Guitar Chords for Dummies

Whether you're playing blues, rock, classical, or folk-all the chords you'll need are here Even Eric Clapton started with a few basic chords. And Guitar Chords For Dummies offers guitarists of every ambition, skill level, and musical genre a key to the simplest and most complex guitar chords-over 600 in all. Illustrated with a grid showing the position of the fingers on a string, a photograph of the chord being played, and a brief comment on the chord and how to play it, this handy, portable reference offers musicians, whether experimenting at home or playing in a coffee house, instant access to the full range of chords that can be played on a guitar.

• Covers the theory and techniques of guitar chords
• Features a handy, portable design, which can fit into a guitar case
• Includes a convenient lay-flat (wire bound) format, allowing users to easily try out new chords

An ideal resource for broadening musical technique and getting new ideas, Guitar Chords For Dummies will help you, whether you're just picking up the guitar or a seasoned musician, add sparkle and range to your musical repertoire.

 

From the Back Cover

All the chords you need to become an accomplished guitarist Want to learn chords ranging from minors and majors to power chords and diminished 7ths? With easy-to-follow descriptions and clear photos of every chord, as well as chord voicings for a variety of purposes and playing styles, you'll be an expert in no time. This handy lay-flat guide will help you increase your guitar confidence and add hundreds of chords to your repertoire.

• Create the perfect sound — use the photographs to position your fingers correctly every time
• Break a chord down — understand the theory of how a chord is put together
• Follow complete and illustrated walkthroughs — get going with a step-by-step guide through all the sharps, flats, minors and majors
• Hone your skills — become more accurate and improve your playing technique

Open the book and find:

• Coverage of the full range of chords
• Clear photos of the finger positions needed for every chord
• New sounds and styles to explore
• Ways to improve your posture and playing style
• How to read tab

Learn to:

• Play over 600 chords in all 12 keys
• Perfect your technique with a detailed photograph of every chord
• Experiment with new styles
• Work out names of chords and read chord boxes

 

About the Author

Antoine Polin was born in Paris and studied music at Berklee College of Music in Boston. He is a professional guitarist, teaching jazz guitar, harmony and conducting at the Jazz à Tours school.

Guitar For Dummies

The "For Dummies" series has moved far from its humble beginnings as an auto repair manual in the late 1970s. This latest hefty offering suffers from trying to be too many things to too many readers. Certainly, the introductory chapters are clear and concise, with enough information to get the beginner started. But it's not clear whether the book is geared toward electric or acoustic guitar?the photo illustrations show chords played on an electric guitar while the reader is learning campfire songs. Acoustic guitars don't make an appearance until Chapter 12. Four additional chapters are devoted to guitar selection, maintenance, and accessories, items beyond the immediate interest of most beginning players. Libraries are already likely to have any number of beginning guitar books, and these need not be displaced. (CD not available for review.)?Eric C. Shoaf, Brown Univ. Lib., Providence
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

“…offers everything the beginner to intermediate guitarist needs in an irreverent and accessible format…” (Harborough Mail, 17^th November 2005)

 

Product Description

Have you always wanted to play guitar? Who wouldn't? Think of Jimi Hendrix wailing away on his Stratocaster. . . Chuck Berry duck-walking across the stage to "Johnny B. Goode". . .B.B. King making his "Lucille" cry the blues. No doubt about it—guitars are cool. Guitar For Dummies 2nd Edition tells you everything a beginning or intermediate guitarist needs to know: from buying a guitar to tuning it, playing it, and caring for it, this book has it all—and you don't even need to know how to read music. Full of photo-illustrated exercises and songs you can play to practice the techniques discussed in each section, this step-by-step guide will take you through the basics and beyond before you can say "Eric Clapton." You'll learn how to:

• Match yourself with the guitar and equipment that fits your needs and budget
• Select the right accessories: amps, picks, pedals, capos, cases, and other goodies
• Pick and strum to produce a clean, clear, buzz-free tone
• Know whether you're really in tune
• Play melodies without reading music
• Perform basic guitar maintenance and repairs
• Build strength and dexterity while playing
• Play in different styles, including rock, blues, folk, jazz, and classical
• Make your guitar talk with bends and slides!

