Mel Bay's You Can Teach Yourself Mandolin [Paperback]

Dix Bruce (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 1993

You Can Teach Yourself Mandolin is written as a teach-yourself text with play-along examples and tunes on the companion recording. In the author's words, "It is aimed at helping you get started immediately on your way to mandolinhood by giving you the basics of the mandolin and mandolin playing." With this informal, often humorous text, Dix Bruce will guide you step-by-step through the basics of learning this versatile instrument. Learn all about accompanying yourself and others, common chords, and useful strums, reading simple melodies, playing a colorful assortment of mandolin folk songs, and more. All musical examples and tunes are written in both standard notation and tablature. Diagrams of all the principal chords used on the mandolin are shown in the Chord Appendix, making this book a particularly useful study aid for the beginning mandolinist. Illustrated with drawings and photographs of vintage instruments.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Dix Bruce, a musician, composer, and writer from the San Francisco Bay Area, was born and raised in the Midwest. His interest in American folk music, jazz, and original composition are blended into a unique vocal and instrumental sound. His compositions are fresh and his energetic, exuberant stage personality, along with his driving rhythm and lead work, set the tone for a warm and exciting performance. He began playing guitar at age twelve. After college, he relocated to the Bay Area where his interest in hybrid acoustic string music led him to David Grisman's prototype quintet in the mid-1970's. Bruce eventually teamed up with the mandolinist and edited the magazine Mandolin World News from 1978 until 1984. In 1978 Bruce formed the band Back Up and Push to explore the emerging possibilities of swing and jazz on acoustic stringed instruments. The band toured the west coast throughout the 1980s and accompanied Bruce on his release Tuxedo Blues, which features many of his original instrumental and vocal compositions. Dix Bruce has done studio work on guitar, mandolin, and banjo and has recorded two albums with mandolin legend Frank Wakefield, six big band CDs with the Royal society Jazz Orchestra, and his own collection of American folk songs entitled My Folk Heart on which he plays guitar, mandolin, and autoharp as well as sings. In 1991 he contributed two original compositions to the soundtrack of Harrod Blank's acclaimed documentary Wild Wheels. he has released two CDs of traditional American songs with and originals with guitarist Jim Nunally. Dix arranged, composed, played mandolin, and recorded music for the CD-ROM computer game "The Sims" for the Maxis Corporation. His music is featured on a virtual radio station within the game. Mr. Bruce currently has over twenty publications in print with Mel Bay. He has also written for Acoustic Guitar Magazine, FRETS, Bluegrass Unlimited, and The Fretted Instrument Guild of America.

Product Details

• Paperback: 104 pages
• Publisher: Mel Bay Publications, Inc. (February 1, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1562224476
• ISBN-13: 978-1562224479
• Product Dimensions: 11.6 x 8.5 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,045,250 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

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5.0 out of 5 stars bruce dix mando book, October 13, 2011

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Phyllis Rundell (GUNNISON, CO, US) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Mel Bay's You Can Teach Yourself Mandolin (Paperback)

I am amazed at how talented this author must be. Some of the old photos are amazing. I wish I had the CD or cassette tape that goes along with this book.