Product Description

This book/CD package features easy to follow instruction for the beginner to learn bluegrass mandolin. Includes lead playing and rhythm technique, with a complete chord chart. Each song is written in music notation and tablature and the songs are played at 2 speeds on the accompanying CD (slow for practicing and up tempo for performing). Songs include Worried Man Blues, Wildwood Flower, Cripple Creek, John Hardy, Red Haired Boy, Sally Goodin, Soldier's Joy, 8th of January, Billy In The Lowground, Blackberry Blossum, Bill Cheatum, Old Joe Clark, and Salt Creek.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #495906 in Books
• Published on: 1992-06-01
• Binding: Paperback
• 56 pages

About the Author
Bert Casey has been a professional performer and teacher in the Atlanta area for over 25 years. Bert plays several instruments (acoustic guitar, electric guitar, bass guitar, mandolin, banjo, and flute) and has written 5 books (Acoustic Guitar Primer, Electric Guitar Primer, Bass Guitar Primer, Mandolin Primer, and Flatpicking Guitar Songs) and has made four videos (Introduction to Acoustic Guitar, Introduction to Electric Guitar, Introduction to Bass Guitar, and Introduction to Mandolin Video ). He is a professional instructor at ABC Music, which he owns, and also records extensively in his studio, where he has done the sound track to several movies. He performed several years with Home Remedy and is currently performing in the Atlanta area with his band Blue Moon.

Customer Reviews

Very Helpful.
I have never played the mandolin or any stringed instrument before, but I feel like I'm learning quite a bit through the use of this book. The Bert Casey video makes it easier to see how to place your fingers so you should get that as well as the book/CD.

Excellent Beginner's Book
This is an excellent first book for aspiring mandolin players. It doesn't assume or require any preexisting knowledge of the instrument or musical notation since, as pointed out by a prior reviewer, it provides visual scores or tablature of finger placement. The book also provides very helpful practical tips on such things as tuning, recommending, for example, the purchase of an inexpensive electronic tuner. I followed that advice and bought a Korg CA-30 and used it not only to successfully tune the mandolin but also my guitar which I had for years previously tuned "by ear" with varying degrees of success. Mr. Casey is also straight-forward in making it clear that learning the Mandolin takes a lot of practice and, at least until you develop some callouses on your finger tips, sometime painful practice. However, if you are diligent in following his lesson plans, you will learn to play the mandolin to an extent that will amaze not only your friends but yourself.

Very good
Very good as a beginners course. It has both the standard music notation and tablature, which allows you to choose how to study. Tablature is easier and quicker to learn. This book is about the bluegrass style.
The cd has all songs from the book. It's a pleasure to learn to play the mandolin with this book.