Fully revised and updated, with an all new interactive CD that allows readers to listen, learn, tune, and play along, Guitar For Dummies 2nd Edition is the perfect introductory guide for any novice acoustic or electric guitar player. 
Note: CD-ROM/DVD and other supplementary materials are not included as part of eBook file.

 

From the Back Cover

Features an all-new, interactive audio CD with MP3 files The latest tips and techniques for playing beautiful tunes — without reading music!
Gearing up to play the guitar? Whether you're a new or seasoned guitarist, this updated guide makes it easy with step-by-step instruction on everything from simple chord progressions to smokin' blues licks. You get expanded coverage of musical styles ranging from rock and jazz to folk and classical.
Discover how to

• Select the right guitar and accessories
• Develop correct hand position and posture
• Strum basic chords and simple melodies
• Tune, change strings, and make simple repairs
• Expand your range with advanced techniques

 

About the Author

Mark Phillips is a guitarist, arranger, and editor with more than 30 years in the music publishing field. He earned his bachelor’s degree in music theory from Case Western Reserve University, where he received the Carolyn Neff Award for scholastic excellence, and his master’s degree in music theory from Northwestern University, where he was elected to Pi Kappa Lambda, the most prestigious U.S. honor society for college and university music students. While working toward a doctorate in music theory at Northwestern, Phillips taught classes in theory, ear-training, sight-singing, counterpoint, and guitar.
During the 1970s and early ’80s, Phillips was Director of Popular Music at Warner Bros. Publications, where he edited and arranged the songbooks of such artists as Neil Young, James Taylor, the Eagles, and Led Zeppelin. Since the mid-’80s he has served as Director of Music and Director of Publications at Cherry Lane Music, where he has edited or arranged the songbooks of such artists as John Denver, Van Halen, Guns N’ Roses, and Metallica, and has served as Music Editor of the magazines Guitar and Guitar One.
Phillips is the author of several books on musical subjects, including Metallica Riff by Riff, Sight-Sing Any Melody Instantly, and Sight-Read Any Rhythm Instantly. In his non-musical life, Phillips is the author/publisher of a series of “fun” high school English textbooks, including The Wizard of Oz Vocabulary Builder, The Pinocchio Intermediate Vocabulary Builder, and Tarzan and Jane’s Guide to Grammar. For the reference value of his numerous publications, Phillips is profiled in Who’s Who in America. Jon Chappell is a multistyle guitarist, transcriber, and arranger. He attended Carnegie-Mellon University, where he studied with Carlos Barbosa-Lima, and he then went on to earn his master’s degree in composition from DePaul University, where he also taught theory and ear training. He was formerly Editor-in-Chief of Guitar magazine, Technical Editor of Guitar Shop Magazine, and Musicologist for Guitarra, a classical magazine. He has played and recorded with Pat Benatar, Judy Collins, Graham Nash, and Gunther Schuller, and he has contributed numerous musical pieces to film and TV. Some of these include Northern Exposure, Walker, Texas Ranger, Guiding Light, and the feature film Bleeding Hearts directed by actor-dancer Gregory Hines. In 1990, he became Associate Music Director of Cherry Lane Music where he has transcribed, edited, and arranged the music of Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Steve Morse, Mike Stern, and Eddie Van Halen, among others. He has more than a dozen method books to his name, and is the author of Rock Guitar For Dummies and the textbook The Recording Guitarist — A Guide for Home and Studio, published by Hal Leonard.

Guitar Exercises For Dummies

Guitar Exercises For Dummies includes over 300 exercises along with lots of technique-building practice opportunities. It starts off with warm-up exercises (on and off-instrument) and then logically transitions to scales, scale sequences, arpeggios, arpeggio sequences, and chords, with a focus on building strength and consistency as well as refining technique.

