Steve Kaufman's Encyclopedia of Celtic Tunes for Mandolin Solo

[rgray]

Quite awhile ago I stumbled onto some references about Steve Kaufman's Encyclopedia of Celtic Tunes for Mandolin Solo that indicated it was a really great reference for beginner/intermediate. But alas, out of print since 2000. Numerous online stores still haved it listed but always saying out of print. Well, I scored a like-new copy that arrived today and so far really impressed with it. I think it will be quite some time before I need another book. If anyone runs into a copy I would recommend it, even if you simply turn it here in the Classifieds.

[ColdBeerGoCubs]

Hey Bob, I've been looking for this book also, but to no avail, how would you say it compares to this one?

http://elderly.com/books/items/300-527.htm

Thanks. This one looks good, just wish it didn't have tab.

[rgray]

Your link, STEVE KAUFMAN'S FOUR-HOUR CELTIC WORKOUT, is a 4 CD/book set where the CDs provide 3 different speed recordings of 50 tunes which are provided in tab and notation. The book I have, Steve Kaufman's Encyclopedia of Celtic Tunes, is a spiral-bound book with about 265 Celtic tunes in tab and notation with about 15 pages of basic Celtic tune instruction. No CDs so to hear the tunes you have to find them via other means (and then accept the inevitable differences in arrangement). Two different functions. The encyclopedia is just a great, single source reference for a lot of great tunes for beginner and intermediate players.

[foldedpath]

Steve Kaufman is a Bluegrass player, and maybe not the best instructor for "Celtic" music. Listen to fiddlers, flute players, and pipers playing traditional music in this genre. That will tell you everything you need to know, as a pathway into this music with a latecomer instrument like mandolin.

Here's an earlier Cafe thread on the subject of that Kaufman book:

http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/sh...Celtic-Workout

[SincereCorgi]

If you want a ton of public domain Irish tunes, a bible that's available for free download is the King's Street Sessions:

http://www.m-d-long.com/

A lot of the players around here use it. The versions are pretty notey and there and squiggles for where they suggest ornaments. You'd never be able to learn them all, your brain would turn into tune-sludge before you even got halfway.