# Technique, Theory, Playing Tips and Tricks > Theory, Technique, Tips and Tricks >  Best Mandolin Method Books

## dbmandolin

I am trying to put together a survey of some of the best mandolin method books out there, and I was wondering if anyone had favorites that I should look into.  I'd like to find method books for all different styles and approaches: General, Technique, Bluegrass, Oldtime, Celtic, Jazz, Classical, and others.  Thanks.

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DavidKOS, 

gtani7

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## dusty miller

I have and like

Celtic-Irish Mandolin Paying: A Complete Guide By Philip John Berthoud
BlueGrass- Getting into BlueGrass mandolin By Dix Bruce
Theory-     Fretboard Studies for the Improvising Mandolinist By Todd Collins
BlueGrass- Bluegrass Mandolin Solos That Every Parking Lot Picker Should Know By Steve Kaufman

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Astabeth, 

gtani7

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## JeffD

Marilynn Mair's "The Complete Mandolinist" 

http://www.marilynnmair.com/books/20...e-mandolinist/

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SOMorris

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## Mike Bunting

> BlueGrass- Bluegrass Mandolin Solos That Every Parking Lot Picker Should Know By Steve Kaufman


I never thought of these collections of solos as method books. The Greg Horne method seem pretty thorough to me.

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Londy

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## Patrick Bouldin

> I never thought of these collections of solos as method books. The Greg Horne method seem pretty thorough to me.


Boy, I second that!  Awesome.  Looks like all three books are offered as one now:
http://www.amazon.com/Mandolin-Metho...rds=Greg+Horne

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ambihl

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## Johnno

Don Julin Mandolin For Dummies you don't get no better!!!!!
John

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## dusty miller

> I never thought of these collections of solos as method books. The Greg Horne method seem pretty thorough to me.


Yeah you are right about that.  

Go Oilers!

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## mdsmith

I'm just getting started, but I'm using the Greg Horne book and find it very thorough and easy to follow. I really like how he teaches you the notes on the fretboard by focusing on the open position of one course at a time. He shows you where the note is on the mandolin, and how it is written in standard notation, and then gives you a couple of little exercises that use those notes. These exercises build on one another, and before you know it you know all of the notes on the first five frets of each course, and can read simple music.

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## AlanN

The grand daddy for bluegrass mandolin - The Jack Tottle book from 1976. 

Buying it, tuning it, holding it, listening to it, picking it. It's all there.

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## Ronny

Mandolin For Dummies is a "must have" in my opinion.
For irish music, I like "Irish Mandolin (A Complete Guide to Learning)" from Padraig Caroll, but it's very specific : the accompaniement isn't explained (only some chords are shown on the last page), and no tablature, you will learn to read music !

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## Alex Orr

For beginners, I also say the following:

Mike Marshall's first Fundamentals DVD.  You won't learn a tune, a chord, or even a scale, but you will get a terrific grounding in fundamentals you may not have even known were things you should know when starting on the instrument.

After that, the two Greg Horne books.  Both of those are among the best beginner and intermediate general instruction books I've ever seen for an instrument.  I'd recommend the first book with the DVD, even though the video instruction is only for the first fourth or so of the book.

As far as bluegrass I recommend Steve Kaufman's Parking Lot Picker books.  I am NOT a fan of his advanced arrangements, but in general the tune selection is excellent, the tabs/sheet music is generally perfectly in line with the accompanying CDs, and the arrangements of the beginner and intermediate versions of the songs is quite good.  The price tag however is a tad higher than I like, but when I think about how much I've gotten out of those books...well...they've been more than worth it.

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ambihl

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## JRcohan

I own many good mandolin instructional books.  Here are some that I think are *great*.

"Mandolin Primer for Beginners." by Bert Casey:  A great book for someone just starting out on mandolin.  Short, concise, and accurate.  Bluegrass oriented with a CD

"Getting into Jazz Mandolin." by Ted Eschliman:  Found at Mel Bay. 
This book is most useful in the hands of a player with some experience, and interest in delving into playing jazz standards as well as developing technique and theoretical understanding of music.  Great stuff on his site http://www.jazzmando.com

"Mel Bay's Complete Jethro Burns Mandolin Book." By Jethro Burns and Ken Eidson
239 pages of awesome music, with 2 CD's.  All in the style of the one and only Jethro Burns, featuring a wide range from bluegrass tunes, swing progressions, and practice exercises.  