 

From the Back Cover

Train your fingers to become a lean, mean guitar-playing machine!
Want to sharpen your guitar-playing skills? This practice-oriented playbook is packed with hands-on technique builders, from warm-up exercises and scales to arpeggios, chords, and much more. You'll see how to apply your technique with performance pieces at the end of each chapter.

• Review basic guitar fundamentals — posture, holding the guitar, sitting and standing with the guitar
• Brush up on guitar notation — decoding tablature, comprehending chord diagrams, interpreting neck diagrams, recognizing rhythm slashes
• Warm up away from the guitar — release tension, improve breathing, prepare your mind and body to play
• Wake up those fingers — limber up your fingers by playing simple exercises
• Develop strength, speed, and independence — play single-note patterns and chord progressions

Open the book and find:

• More than 300 exercises in various keys, positions, and rhythms
• Drills & tips to perfect your playing and maximize your practice time
• Technique building opportunities
• Scales, scale sequences, arpeggios, arpeggio sequences, and chords
• Full-length pieces to play along with
• Ways to improve your musicianship

Bonus CD Includes

• Selected exercises from each chapter
• Every performance piece
• Open string tuning notes
• Metronome tracks of different tempos

 

About the Author

Mark Phillips is a guitarist, arranger, author, and editor with more than 30 years in music publishing. Jon Chappell is a multi-style guitarist, arranger, author, and journalist, and former editor of Guitar magazine. Phillips and Chappell are bestselling authors of Guitar For Dummies, 2nd Edition.

Guitar All-in-One For Dummies

Your comprehensive, hands-on guide to playing guitar
Have you always wanted to play the guitar? You can start today with these 8 minibooks. Covering both acoustic and electric guitar, this hands-on resource gives you all the instruction you need to play across multiple genres, whether you're a beginner or an experienced guitarist. You'll find plenty of tips for playing easier and more complex pieces — and for composing your own. Plus, you can play along with examples on the bonus CD!

• Gear up to start playing — understand the different parts of a guitar, find the right guitar for you, string and tune the instrument, and develop basic playing skills
• Immerse yourself in sounds and technique — play major and minor chords, master left- and right-hand techniques, and play melodies in position and double-stops
• Get ready to rock! — from Chuck Berry to Keith Richards to The Edge, see how the best play barre chords, hot licks, and sweet leads
• Play the blues — explore rhythm and lead techniques, signature riffs, blues progressions, and the achievements of great blues guitarists
• Go classical — learn about the history of classical guitar, combine arpeggios and melody, and sample different genres
• Practice, practice, practice — try your hand at major scales, minor scales, and chord exercises to rev up stalled skills
• Write songs and music — check out different song forms, understand modes, and compose with chords

Open the book and find:

• Plenty of music examples and practice exercises
• Musical styles and genres through the years
• Correct hand position and posture
• Basic playing techniques
• Standard music notation and tablature
• Tips for playing up the neck
• Ways to solo and improvise leads
• Different fingerstyles to play
• Accessories for your guitar
• A comprehensive guitar chord chart

Bonus CD Includes
More than 90 tracks all played by the authors
Songs from different guitar genres
Examples of chord progressions, riffs, and more
Major and minor scale patterns
Note: CD-ROM/DVD and other supplementary materials are not included as part of eBook file.

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Rock Guitar Songs

The Complete Idiots Guide songbooks are designed to get novice guitarists playing immediately, and playing the songs that inspired them to pick up a guitar in the first place.

Each song in The Complete Idiots Guide books is preceded by a lesson that focuses on the most important technical and musical features. Fingerings, patterns, and techniques are discussed and broken down to help make learning smooth and simple. Most guitar songs are relatively easy to play, and the arrangements in these books are simplified just enough to show those core, natural guitar parts without being overcomplicated, just the way a friend might show another how to play a song one-on-one. Learning is made even simpler with each song written in standard music notation plus TAB and guitar chord diagrams.

