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Course Comparisons
The following is a brief explanation of the purposes and differences between each of the books I have written.
Each book deals with a different aspect of playing. Each is written for the 3-finger style of playing.
For Beginning - Intermediate Level:
You Can Teach Yourself Banjo is the beginning instructional course which prepares you for all other courses. This course gives you the understanding for how songs are developed for the banjo, as well as demonstrating each lesson with a song arranged in tablature. Each lesson builds upon the previous lesson, also. By the end of this course, you should be able to pick up any other book and understand it. You should also be starting to improvise and working out arrangements to other songs on your own.
Handbook: Overview - reference book - covers wide variety of topics and includes additional roll patterns, licks, songs, set up instructions, etc.
For the Intermediate Player:
Splitting the Licks: How to improvise in Scruggs, Melodic, and Advanced styles - contains pages of licks by chord - 30 songs are arranged in tablature. The development of each arrangement is presented step by step and demonstrates process of developing arrangements in each style of 3 finger picking.
Up The Neck: How to play from the 5th-22nd frets - patterns that are commonly used and many songs. Pages of popular up the neck licks, songs demonstrating these licks, Scruggs-style, melodic style, single string, chromatic.
Back-Up: Has a lead arrangement for every song...the primary instructional content is how to play with other instruments and vocalists - what you will play when playing with other musicians.
Major Scales: Covers all 12 keys in depth, and explains how scales work with songs. Theory and exercises - excellent for developing your left and right hand technique, as well as your knowledge of the entire fingerboard.
I recommend working on one scale for a month before moving to the next scale.
Famous Picking Tunes:
A great little book/cd at a great price which has fun to play arrangements of about 30 well known tunes arranged for players at all levels.
Janet Davis
Instruments - Parts -
Accessories
- Books/Courses - Software
- Recorders - Videos/DVD
- CDs
