Required Reading for all Fiddlers
593953
I have been using Fiddler for years, but this book taught me things that I hadn't learn yet. I am way more efficient with Fiddler especially using FiddlerScript.
3903627
Kenny Baker is in my opinion the best bluegrass fiddler ever. The  rendition of Gold Rush is awesome. Kenny plays from the heart and you can  hear it. Love his style.
4566028
Aly Bain is an astonishingly good fiddler.  He plays with a beautiful tone, his notes are clean and crisp, his ornamentation is lightning fast and tastefully done.  Which makes it all that much more frustrating that absolutely no effort at all has been put into explaining any of the bowing or fingering techniques he uses.  Just the barebone notes are given, and no chords either.  Definitely worth having though if you enjoy fiddle, for the sheer listening enjoyment.

If you're looking for a good instructional series, I recommend Kevin Burke's in the Homespun series.  There's a six-disc audio version and a two-DVD set.  I've got both and they're both worth having.  Kevin's also an excellent fiddler, and he breaks down the tunes and shows all the nuances and subtlties to Irish-style playing.
3515592
If you are looking to purchase a fiddle book, this is definitely the best one to buy. This book contains about 400 tunes and the quality of the tunes is fantastic. Every single tune in this book sounds great and can be ornamentated dozens of ways with plenty of room to make the tune your own. One of the best features of this book is the spiral binding. The binding is great because you don't have to constantly bend your book to get it to stay open on the stand. Another great feature is that the book is organized alphabetically so you can find your tune quickley during a jam. There is also an index which organizes the tunes by key and type which makes it really easy to come up with your own sets. There are even detailed notes on each song. Some of the notes even give suggestions on how to add some ornamentation to the tune.

Overall, this book is great, but there are two things which are worth noting.

-The pages are quite thin and could tear easily.

-The book is very thick but it's only about 8.5 inches tall. This could make it difficult for people with weak eyesight to see some of the tunes.
1937292
Great to see an album of fiddling from this excellent Canadian fiddler.  A nice assortment of tunes to please everyone.  All but one track, (Trouble Among the Yearlings) he's accompanied by a piano.  I think my favorite is Reel Point Au Pic.
3007440
The photos and text explanations of the step by step construction are easy to understand yet very detailed. I was floored at how deeply and thoroughly each step was explained.

I agree that the sections on plate tuning and varnishing were not as thorough as necessary to make a GREAT sounding violin, but honestly, these topics are whole other subjects themselves and SHOULD require extra reading by anyone who is serious about making a perfect instrument.
3957628
I've been playing pipes for 14 years and learned more than a few tips from Chris Apps' book. He covers not only chanter reeds extensively but also cane and synthetic drone reeds. Next time that F is acting up you'll wish you had this book as a reference.
I purchased the Kindle version and keep it on my home computer, Android phone and tablet... it's always handy if I need it.
4739382
My fiddle teacher uses this book for her beginner students.  That was my purpose in ordering.  It is full of simple tunes which teach skills as well as the tunes.  The print is easy to read.  Would recommend this to anyone who is a beginner.
2196050
This is a great music book for beginner fiddlers who aren't familiar with old time fiddle tunes.  The pages are large with only one tune on a page, making the notes very easy to read.  The accompanying cd really helps to get the tune in your head before you start to read the music and the moderate tempo makes it easier to learn.  I have several Mel Bay music books and love all of them!
4244667
I really love the viola! This All for Strings book taught me very well! I highly recommend this string method! This book teaches you all of the following:

grand staff
Alto clef
Sharps
naturals
key signatures
pick up notes
repeat sign
first and second endings
tie
fermata
ritard
da capo al fine
da capo al coda
dal segno al fine
solo
ensemble
divisi
arco
pizzicato
down bow
up bow
bow lift
slur
bow divisions
slurred staccato bowing
lour&eacute; bowing
dynamics
rhythm
Isn't that a lot? This is a FANTASTIC BOOK!
1533420
Nice Fiddle Course...Easy & Big Help w/ my Basic Learning......seem to HELP ME & Encourages Me tooooo!  Improving "DAILY" and really Help Me to Really Want to Give It My Best....Yes Its a Big Big Help!  Great Course!  Thanx, LesH
4679624
Patrick Costello's book started as "a couple of pages covering tuning and basic banjo skills" to get some high school kids started in another teacher's after school program. It's that basic, but it's also rooted in his deep understanding of musical theory and human nature. I'm a beginner, finishing my first year and probably 250 hours of practice, and I've collected many of the instruction books that pop up on Amazon when you search on "clawhammer." You really can't have too many of those books, because there's likely to be something useful in any of them, even if it's just learning there are a lot of ways to teach the same thing.
This book is unique, though, because anyone who picks it up can enjoy Costello's stories of his life of musical adventures. I left the book on the kitchen table when it arrived, and my wife, who's not a musician, started reading his anecdotes and laughing, and pointed me to those I had not yet seen. She loves the stories, because Costello is a great story teller. The stories are not just diversions, though. He tells them to teach things through examples from experience. The opening anecdote's a great example. It ends with the lines, "First thing you've got to do is slow down.... It's the rhythm, kid.... That's got to stay the same no matter what happens.... OK now, son, get lost. Go on and work on that. Don't come back until you can do like we showed you," which was advice to Costello at the beginning of his banjo life. At the end of the book, Costello tells us, too, to, "Get lost" and go play.
You could go a long way on the advice in these quotes from a story that's great for a beginner, whether the story is real, anecdotal or apocryphal. Costello provides what you need to start Old Time clawhammer banjo, and if we all follow the advice (slow it down, keep the rhythm, and "get lost" and PLAY until we can do what we've just learned the way it's described), there'll be a lot more music and a lot less book collecting among the beginners, sooner rather than later.
Costello teaches chords, but he's teaching us to pick the banjo within the structure of those chords and within the relationships among those chords, not just to strum. The purist may say that's not real old time banjo, but it is, just as much as the great modal mountain fiddle music that defies chording, because the old time banjo is an instrument for entertaining all folks who love a good song as much as it is part of the modal mountain tradition. Costello points out right away that, "...if all you ever manage to learn is the basic strum and three chords, you can play thousands, yes thousands, of songs." Now, that's encouragement for someone who wants to play AND sing with others of like mind. What's more, he's put a lot of songs, with the words no less, in this book.
Now, there are other approaches to teaching old time banjo picking epitomized by the advice from one guy I've heard, who says more or less that you probably should stick to one tune for months before you try another. If you've got the guts after hearing this advice to play anywhere but in your bedroom until you come out like a mayfly, play your tune, & disappear, you're tougher than I am.
Costello's book encourages you to make music, because that's the point. Getting it right just means slowing down, keeping the rhythm and singing along, and that's the sort of approach that will free the beginner from solitary confinement. There's plenty here to teach clawhammer technique, with the subtleties of double thumbing, drop thumbing, pulling off, hammering on, sliding and, well, that's about it for most books except to provide more & more difficult ways to use those pieces of the technique. Costello teaches the technique, but in the background there's both his mastery of theory and his great philosophy of sharing music with others.
I've learned something from each old time banjo book on my music stand. This one is on top. It's inspiring and fun, and it has something for your friends and family to enjoy while you're lost, playing the music and singing the songs.
2711836
As a beginning bluegrass guitar advocate, I find this book to be an absolute must have for any "student".. I had purchased numerous books/CDs prior to obtaining this book...I wish I had known about this book/CD sooner.  The contents of the book are clear and easily understood. I highly recommend the book to anyone who wants to learn bluegrass guitar.  Be aware, there is an additional CD from Dennis Caplinger (Bluegrass Guitar Basics & Beyond) that I also highly recommend.
2277453
Amazing teacher. Amazing book. I would highly recommend this book as well as all of his books for anyone looking to learn frailing banjo. The only reason I know how to play the banjo is this man's books and youtube videos.

Get this book as well as his others. A book of five strings is another awesome resource.
1054211
I've strung up a spruce topped Lanikai tenor ukulele in low G using a Worth brown low G string. I've enjoyed collecting folk songs to play and sing using this instrument. I found this book interesting in giving a history of folk and bluegrass music. I also discovered new songs I hadn't been aware of before. I use Google to search for more chords and verses and come up with very nice versions of the songs. This book was worth every penny and even gives just enough music theory to be helpful but not overwhelming. Highly recommended!
1479247
While this is an obvious and excellent reading choice for knitters that experience pain, I highly recommend this book to those who teach knitting.  Mr. Demers gives contracts and comparisons of knitting style and innumerable examples of efficient ergonomics and bad habits to look out for.  Thank you for writing this important first of its kind book.
2924081
'Round about eight years ago I purchased the book and the companion two videos by Ken. I had played at banjo for many years and when great teachers became available through video I started with Ken's set. Today you can get the DVD versions and have a less frustrating time because of the non-linear access. I had limited exposure to tablature as there really was not much around for any styles of banjo.
I guess one could learn much by the DVDs alone but the method was built on page by page coordination with the book. By fully learning the examples before going too much further beyond the technique being covered, I learned tab by working at it. It is also important to listen to much, much of the style you are going after. There are many outlets currently available by simple a stroke of the keyboard.
Ken Perlman's method is the one I would strongly recommend to anyone starting out to learn clawhammer banjo, as it does go on into more interesting studies without changing the momentum of finding another teacher or special media etc. After Ken's program I would suggest Ben Holt. He has two DVDs to build repertoire and "shading" of the song. IF someone just cannot get tablature, Muphy Henry's "Clawhammer 1&2" by Lynn Morris is Great! get them any way.
Summary: Ken's study system of book work and careful slow example of the music is second to none. The only comment I would make is the video technique is dated and the picture of the tree behind him looks like he has a branch out the ear, but that does not take away from the value of a professional teacher and performing musician of three decades truly wanting to share his earned expression of this American tradition. To progress you must work.