Customer Reviews

Mel Bay's You Can Teach Yourself Banjo

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book is very clearly written with easy to follow tablature and a CD to let you hear what an exercise or song should sound like. There is also a DVD included, but I haven't used it, yet. For someone like me who can't afford to pay for lessons, and who has no friends close by with whom I can play and share banjo hints and tips, this book is ideal. The lessons use a nice selection of traditional banjo tunes and include the main rolls and picking patterns and effects a decent banjo player needs to know. I feel that when I finish working my way through this book, I will have the basics I need to continue to learn and improve my skills as well as the ability to play along with a group without embarassing myself.

Like most self-teaching books, it is hard to tell when you should move on to the next lesson. After a year of using the book, my progress stalled and I started to take lessons from a local banjo instructor. The instructor felt that the book moved too fast - I was half way through it when I sought professional help! However, the book has enough to get you started and I use a lot of the early material as warm-up exercises.

I inherited my father's banjo when he became frustrated at a lack of progress in his lessons and gave up. I found this book at Amazon and have not needed a single lesson. The lessons here are well thought out, and progress from least to greater difficulty. Best of all, you learn full songs, not just a handful of "licks" that comprise songs. Within weeks, I was playing songs "down the neck." I like the way Janet Davis breaks down songs into parts to learn, and then puts them back together when you have mastered the skills needed to play. I play everyday using techniques I have learned in this book -- and have fun doing so. Now, how about a "You Can Teach Yourself Intermediate Banjo" book.

I bought this book about 2 weeks into owning a banjo. It breaks techniques down into easy snippets. You learn things a little at a time then string them together into songs. The CD is great, and makes it really easy to pick up things by ear. At about 3 months into playing banjo, and about 20 lessons in, I'm amazed at how much I can play. I own several other popular banjo books, and this one is by far the easiest to learn from. I recommend it to anyone thinking of taking up banjo.

I used this book in conjunction with Bluegrass Banjo for the Complete Ignoramus (Book & CD set) ... both approach finger picking in completely different directions. Where Janet Davis has you jump straight into finger rolls and chords, Wayne Erbsen gets you going with first just picking the melody and adding on as you gain proficiency. Frankly, I had found the two went well together, practicing rolls/chords via Davis and then for the 2nd half of a practice section, following along with Erbsen's instruction. This seemed to cut down the inevitable fretting/picking frustration and maintain that critical sense of fun and progress.

You can teach Yourself Banjo by itself, however, strikes me as -possibly- a little too overbearing for a total novice to approach absolutely alone. I personally would recommend the book but only in hand-in-hand with another source of instruction, like a teacher, DvD (the one included doesn't really count) or book - like Wanye Erbsen's!

This, in my opinion, is almost the perfect beginner banjo book. I purchased it and was amazed at how fast I was learning! It's written so that someone with literally no musical background can understand it. And you jump right into playing songs. I found the DVD and CD to be an excellent resource. Also, on [...] you can get back up music to every song in the book for free, you just click the name of the song and i pops up in your media player. Altho, my only complaint about the entire set is that Janet doesn't mention anything about how to build speed, which kind of surprised me, because thats really what give the banjo it's reputation. Hindsight 20/20, I would buy the set again. I wouldn't own any other book. Period. I know a guy that bought the You Can Teach Yourself Fiddle, by Janet Davis and he swears by it too. Well gotta go so i can get back to my Banjo. Hey I'm having a great time with this, and if you buy it you will too.

Thanks

This book is perfect for any beginner banjo student, no matter what musical background they have. I teach banjo professionally and this is the text book I use for all of my new students.

Although I'm not done yet with the whole book, so far so good! The method is quite easy to follow, very didactic and straight-forward... Theory is presented step-by step, intertwined with songs that illustrate the point just covered for you to practice... If things keep on going like that, hope I'll be playing the banjo quite satisfactorily in a little while! In general, a good source for those wanting to learn the basics of banjo-playing.

I like this book. It's straightforward and to the point. I haven't gotten very far, but I understand rolls and tableture and now I think it's all about practice, practice, practice!