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Mel Bay The Banjo Encyclopedia: Bluegrass Banjo from A to Z | 
 enlarge | Author: Ross Nickerson
Publisher: Mel Bay Publications
Category: Book
List Price: $29.95
Buy New: $18.23
You Save: $11.72 (39%)
New (19) Used (6) Collectible (1) from $15.73
Rating:  5 reviews
Sales Rank: 399478
Media: Paperback
Pages: 228
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.4
Dimensions (in): 11.6 x 8.5 x 0.6
ISBN: 0786670746
Dewey Decimal Number: 781
EAN: 9780786670741
ASIN: 0786670746
Publication Date: September 24, 2003
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: Brand new Book, ALL days Low Price !
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Product Description
The Banjo Encyclopedia is a comprehensive, in-depth banjo instructional tool that covers the many intricacies of bluegrass banjo playing, including numerous topics that may have been overlooked in banjo instruction to date. The Banjo Encyclopedia can take a student from the beginning, to intermediate, and right through to more advanced styles of banjo playing. Ross Nickerson uses his many years of experience helping hundreds of aspiring banjo pickers by offering the banjo student an opportunity to learn in a practical, straightforward manner. This wide-ranging banjo instructional book will focus on many techniques that will help every aspect of a banjo player's musicianship while simplifying many subjects in the learning process. The included 99-track CD recording will enable the student to learn easily by hearing author Ross Nickerson demonstrate each song, and perform many of the banjo licks and phrases included in the book slow, and up to tempo. The CD also i! ncludes an advanced song section with a full bluegrass band accompanying Ross along with additional intermediate songs for the student to learn. The Banjo Encyclopedia is undoubtedly one of the most complete five-string banjo books on the market today and a must for every banjo player's collection.
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| Customer Reviews:
Learning a different style of Banjo playing March 31, 2008
phillip Fitzsimmons
I highly recommend "The Banjo Encyclopedia: Bluegrass Banjo from A to Z". I learned to play the banjo clawhammer style about seven years ago and have enjoyed developing as an amateur banjo player. br / br /However, three-finger picking style seems to be the predominate way of playing, for some time, and I can recognize its advantages for producing a more sophisticated style. br / br /I have looked at a number of books and never taken the leap from clawhammer style to three-finger picking until now because it has taken "The Banjo Encyclopedia: Bluegrass Banjo from A to Z" to give me what I need to make that leap. br / br /I have great confidence in the book. I like the accompanying disk. I expect to grow with Ross Nickerson's method as successfully as I did previously with my teacher and books.
This has it all April 2, 2007
Happy Man (Central Ca. USA)
Very Good. who knew any one could write so much on the banjo. Very good to get goin and doin it right from the start.
Great book, but needs to be spiral bound!! February 22, 2005
Robin Koontz (Oregon)
10 out of 10 found this review helpful
I bought this based on customer reviews and it appears to be all it's cracked up to be. However I wanted to warn folks that a book this thick and perfect bound is not very practical. You will have to break the spine to get it to flatten out and actually use. Or you can have it trimmed and rebound at a print shop. I noticed that the website, BanjoTeacher.com, does offer a spiral-bound version and am sorry I didn't go that route. I just don't like tossing my credit info all over the internet, so it would be nice if Amazon could carry the spiral bound edition as well.
The way to learn banjo! November 29, 2004
Keith M. Parks (Severna Park, MD)
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
This is a great way to begin your banjo journey. I have taken lessons with Ross and he is a fantastic teacher. He has an easy way about him that draws you into the instrument instead of scaring you off it. br / br /The book is written in that very same style. It is very comprehensive but it is broken up into sections that allow you to progress naturally. You will find yourself going back to chapters well after your "beginner" stage. He shows you many different styles of playing and even how to mix them together! I think it's better than the Scruggs book. (but you should own that as well - just because) br / br /If you play banjo or are thinking about it, buy this book. Trust me.
A welcome and thorough study of the instrument October 19, 2004
J. Ross (Roseburg, OR USA)
7 out of 7 found this review helpful
In the old days, banjo techniques were passed down orally from generation to generation as part of regional and familial folklore. Today, aspiring 5-string pickers have a multitude of high quality instructional materials readily available. Ross Nickerson has an impressive resume as a performer, recording artist and teacher. One of his primary goals is to help avoid having to learn everything the hard way. He provides time saving, practical lessons and advice. The Banjo Encyclopedia is very comprehensive, covers many topics, and is a tool that should be referenced regularly. br / br /He starts at square one with the basics of holding the banjo, using picks, reading tab, tuning, positioning hands, and overcoming difficulties. Rolls and exercises are then covered. Chapters are dedicated to right hand technique, as well as that for the left hand. By the end of Chapter 3, one is learning "Banks of the Ohio" and "Bury Me Beneath the Willow." An important lesson that many books fail to present is practice habits and practicing priorities. Nickerson does a fine job emphasizing the importance of a good practicing routine. Basic Scrugg's picking is then addressed and related to the songs, "Sitting on Top of the World" and "Nine Pound Hammer." Melodic and single-string styles of playing introduce some fiddle tunes, and then the author has us put it all together along with rhythm and chordal backup. Chapter ten broaches the subject of improvisation, before we get into kickoffs, turnarounds, and endings. Playing at slower tempos and in waltz time are covered. Finally a chapter on banjo maintenance by Mike Munford addresses all the parts. Advanced songs taught include John Henry and Train 45. The accompanying CD is 78 minutes long, and clear references to the disc tracks are given throughout the book. Nickerson teaches in a very straightforward style, although I might have slightly changed the sequence of some of the instructional material. The Banjo Encyclopedia is a welcome and thorough study of the instrument, most appropriate for beginning and intermediate players. (Joe Ross, staff writer, Bluegrass Now) br /
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