Learning hit rock songs was never so easy! Pick up The Complete Idiots Guide to Rock Guitar Songs and learn all 30 tunes from acclaimed artists like Cream
* AC/DC
* Guns N Roses
* Jimi Hendrix
* Green Day
* and many more.

 

About the Author

Alfred Publishing is currently one of the largest and most successful publishers of licensed songbooks in the world, owning the music rights to some of the most recognizable names in the music industry. With roots in music instruction, it has become one of the most trusted brands in the business.

 

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Acoustic Guitar Songs

The Complete Idiots Guide songbooks are designed to get novice guitarists playing immediately, and playing the songs that inspired them to pick up a guitar in the first place.

Each song in The Complete Idiots Guide books is preceded by a lesson that focuses on the most important technical and musical features. Fingerings, patterns, and techniques are discussed and broken down to help make learning smooth and simple. Most guitar songs are relatively easy to play, and the arrangements in these books are simplified just enough to show those core, natural guitar parts without being overcomplicated, just the way a friend might show another how to play a song one-on-one. Learning is made even simpler with each song written in standard music notation plus TAB and guitar chord diagrams.

Learn top hits within a matter of hours! The Complete Idiots Guide to Acoustic Guitar Songs features 30 songs total from artists such as Eric Clapton
* Eagles
* Fleetwood Mac
* Jimmy Buffett
* Joni Mitchell
* and many more.

About the Author
Alfred Publishing is currently one of the largest and most successful publishers of licensed songbooks in the world, owning the music rights to some of the most recognizable names in the music industry. With roots in music instruction, it has become one of the most trusted brands in the business.

 

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Playing Guitar (2nd Edition)

Learn to play the guitar using this quick and easy guide. Whether you dream of playing classical guitar, a B.B. King lick, or just the opening bars to "Stairway to Heaven," this book can get you there. This easy-to-use guide introduces the beginning guitarist to all styles of playing, from classical to jazz and pop. Using basic exercises and a selection of popular tunes, it shows how to do everything from reading tablature and chord diagrams to performing simple accompaniment. This book is designed for the child or adult beginner who wants a "user-friendly" introduction to the most popular musical instrument. It contains numerous sidebars and illustrations, making learning the guitar fun and easy. Z Features exercises in all styles from classical to rock and jazz Z Includes checklists of popular books, videos and instrument dealers, and tips on purchasing and maintaining your instrument. Frederick Noad is an expert guitar teacher and author of dozens of guitar methods, including The Virtual Guitarist, Solo Guitar Playing and Playing the Guitar, all from Schirmer Books. He is the inventor of Speed Score, the computer notation software and is universally known as a master teacher of the instument.
--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

From the Back Cover
Learn to play the guitar using this quick and easy guide. Whether you dream of playing classical guitar, a B.B. King lick, or just the opening bars to "Stairway to Heaven," this book can get you there. This easy-to-use guide introduces the beginning guitarist to all styles of playing, from classical to jazz and pop. Using basic exercises and a selection of popular tunes, it shows how to do everything from reading tablature and chord diagrams to performing simple accompaniment. This book is designed for the child or adult beginner who wants a "user-friendly" introduction to the most popular musical instrument. It contains numerous sidebars and illustrations, making learning the guitar fun and easy. Z Features exercises in all styles from classical to rock and jazz Z Includes checklists of popular books, videos and instrument dealers, and tips on purchasing and maintaining your instrument. Frederick Noad is an expert guitar teacher and author of dozens of guitar methods, including The Virtual Guitarist, Solo Guitar Playing and Playing the Guitar, all from Schirmer Books. He is the inventor of Speed Score, the computer notation software and is universally known as a master teacher of the instument. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Classical Guitar For Dummies

Want to be a classical guitarist but never had a lesson? Want to be a classical guitarist, but never had a lesson? No problem — this hands-on guide teaches you all the fundamental techniques you need to play scales, melodies, and full-length pieces in the classical style. You get plenty of practice exercises to stretch your skills, selections from the classical repertoire, and a bonus audio CD that helps you play along with the music pieces from the book!

