THE ULTIMATE BANJO SONGBOOK, 26 Favorites Arranged for 5-String Banjo. 2CD TABLATURE
Various Composers. A great collection of banjo classics, including: Alabama Jubilee -Bye Bye Love -Duelin' Banjos -The Entertainer -Foggy Mountain Breakdown -Great Balls of Fire - Lady of Spain -Rawhide -(Ghost) Riders in the Sky (A Cowboy Legend) -Rocky Top -San Antonio Rose -Tennessee Waltz - UFO-TOFU -You Are My Sunshine, and more. 148 pages.
Series: Banjo
Softcover with CD - TAB
Author: Janet Davis
148 pages.
This book contains arrangements for all levels of players to enjoy. It also includes arrangements for the
player who is ready to move to the next level. If an arrangement seems too simple, look behind it-there will
be another version and/or alternate licks. These are derived from arrangements I have used with my students
and in my own performances. Each can be learned as it is written, or, alternate licks are offered so that you can
interchange them with the corresponding measures in the arrangements to form an entirely different version.
Each measure is numbered to make this process easy and fun.
The title, Ultimate Banjo Songbook, is a challenging title and one I have endeavored to justify. The publisher
named the book, and together we determined which song titles were to be included. All of the songs are well
known and respected in a particular area of musical genre, all are great banjo tunes, and each of these is a
special song in some way-either in the history of music, through its composers, and/or in bluegrass music
in particular.
A brief history is included with each song. Many of the lyrics are also included. I hope this will enhance the
player's appreciation for the song as well as his/her understanding of the song and its roots. Interestingly, during
my research, I discovered that 20 percent of these songs are official state songs. I was not aware of this
when the song titles were selected as the "ultimate songs" for this book. The research stemmed primarily
from encyclopedias, magazine articles, the internet, and album liner notes.
With the word "ultimate" in mind, I tried to include songs from a variety of musical styles: bluegrass, ragtime,
swing, pop, rock' n' roll, and jazz. These are arranged in a variety of three-finger picking styles: traditional
bluegrass style, melodic/fiddle style, chromatic style, single-string style, triplet-style, jazz-style, and
combinations of these. These will also be identified when they are applied. The first version for each song is
a standard arrangement in the three-finger style in which the song is traditionally performed.
In addition to the standard key of G in G tuning, several songs are arranged in other keys while the banjo
remains in G tuning, including minor keys. Likewise, one song is offered both in G tuning and in D tuning,
and one is offered in G minor tuning as well as G tuning. Additionally, a link or passage is included, which
can be used to modulate from one key to the other, in order to combine the arrangements. "Foggy Mountain
Breakdown" includes a harmony part as well.
These tunes include a wide variety of tempos, from slow to breakdown speed. Also, waltzes are contrasted with
the standard 4/4 time, and Spanish rhythms, Western swing, jazz rhythms, and more can be found.
The songs are arranged for all playing levels. These can be played for enjoyment alone, or for the more
ambitious, a study on improvisation with multiple versions is offered with each song. There are infinite
ways to arrange one song for the banjo. Many of the alternate licks are included to a) simplify, b) make more
difficult, c) embellish, d) offer a different effect, e) offer a different picking style for a tune, and more.
These arrangements have been very effective with my students, and I hope you will enjoy them also.
As always, happy pickin'!
Janet Davis
This book is designed for use by banjo enthusiasts of all skill levels. By featuring multiple versions of each song, the book provides valuable material for the beginner to advanced player. The package also includes 2 CDs that contain demos for listening playing along.
ALSO INCLUDED:
Multiple Variations and versions for each song
Alternate licks, endings, segues, and turnarounds
Various tunings and Keys
Song lyrics and History
5-string Banjo Tablature
Standard 4/4
Waltzes
Spanish Rhythms
Western Swing
Jazz Rhythms
Traditional Bluegrass style
Melodic fiddle style
Chromatic Style
Single string style
Triplet style
Jazz Style
BLUEGRASS
RAGTIME
ROCK 'N' ROLL
POP
SWING
e altro
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PREFACE
INTRODUCTION AND GUIDELINES
TABLATURE & RHYTHM
Songlist:
(Ghost) Riders In The Sky (A Cowboy Legend)
Alabama Jubilee
Blue Moon Of Kentucky
Bugle Call Rag
Bye Bye Love
Duelin' Banjos
Faded Love
Farewell Blues
Fireball Mail
Foggy Mountain Breakdown
Gold Rush
Great Balls Of Fire
How Great Thou Art
Lady Of Spain
Limehouse Blues
Orange Blossom Special
Red Wing
Roanoke
Rocky Top
San Antonio Rose
Tennessee Waltz
The Entertainer
UFO-TOFU
Wheel Hoss
Yesterday
You Are My Sunshine
Italiano
English
