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Klaus Wutscher
Jul-13-2005, 7:54am
I just noticed the anouncement of new books by Mike Marshall. That is definitely great news and long overdue. Howerver, I am wondering: Are these methods or repertoire books or both? Will they include CD´s? Will it be transcriptions of released music or new arrangements? Will they include TABS (given the fact that Mike has always been, well, not enthusiastic about TABS, this is highly unlikely but who knows?)?
Any insights are highly appreciated

thanks klaus

Perry
Jul-13-2005, 8:34am
I think they are a series of regional cookbooks http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif
Sorry couldn't resist. Be they mandobooks or cookbooks I'll be sure to pick them up.

Klaus Wutscher
Jul-13-2005, 9:23am
Me too. Mandolin, guitar or pasta, Mike cooks!

Perry
Jul-13-2005, 9:27am
No mention yet of these book(s) on his website?

SternART
Jul-13-2005, 9:39am
There were several available at the Symposium. I bought Improvisational Concepts....which has notation & tab....as well as a Chord book which seems very comprehensive, chords every whichaway, root on bottom, fifth on bottom, 3rd on bottom etc. There were others but I waited till the last day & they were out of some.....I think there was one on Bach with notation & tab. No CD's with these. I know there were more.....

Tom C
Jul-13-2005, 10:58am
I think a couple are Choro style.

---Off to Greyfox http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

Newtdude
Jul-13-2005, 1:06pm
The five books are:
1. #The Chord Book
2. #Improvisational Concepts
3. #The Great Book of Fingerbusters
(I bought the above three) #
4. #Bach
5. #Choro

It will be interesting to see the reviews......
Peace,
Shawn http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

Perry
Jul-13-2005, 1:25pm
Can we buy these yet?

WJF
Jul-13-2005, 2:34pm
I spoke with Mike on Monday and told me about these. For now I believe you can pick them up at his performances and at some point I'd guess through his website. He may go the "publishing route" with them but that was still up in the air. They are brand spanking new and should be filled with a lifetime's worth of beyond great study material!!! I'm getting my set when I see him tomorrow and will report back if you'd like.

David Horovitz
Jul-13-2005, 4:09pm
Not to steal any more thunder from Scott & Co's up-coming review, but I purchased Improvisational Concepts at the Symposium and can offer a few insights after quickly working through parts of it. I'll be spending a lot more time with the material in the future!

This book is about 50 pages with both tab and notation. It's a collection of scales, arpeggios, cross-picking, and other patterns and some licks that Mike has been collecting for +25 years. There is no particular musical style represented in the first 45 or so pages of the book. At the end there are about 3 pages of 2-measure Charlie Parker riffs in the keys of Bb and Eb for the standard ii-V-I jazz turnaround and another few pages of chromatic patterns for jazz.

The text accompanying each excercise is very sparse and in some cases completely absent, the idea being (I'm guessing) that once you learn an exercise, it's up to you to experiment with it yourself. In other words, almost every example can and should be transposed to other keys or played in several other positions on the fretboard. This theme is established within the first few pages, where Mike demonstrates how to play a single octave A-Major scale starting on the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th fingers. He explains that the goal is to "free the improviser" to be able to play any phrase in any key in any position and starting on any finger. Okay Mike, easier said than done!

I wouldn't say there is anything revolutionary in the book, but it's definitely full of many cool mando-specific ideas, that if studied seriously, would add greatly to any aspiring improvisers tool box.

Scott Tichenor
Jul-13-2005, 10:04pm
When I said reviewing on the home page I meant it more that I was checking the content for my own information vs. actually writing a review.

First off, no CDs, although the Brazilian book contains music from two of Mike's CDs. Improvisational Concepts, Finger Busters and J.S. Bach have both standard and tab. The Brazilian Choro book is in standard only. The Chord Book is just that--mostly diagrams. Overall not a lot of text in any of these as you're getting mostly music. These are not beginner books by any means but could certainly be put to use by a beginner I think. I hedge in saying that because there's a wide variety of player levels and expectations out there and no one book meets them all. That's the Cliff Notes version. I'm not writing a review, but I will be putting a couple of these books to use and wouldn't hesitate to recommend them. I think very highly of Mike and his contributions to the mandolin world and it's hard to argue close to 25+ years of professional playing. Looking through what he's put together here I have to say it's very impressive and for mandolin players searching for some real brain food will find these rich in content.

jasona
Jul-14-2005, 10:40am
The "4 finger crawl" exercises are outstanding for warming up, working out the pinkie, and building strength IMHO. Great stuff!

