What's your favorite fingerstyle notation/tab book?

[TBman]

Lately mine has been Woody Mann's "The Complete Acoustic Blues Guitar Method."

51 tunes (all instrumentals). You get a coupon in the book with directions to download all the songs from a website.

I play a few, then put it away for a few weeks or a month or so and then come back and find that tunes that I wasn't too fond of before now sound good, so its like getting a new book!

What's your favorite?

[davea5025]

At the moment, Michael Hedges - Rhythm, Sonority, Silence by John Stropes.
Its teaching me humility each and every day. Bensusan at 25 BPM.

[Step]

Working my way through the excellent Guitar Book by Pierre Bensusan...obv working through it slowly because you know... It's Bensusan and I'm... well... a mere mortal.

Also his DADGAD book has some great tunes in... although there's a few I'll not invest time in.

If anyone has any DADGAD recommendations books or tunes to learn much appreciated!!

[tbeltrans]

My favorite book is Richard Saslow's "The Art of Ragtime Guitar". The first publication of this book was on Green Note Publications, and is currently available with a new tune in addition to the original tunes, as "The New Art of Ragtime Guitar".

The book has several original ragtime style pieces written by Richard Saslow. These tunes are fairly short, and relatively easy to learn. They are fun to play and people seem to enjoy hearing them. In the book, Richard invites you to take the pieces apart by playing the melody and bass lines separately, along with paying attention to the chord progressions he uses, and then to modify the pieces to make them your own and also to make up completely new pieces of your own in this style.

I have had this book around since it was first published back in the 70s, and later got the new version too. I periodically come back to this book because these tunes are just fun to play, especially on my 101 year old Martin 0-18.

Here is the URL for those interested:

acoustictruth.com/the-art-of-ragtime-guitar

The original book had one of those floppy plastic records containing the tunes, and the new book makes the tunes available for download at no charge so you can hear them before buying the book. I have seen several performances of these tunes by various people on YouTube, so the book does seem to remain popular.

Tony

[guitargabor]

I really enjoyed Kenny Sultan's acoustic blues series.

His method demonstrates straight forward basic fingerstyle arrangements concluding with his "Master Class book" for intermediate studies.His tabs are nicely laid out and easy to understand.

Woody Mann's courses are also decent although some of the DVD shots of the fingerboard are a bit difficult to follow.The tabs are more tedious than those in Kenny Sultans book.

[Matt G]

Originally Posted by tbeltrans

My favorite book is Richard Saslow's "The Art of Ragtime Guitar". The first publication of this book was on Green Note Publications, and is currently available with a new tune in addition to the original tunes, as "The New Art of Ragtime Guitar".

The book has several original ragtime style pieces written by Richard Saslow. These tunes are fairly short, and relatively easy to learn. They are fun to play and people seem to enjoy hearing them. In the book, Richard invites you to take the pieces apart by playing the melody and bass lines separately, along with paying attention to the chord progressions he uses, and then to modify the pieces to make them your own and also to make up completely new pieces of your own in this style.

I have had this book around since it was first published back in the 70s, and later got the new version too. I periodically come back to this book because these tunes are just fun to play, especially on my 101 year old Martin 0-18.

Here is the URL for those interested:

acoustictruth.com/the-art-of-ragtime-guitar

The original book had one of those floppy plastic records containing the tunes, and the new book makes the tunes available for download at no charge so you can hear them before buying the book. I have seen several performances of these tunes by various people on YouTube, so the book does seem to remain popular.

Tony

Yes. I love this book too.

[TBman]

Originally Posted by tbeltrans

My favorite book is Richard Saslow's "The Art of Ragtime Guitar". The first publication of this book was on Green Note Publications, and is currently available with a new tune in addition to the original tunes, as "The New Art of Ragtime Guitar".

The book has several original ragtime style pieces written by Richard Saslow. These tunes are fairly short, and relatively easy to learn. They are fun to play and people seem to enjoy hearing them. In the book, Richard invites you to take the pieces apart by playing the melody and bass lines separately, along with paying attention to the chord progressions he uses, and then to modify the pieces to make them your own and also to make up completely new pieces of your own in this style.

I have had this book around since it was first published back in the 70s, and later got the new version too. I periodically come back to this book because these tunes are just fun to play, especially on my 101 year old Martin 0-18.

Here is the URL for those interested:

acoustictruth.com/the-art-of-ragtime-guitar

The original book had one of those floppy plastic records containing the tunes, and the new book makes the tunes available for download at no charge so you can hear them before buying the book. I have seen several performances of these tunes by various people on YouTube, so the book does seem to remain popular.

Tony

That's interesting, thanks.

Whoa, a $1,200 book? Seriously? (On Amazon) is this a mistake?

