Brazilian Choro: A Method for Mandolin focuses on teaching bandolim technique for playing Choro. the combination of method book and CD offers a great opportunity to add performance practice to the black-and-white notes on the page. the book, presented in both English and Portuguese, is written for two different groups-Brazilians learning to play bandolim in the Choro tradition, and non-Brazilians who play other styles and want to learn Choro. Mr. Sá, a native Carioca who as played Choro since childhood, understands Choro intuitively and brings a Brazilian perspective to the project. Ms. Mair, a classical mandolinist who has spent much of the past four years refining her Choro technique in Rio, brings an outsider's viewpoint, recognizing the subtle distinctions that make Choro style unique. Together these renowned performers and university professors have created a pathway to help you play Choro with a true Carioca accent. Music presented in standard notation.

The Complete Mandolinist is the most comprehensive American mandolin method to be published in nearly a century. Written by Marilynn Mair, internationally acclaimed mandolinist, recording artist and teacher for over two decades, this book presents a logical approach to mandolin technique that builds on the pioneering efforts of America's mandolin teachers of the early 20th century.Starting with a foundation in basic technique and music reading, the book progresses, in the course of its 224 pages, through scales, arpeggios, tremolo, position work, shifting, rhythm studies, picking techniques and duo-style, with carefully selected exercises and musical examples that range from fiddle tunes and Brazilian choro to Vivaldi concertos and Beethoven sonatinas. the method reflects the wealth of musical knowledge Marilynn has acquired over the course of her distinguished career, and she has compiled it here for you, to encourage the versatility and intelligent musicianship you will need to become a more complete mandolinist.

The mandolin was brought to Brazil by Portuguese colonists in the 15th and 16th centuries, and eventually worked its way into traditional Brazilian music. the principal aim of this book is to present an overview of the several faces of the mandolin in Brazil. In this book's eighteen progressively arranged character studies, the mandolin student will find, besides a great number of aspects of the idiomatic technique of the instrument (i.e., changes of fingering positions, double stops, tremolos, arpeggios, legatos, chords, etc.), no less than fourteen different styles. All of the pieces are presented first in notation only as mandolin/guitar duets, followed by the mandolin part repeated with tablature.

No longer confined to basic folk genres, any mandolinist aspiring to a broader comprehension of music, including swing, blues, pop, choro, broadway, and even classical can expand his/her playing and through a working knowledge of jazz fundamentals. This breakthrough approach in mandolin pedagogy takes four uncomplicated fretboard patterns (FFcP) and drills a physical familiarity into the player's fingers, softening the fear of upper frets and prepares for the harmonic alterations necessary for effective and intuitive playing of more complex contemporary music.A brief introduction into modes, the player is eased into jamming with audio accompaniment (CD), and eventually an initiation into the most fundamental jazz chord progression of all, the 'ii V7 I' pattern. from the horizontal (melody) to the vertical (chords) and back, the results are a both instinctive and physical grasp of tonal centers and the improvisational fodder of effective performing. an emphasis on pinky strength, finger control and sustain, the book's exercises also develop the player's concepts of tone and melody. Further supportive resources including MP3 audio tracks are also available on the internet. http://www.jazzmando.com/webtracks.shtml

This is the first Charango method to use conventional musical notation, and the only bilingual (Spanish and English) text of its kind. These characteristics make the method attractive to musicians with a wide variety of cultural backgrounds, interests and skill levels.The method is comprised of two parts: A first section regarding strumming techniques and a second section regarding melodic plucking techniques. the first section provides a clear and precise method for learning the rasgueo repique and tremolo skills central to the Charango repertoire. the second section, meanwhile, provides an indispensible guide to expressive techniques for embellishing melodic lines including hammer-ons and pull-offs, trills, simultaneous melodies and arpeggios.The method is appropriate for a wide range of musical skill levels, from beginners to accomplished Charanguists who want to improve their technical chops. Exercises are clear and progressive. In the event that the student is not familiar with music theory, an appendix clarifies the basics of musical notation. In addition to 201 written exercises for the Charango solo, the method includes 23 South American folk music classics arranged for Charango and guitar accompaniment. It thus serves as both a pedagogical tool and a source of performance repertoire. the musical scores included in the method are accompanied by a CD of recorded exercises and a free audio download of repertoire played by recognized Chilean instrumentalists.

The fun and easy way to learn to play the mandolin The newest addition to the highly successful Dummies instrument-instruction line, Mandolin For Dummies gives you easy-to-follow, step-by-step instruction on learning to play the mandolin. Following the time-tested Dummies format, Mandolin For Dummies provides a level of content and instruction greater than anything currently available. Mandolin For Dummies breaks down the fundamentals of this instrument and provides the resources you need to practice and improve your ability over time. Packed with individualized instruction on key mandolin-friendly musical styles, including Irish and Celtic, "old time" American music, blues, bluegrass, swing, and jazz Files available via download provide audio tracks from the book and exercises so you can play along and build your skills -- almost 2 hours of music! Clear and useful photos and diagrams ensure you fret, strum, and pick with precision Includes a mandolin buying guide to help ensure you make the right purchases Tips on restringing mandolins and other DIY care and maintenance topics If you're an aspiring mandolin player, don't fret! Mandolin For Dummies has you covered.

Educator and performer Carlos Arana captures Brazil's rich musical heritage with impeccable stylistic, historic, and technical analyses. The first section of this book covers the fundamental rhythmic and harmonic characteristics of samba, bossa nova, and choro styles followed by practical applications on the guitar. The practical applications break each of the styles down to their historic and regional roots combined with examples that capture the essence of each style. The next section takes you to the northeast of Brazil with the rhythm figures of baio, toada, xote, afox, frevo, Marcha, and Marcha Rancho. Over 60 examples, written in standard notation and tablature, are demonstrated on the included CD.