If you’ve ever felt compelled to play Flight of the Bumblebee on the 5-string banjo, this is the book for you! Challenging banjo transcriptions of classical masterpieces may seem like a humorous anachronism to some, but not for Italian master Claudio Parravicini, a conservatory graduate who, while majoring in French horn, always believed that the banjo was “a virtuoso instrument capable of enriching any musical genre.” In the author’s words, “I chose the classical pieces in this book on the basis of how they might advance right and left-hand banjo technique and even refine the player’s musical sensibility… Some pieces, like Flight of the Bumblebee will challenge your ability to play rapidly, while others like Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata, are much slower, but will test your musical abilities in other ways.” The other pieces in the book are: Prelude No. 2 in C minor and Inventions No. 4 and No. 6 by J. S. Bach, Flight of the Bumblebee by Korsakov, Perpetual Motion and Carnival of Venice by Paganini, and Toccata for Piano or Harpsichord by Paradisi. Classical Masterpieces for Banjo is written in tablature only in standard G tuning [gDGBD] using three- finger banjo technique in the traditional, melodic and single-string style. Each selection is guaranteed to further your technique and delight your audience, or simply expand your vision of what is possible on the 5-string banjo.

An important anthology of Irish and Celtic solos for the 5-string banjo featuring a comprehensive, scholarly treatise on the history, techniques, and etiquette of playing the banjo in the Celtic tradition. Includes segments on tuning, pick preferences, and tablature reading followed by 101 jigs, slides, polkas, slip jigs, reels, hornpipes, strathspeys, O'Carolan tunes, plus a special section of North American Celtic tunes. A generous collection of photos of Irish folk musicians, street scenes, and archaeological sites further enhances this fabulous book. All of the solos included here are written in 5-string banjo tablature only with a few tunes set in unusual banjo tunings. the appendices provide a sizable glossary and a wealth of information regarding soloists and groups playing Celtic music, Irish festivals, music publications, on-line computer resources, cultural organizations, and more. If you are serious about playing Celtic music on the 5-string banjo, or if you don't play the banjo but simply want to expand your knowledge of the Celtic music tradition-you owe yourself this book. the first-ever CD collection of Irish and Celtic music for 5-string banjo provides 68 lovely melodies and demonstrates revolutionary techniques for playing highly ornamented tunes and rolling back-up. Recorded in stereo with virtuosos Gabriel Donohue (steel- and nylon-string guitar and piano) and Robbie Walsh (bodhran- frame drum played with a stick), the five-string banjo is out front and plays through each melody in real-life tempo with authentic Celtic chordal and rhythmic backing. the recording features the music of all Six Celtic Nations and includes jigs, reels, hornpipes, slides, polkas, marches, country dances, larides, andros, slipjigs, strathspeys, airs and O'Carolan tunes. 35 songs in the book are not on the CD.

Bach for the Banjo is a collection of some of Bach's best-known pieces transcribed for the five-string banjo. Several pieces appear in tablature for banjo with a second part for guitar: Inventions 1, 8, 13, and 14; March; Minuet in G; Polonaise in G minor; Minuet in G minor; and Musette. Others appear in notation and tablature for solo banjo: Prelude from Partita No.III for Solo Violin; Bouree II from Suite IV for Solo Cello; Menuets I & II from Suite II for Solo Cello; Courante from Suite I for Solo Cello; Gavotte en Rondeau from Partita No.III for Solo Violin; and Prelude from Suite I for Solo Cello. Finally, Bauerntanz is offered as a banjo duet in tablature only. These transcriptions are taken from the recordings the Classical Banjo and Bach on the Banjo which take Bach's classic pieces to new heights.

(Banjo). Banjo transcriptions of 22 favorites from the fab four, including: All My Loving * Can't Buy Me Love * Come Together * Day Tripper * Eleanor Rigby * Here, There and Everywhere * I Want to Hold Your Hand * Let It Be * Michelle * Paperback Writer * Penny Lane * Something * While My Guitar Gently Weeps * Yellow Submarine * Yesterday * and more.

Here is the Forgotten Heritage: Great Banjo Music! Discover the birth of the American fingerstyle banjo in this collection of 28 of the finest tunes culled from banjo publications between 1860 and 1887. Learn amazing banjo music by some of the early leading players, James Buckley, Albert Baur, and the great Frank B. Converse, the greatest virtuoso of his day. from folk-style dances to parlor dances such as the Polka, Mazurka and Schottische, to advanced Romantic-period classical-style solos. Can be played on modern banjos or period-style instruments. the CD recording by Rob MacKillop features a gut-strung banjo, and is played with the flesh of the fingertips, in the old American tuning. for modern instrument players, Rob has provided TAB and a Standard Notation stave at modern banjo pitch. Clawhammer players will find many of the pieces in the book suitable for their technique, and bluegrass/fingerstyle players will be able to play all the pieces. Rob MacKillop provides a fascinating introductory essay, placing the music in its historical context, while his CD of performances can be viewed as a stand-alone recording by a leading player in the revival of this great American banjo heritage.

The world of melodic jazz banjo soloing is revealed in this comprehensive method which leads a student from basic intervals to advanced theoretical concepts and finally to a firm foundation in jazz fundamentals. Included are over 90 exercises and examples written in both tablature fingerings and standard music notation which show how scales and arpeggios are used and how they apply to real playing situations. Every five-string banjoist can benefit from the information contained in this breakthrough volume whether they aspire to jazz or just want to find out more about the possibilities and structure of the banjo. Audio CD included.Starting with basic intervals, Straight-Ahead Jazz for Banjo shows the structure of all basic chord types and qualities and matches these to the scales that generate them. the book's basic concept model is to treat the five-string banjo's potential in an inclusive technical context so that the student can make use of open and fifth strings to create a smooth legato style. Each of the 90+ exercises are recorded with a metronome and progress to 16 additional examples of original jazz phrases in a variety of keys. Topics include functional major and minor key harmony, diminished and augmented scales and how they are used, and the integration of altered scale substitutes in the art of jazz improvisation. It stresses listening and learning in a logical structured manner with an example of a daily practice plan. the unique emphasis of the book is on the fingerings which make the instrument work for you technically and thus open up added possibilities for the development of a student's personal style. This long-awaited volume will surely bring new focus and perspective to any banjo style and will be a classic reference for many new generations of banjoists. Audio CD included.

During the course of my teaching piano and guitar, I have not come across another book that took these classic masterpieces and arranged them for the beginner guitar student. There is an amazing amount of literature like this for the piano, but not for the guitar. My goal with this book is to fill this void in the guitar literature. I chose compositions that the young guitar student would most likely have heard before and thus used familiar melodies. I then made easy arrangements of them, mostly using the top four strings, simple chords and fingerings. the right hand fingering is not indicated, because I used the general rule of thumb: a = 1st string, m = 2nd string, i = 3rd string, p = 4th, 5th and 6th strings." All 12 solos are scored in notation and tablature.