"Bluegrass Mandolin." by Jack Tottle Oak Publications.
This gem from 1975 has lots of tunes to learn.  Also, the styles of Bill Monroe, Jesse McReynolds, Bobby Osborne and John Duffy are tabbed out and analyzed.

"Steve Kaufman's Celtic Workout."  
Best I've found for Irish and Scottish traditional tunes.

"Mandolin for Dummies," By Don Julin
Touches on pretty much everything.  Comprehensive and accurate

"Mel Bay presents J.S. Bach for Mandolin." By Robert Bancalari
No discussion of technique here, just accurate sheet music, and tab to some phenomenal pieces.  Comes with CD that features 13 of the 26 pieces in the book.

Hope this is of some helps, I did not mention the many books I find less helpful.  My website has a link to resources and reviews as well for anyone interested.

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## Londy

> I never thought of these collections of solos as method books. The Greg Horne method seem pretty thorough to me.


Ditto on the Greg Horne books.  I also use Ted's Getting into Jazz Mando and Don's dummies book.

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## bayAreaDude

My favorites are:

Mandolin Chordology - moveable patterns for all types of chords, theory
Getting Into Jazz Mandolin - moveable scales, theory
The Pentatonic Mandolin - explains how to use these easy versatile scales
Sight Reading for the Tab Addicted Mandolinist - sight reading, theory
Roland White's Approach To Bluegrass Mandolin - how to hold the instrument, pick, etc., good complete tunes, beginner level

What I don't recommend:
Fretboard Roadmaps - weird they made up their own vocabulary
Bluegrass Mandolin - just tunes, and partial at that

Meh:
The Complete Mandolinist - some great info, just tries to be too comprehensive

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## CavScout

> I have and like
> 
> Celtic-Irish Mandolin Paying: A Complete Guide By Philip John Berthoud
> BlueGrass- Getting into BlueGrass mandolin By Dix Bruce
> Theory-     Fretboard Studies for the Improvising Mandolinist By Todd Collins
> BlueGrass- Bluegrass Mandolin Solos That Every Parking Lot Picker Should Know By Steve Kaufman


Here is Todd Collins discussing his new books on YouTube:

http://youtu.be/QKMYvSYLDWM

http://youtu.be/ZAs-Ob-byOM

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## Christine Robins

I've looked at a number of basic instruction books, and own the Tottle and Horne ones.  Recently I've been working with a relatively little-known one by Eddie Collins (not to be confused with Todd Collins): *ASAP Bluegrass Mandolin* (Hal Leonard). 

This one is "all meat, no filler"--no pictures of folks playing the mandolin, no pointless story-telling.  Just 112 pages and 2 CDs of solid instructional material, laid out very logically and progressively.   This a textbook, not an annotated songbook.  It emphases technical skills that you can apply to any song.  Check it out.

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Astabeth, 

OlDanTucker, 

Tommcgtx

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## twoscoobysnacks

I am using Greg Horne's books.  I find them to be thorough, easy to follow, and very helpful.  I've also used Mike Marshall's first Fundamentals DVD (I know, not a book) and think it's very good.

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Tommcgtx

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## AlanN

> BlueGrass- Bluegrass Mandolin Solos That Every Parking Lot Picker Should Know By Steve Kaufman


I think I have this one, is this the one where 3 versions of each tune are presented - easy, med, advanced? Some decent lines in the advanced versions, not too different from the med version, as I recall. And the section on endings carries the same exact patterns, just in different keys.

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## jmkatcher

The two Simon Mayor books: Mandolin Tutor and Mastering the Mandolin.  The Jack Tottle "How To Play Mandolin" is also good.

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## matthew71

Simple. For classical technique, Marilyn Mair's Complete Mandolinist.
For everything else, Greg Horne's three volumes are incredible thorough. 

I have also got my hands on G. Leone's Method from the 1770s. The second method ever produced after P. Denis' a few months earlier. Very cool

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## Tim Gillane

OK.  I'm on a shoestring, and can buy just one book for learning mandolin.    I think I've narrowed it down (thanks to this site) to Greg Horne's "Complete Mandolin Method - Complete Edition", or Don Julin's "Mandolin for Dummies". The music I'm most interested in playing is old popular music (1920s and '30s pop and jazz) and Celtic (Irish, Scottish, Breton), as well as medieval.  I don't play another instrument, can only read music in a very general sense (i.e., I know the staff itself), would prefer to learn by tablature or ear, and have occasionally been called an oaf.  Which would you suggest, and, in a general sense, why?

