ACCORDION
Recommended by Wendy Morrison

Piano Accordion - beginners - The Palmer Hughes series, especially Volumes 1 through 3.

Diatonic button accordion, general, for beginners: The Art of Playing Hohner Diatonic Accordions by Irving Valentine

1-row button accordion, Cajun style in C: You Can Play Cajun Accordion by Larry & Mike Miller

2-row button accordion, non-Irish: Handbook for Melodeon by Roger Watson

2-row button accordion, Irish: The Box by David Hanrahan

DIATONIC SQUEEZEBOXES, BUTTON ACCORDIONS and ANGLO CONCERTINAS (repertoire): Encyclopedia Blowzabellica, the Massif Central tunebooks, and the John Kirkpatrick English Choice book

BANJO
Bluegrass Banjo
Recommended by Ira Gitlin

Earl Scruggs and the Five String Banjo (Peer International) -- "The Bible and the Dictionary rolled into one."

How to Play the Five String Banjo by Pete Seeger -- "A good overview, gives a smattering of many styles."

Bluegrass Banjo (Oak Publications) -- "Petet Wernick's best-selling instruction book."

Masters of the Five String Banjo (Oak Publications) -- "Lore, interviews, tablature, historical and technical info."

Open back banjo -- Art of the Mountain Banjo

CONCERTINA
Recommended by Wendy Morrison

20-button Anglo concertina: Best Concertina Method Yet by Bob Kail

30-button Anglo concertina: Anglo Concertina Demystified by Bertram Levy

Handbook for Anglo-Chromatic Concertina by Roger Watson -- Many tunes also suitable for 20-button

The Anglo Concertina Music of William Kimber by Dan Worrall -- published by English Folk Dance and Song Society, 2005

Handbook for English Concertina by Roger Watson

Concertina Workshop by Alistair Anderson

The Concise English Concertina by Dick Miles -- A tutor using English and Irish tunes for beginners or intermediate players.

DIATONIC SQUEEZEBOXES, BUTTON ACCORDIONS and ANGLO CONCERTINAS (repertoire): Encyclopedia Blowzabellica, the Massif Central tunebooks, and the John Kirkpatrick English Choice book

FIDDLE
Irish Fiddle
Recommended by Philippe Varlet

The Irish Fiddle Book by Matt Cranitch -- "Good all-around tutor with recordings."

Dale Russ Video -- "Good for beginners"

Kevin Burke Video -- "Better for more advanced players."

GUITAR
Recommended by Mark Sylvester

The Aaron Shearer Series

HAMMERED DULCIMER
Recommended by Karen Ashbrook

Instructional

Notes on the Hammered Dulcimer by Ed Hale is an excellent all round tutor if you want to teach yourself. It has a tape of the exercises and tunes, which you should definitely get if you don't read music, but you don't need if you do read music. There is a follow-up volume of just tunes written out with hammering notation, More Notes on the Hammered Dulcimer. "Notes" book, 134 pages. "More Notes" book, 76 pages.

You Can Teach Yourself Hammered Dulcimer by Madeline MacNeil is the latest and best learn-by-yourself tutor, easy-to-read graphics, highly recommended, 87 pages.

Hammered Dulcimer's Companion by Phil Mason is a good, inexpensive overview of the dulcimer. If you want to pick up a book for general information and some playing information, this is a good choice. 83 pages, 34 tunes.

The Hammered Dulcimer A-Chording to Lucille Reilly is a fairly comprehensive guide to chords and accompaniment. 170 pages.

John McCutcheon has a popular Homespun book and 6-tape set on learning to play dulcimer.

Both John McCutcheon and Robin Petrie have instructional videos on learning to play dulcimer.

Hammered Dulcimer Notebook book and tapes by Linda Thompson, is a must for any advanced-beginner to intermediate player who likes to explore the dulcimer. Set up like an encyclopedia, she has an index of topics, for example triangle chords, chromatic runs, exercises, etc. She talks about each topic, then gives musical examples. Book, 155 pages, 123 tunes.

Repertoire Books

Tunes For Hammered Dulcimer by Linda Lowe Thompson is an excellent repertoire book for inexperienced musicians. The tunes are common and presented in simple arrangements. There is a tape available with all the tunes. If you don't read music, the tape is a must. Linda also has an excellent introduction with guidance on learning tunes and playing.

Hammer Dulcimer Solos by Carrie Crompton for lower beginner/intermediate players is a delightful selection of well-arranged but easy to play tunes. Since she also gives chords, it is easy to expand or vary her embellishments. A pleasant listening tape of all the tunes is available. Book, 47 pages, 21 tunes.

Hammer Dulcimer Solos, Volume 2 by Carrie Crompton, book and tape. Her second book of solos, containing more wonderful easy to play arrangements. 70 pages, 35 tunes.

Mel Bay has published several books of transcriptions of some very popular dulcimer recordings by Maggie Sansone: "Sounds of the Season," "Ancient Noels," "Mist and Stone." The CDs are also available at $14.99 each.

Also published by Mel Bay: Hammered Dulcimer Classics by Carol Koenig, 53 pages.

Dulcimer Players Newsletter, published quarterly by Maddie MacNeil, is a wonderful source of information and playing tips for hammered and lap dulcimers.

Kitchen Musician by Sarah Johnson, now up to Volume 11. These are a great value for a quick-fix influx of tunes.

HARP
Recommended by former teacher Linda Titolo

Teach Yourself to Play the Folk Harp by Sylvia Woods -- "basic method"

Harp Exercises for Agility and Speed by Deborah Friou -- "basic exercises"

Kim Robertson Celtic Solos -- "intermediate/advanced repertoire, good arrangements"

The Celtic Harp - Ossian: Mix of Celtic repertoire -- "intermediate level"

The Complete Works of O'Carolan -- "Not a specific harp book, but good references for arranging"

MANDOLIN
Recommended by Mark Sylvester

Mel Bay's Celtic Encyclopedia for Mandolin

Mel Bay Presents Mandolin Classics in Tablature

TIN WHISTLE
Recommended by Wendy Morrison

Traditional Irish Tinwhistle Tutor by Geraldine Cotter