatt & Scruggs, Ralph Stanley, the Osborne Brothers, Jimmy Martin, Doc Watson and many more. Also included: Step-by-Step instruction on how to transpose any song to any key!The two CDs include recordings of EVERY song in the book.

Learn to play 14 classic blues the best way-by doing! This book and CD provide your backup band as you explore Country and Urban, Acoustic and Electric, Delta, Texas, Chicago, Slide Guitar, Alternate Tuning, Traditional, and Modern styles in many different major and minor keys and in a variety of tempos. Melodies are first presented on the recording at a slow speed with just guitar, then repeated at regular speed with the band. Finally, you can play along with the hot blues rhythm section alone, and you've got the makings of a dynamite blues jam session. You'll play all the leads and solos! Repeat a tune or passage as many times as you want at slow or regular speed. We'll jam all night long! Beginners and intermediate players can practice basic skills. Advanced players can hone their improvisation chops. the split track recording allows you to hear either just the melody from one speaker, just the rhythm section from the other, or both for maximum flexibility and specific study. the book includes melodies, chord diagrams and guitar tablature.