Dru Lee Parsec
Jul-15-2005, 5:26pm
I bought Improvisation concepts, the Chorro book and the Bach book at the Symposium.

I've only had time to work on the Bach book but I'm really enjoying it. The Bach book isn't the complete violin Sonatas and Partitas, mostly it's just the main theme of each piece (although the E Major is complete). The Bach book is in notation and tab.

The Choro book is basically Mike's choro repitoire book that he and his band play from in concert. I contains music from the Choro Famoso CD, the Mike Marshall & Jovino Santos Neto CD and the Brazil Duets CD. The Choros book is in music notatino only. No tab. If you enjoyed the Choro Famoso CD you'll love this book. Everything on that CD is in here.

luckylarue
Jul-15-2005, 10:14pm
This is pure torture for those of us who did not attend the Symposium! Can't wait 'till these are available to the masses.

Jeff Hoelter
Jul-15-2005, 11:44pm
How much were these selling for each?

Jeff

Dru Lee Parsec
Jul-25-2005, 7:14pm
I think they were all $18 except for the Choro book which was either $30 or $35

Mike Buesseler
Jul-25-2005, 7:38pm
I bought the Finger Buster book (not sure why. My fingers do not need more busting...). #You could probably make up random exercises like these yourself, BUT, I for one, wouldn't know if they were doing me any good. #I still don't, but I give the benefit of the doubt to Mike. #

The exercises look a bit tedious (what exercises don't?), but after playing through some, I kind of zoned out and felt good afterwards. #And NO fingers were busted!! #http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif

gnelson651
Jul-25-2005, 9:43pm
Look on the Home page of the Cafe. There are links to these books at Elderly.com. Looks like they run about $19.00

luckylarue
Jul-25-2005, 10:30pm
I've got the Finger Buster, Choro, and Bach books on the way. Instructional books have been invaluable to me. Even ones that I haven't looked at for a long time. I recently re-discovered my first book I ever bought - by Andy Statman. It has some interesting versions of standard fiddle tunes. Glad I kept it all these years. I'm sure Mike's books will be keepers as well.

mandopete
Sep-14-2005, 10:11am
I just ordered the Finger Busters and Improvisational Concepts books today. I've been in a real rut for the past 6 months or so and hope these will help get me out of it.

Like my friend Spongebob Squarepants says,"Good luck with that!"

mandopete
Sep-20-2005, 9:41am
Okay - got the books yesterday and spent some time last night with the Finger Busters.

Odd thing though - the first four pages are exercises on open strings, very little finger busting. #Anyone tried these and know what these exercises are meant to prove?

There is an interesting comment on the E string pivot..."Notice now how you are playing on the insides of the two strings" - not sure I get it.

swampstomper
Sep-20-2005, 4:18pm
Obviously the open string exercises don't bust the fingers of the left hand --- but they are harder than they look (I've been working through the book too). To cleanly jump strings is not easy. And "playing on the inside": notice how your pick is downstroke on the higher string, then upstroke on the lower string, so your wrist is between the two strings. The trick is to not let the pick go all the way over the strings into the gap on the other side (minimize pick motion), then it can come back cleanly and pick the inside (i.e. treble side) of the lower course. Clear as mud?

mandopete
Sep-20-2005, 6:24pm
Yeah, I guess the trick to keep a constant DUDU pick motion regardless of the string being played. #If you focus on maintaining constistent tone and use a metronome it's actually a neat exercise.

NOTE TO MIKE MARSHALL - Maybe you should include some better notes in these books.

RobP
Sep-20-2005, 6:48pm
Hey Mandopete,

Any comments on the Improv Concepts yet? I am thinking about buying that one.

Cheers

mandopete
Sep-23-2005, 10:45am
Haven't gotten to that one yet.

Ted Eschliman
Sep-23-2005, 10:52am
I've got some thoughts on this great series, if anybody wants an opinion: Mike Marshall Method Books (http://jazzmando.com/mike_marshall_methods.shtml). There's a lot of content, but like learning to walk, it starts with one step...
Buy any of the five to start, and you'll eventually want to acquire the whole set.