Customer Reviews

Bluegrass Banjo

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Tried a few books, then started working through Wernick's. Starts simple and builds up with more complex patterns and fingerings. Though originally I tired of the same few songs being repeated using new concepts, I now appreciate it as I get better at accentuating the melody within the picking. The other books I tried progressed too slow, and the Skruggs book was a little too sink or swim for me and just didn't flow well for a beginner. After finishing up through the intermediary section of Wernick's, I'm flying through the Skruggs book. Basically, I use Wernick's for study, and Skrugg's for songs. The CD is great if your not taking lessons at the same time, since you definetly need to pay attention to the timing and sounds of your rolls, pull offs, hammer ons and slides. The songs on the CD are a little too fast for the beginner to play along with, but they give you an idea where your heading.

This is a great book but you should be aware of a few issues. First of all, the CD that comes with the book was obviously an afterthought. It only has a few simple lesson excerpts on it along with a few dazzling banjo performances and is basically useless. Second, the tab is written is a non-standard format whereby the numbers are written between the lines not on the lines. This may seem to be a minor point but is quite frustrating for me. That said, the book contains some great tunes to work through. Additionally, there are some really interesting essays in the back which banjo players will find fascinating. This book has stayed in print quite a long time which is testimony to its timeless quality.

I bought my first banjo in a music store in Northampton, MA back in 1976 (a Harmony, complete with plastic resonator!). Given the choice between a Mel Bay primer and this book, I opted for the latter and am glad I did. Pete covers the basic techniques in an easy to understand manner, and takes a very encouraging tone in the way he presents the material. No one book can cover every aspect of playing, but this one gives the aspiring player a good first look at how to play bluegrass banjo. Pay attention to what Pete says about synchopation - it's really important!

Once you get comfortable with the techniques presented in this book, I'd suggest getting the Scruggs book, a copy of "Foggy Mountain Banjo," and really have at it!

The problem with information on learning the banjo isn't a lack thereof - it's just the opposite. There are tons of available books, CDs, DVDs, online printed and video lessons; some free, some at a minimal cost.

This particular one is from a series that includes bluegrass guitar, bluegrass mandolin, and others. I had used the guitar and mandolin books back in the 80s, so ordered this for the banjo. Two principal complaints: the first is that the tablature is hand-drawn, with notes "on top" of the assigned string, rather than "in" it. Example:

__0__

versus --0--

No doubt an artifact of when it was published, before computers and .txt files.

The other is that it contains a 33 rpm thin plastic record, rather than a CD. Much less user-friendly; again, a function of when it was published.

I really needed more of a beginners book, also, my book didnot have a cd in the back. I believe that could help me.

Kay Clower

I bought this book some time ago. It is great and filled with a lot of useful information. My copy came with a "built in" soft record that you could play on a phonograph. Is this "record" now
available as a CD ?

Regards Dan

This is a good book for the most part. The only problem with it is sometimes i have a hard time reading the "handwritten" tabs from more than a foot away.

I must admit that I was skeptiacal at first when I saw Mr. Wernick's book on this here wesite. But by Job! He done a great job. This is a good'un. I erspeicllay liked the way he explains all the ailements of playin bluegrass. In just three weeks I was playin and hootin and hollerin with the kinfolk. You should just go out and buy this book. You here?