Marilynn mair book!

[Robert Moreau]

Just ordered my copy from Elderly. I can't wait! I've gotten some great tips from Marilyn Mair's site in the past and have been looking for a "complete" book like this for ages!

My notation reading isn't the best at the moment but I won't let that get in the way of sharpening my skills as a player. I welcome the opportunity to improve in all areas.

Rob

[Eugene]

The Bickford and Cristofaro books still have value, but they're generations old. Marshall has some great material, but hasn't published a method book. There hasn't been a method for classical mandolin published in English for many decades.

This book is a milestone, by any measure.

I agree. #However, I was disputing the idea that this is the only classical method in print in the US; it isn't even if it is the newest one to hit print. #I like Ms. Mair personally, and am eager to score a copy, but once you have so many methods under your belt, new ones to address the basics of music and technique serve mostly to satiate curiosity. #Whether or not those methods are generations old isn't a huge deal because the basics--notation, fingerboard layout, many aspects of mechanics, etc.--are relatively stable.

...And it doesn't detract from the achievement of Marilynn's book in the slightest, but I would consider this book to be both a US "classical" method to and to not be generations old.

[Don Christy]

I too, have been waiting a long time for this.

Please stop turning this into a tab vs notation war. There are tons of tab books out there. This is THE ONLY book published for Classical Mandolin in the US. All others have been out of print for a long time. Classical Mandolin uses notation not tab, so tab serves no purpose here. Can't you just allow us our one book?

I suggest that you re-read the thread and see which side initiated the war on this one.

On a different note, if you read the article on Mair's new book it does not seem to be classical mandolin book. It is a complete mandolin book, including fiddle tunes, choro, etc.

I just ordered my copy from elderly. I'll post my review from a reforming-tab-addicted-struggling-to-learn-notation perspective once I dig in.

Don

PS: I'm with John. Why do so many people ask us not to make this a tab/notation thread just before posting their tab/notation comment!

If a book doesn't have Mandolin Tablature how can it be a Mandolin book? It could be a piano book, a guitar book, a tenor banjo book or any number of other instruments.

[JimD]

If a book doesn't have Mandolin Tablature how can it be a Mandolin book? It could be a piano book, a guitar book, a tenor banjo book or any number of other instruments.

Piano music has a greater range and is written on 2 staves. Tenor banjo has a lower range than mandolin...

There have been mandolin books without tab before.

<< Piano music has a greater range and is written on 2 staves. Tenor banjo has a lower range than mandolin... >>

Which notes exactly are on a mandolin that aren't on a piano? Why couldn't standard notation for a mandolin be played on a piano? Tenor banjo and guitar music are typically written on the treble clef and are played one octave below what is written.

[JimD]

<< Piano music has a greater range and is written on 2 staves. Tenor banjo has a lower range than mandolin... >>

Which notes exactly are on a mandolin that aren't on a piano? Why couldn't standard notation for a mandolin be played on a piano? Tenor banjo and guitar music are typically written on the treble clef and are played one octave below what is written.

Your point?

[Don Christy]

If a book doesn't have Mandolin Tablature how can it be a Mandolin book? It could be a piano book, a guitar book, a tenor banjo book or any number of other instruments.

It will presumably deal with technique issues that follow from the mandolin's unique set of features (four doubled string courses tuned in fifths, use of plectrum, scale length, etc).

So even though it may not have tab per se, I suspect it will have some "tab looking" charts that describe positions and finger strategies that are (somewhat) unique to the mandolin.

(all speculation until i get my copy)
Don

<< Your point? >>

Without Tab it isn't a Mandolin book. It is a book of music that can be played on the Mandolin but that requires the player to interpret the music to the mandolin. It cannot be "the most comprehensive American mandolin method published in nearly a century" because it does not provide the explicit information that would make it specific to the mandolin.

[Eugene]

This has descended into the slightly silly. #The author's intent is what makes it mandolin music, independent of the notation system. #Sure, you could play most flute music on mandolin, but if it was written with the intent to be flute music, it's flute music. #Why isn't a book of mandolin tablature without any staff notation really violin music...or mandola music...or violoncello music (relative tuning by intervals is the same)? #Have a look at Aubrey Stauffer's mandolin studies. #Some of the effects, harmonics, duo-style passages, etc. would be very difficult or impossible to realize on piano, flute, or almost anything else that isn't a mandolin. #Stauffer wrote only in staff notation. #It's still mandolin music. Similarly, Mair's method is for mandolin especially in addressing mandolin technique and tuning in addition to musical examples in staff notation (assuming so without seeing yet).

[coletrickle]

This book is the second step on my New Year's resolution to re-learn standard notation that I have forgot since high school. The first is the recent "Standard Notation for the Tab Addicted Mandolinist". What timing for my motivation!