• Get acquainted with your guitar — familiarize yourself with the unique make-up and parts of a classical guitar
• Start making some music — play melodies on individual strings, move on to arpeggios, and get your fingers in shape with scales
• Ramp up your technique — play barres, slurs, and trills; handle harmonics; master right-hand tremolo; and venture up the neck to play in the higher positions
• Build your classical repertoire — from Renaissance and Baroque to Classical, Romantic, and Modern, play pieces from the major eras in classical music
• Practice makes perfect — improve your performance with expert guidance through each exercise and piece in the book

Open the book and find:

• Tips and techniques for playing beautiful pieces
• How to read music notation and tablature
• Basic finger and thumb strokes
• Right- and left-hand techniques
• Musical examples, charts, and photos
• Music pieces from the guitar greats
• The best ways to care for your guitar
• A step-by-step tutorial on changing your strings

Bonus CD Includes

• More than 140 recorded performances of the exercises and pieces featured in the book
• Pieces performed using a count-off, allowing you to play along in time with the music
• Tuning notes to help you tune up your guitar

Note: CD-ROM/DVD and other supplementary materials are not included as part of eBook file.

 

About the Author

Mark Phillips is a guitarist, arranger, author, and editor with more than 35 years in music publishing. Jon Chappell is a multi-style guitarist, arranger, author, and journalist, as well as a former editor-in-chief of Guitar magazine. Phillips and Chappell are also the authors of the bestselling Guitar For Dummies, 2nd Edition.

Blues Guitar For Dummies

Do you wish you could play your favorite blues music on guitar? Even if you don’t read music, it’s not difficult with Blues Guitar for Dummies. With this hands-on guide, you’ll pick up the fundamentals instantly and start jamming like your favorite blues artists! Blues Guitar for Dummies covers all aspects of blues guitar, showing you how to play scales, chords, progressions, riffs, solos, and more! It’s packed with musical examples, chords charts, and photos that let you explore the genre and play the songs of the great blues musicians. This accessible guide will give you the skills you need to:

• Choose the right guitar, equipment, and strings
• Hold, tune, and get situated with your guitar
• Play barre chords and strum to the rhythm
• Recognize the structure of a blues song
• Tackle musical riffs
• Master melodies and solos
• Make your guitar sing, cry, and wail
• Jam to any type of blues

In addition to this must-have book, a bonus CD is included so that you can listen to famous songs, practice your riffs and chords, and develop your style as a blues musician. It also features a quick guide to musical notation and suggestions on albums, artists, and guitars for further enjoyment. With Blues Guitar for Dummies, you can re-create the masterpieces of the blues legend without the expensive lessons!

 

From the Back Cover

Packed with musical examples, chord charts, and photos Re-create the sounds of the blues masters—without reading music!
Want to play the blues? Can't read music? No problem! This fun, accessible guide shows you how to play blues scales, chords, progressions, riffs, and solos. From Delta blues and modern blues to blues rock, you'll see how to use today's guitars, amplifiers, and effects to play a wide variety of styles, with hands-on guidance on changing strings for when you really boogie down.
Discover how to

• Select the right guitar and accessories
• Develop correct hand position and posture
• Explore acoustic and electric styles
• Tune your axe
• Play like a pro and improvise leads

All this on the Bonus CD-ROM

• All songs and exercises from the book
• Audio and MP3 files as well as a PC interface with track numbers, name, and time included

See the "How to Use the CD" appendix for details and system requirements.