[lowrider]

Just ordered the Woody Mann book. I met him at Woodstock Luthiers Showcase but didn't take his clinic. I probably will next year.

[AX17609]

Originally Posted by tbeltrans

My favorite book is Richard Saslow's "The Art of Ragtime Guitar". The first publication of this book was on Green Note Publications, and is currently available with a new tune in addition to the original tunes, as "The New Art of Ragtime Guitar".

The book has several original ragtime style pieces written by Richard Saslow. These tunes are fairly short, and relatively easy to learn. They are fun to play and people seem to enjoy hearing them. In the book, Richard invites you to take the pieces apart by playing the melody and bass lines separately, along with paying attention to the chord progressions he uses, and then to modify the pieces to make them your own and also to make up completely new pieces of your own in this style.

I have had this book around since it was first published back in the 70s, and later got the new version too. I periodically come back to this book because these tunes are just fun to play, especially on my 101 year old Martin 0-18.

Here is the URL for those interested:

acoustictruth.com/the-art-of-ragtime-guitar

The original book had one of those floppy plastic records containing the tunes, and the new book makes the tunes available for download at no charge so you can hear them before buying the book. I have seen several performances of these tunes by various people on YouTube, so the book does seem to remain popular.

Tony

I'll add my vote to this one, as well. I've still got the floppy plastic record for my copy.

[reeve21]

Originally Posted by TBman

Lately mine has been Woody Mann's "The Complete Acoustic Blues Guitar Method."

51 tunes (all instrumentals). You get a coupon in the book with directions to download all the songs from a website.

I play a few, then put it away for a few weeks or a month or so and then come back and find that tunes that I wasn't too fond of before now sound good, so its like getting a new book!

What's your favorite?

Hi Barry,

I like what you are doing with those tunes on show and tell!

I also have Woody's book and agree it is excellent. The tunes are very interesting and his renditions are obviously very well played.

As a newbie to fingerstlye I find them very, very challenging and have only gotten through a couple of them.

My current favorite book in this genre is Valerie Turner's recent book. The arrangements are much simpler than Woody's, but they still sound good. I highly recommend it to folks who are not ready for Woody's excellent book.

One difference, Valerie does well known tunes (heavy on the John Hurt) as opposed to Woody doing "in the style" of originals. Here is a link to Valerie's book. She studied with both Woody and John Cephas.

http://www.piedmontbluz.com/download...itarBasics.pdf

[TBman]

Originally Posted by reeve21

Hi Barry,

I like what you are doing with those tunes on show and tell!

I also have Woody's book and agree it is excellent. The tunes are very interesting and his renditions are obviously very well played.

As a newbie to fingerstlye I find them very, very challenging and have only gotten through a couple of them.

My current favorite book in this genre is Valerie Turner's recent book. The arrangements are much simpler than Woody's, but they still sound good. I highly recommend it to folks who are not ready for Woody's excellent book.

One difference, Valerie does well known tunes (heavy on the John Hurt) as opposed to Woody doing "in the style" of originals. Here is a link to Valerie's book. She studied with both Woody and John Cephas.

http://www.piedmontbluz.com/download...itarBasics.pdf

Bob, try the one I just put in Show and Tell, Mr. Jefferson's Blues. There's a few in the book that precedes that tune that I just started working on. They're easier than the Creole tune I believe.

[reeve21]

Originally Posted by TBman

Bob, try the one I just put in Show and Tell, Mr. Jefferson's Blues. There's a few in the book that precedes that tune that I just started working on. They're easier than the Creole tune I believe.

Hi Barry,

I did glance at the Jefferson tune after listening to you play it last night...I'm not there, yet

I probably should have posted that my "favorite" book is Tommy Flint's Fingerstyle Anthology (Mel Bay) because my teacher has me buried in it.

Lots of chord fingerings that are new to me as well as a real work out on the right hand. So while I plow through "Arkansas Traveler" and "Aura Lee" (the melody used in "Love Me Tender" I come here to AGF for inspiration, and look forward to upping my skills so I can play the tunes in Woody's book some day.

I have noticed that after several months of lessons my small existing reportoire can now be played cleaner and at higher tempos so there is hope

[Mr. Paul]

This is the one that got me started on fingerstyle.

[dkstott]

I love both of the Bruce Cockburn books!!!

My current favorite is "finger picking Beatles" by Eric Schoenberg.

Another awesome set is the Pete Huttlinger songbook collection volumes 1 & 2. Great variety of genre's in it.

[TBman]

Originally Posted by dkstott

My current favorite is "finger picking Beatles" by Eric Schoenberg.
.

I have that one, great book. I bought it when it came with a cassette tape (still have that too, lol). Lady Madonna and Here, There and Everywhere are my favorites from that book.