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Thread: I need a good mando instruction book

  1. #1
    ************** Caleb's Avatar
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    I'll soon be receiving my mandolin and only know how to play 3 chords. I'd like a book that will introduce me to the instrument and help me learn some good old songs and timeless techinques.

    I'm leaning more toward folk/Celtic/Renaissance styles of music. I like Bluegrass, but it is the style of mando playing that I'm least interested in.

    The market seems to be flooded with book, dvds, etc. I honestly have no clue as to which one to get.

    Can you help?
    ...

  2. #2
    Registered User Joe Dodson's Avatar
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    Greg Horne's books seem to be pretty even handed. Not much celtic content in the beginner book, but he addresses general basic skills, blues, and other styles along with bluegrass. I'm working my way through his beginner book along with a couple of other bluegrass books, and will probably continue on with his intermediate book when I'm through with it.

    Horne

  3. #3
    Registered User Eric F.'s Avatar
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    Check out Simon Mayor's material. I think it's all available from elderly.com. He has a couple of books, a CD and DVD of instructional material as well some great CDs for listening. I recommend them.

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    I second the Horne books. I made huge progress once I bought the first one. The second was also good. I haven't tried the advanced one yet.

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    I'd second the recommendation for Simon Mayor's stuff.
    Available direct from him at www.mandolin.co.uk/books.html
    inc US versions of the DVD (though the "contents" links don't seem to be working.)
    Very decent bloke, I'm sure he'd be happy to answer questions direct.
    Tom

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    I just ordered some books I found with a link to this site, I'll let you know what I think when they arrive and I've looked them over. Have you checked out the Moose Music site...great lessons with the benefit of being able to play them over and over without boring anyone to tears. there's also BBC Virtual Sessions where you can play along to the music being played, has music and you can down load it as well.

  7. #7
    Registered User mando.player's Avatar
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    I can also recommend the Horne books. #It's a very well planned series.
    Charlie Jones

    Clark 2-point #39
    Rigel A Natural

  8. #8

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    Being old-school, I recommend Bickford. Volumes 1 & 2 can be downloaded for a small fee from Djangobooks.com.

  9. #9
    Innocent Bystander JeffD's Avatar
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    Don't ignore beginner fiddle books, if you have any interest in reading standard notation. There are tons of good ones.
    A talent for trivializin' the momentous and complicatin' the obvious.

    The entire staff
    funny....

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    JeffD could you name a few of those fiddle books for intermediate to advanced mando pickers?

  11. #11
    ************** Caleb's Avatar
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    thanks for all the suggestions. I'd also like to try my hand at some classical mandolin. I'm sure its as hard as it is on the guitar, but I just love to hear classical music on the mando. so far I've not spotted any books with tab for classical mando. I'd really like to find one with some familiar pieces tabbed out with a cd, that would be great as well as an all-around beginer book.
    ...

  12. #12

  13. #13
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    If your main interest is classical, I strongly suggest you start to learn to read standard notation. Especially if you are thinking about joining an ensemble group.

    I was in a mandolin ensemble for about two years, no tab, it was strictly standard notation. Also you will be able to find more music to play since alot of classical music is in standard notation only.

    I used a beginning violin book to learn to read music, it took me about 6 weeks of practice to be able to read music. It is not that hard and it will benefit you greatly in the classical setting.
    Glenn Nelson
    Las Vegas, NV

    "Every day brings a chance for you to draw in a breath, kick off your shoes and play your mandolin."

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    I would recommend going to www.musicmoose.org for free music lessons. There is a lot of bluegrass there but Anthony covers other styles as well.

    Mark

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    I'll also recomend the Horne book. I just started playing mando about a month ago and I'm using it now, in conjunction with Steve Kaufman's, "Bluegrass mandolin Solos Every Parking Lot Picker Should know, Vol. 1" and "The Fiddler's Fakebook".

    I got the Horne book with the DVD, which is nice and very well done, but also a little short. It only covers the first few chapters of the book, but for a complete beginner, I think it really helps to see what he's talking about in terms of holding the thing, etc... The downside to buying the book/DVD is that the audio is on the DVD, so you have to have access to a TV/DVD player or a computer with a DVD drive and DVD player in order to listen to the audio CD. Also, my copy of the book was messed up. Several pages of the book were missing and several were duplicated. This is the printer's error, but if you order from Elderly, see if you can have them verify in advance that all the pages are indeed in the book.

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    I have this Greg Horne book and DVD and I am willing to sell them. It is in excellent condition.

    Mark

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    Greg Horne, just got it and very pleased. Have some others, but prefer his. No DVD, just CD, which is fine.

  18. #18
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    ditto on Horne. Bert Casey stuff isn't bad either, although there is only the beginner book from Casey.

    c
    Perhaps Today

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