 

About the Author

Jon Chappell is a multistyle guitarist, arranger, and author. He grew up in Chicago, attended Carnegie-Mellon University, and earned his master’s degree in composition from DePaul University. He was Editor-in-Chief of Guitar magazine and played and recorded with artists such as Big Walter Horton, Billy Branch, Pat Benatar, Judy Collins, Graham Nash, and Gunther Schuller. Jon has also contributed numerous musical pieces to TV and film.
Jon served as Associate Music Director of Cherry Lane Music, where he transcribed, edited, and arranged the music of Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Steve Morse, Bonnie Raitt, and Eddie Van Halen, among others. He has more than a dozen method books to his name and is the author of Guitar For Dummies, 2nd Edition, and Rock Guitar For Dummies (both published by Wiley), Blues Rock Riffs for Guitar (Cherry Lane), as well as the textbook The Recording Guitarist — A Guide for Home and Studio (Hal Leonard). Please visit Jon’s Web site at www.jonchappell.com for more info.

Bass Guitar For Dummies

Updated with the latest bass guitar technology, accessories, and more
The bass is the heart of music. So leave center stage to the other musicians-you have more important work to do. You can find everything you need to dominate bass in Bass Guitar For Dummies, 2nd Edition.

You'll get expert advice on the basics, like deciding what kind of bass to pick up and which accessories are necessary and which are just nice to have. Plus, you'll get step-by-step instructions for getting started, from how to hold and position your bass to reading notation and understanding chords, scales, and octaves to playing solos and fills.

• New coverage of slaps, double stops, de-tuning, and fretless techniques
• New musical exercises as well as updates to charts, illustrations, photos, and resources
• Includes bonus CD with audio clips of all the examples in the book

Whether you're a beginner picking up a bass for the first time or an experienced player looking to improve your skills, Bass Guitar For Dummies, 2nd Edition is an easy-to-follow reference that gives you just enough music theory to get you going on your way fast!

 

From the Back Cover

The fast and easy way to learn bass guitar!
The bass is the heart of music. So leave center stage to the other musicians — you have more important work to do. Whether you've never held a bass guitar or you're an experienced player looking to improve your skills, Bass Guitar For Dummies, 2nd Edition is an easy-to-follow reference that gets you playing quickly!

• The world according to bass — develop the skills you need to play bass in a band
• The bass-ics of playing — explore the techniques for turning scales and chords into great music
• Making the moves, creating the grooves — discover the joy of creating just the right groove for each musical genre and style
• Rock on (and beyond) — join the band on the CD for a journey through playing different musical styles and perfect accompani-ments to songs

"Patrick's teaching method showed me how to connect the bits of technique I'd collected into a playing style."— Adam Clayton, bass player, U2
Bonus CD Includes
Bass tracks of examples in the book for you to reference and play along with
Samples demonstrating groove styles, scales, chords, and techniques
Open the book and find:

• More than 150 grooves in many different styles
• How to change strings and perform basic maintenance
• Exercises to improve your technique
• Tips on how to play with other musicians
• Warm-ups, same-string strokes, and string crossing
• Bass styles from around the world
• Instruction on how to compose your own grooves
• Advice on which bass guitar is best for you

 

About the Author

Patrick Pfeiffer is a professional bassist, composer, clinician, and bass instructor in New York City. He has recorded with George Clinton, Jimmy Norman, Phoebe Snow, and many others. His other published books include Improve Your Groove—The Ultimate Guide for Bass and Daily Grooves for Bass. Pfeiffer is co-founder of Bass Remedies, Inc. (BassRemedies.com).

Bass Guitar Exercises For Dummies

 

Learn to play bass guitar quickly and easily with this guide and bonus interactive CD! The bass guitar is utilized in almost every single genre of music-rock, classical, jazz, metal, funk, and country just to name a few. Bass Guitar Exercises For Dummies provides bassists an opportunity to dabble with all these styles and more. Regardless of your intended musical style, this hands-on guide provides the tips and drills designed to help perfect your playing ability.

