Kaufman Book

[Coy Wylie]

Since I started playing mando a while back, I've spent quite a bit of money on various instructional books and tapes. However, I've recently started working through Steve Kaufman's "Bluegrass Mandolin Solo's Every Parking Lot Picker Should Know."

Kaufman starts each of the 20 tunes with a very basic version that any beginner could learn. He also includes intermediate versions that are a good challenge to me as I work at mastering them one at a time. Finally for each tune there is an advanced version that will take me quite a bit of time to get up to speed.

Kaufman talks you through each step on the included CD's and has full speed track with full band. You can even turn down one side of your stereo speakers to hear only the band.

I wish I had come across this teach material a few months ago. I don't have any finacial interest in this. I simply wanted to pass along a good resource.

The set can be purchased through homespun tapes (http://www.homespuntapes.com/prodpg/prodpg.asp?prodID=702&prodType=).

[Steve_R]

Does it have any celtic/irish tunes in it?? Or
have you seen a good book for that? Thanks

[Coy Wylie]

I haven't used it but Kaufman does have the 4-Hour Celtic Workout (http://homespuntapes.com/prodpg/prodpg.asp?prodID=751&prodType=).

[ChrisWallace]

Steve_R,
For what it's worth, I've never used the 4 hour Celtic workout but I do have the 4 hour Bluegrass workout and it is GREAT!!! The BG workout comes complete w/ a book containing 40+ songs (written in both standard notation and tab) and 4 CDs that play all the songs at a slow and fast tempo. From what I understand, the only difference between the BG & Celtic workouts are the tunes. If I were in the market for a program to learn/practice Celtic tunes, I'd pick up the Kaufman program in a second!! IMHO it's PRICELESS!! Has anyone else used the BG or Celtic workouts?

[Rick Crenshaw]

I have both the 4-Hr BG Workout and the 4-Hr Celtic Workout. They are very good for learning the basic tunes. I don't know about you, but it took me several times listening to each tune to get the tune in my head. These books are great for that. I flatpick guitar primarily and his Parking Lot Picker series are very good. The tab is much better than the Workout series which, again, is very basic. The PLP series has tab in beginner, intermediate, and then advanced breaks. At least that's how the guitar series is set up. I've been thinking of buying the mandolin PLP #1. He has 4 BG PLP books and one for Swing tunes. If you like to just have music to jam along with and don't need to buy the tab to go with it (i.e. you can download it elsewhere or just pick along without tab) then there is a series called "Flatpick Jam with Brad Davis" that is available from Flatpick Guitar Magazine (search for it online) that is a great series of CDs or DVDs. The tunes are played in slow, med/slow, med/fast, and fast modes and last long enough for you to actually pick the lead several times. I find that they help with timing, tone, improvising, and practicing these tunes makes you confident to jump in at jams. BTW, Kaufman's workout series can be purchased through eBay or Amazon at discounts, or support Steve and buy them right off his website at The Official Steve Kaufman Webpage (http://www.firebottle.com/flatpik/)

No financial interest, just a happy customer,
Rick

[Bob DeVellis]

Personally, I'm not a huge fan of the Celtic Workout. The tunes sound like Celtic tunes being played by bluegrassers, not by Irish musicians. If that's your thing, then the book/CD set will work great. And the playing is top rate, just not true to traditional Irish style. If you want to learn the phrasing of Irish traditional music, this isn't the source I'd recommend. If you want to throw a few tunes of Irish origin into a more eclectic, bluegrass-oriented context, Kaufmann's stuff would help you do that.

[AlanN]

Kaufman's book is ok, but rather elementary (which is fine for the novices), but his advanced breaks to the tunes were somewhat simple. Plus the section on endings is very repetitious, regardless of the key.

[Rick Crenshaw]

Kaufman's book is ok, but rather elementary (which is fine for the novices), but his advanced breaks to the tunes were somewhat simple.[QUOTE]

Well, there you go! I AM a mandolin novice! Also, I do agree that the Celtic workout is not exactly the Irish sounding tunes that I expected, but then, again, I am a novice to Celtic music as well.

Rick