In addition to being one of the world's greatest bluegrass musicians Sam Bush is a clear and dynamic instructor. This terrific two-part series will help aspiring mandoling players improve their technical prowess build repertoire and develop formidable musicianship on their instrument. Teaching traditional fiddel tunes Bill Monroe-style instrumentals and his own compositions Sam provides detailed instruction in pick technique rhythm chopping speed building warm-up exercises tremolo improvised soloing and much more. You'll learn how to create variations on melodies use drone strings for fiddle-like effects employ crosspicking tecniques for a smoother sound and move upthe neck to play in higher positions. The songs and variations you'll be playing include: Ragtime Annie Bile Them Cabbage Down Blackberry Blossom Sally Goddin Big Mon Get Up John Brilliancy Whayasay and Big Rabbit. As a bonus Sam privides insight into his instruments and equipment his favourite strings pick gauges and the ways that his instruments have been set up to suit his exacting requirements.

Learn to play traditional blues and old-time string band music on the mandolin. Steve James knows this music and its history well and he brings it clearly into focus on this lesson filled with 'ful-lovin' high jinks.Steve starts out with the basics but quickly gets into blues scales pick strokes tremolo technique and other tools needed to play with style and authenticity. He lays out some blues chords on the mandolin showing rhythm comping for song accompaniment along with turnarounds double stops blues riffs and variations on a walking boogie-woogie line - all essential elements for developing a blues repertoire.

The book Método de Mandolina begins at the very beginning of learning to play the mandolin starting with the basic tuning of the instrument how to sit position one?s head and hold one?s hands. There are many pages of exercises that lead to easy pieces and more difficult short works all in Spanish style.In this age of the Guitar it is remarkable to know that the mandolin was the most popular instrument throughout the Western world at the turn of the last century at the time of the publication of this book. For the most part at that time the virtuosi were considered to be Italian and the best instruments from Italian makers though many other companies were involvedin the production of many forms of the mandolin. This is ironic however as it is frequently asserted that the earliest form of lute or mandolin entered Europe with the Moors onto the Iberian peninsula in the shape of the oud. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries serious composers included lute parts in their major works and wrote pieces expressly for mandolinists and for the thousands of mandolin Orchestras that sprang up throughout Europe and in the New World. That Método de Mandolina remains available is a testament to its usefulness and the expertise of its author in giving teachers and students a volume from which to teach and learn.