Mandolin Sampler

This collection of vibrant traditional and original tunes captures the variety of mandolin styles in America. the styles represented include old time country and bluegrass, ragtime, swing, Irish, Italian, and neoclassical. Some of the techniques explored are cross-picking, droning, voice-leading, double stops, and pull-offs. of special interest are tunes that make use of the chord solo potential of the mandolin. A discussion of each tune provides lively commentary on the history and players behind the style, an outline of the arranging and composing ideas that are employed, and tips for practicing and honing technique. Tunes are shown in notation and tablature, and a CD is included. This is the perfect anthology for intermediate and advanced players who want to build their skills while expanding their range of styles.

The octave mandolin is valued for its rich tone and wide range of potential use in a variety of musical settings. This book contains 27 easy to intermediate pieces from the Baroque era that have been carefully chosen and arranged to benefit from the longer scale and deeper voice of the big mandolin. The music is presented in both standard notation and tablature, making it easily playable on the mandocello, mandola or standard mandolin. Thirteen composers are represented, including six pieces by J. S. Bach, four by G. F. Handel and three by G. P. Telemann.

This collection presents intermediate to advanced settings of 16 traditional gospel tunes arranged for solo mandolin in standard notation and tablature. With the mandolin tuned in perfect fifths and frequent drones, the harmony in these arrangements is often reminiscent of shape note singing, disarmingly followed by fluid, modern sounds. The table of contents reads like an album of greatest gospel hits with songs like Angel Band, I Am a Pilgrim, In the Sweet By and By and Walk in Jerusalem Just Like John. Will the Circle Be Unbroken and Keep on the Sunny Side round out a repertoire of joyful gospel. For ease of learning, the author has provided online recordings of each selection.

Many great Scottish traditional tunes such as Flowres Of The Forrest can be traced back to the 17th century—a period when writing down tunes in manuscript collections for the lute was of high interest. Rob MacKillop has created very playable arrangements for the mandolin featuring 25 popular tunes from the Skene, Balcarres, Panmure and Straloch manuscripts. This is a wonderful collection of dance tunes and airs, most of which have not been available for the mandolin until now. The notation is in treble clef with tablature for GDAE tuning. Includes access to online audio featuring Rob Mackillop’s performance of each piece. Get ready to explore a wonderful new take on old repertoire!

The octave mandolin is valued for its rich tone and wide range of potential use in a variety of musical settings. This book contains 27 easy to intermediate pieces from the Baroque era that have been carefully chosen and arranged to benefit from the longer scale and deeper voice of the big mandolin. The music is presented in both standard notation and tablature, making it easily playable on the mandocello, mandola or standard mandolin. Thirteen composers are represented, including six pieces by J. S. Bach, four by G. F. Handel and three by G. P. Telemann.

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.

The German Baroque period featured three virtuosi—Biber, Westhoff and Johann Jakob Walther. Walther (1650-1717) performed as a violinist in the orchestra of Cosimo III from 1670 to 1674 (Medici dynasty) and served as concertmaster at the court in Dresden. Walther’s compositions are contained in two books: Scherzi da Violino solo con il basso continuo (1676) and Hortulus Chelicus (1688). This book presents six sonatas for violin from Hortulus Chelicus transcribed for the mandolin. The collection is a wonderful addition to the classical mandolin repertoire. All the sonatas are written in standard notation and tablature.

Marin Marais (1656-1728) was a 17th-18th century French composer and viol player for the court of Louis XIV. He is primarily known for his five books for one, two and three bass viols and continuo. The Suite in D minor comes from his first book Premier livre de pièces une et deux violes (1689). The 27 solos contained in this collection are arranged for mandolin solo and are presented in notation and tablature.

(Mandolin). Noted mandolinist and teacher Rich Del Grosso has authored this excellent mandolin method that features great playable tunes in several styles (bluegrass, country, folk, blues) in standard music notation and tablature. The audio features play-along duets.

This book contains 30 traditional to modern Celtic tunes arranged in either simple melodic lines with suggested accompaniment chords, or stand-alone melody/chord solos. From rollicking reels and jigs to tender ballads, these Celtic Gems will appeal to the intermediate to advanced mandolinist and their audiences. With a little imagination, the up-tempo melodic tunes could be effectively rendered with drums and electric bass a la Pentangle or Fairport Convention; conversely, three or four of the solo arrangements would provide a tasteful set within a mandolin recital. Take your pick! Presented in standard notation and tablature in mandolin and guitar-friendly keys, these settings provide a masterclass in 4-course instrumental arranging. The author’s online recording of each piece is included with this stellar collection. Includes access to online audio.