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## Ryk Loske

Don's Mandolin for Dummies.  It's an excellent source especially if you can return enough cans and bottles to eventually get his "Exercises" as a followup.  And there are a ton of Don Julin YouTubes to help you out.

Have phun!

Ryk

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Tim Gillane

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## Tyler K

I'm glad you posted this dbmandolin, I was thinking of asking the same question. Just purchased Greg Horne's Complete Edition book after reading this thread. Thanks everyone!

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## DavidKOS

Many good books already listed.....

if you want to get serious about classical - or any style in terms of technique -  mandolin, here are some great places to learn after looking at the Marilynn Mair book:

http://www.federmandolino.it/htm/spartiti_calace.htm

http://www.federmandolino.it/listing...per_mandolino/

The Calace method books.

http://imslp.org/wiki/Category:Munier,_Carlo

http://imslp.org/wiki/Scuola_del_Man...nier%2C_Carlo)

http://imslp.org/wiki/Lo_Scioglidita_(Munier%2C_Carlo)

Munier's books for mandolin

https://www.amazon.com/Exploring-Cla.../dp/0876391625

Exploring Classical Mandolin: Technique & Repertoire 
by August Watters (a member of this forum, no less)

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## J-45er

"Exploring Classical Mandolin Technique and Repertoire" by August Watters, Berklee Press (2015).  Music notation, no tablature.  Not for beginners though.

The Greg Horne book is also very good and should be the first book bought.

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DavidKOS

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## DavidKOS

> Exploring Classical Mandolin: Technique & Repertoire 
> by August Watters (a member of this forum, no less)





> "Exploring Classical Mandolin Technique and Repertoire" by August Watters, Berklee Press (2015).  Music notation, no tablature.  *Not for beginners though*.
> .


True, but after learning the basics of fingering and reading music, the Watters book is a wonderful way to learn many mandolin techniques, that can also be applied to other styles of music.

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## JonZ

*Bluegrass*
Mandolin Pickers Guide to Bluegrass Improvisation
https://www.amazon.com/Mandolin-Pick...+improvisation
Clear. Easy to follow. Thorough.

*Blues*
Blues Scales: Essential Tools for Jazz Improvisation
https://www.amazon.com/Blues-Scales-...ssential+tools
This is not mandolin specific and presents some standard notation, but once you understand how the "two blues scales" work together, you can generate a lot of soloing ideas that work for blues and jazz blues.

*Jazz*
Jazz Guitar Soloing
https://www.amazon.com/Introduction-...oloing+Elliott
This is a guitar book, but the system can be translated to mandolin.

*Chords*
Chord Builder for Fifths Tuned Instruments
http://www.calgaryuke.com/ukerichard...nstruments.pdf
Explains how to build chords, and it's free!

Jazz Chording for Mandolin
http://www.petimarpress.com/pdf%20fi...20Mandolin.pdf
Explains how to use jazz chords in various jazz styles.

All of my choices are about improvisation. You would need to apply the information in them to tunes you like. So, you will also need need books or recordings to learn repertoire from. I also highly recommend the IRealB app to play along with. 

My Blues and Jazz choices are not mandolin books, but I think most people can figure out how to apply the concepts in them to mandolin. Take the concepts and apply them to slow simple tunes, and you are on your way. There is simply a lot more to choose from in these genres when you go outside the mandolin world, and I think the usefulness of the approaches these books take makes them superior to mandolin books in the genre.

*Learning Theory*
Make it Stick: The Science of Successful Learning
https://www.amazon.com/Make-Stick-Sc...=make+it+stick
A lot of books on how to learn or practice are based on unproven theories. This book provides a good explanation for laymen about what research has actually proven works best.

The Bulletproof Musician
A good site for keeping up with useful research.

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## sonic

I’ll add another one for Mandolin for Dummies. 
But no one seems to of mentioned Jim Richter’s book. 
Richter Mandolin, blues thoughts and junk. Written on his approach to blues Mandolin it’s got some good exercises and various things including pentatonic boxes double stops and movable chords. Written in standard notation and tab there’s even an interactive iPad version.

