our famous stained glass window
House of Musical Traditions
7010 Westmoreland Ave.
Takoma Park, MD 20912
TEL: 301-270-9090
FAX: 301-270-3010
email

HOURS: 11 am - 7 pm
Tuesday through Saturday
11 am - 5 pm Sunday & Monday

home page
instruments
accessories
books
recordings
mail orders
contact us

rentals repairs music lessons concerts about HMT
Catalog > Books > Banjo > Tenor Banjo updated May 5, 2008

Tenor Banjo Books

50 Solos for Irish Tenor Banjo -- by Gerry O'Connor and David McNevin. Book/CD set $36.95
The most comprehensive collection of banjo tunes currently available by two of the finest banjo players in Irish traditional music. Contains 50 tunes, featuring jigs, reels, and hornpipes arranged for E,A,D,G and A,D,G,C tunings. CD included.
Absolute Beginners Irish Tenor Banjo -- by Gerry O'Connor, DVD $32.95
For the absolute beginner banjo player, this 75 minute DVD takes you from your first notes to your first solo in an easy, step-by-step manner. It features live stage performances with Gavin Ralston on guitar and Paul McNevin on fiddle. Gerry's unique style of playing has gained him the reputation of being the world's greatest Irish tenor banjo player ever.
Complete Guide to Learning Irish Tenor Banjo -- by Gerry O'Connor, Book/CD set $31.95
This book/CD set explains the anatomy of the tenor banjo, how it came to be used in Irish traditional music, and other background information while teaching the student how to play with authority. Music reading and banjo techniques are presented gradually, with the tunes arranged in progressive order of difficulty. The 64-page book presents 30 well-known Irish tunes in notation and tablature. Beginner to intermediate level.
Complete Tenor Banjo Method -- by Mel Bay $14.95
104 pages. The finest tenor banjo method available, this text represents Mel Bay's own approach to fundamental musicianship for those desiring to play tenor banjo. Easy-to-understand and thorough in its approach, this method addresses both melody playing and chord strumming. Through numerous studies, folk songs and several duets, students are systematically introduced to the various notes and positions on the tenor banjo fretboard. Photos of the fretboard fingertips aid in learning the proper hand positions. Once in two volumes, this method is now presented it its entirety in this single comprehensive edition. In notation only.
First Lessons: Tenor Banjo -- by Joe Carr. Book with CD, optional DVD. $7.95
The great sound of tenor banjo is a cornerstone of Dixieland and traditional jazz. Using classic favorites, Joe Carr teaches the basics of accompaniment, basic melody and the popular chord melody style. Chords and melody are combined to produce professional sounding solo arrangements. This book/CD combo includes play-along practice tracks that speed up the learning process. It doesn't get any easier! Also available as a book/CD/DVD set.
Fun With the Tenor Banjo -- by Mel Bay. $5.95
A good beginner's text showing tuning, basic chords, and songs to sing and strum. Companion play-along CD is available. Standard banjo tuning.
Irish Tenor Banjo - Complete Techniques -- by Gerry O'Connor, DVD $32.95
60 minutes. Gerry O'Connor shares his extensive knowledge and skills with you. He carefully demonstrates each of his sensational techniques, then features them in solos performed live on stage, accompanied by some of Ireland's foremost musicians. Features triplets, cross picking, hammer-ons, pull-offs, scales, arpeggios, and much, much more!
Learning Tenor Banjo -- by Buddy Wachter, Homespun DVD $29.95
60 minutes. Buddy Wachter teaches essentials of pick technique: proper wrist and hand positions, the tremolo, accents and dynamics, developing speed and control, and ten basic strums. Learn movable chords and left-hand exercises for strength and coordination, plus chord theory and basic positions for major, minor, 7th, augmented and diminished chord formations. Invaluable knowledge to enable you to move on to playing virtually any tune on the banjo. Includes chords and book.
Tenor Banjo Chords -- by Mel Bay $5.95
32 pages. This picture/diagram chord book shows all of the basic chords for four-string or tenor banjo. For all of the major, minor, seventh, diminished, augmented, and ninth chords there is a photo of the fingering on the banjo fretboard and a diagram. Major seventh, minor seventh, sixth, minor sixth, seventh augmented fifth, and seventh diminished fifth chords are shown in diagram form only. The introduction discusses how to hold the banjo, tuning (low to high C- G-D-A), and more. Also suitable for mandola.
Tenor Banjo Chord Encyclopedia -- by Mel Bay $10.95
64 pages. A very comprehensive collection of chord forms in every key for tenor banjo. The most thorough tenor banjo chord book available.
Tenor Banjo Christmas Songbook -- by Lee "Drew" Andrews $7.95
32 pages. Featuring 28 well-known Christmas songs arranged for easy tenor banjo with chord symbols for an accompaniment instrument. Book contains chord diagrams for tenor banjo and guitar as well as common strum patterns to use for rhythm backup. All songs are arranged in standard notation and tablature for tenor banjo.
Tenor Banjo Melody Chord Playing System -- by Mel Bay $14.95
117 pages. Mel Bay's own step-by-step method for melody chord performance. Also suitable for tenor mandola. Written primarily in standard notation with tablature and fretboard diagrams given for chord patterns, this book might be considered a sequel to the Complete Tenor Banjo Method. After a few pages of elementary information, the author goes to the heart of the matter with challenging exercises and solos presented in order of difficulty in various keys. The book also includes a thorough education in chord construction from simple triads to thirteenth diminished ninth chords. Most importantly, the author offers a system for learning to apply tenor banjo chords in a creative manner.