ragtime resources wanted

[Wayne Bagley]

After listing to the Ragtime Skedaddlers - Mandolins at the Cake Walk cd I have fallen in love with ragtime music.

I would appreciate any ragtime resources that can be sent my way.

Of course I'm quite interested in sheet-music links. (regrettably I'm still in the tab phase - This I will outgrow)

much appreciated - Wayne

[Markus]

Stephen Parker's book is a treasure, Ragtime for fiddle and mandolin. No tab, just notation ... but lots of tunes, good transcriptions, a labor of love as it can't make much money.

[Pete Summers]

There are lots of Rags for Tabledit, if you have that software program. I believe you can download a free Demo version from their web site at http://www.tabledit.com/ as well as a more editable paid version.

Also the tab viewer download here: http://www.tabledit.com/tefview/download.shtml I think you only need the viewer to print and play the pieces. Editing them requires the full program, I think.

Some free tabledit Rags are here: http://freetabs.org/listtabs.htm

[nrobinso]

Yes definitely Stephen Parker's book, http://elderly.com/books/items/686-1.htm, get it while they last. Another ragtime string band CD you might enjoy is A Ragtime Episode by Clarke Buehling and the Skirtlifters, http://elderly.com/recordings/items/SKIRT-CD2004.htm. And of course the Ragtime Skedaddlers have a self-titled first CD, Rag Time Skedaddlers. The original sheet music arrangements for mandolin and guitar for a couple tunes on the first CD (Creole Belles, Ma Ragtime Baby) are available on John Goodin's site, Mandotopia, see the links for Whitney Warner Collection of Mandolin & Guitar Music. Arranged by Samuel Siegel. Detroit: Whitney-Warner Publishing Co., [1902?] at http://www.contratopia.com/mtopia/mandolinPD3.htm.

I don't read very well either. I usually pencil in my own tab notation under the standard notation and use that until I've got the tune by memory. Where there's a will...

Great to hear that you've fallen in love with ragtime music after listening to our new CD. There's a lot to love about ragtime. You might enjoy also reading They All Played Ragtime, by Rudi Blesh and Harriet Janis. Might be able to get it at your local library.

Nick Robinson
Ragtime Skedaddlers

[Wayne Bagley]

thanks everyone.
This certainly is a good start. I will probably order a few of these books and take a closer look at the music.

And thank you for your comments and music Nick. I purchased your latest CD a few days ago and I am enjoying it thoroughly. It's a treat to hear from you the creator of this fine music. And thanks for the book tip. I just put a hold on it as my local library did have a copy. Perhaps you should talk to the people at Hal Leonard and strike up a deal to have "Mandolins at the Cake Walk" put to a book. That would be excellent.

And thanks for the tip about pencilling in tab notation under the standard notation. That simply never crossed my mind.

Keep playing everyone.

[bobby bill]

I've posted this several times before but I don't see it mentioned here so I'll say it again - the University of Colorado has a great on-line collection of original ragtime sheet music: http://libcudl.colorado.edu/sheetmus...rag_titles.asp

[Wayne Bagley]

thanks Bobby
I caught this resource from a prior post of yours. Thank you

Not only is this site an excellent resource but it's also art. Those covers are excellent.

[bmac]

Nick:
So that's you!!! Absolutely terrific stuff... Not only do I enjoy the Skedaddlers album I enjoy those videos you have on Youtube. I am fascinated by the differences in you three as players. You looking around the room while playing and seldom looking at your instrument. Pach is focused on his mandolin-banjo and expressionless. Krinkel is rivited to his sheet music never looking at his guitar. Very interesting approaches. Your second album is on my Birthday list and it is coming up soon!

I see so much exciting stuff coming out of California it makes me want to move there. ... Fat chance...

[Jacob]

Historic Sheet Music Collection, 1800-1922, The Library of Congress
Historic American Sheet Music - Duke University

[nrobinso]

I posted a few new videos of the Ragtime Skedaddlers playing tunes from their new CD, Mandolins at the Cake Walk, at the San Francisco Festival of the Mandolins on April 29, 2012.

Peacherine Rag


Dengozo


Chicken Chowder

[alb]

Parker's book, but you really should learn to read notation. It's a huge advantage in learning new styles, and doesn't take all that long.

[SincereCorgi]

You might enjoy also reading They All Played Ragtime, by Rudi Blesh and Harriet Janis. Might be able to get it at your local library.

I second that- that's an extremely good book, easily the most readable of the ragtime histories. Blesh's other books are good too, but I think they're all out of print right now.

[nrobinso]

For ragtime sheet music on the web, the sources Jacob recommends are great. See also:

Classic Ragtime Piano which has links to sheet music and short essays about various ragtime genres and composers.

"Perfessor" Bill Edwards' website that includes a bunch of midi files.

Unfortunately other than John Goodin's site, there's no extensive source for finding mandolin arrangements of ragtime compositions online.

[Bill Stokes]

Haven't see IMSLP mentioned; sorry if I missed it. Huge and growing collection of scores, searchable by instrument ( http://imslp.org/wiki/Special:GenreSearch/mandolin)
and genre ( http://imslp.org/index.php?title=Cat...plate:Catintro .)

I have spent entire days looking through this site. Almost all of it is public domain, depending on your location. So what you'll find is either old, or some kind of Creative Commons license. I've found a few gems, for classical stuff.