At $24 buying Mair's book is the one of the least risky ventures I made in the world of mandolin sheet music. Even if I find I don't utilize it as much as I should, I have it and it is a 200+ page anthology worth every penny.

[JimD]

<< Your point? >>

Without Tab it isn't a Mandolin book. It is a book of music that can be played on the Mandolin but that requires the player to interpret the music to the mandolin. It cannot be "the most comprehensive American mandolin method published in nearly a century" because it does not provide the explicit information that would make it specific to the mandolin.

There was mandolin music without tab for @200 years and there will continue to be mandolin music without tab.

I'll refrain from commenting any further on this thread -- if you want to discuss it --go to the tablature vs. staff notation thread.

Of course there has been mandolin music in standard notation for a long time. But there is a difference between a music book and a method book.

[JimD]

Of course there has been mandolin music in standard notation for a long time. But there is a difference between a music book and a method book.

See my post in the other thread.

[Eugene]

There have been a great many excellent and wholly legitimate mandolin methods to excellently address mandolin-specific technique without any tablature whatsoever: Leone, Denis, Gervasio, etc. on through Calace, Siegel, Mair, etc. Well-crafted text, diagrams, etc. make such things mandolin methods independent of a notation system. ...And again, tablature for four courses in 5ths isn't necessarily more mandolin-specific than staff notation.

[mando.player]

I tried to resist commenting, but I will

Method: a way of doing something, especially a systematic way; implies an orderly logical arrangement

With that out of the way, it sounds like Marilynn's book can accomplish this w/o the use of TAB. If it were just a music book, it would just have pieces of music in it. A method would suggest fair bit explanatory text, specific exercises (scales, arpeggios, etc) and purposeful pieces/etudes to play. All of this information is then arranged and organized with the mandolin in mind as the primary instrument. I think the mandolin "point of view" the book takes makes it a mandolin book.

I think a more important question would be what constitutes a method. There are far to many tune books out there that are considered methods. As much as I like Mike Marshall's books, I would not consider them a method (even though they are billed as such). They are more of a brain dump with some supporting text. It's up to the player to connect the dots.

The Mandolin series of books (Horne/Fugate) is a method in my opinion. I'll have to wait until Marilynn's book shows up, but at 200+ pages my guess is it's going to be more method than "music book".

[Eugene]

As much as I like Mike Marshall's books, I would not consider them a method (even though they are billed as such).

To be clear, I was referring to Evan Marshall's method. See link above.

[mando.player]

I wasn't referring to your reference Eugene. Just coincidence that I picked Mike Marshall's books as an example.

Did anyone order from Bayside Press (mel bay)? I haven't received an order confirmation email yet. Just wondering if anyone else has.

[chip]

[quote=Tone Monster,Jan. 02 2008, 15:31 <I saw James Taylor on Travis Smiley the other night and he said he never learned to read music.[/quote]>
Rick..what does that have to do with my post? I don't understand what James Taylor not reading music relates to reading notation vs. tab....
I know lots of musicians who don't read music and when playing a new song with them it's a little irritating asking them what chord they are playing and they don't know...This seems to be prevalent with guitar players for some reason...

<Comment removed. Violates board posting guidelines>.

[meem]

Queridos~ I am in Rio now & have only sporadic internet access. But, yes, there is a reading section. In fact there´s a whole beginners' section, added at the request of many teachers who reviewed the prototype a couple of years back. Then there are 4 sections-- left hand, right hand, coordination, & musicianship-- that you´re to work through simultaneously. There´s a 70-minute CD that I recorded w/ Bob Sullivan that includes 38 tracks of duet exercises & concert pieces, from the first notes-on-the-G-string duet to the Vivaldi solo concerto. I'm really happy with the job Mel Bay did in printing the book. I can't believe they can sell the package for $25-- bless them! It´s really big (224 pages), so just pay the postage! Thanks to all of you who have sent me emails. I'll write back when I can-- I'm in an internet cafe now on my way elsewhere. I just got my copies a day and a half before I left home so it hasn't really sunk in that the years of writing & many many editing re-writes has actually become a book. wow. enjoy it-- I did it for you.
bjs.
m

[mando.player]

<Quoted comment removed. Violates board posting guidelines>.

Would you buy this book if it had TAB?

[JimD]

<Quoted comment removed. Violates board posting guidelines>.
I am surprised to see this post still standing -- considering that it is far more egregious than other posts that were removed.

[chip]

<Quoted comment removed. Violates board posting guidelines>.
It's not always about money you know...

[Tom Gibson]

Did anyone order from Bayside Press (mel bay)? I haven't received an order confirmation email yet. Just wondering if anyone else has.

I also purchased from Bayside/Mel Bay (yesterday) and am still waiting for my order confirmation. Glad to hear it's not just me.

Can't wait for the book!