• Features a wide variety of over 300 exercises and technique-building practice opportunities tailored to bass guitar
• From classic blues bass rhythms to funk, rock, and reggae bass patterns, players of all styles benefit from the exercises and chords presented
• Shows you proper hand and body posture and fingering and hand positions
• Each lesson concludes with a music piece for you to try
• The audio CD includes practice pieces that accompany the exercises and drills presented in each section
• Helps you build your strength, endurance, and dexterity when playing bass

Whether you're a beginner bass player or you're looking to stretch your playing skills, Bass Guitar Exercises For Dummies is the book for you!

 

From the Back Cover

The fun and easy way to tune up your technique and improve your playing The bass guitar is used in almost every single genre of music — from rock to classical, jazz to funk. Regardless of your intended musical style, this hands-on guide provides the tips and drills designed to help perfect your playing ability. Whether you're a beginner player or looking to stretch your playing skills, this is the book for you!

• Know your scales — play scales straight up and down and combine them with chord arpeggios and even with grooves
• The right rhythm for the right style — accumulate a good basic repertoire of genre-specific grooves so that you sound like an expert
• Hear how it's done — listen to tracks of the author playing many of the exercises
• Develop muscle memory — play arpeggios, rhythms, grooves, and melodies, and establish the wherewithal to apply them to different styles
• Real-life applications — see how the exercises are applied in real and famous songs

Open the book and find:

• Tips for correct hand and body posture
• Instruction on fingering options and hand positions
• Exercises for tempo, time signature, phrasing, and dynamics
• Hints for developing a complete practice session
• Ways the exercises can be applied to great music
• Methods for getting comfortable with scales
• Workouts for stronger playing

Learn to:

• Master scales, chords, and arpeggios through 300 bass guitar exercises
• Grasp finger and hand position
• Refine tempo, time signature, phrasing, and dynamics

Play along with the accompanying CD
Audio CD Includes
Over 90 musical tracks of many of the book's exercises for you to listen and play along

 

About the Author

Patrick Pfeiffer has recorded with George Clinton, Phoebe Snow, Jimmy Norman (Coasters), Paul Griffin (Steely Dan), Bernard Purdie (Steely Dan), Carlos Alomar (David Bowie), and Mike Kissel's KMA All-Stars, to name a few.

Banjo For Dummies

• A complete guide to the world of the five-string banjo written for both beginners and more experienced players.
• Packed with over 120 how-to photos and 130 musical examples.
• 94 track CD included - hear and play along with every exercise and song.
• The only book to offer instruction in clawhammer, bluegrass, melodic, single-string, minstrel and classic styles.

From Earl Scruggs’ driving bluegrass picking to the genre-busting jazz fusion of Béla Fleck and the multi-million selling movie soundtrack  O Brother Where Are Thou?, the five-string banjo can be heard just about everywhere in American music these days.
Banjo For Dummies is the most complete guide to the five-string banjo ever written. It covers everything you need to get into the banjo: including how to choose, tune and care for your instrument, developing a good playing posture, fretting your first chords and getting comfortable with the left and right hand picking patterns used for clawhammer and bluegrass playing techniques. You’ll then add the left hand, spicing up your playing with slides, hammer-ons, pull-offs, and chokes for an authentic five-string banjo sound.
From there, you’ll move on the play 19th century minstrel style, early 20th century classic style as well as try your hand at more advanced examples of bluegrass style. An in-depth chapter on bluegrass music explores Scruggs licks and techniques as well as melodic and single-string styles, with song examples. Also included is a banjo buyer’s guide, a section on music theory as applied to bluegrass and old-time music, an accessories guide (advice on cases, picks, straps, metronomes, computer aids and much more), information on how to find a good teacher, banjo camp or festival, chord charts, bios of twelve influential players, practice tips and much, much more!
Banjo For Dummies is accessible and fun to read and it’s easy to locate just what you’re interested in playing. Included are 20 songs including several new compositions written by the author just for this book, including Reno Rag (single-string style), “Winston’s Jig” (Irish three-finger), and “Everyday Breakdown” (Scruggs style). All musical examples are played slowly on the accompanying CD, many with guitar and mandolin accompaniment.
Bill Evans is one of the world’s most celebrated banjo players and teachers. He has taught thousands of people to play the five-string banjo in private lessons and group workshops literally all over the world. In addition to leading the Bill Evans String Summit, Bill has performed with Dry Branch Fire Squad, David Grisman, Peter Rowan, Tony Trischka and many others and he hosts his own acclaimed banjo camp, the NashCamp Fall Banjo Retreat in the Nashville area. As an American music historian, he has taught at San Francisco State University, the University Virginia and Duke University. He has written a popular instructional column for Banjo Newsletter magazine for the last fifteen years and hosts three popular instructional DVDs for AcuTab Publications. To learn more about Bill, visit his homepage at www.nativeandfine.com.

