Marilynn mair book!

**John Flynn** · Jan-02-2008, 1:53pm

Originally Posted by

That is simple business sense, though it may result in some goofy musical sense, as you pointed out.

I agree. Besides, not everyone buys an instructional book in the same mindset the author wrote it. While I have bought some method books to use as method books, I have bought other method books for reasons such as one chapter covers a technique that I have not seen covered elsewhere or because the book contains some tunes I have not seen elsewhere. I play by ear, tab and notation, but I'm all for people learning however they want to learn and I find tab to be a nice "shorthand" sometimes. Including tab seems to widen the audience for any music book and as Jeff pointed out, that just makes sense, it makes the book more useful to a wider number of people. Besides, if an author really feels that a publisher's policies are unacceptable, there are other publishers and self-publishing options out there.

**Peter Hackman** · Jan-02-2008, 2:19pm

<Comment removed. Violates board posting guidelines>.

**JimD** · Jan-02-2008, 2:37pm

I just love the phrase "rants anti-tab".

**Bob_Blackman** · Jan-02-2008, 2:51pm

Re Elderly (where I work), I saw this thread today and advised our book purchaser to get some copies ASAP. We should have a big batch here by Monday 1/7 if all goes well, and all backorders will be filled as soon as we get that shipment.

**mando.player** · Jan-02-2008, 2:58pm

I've often wondered why more authors don't self-publish. I don't pretend to know how these book deals are setup, but I would guess that if you were a known mandolin personality you'd have more upside doing this yourself. There are more than a few options out there for just in time publishing, where books are published as they are purchased.

I understand that Mel Bay offers the benefits of a distributor, but really how many mandolin books do you see in actual retail stores. I'd like to see some sales trends on mandolin books:
- online v. retail (not sure if that one's possible)
- sales through MelBay.com v. other retailers
- sales over time
- etc.

**surfandstrum** · Jan-02-2008, 3:02pm

Bob...that's great news...too bad the sales rep didn't know that...He said it would be 16 days till more would come in...My immediate gratification cause me to order from Mel Bay...cest la vie...

**jmcgann** · Jan-02-2008, 3:06pm

Originally Posted by

Seems <cough>, I heard another Mel Bay author that frequents this forum and rants anti-tab state they *insist* on it with anything mandolin. Interesting.

I hope that cough clears up soon, Scott!

I think you mean someone else, since I am not anti-tab, but rather pro-notation. I'd rather see people use tab than nothing at all, but I also feel happy to point out the benefits of reading notation, and what it provides that tab doesn't.

Even if you mean someone else, though, I'm happy to share my little story:

I was told directly, in no uncertain terms, by Bill Bay when I did my books for Mel Bay, starting in 1999 or so, that tablature was required with the standard notation. Others that I have spoken to have told me the same was required of them.

My "Creating Melodic Variations" books rarely venture up the neck anyway, and we could have saved a lot of paper going the notation only route, but again, that wasn't my choice at the time.

Meanwhile, here's a free .pdf file to help those interested in converting their tab reading skills into standard notation. A little daily practice will prove eating your vegetables is good for you and actually they taste great too

I'm delighted Marilynn has her book out, and I am also excited to see it.

**Barb Friedland** · Jan-02-2008, 3:29pm

I just ordered the Mair book from: http://www.musicbooksplus.com
They have a number of shipping options.

From the description of the book, it appears to me that some music reading info may be included and if not, there are resources on the internet that cover music theory including how to read standard notation. #It truly is not all that hard to learn and I wouldn't let that issue keep me away from a book the looks this good. Let me know if you want links.

**Rick Schmidlin** · Jan-02-2008, 3:31pm

Originally Posted by (chip @ Jan. 02 2008, 11:10)

You'll become a better player by learning notation. It opens you up to more availability of tunes as there are 1000's of songs that aren't available in tab but are in notation. I wish that people that put out these books would also include a cd/dvd so we can hear and see how the songs are supposed to be played. At least for me I prefer hearing what's on the pages...

I saw James Taylor on Travis Smiley the other night and he said he never learned to read music.

**JeffD** · Jan-02-2008, 3:48pm

I am looking forward to MM's book to plug some gaps in my mando-education. Its a chance to "go back and do it right" and I can't wait to take advantage of it.

Or, to avoid needless conflict, (and to state my case more accurately) its a chance to go back and do it the way I would have rather done it had the resources been there when I started playing years ago.

**jmcgann** · Jan-02-2008, 3:52pm

Originally Posted by

I saw James Taylor on Travis Smiley the other night and he said he never learned to read music.

Hey, when you are as talented and lucky, you won't have to either!

Remember, whoever sells the mostest records without reading music is the winner!

**The Old Sarge** · Jan-02-2008, 3:52pm

A million years ago I took violin lessons. Of course, I learned to read standard notation. After giving the violin up I didn't play any instrument for about forty-five or fifty years so I can't sight read anymore. But I recently started playing around with the mandolin and I wanted tab for a particular song. Couldn't locate it but I did find it in standard notation so I printed that out, sit down with my tab paper and worked it out on an imaginary mandolin neck while my wife was watching TV. It was a little slow, but worked perfectly.