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## John Flynn

I think people warm up to different books based on a lot of factors, like what level of player they are, what kind of music they are in to and what kind of learner there are. I have a LOT of method/tune books, some unused. The three that I've gotten the most mileage out of are:
"Bluegrass Mandolin by Jack Tottle, already mentioned. It was the first method book I bought back in the early '80's and I probably would not have kept playing to this day if it were not for that book. The first few chapters are golden for a beginner. The later chapters will even challenge an experienced player."Teach Yourself Bluegrass Mandolin" by Andy Statman: A really easy book to warm up to, especially for a beginner. Has both basic and intermediate approaches to a good cross section of old-time/bluegrass tunes."Developing Melodic Variations on Fiddle Tunes: Mandolin Edition" by John McGann: Despite it's high-falootin' title, it has some great intermediate to advanced approaches to a good cross section of old-time/bluegrass tunes. It gets the reader/player to experience several possibilities on each tune so you can come up with things on your own.

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## Steve L

I would suggest anyone interested in "Celtic" music with the aim of playing it with other people to think twice about the Kaufman Celtic Workout.  The musicianship is beyond reproach, but stylistically it's a very "Americana" take on the tunes and wouldn't go down well in the Irish trad world, although there does seem to be more interaction between those styles among younger players.

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## crisscross

For classical mandolin music, I prefer to work with _L'art de la mandoline_ by Silvio Ranieri.
Here are two threads about it:
https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/s...hlight=ranieri
https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/s...hlight=ranieri

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DavidKOS, 

derbex

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## crisscross

:Coffee:

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## JeffD

In addition to many of the above methods, and especially the Raneri, and Marilynn Mair, 
I really like these:

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## SOMorris

> Marilynn Mair's "The Complete Mandolinist" 
> 
> http://www.marilynnmair.com/books/20...e-mandolinist/


I agree with Jeff.  I really like Marilynn's book.

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## Geoff w/a G

The best mando method for me has been discovering the Ranieri, The Art of the Mandolin. I had been playing guitar and double bass for quite awhile before stumbling into mandolin. I was in London at the Clifford Essex music shop filing through the stacks and I discovered and purchased volumes 1 and 2 of the Ranieri. I started my study and liked the books because they are graded with thought, having a smooth challenging connection of note reading, technique, interesting etudes, correct fingering, great music and duet opportunities throughout for student and teacher. This series is all business, everything counts and is explained, there is no waste of lumber (pages of big print and pictures and tab) There is even more to do in volumes 3 and 4. I was coming from guitar and bass, tuned in 4ths to the mando in 5ths and I started on page one with my metronome and learned mando fingering, no regrets.

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## Brian Harris

About Greg Horne's books -- I don't want to spend much time practicing and learning his unknown, original material.  That gave me cause to put the book down.

I think there's enough public domain popular material that he could replace his originals with something you could learn and subsequently take to your local jam.

I'm a minority voice, but I'd avoid his series for this reason alone.

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## JeffD

> For classical mandolin music, I prefer to work with _L'art de la mandoline_ by Silvio Ranieri.
> Here are two threads about it:
> https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/s...hlight=ranieri
> https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/s...hlight=ranieri


I second that opinion.

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## Manfred Hacker

> About Greg Horne's books -- I don't want to spend much time practicing and learning his unknown, original material.  That gave me cause to put the book down.
> 
> I think there's enough public domain popular material that he could replace his originals with something you could learn and subsequently take to your local jam.
> 
> I'm a minority voice, but I'd avoid his series for this reason alone.


I only know Books 2 and 3. I don't remember (m)any "originals" there. I have learned some very nice versions of popular tunes from these books that I have often played with others.

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## Guitfiddle Mike

Trying not to steal your thread but could someone tell us the difference between The Jack Tottle book from 1976 and the book from 1992.

Looking on Amazon they appear to have the same cover. They are asking around $60 for the 76 version.

Thanks,

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## domradave

3 volumes of the William Place, jr. Mandolin Method published by Belwin-Mills.  Marilyn Mair endorsed them in an old Mandolin World News so I went over to the Belwin-Mills plant about ten minutes from where I was living and got them.  Covers everything except improvisation: duo style, position playing, lots of Place original pieces.
Hope one day to get a Bacon and Day mandolin signed by Place!

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## Jim1hays

I found Hal Leonards Mandolin Method Book 1 to be a great beginner book. It is not genre specific. Also Bert Caseys, Mandolin Primer for beginners is an excellent one.

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