 

From the Back Cover

Packed with how-to photos and musical examples From folk to bluegrass and beyond, play great banjo music — even if you've never played before!
Ready to jump on the banjo bandwagon? This unique how-to guide gives you the latest tips on choosing and caring for a five-string banjo while covering both the popular clawhammer and bluegrass playing styles. You'll see how to fret your first chords, incorporate slides and pull-offs, understand rhythm, play popular banjo tunes, and survive your first jam session!

• Select the right banjo and accessories
• Develop correct hand position and posture
• Play basic chords and simple tunes
• Master bluegrass and clawhammer picking
• Tune and maintain your banjo

About the Author

Banjo player Bill Evans is not to be confused with the deceased jazz piano legend or the very much living jazz saxophone player (or the Austin, Texas, real estate agent). This Bill Evans is a banjo player, performer, teacher, workshop leader, recording artist, composer, producer, record label owner, and American music historian. For a banjo player, Bill has an unusual amount of schooling. He earned his bachelor’s degree in anthropology with a specialization in folklore from the University of Virginia as a DuPont Scholar and a master’s degree in music with a specialization in ethnomusicology from the University of California, Berkeley. After completing coursework for the PhD at Berkeley with a specialization in American music and the music of Japan, Bill taught courses in ethnomusicology and American music history at San Francisco State University, Duke University, and the University of Virginia and was the Associate Director of the International Bluegrass Music Museum in Owensboro, Kentucky. A recipient of a Brown Foreman–Al Smith Artist Fellowship from the Kentucky Arts Council, Bill has also served as a consultant to the National Endowment for the Arts.
As a recording artist, Bill’s CD Native and Fine (Rounder Records) earned an honorable mention for Acoustic Instrumental Recording of the Year from NAIRD. His CD Bill Evans Plays Banjo (Native and Fine Records), featuring all original instrumental compositions, was on many “best of” lists, including those of the Chicago Tribune and County Sales. Bill earned a nomination for “Recorded Event of the Year” from the International Bluegrass Music Association for his work as producer on Suzanne Thomas’ CD Dear Friend and Gentle Hearts. As a performing artist, Bill has played with Dry Branch Fire Squad, Tony Trischka, David Grisman, Peter Rowan, Maria Muldaur, Jody Stecher, Kathy Kallick and Laurie Lewis, among others. He tours nationally with his solo show “The Banjo in America” in addition to leading his own band, the Bill Evans String Summit.
Bill is a long-time contributor to Banjo Newsletter magazine and co-hosts an annual banjo camp, the Sonny Osborne NashCamp Banjo Retreat, held each fall outside of Nashville, Tennessee. In addition, Bill participates in workshops all over North America, hosts several popular instructional DVDs for AcuTab Publications, and maintains an active private teaching practice at his home in Albany, California. His former students include Chris Pandolfi, Greg Liszt, Jayme Stone, and Eric Yates. He is the co-author of Parking Lot Picker’s Songbook: Banjo Edition from Mel Bay Publications.