In this book, multi-instrumentalist and music historian Rob MacKillop explores an unexpected aspect of the 5-string banjo repertoire with slower, expressive, and even sentimental qualities. Drawing upon various 19th and 20th century resources, MacKillop offers 27 engaging international melodies in gDGBD or gCGBD tuning that can be played on any 5-string banjo, whether old or modern, with either fingertips or picks. In contrast to the hard-driving bluegrass “Dueling Banjos” approach, the Barnes and Mullins Banjo School of the 1920s advises: “To obtain the best possible tone from the instrument, a delicate “touch” and diligent practice are required. One essential point…is to employ lightness and grace with every movement.” Written in both standard notation and tablature. Online audio is available for each arrangement.

Long a symbol of American culture, the banjo actually originated in Africa before European-Americans adopted it. Karen Linn shows how the banjo--despite design innovations and several modernizing agendas--has failed to escape its image as a "half-barbaric" instrument symbolic of antimodernism and sentimentalism. Caught in the morass of American racial attitudes and often used to express ambivalence toward modern industrial society, the banjo stood in opposition to the "official" values of rationalism, modernism, and belief in the beneficence of material progress. Linn uses popular literature, visual arts, advertisements, film, performance practices, instrument construction and decoration, and song lyrics to illustrate how notions about the banjo have changed. Linn also traces the instrument from its African origins through the 1980s, alternating between themes of urban modernization and rural nostalgia. She examines the banjo fad of bourgeois Northerners during the late nineteenth century; the African-American banjo tradition and the commercially popular cultural image of the southern black banjo player; the banjo's use in ragtime and early jazz; and the image of the white Southerner and mountaineer as banjo player.

Tony Trischka presents his groundbreaking guide to the melodic (chromatic) Banjo style, made famous by the great Bill Keith. The technique allows the Banjo player to create complex note-for-note renditions of Bluegrass fiddle tunes, as well as ornamenting solos with melodic fragments and motives. Along with a full step-by-step guide to developing the skills of the melodic style, this book also featuresBill Keith's personal explanation of how he developed his formidable technique, in his own words and music.37 tunes in tablature, including a section of fiddle tunes.Interviews with the stars of te melodic style including Bobby Thompson, Eric Weissberg, Ben Eldridge and Alan Munde.

Rob MacKillop presents 24 superb solo guitar works by Belgian composer Gilbert Isbin, one of the most interesting, dynamic and poetic composers writing for the guitar today. All 24 pieces have been recorded by Rob MacKillop–a magnificent solo recording in itself. The book contains standard notation and tablature, and an interview with the composer. The music ranges from student pieces to advanced concert solos. Although composed with a plectrum in mind, they can also be played fingerstyle. Includes access to online audio.

Classical and Contemporary Studies for Bass Guitar combines essential studies from 19th century composer Giovanni Bottesini; the "Paganini of bass", with contemporary studies by Gilbert Isbin; one of the leading European composers for guitar, lute and bass. These 33 studies will help build not just your technique, but reading abilities and overall musicianship. The material is intended for serious bass students and can be played on a fretted or fretless bass. While Bottesini's works lie firmly in the classical genre, Isbin's studies bring in elements of classical, jazz and world music. All the studies are written in standard bass clef notation as well as tablature. Includes access to online audio recorded by Rob MacKillop for each study.

(Banjo). A complete guide for beginning and advanced banjo players! From Ken Perlman, here is a brilliant teaching guide that is destined to become the handbook on how to play the banjo. The style is easy to learn, and covers the instruction itself, basic right and left-hand positions, simple chords, and fundamental clawhammer techniques; the brush, the 'bumm-titty' strum, pull-offs, and slides. For the advanced player, there is instruction on more complicated picking, double thumbing, quick slides, fretted pull-offs, harmonics, improvisation, and more. The book includes more than 40 fun-to-play banjo tunes.

This is a book for genuine banjo lovers. Full of beautiful photos and hand-sketched tabs, this highly acclaimed text presents a systematic method for playing the unique "frailing" banjo style. "Old-time mountain banjo" is taught with clarity and expertise. In tablature only. the compact disc is in split-track format, allowing the student to play along with the old-time string band or the frailing banjo parts. It also includes Eric Muller's concise teaching.