Mr. McGann, when I retire later this year (good Lord willing) I think I will learn standard notation again and appreciate your free book. I don't expect I'll ever be great on the mandolin but I'm doing it for my own enjoyment anyway and if re-learning notation increases that enjoyment, then I'm willing to give it a try. And it might open some new books, like Ms Mair's book, which may help me be a little better than I would be otherwise.

BTW, my teacher uses tab in teaching me but he is, to a large degree, trying to train me to play by ear. That is a real new experience for me. And I am one of two people in the town where I live that drinks TAB.

**mando.player** · Jan-02-2008, 4:06pm

My motivation is in the same vein as Jeff's (going back). I've tried to start reading notation on several occasions with limited success. The main problem is everything I was trying to read had TAB right under the notation.

Human nature being what it is...I eventually ended up peeking. With Marilynn's book that's not an issue. I'm hoping that it's enough to occupy the majority of my instructional needs until the reading skills have sunk in. At which point, I'll be able to NOT look at the tab.

**CraigF** · Jan-02-2008, 4:50pm

I too, have been waiting a long time for this.

Please stop turning this into a tab vs notation war. There are tons of tab books out there. This is THE ONLY book published for Classical Mandolin in the US. All others have been out of print for a long time. Classical Mandolin uses notation not tab, so tab serves no purpose here. Can't you just allow us our one book?

**jmcgann** · Jan-02-2008, 5:15pm

Charlie, you might try some fiddle tune books like O"Neills Music of Ireland which doesn't have tab. so you can't peak. 99% of the tunes are in 1st position, the best place to start IMHO. Also, very mando friendly keys, and not too many rhythms to juggle.

**mando.player** · Jan-02-2008, 6:02pm

Thanks John. Once I get the ball rolling I'll take a look at that book. I think I'm going to have to put my ego on the shelf for a few months in order to buckle down and get this notation thing taken care of once and for all.

I did this once already, but it was in regard to my playing technique. My left hand was serviceable, but was starting to present problems technically and physically. I broke down the mechanics and came up with a much better approach for myself. Brad Laird's books helped in breaking down the process and somewhere along the way I read The Art of Practice which served as a general guideline. Anyhow, I think I'm going to have to take the same approach with learning notation.

Just another step in the process

**billkilpatrick** · Jan-02-2008, 6:27pm

sight unseen - viz. notation - i feel the same way: the mandolin is the first instrument i've ever come across that i'd like to know how to play it "properly." i've always trusted women to steer me right and ... "la mair" has all the credentials.

time to "get right ..." - bill

**JeffD** · Jan-02-2008, 10:00pm

Originally Posted by (jmcgann @ Jan. 02 2008, 17:15)

Charlie, you might try some fiddle tune books like O"Neills Music of Ireland which doesn't have tab. so you can't peak. 99% of the tunes are in 1st position, the best place to start IMHO. Also, very mando friendly keys, and not too many rhythms to juggle.

There are about 1,850 reasons to by O'Niells. I have warn out one copy and am working on the second.

**JeffD** · Jan-02-2008, 10:02pm

Originally Posted by (CraigF @ Jan. 02 2008, 16:50)

Please stop turning this into a tab vs notation war. There are tons of tab books out there.

And quite a few other threads around in which to pick up the war if you must.

**John Flynn** · Jan-02-2008, 11:16pm

Originally Posted by

I too, have been waiting a long time for this.

Please stop turning this into a tab vs notation war. There are tons of tab books out there. This is THE ONLY book published for Classical Mandolin in the US. All others have been out of print for a long time. Classical Mandolin uses notation not tab, so tab serves no purpose here. Can't you just allow us our one book?

I suggest that you re-read the thread and see which side initiated the war on this one.

On a different note, if you read the article on Mair's new book it does not seem to be classical mandolin book. It is a complete mandolin book, including fiddle tunes, choro, etc.

**Eugene** · Jan-02-2008, 11:55pm

This isn't the only classical method in print in the US, and even if so, there are plenty of others easily enough accessible in the US if you're willing to broaden your shopping. At least volume one of Bickford is still in print in the US, at least last I knew. ...And Marshall's duo-style book? ...That edition of Cristofaro sold by Elderly forever? Etc?

...And if anybody is curious, I have humbly launched a new staff notation vs. tablature thread, but my intent is more to sing the praises of both in a "classical" context than to belittle either.

**John Flynn** · Jan-03-2008, 12:11am

Bless you, Eugene!

**August Watters** · Jan-03-2008, 1:28am

Originally Posted by

This isn't the only classical method in print in the US, and even if so, there are plenty of others easily enough accessible in the US if you're willing to broaden your shopping. #At least volume one of Bickford is still in print in the US, at least last I knew. #...And Marshall's duo-style book? #...That edition of Cristofaro sold by Elderly forever?

The Bickford and Cristofaro books still have value, but they're generations old. Marshall has some great material, but hasn't published a method book. There hasn't been a method for classical mandolin published in English for many decades.

This book is a milestone, by any measure.

**telepbrman** · Jan-03-2008, 2:41am

No tab...thanks for the info gang, I'll skip the book. I love the cafe, because I can get helpful info before I buy something, later, dy.

**jasona** · Jan-03-2008, 2:55am

Sorry to hear the notation is driving you off. Its really not that hard to pick up.

I am really looking forward to this book. My problem is however too many resources, not enough time to work through all of them effectively.