Mel Bay Master Anthology of Mandolin Solos, Vol. 1 [Sheet music]

Mel Bay (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 2000

Mel Bay's Master Anthology of Mandolin Solos Volume One is designed to enhance the repertoire of the intermediate to advanced mandolinist with a generous collection of challenging pieces. Contributors include Alan Bibey, Bud Orr, Simon Mayor, John McGann, Jody Stecher, Joe Carr, Dan Gelo, Matt Flinner, Seth Austern, Ray Valla, Jethro Burns, Rob Haines, Ely Karasik, Terry Pender, Carlo Aonzo, Eugene Hayth, Butch Baldassari, Robert Bancalari, and many others. Standard notation and tablature are offered for most of the pieces (a few are notation only), along with a biographical sketch of the performer. A set of 2 CDs is included, making this an ideal sourcebook for serious students and professionals alike. The CDs contain performances of most of the pieces in the book.

Product Details

• Sheet music: 264 pages
• Publisher: Mel Bay Publications, Inc. (February 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786652926
• ISBN-13: 978-0786652921
• Product Dimensions: 11.7 x 8.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,695,976 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars For true mandolin enthusiasts, May 12, 2007

By 

Matthew W. Gudenius "Media Guru" (Ellicott City, MD) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Mel Bay Master Anthology of Mandolin Solos, Vol. 1 (Sheet music)

This book/CD (2 CDs) set would best be described as an introduction to various American and international mandolinists, their artistic styles, and the range of music that can be expressed with a mandolin.

As a practice/training tool, the book can be difficult as it contains very few "basics" and staples of typical mandolin repertoire. In addition, the works highlight the craft of various mandolin artists and masters, and as such can sometimes be rather complex or difficult for a novice or intermediate player to achieve ... though there's certainly no harm in pushing your limits.

If you are looking for a collection of music that covers the "basics" or roots music, this is not the book for you. If you are looking to develop a solid foundation of basic skills, techniques, and compositions this is also not the book for you. But if you are curious or excited about the variety of music that can feature the mandolin, this is the collection to get. If you are fan of listening to music featuring mandolin, this book can serve as a great springboard to discovering the work of talented musicians. Although the songs will not likely become a part of your regular repertoire, they serve a great role in inspiring you to explore your own sounds and push the limits of how expressive the mandolin can be.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Compendium will keep you busy for a long time, March 12, 2007

By 

Weary Traveller "swampstomper" (Enschede, OV Netherlands) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Mel Bay Master Anthology of Mandolin Solos, Vol. 1 (Sheet music)

This book/CD delivers exactly what it says: a huge variety of mandolin stylings and stylists, all on the CD and written out in notes and tab. The great majority of tunes are not standards (so this won't help you directly in your next bluegrass jam session), but interesting pieces which illustrate the range of the mandolin and the various approaches to it.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars unreal level of difficulty, December 22, 2010

By 

Caraculiambro (La Mancha and environs) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Mel Bay Master Anthology of Mandolin Solos, Vol. 1 (Sheet music)

This is an anthology of solos written and performed by some of the most famous names in mandolin playing: past masters. For the most part, they are playing on the CD the exact notes you hear on the page, but the level of difficulty is beyond advanced.

Let's just say that I can't ever realistically expect to be as good at the mandolin as these guys are. For me, it's more of a museum piece.