Wedding Music For Pick Style Guitar

This unique book presents 18 of the most popular classical compositions typically performed at weddings. Rather than being written for the classic guitar, however, each piece is arranged for solo pick-style guitar--a.k.a., plectrum or flatpicking guitar--in both standard notation and tablature.Like classical guitar arrangements, these settings utilize the full spectrum of the guitar's capabilities with bass lines, chords and melodies happening simultaneously. Although written for intermediate to advanced plectrum guitarists, fingerstyle players will also find these arrangements rewarding.This collection would serve as a convenient resource for pros who should be able to sight read most of this material on the job. Given that these arrangements sound complete and appropriate as plectrum guitar solos, pick-style students will also enjoy and benefit from working on these familiar melodies by Baroque, Classical and Modern masters.

This unique book presents 18 of the most popular classical compositions typically performed at weddings. Rather than being written for the classic guitar, however, each piece is arranged for solo pick-style guitar—a.k.a., plectrum or flatpicking guitar—in both standard notation and tablature. Like classical guitar arrangements, these settings utilize the full spectrum of the guitar’s capabilities with bass lines, chords and melodies happening simultaneously. Although written for intermediate to advanced plectrum guitarists, fingerstyle players will also find these arrangements rewarding. This collection would serve as a convenient resource for pros who should be able to sight read most of this material on the job. Given that these arrangements sound complete and appropriate as plectrum guitar solos, pick-style students will also enjoy and benefit from working on these familiar melodies by Baroque, Classical and Modern masters.

The Christmas season has traditionally been a lucrative time for the gigging musician. For years, author Michael Coppola has performed many traditional songs of the season. In The Christmas Gig Book for Pick-Style Guitar, he has arranged 25 of these chord-melody pieces in both standard notation and tablature. The arrangements are all very accessible by either pick or fingerstyle players and possess the fullness of sound expected by chord-melody or classical soloists. It is a great resource for the working guitarist as well as the novice who likes playing for family and friends, or simply for personal enjoyment.

Rob MacKillop presents 20 classic lute transcriptions; the "greatest hits" of the Renaissance and Baroque lute repertoire arranged for pick acoustic, electric, or classical guitar. MacKillop has for many years played all these pieces on the lute, and has created sensitive guitar arrangements that lose nothing from the original scores. Composers include Bach, Weiss, Dowland, Spinacino, among others. Finally, we have a book of lute-to-plectrum guitar transcriptions by an arranger who is deeply familiar with and respectful of both instruments. Includes access to online audio for every item recorded by Rob MacKillop in plectrum style.

In this book, journalist, composer, songwriter, teacher, and 2003 Winfield Flatpicking Guitar Champion, Jeff Troxel, delivers a masterclass in arranging fiddle tunes for flatpicking guitar. These 20 themes and variations on favorite bluegrass melodies are designed to improve overall musicianship and augment your own arranging skills. Ideal for the intermediate to advanced flatpicking guitarist, the author reveals techniques for enabling readers to create their own theme and variations settings. Suggested rhythm guitar chords and light left-hand fingerings are also provided. Troxel points out that one of the unexpected benefits of learning and memorizing themes with variations is that the process will ultimately facilitate linear and harmonic improvisation. It would be a painstaking process to learn this skill from a teacher or a harmony textbook, but once memorized, the scale and arpeggio patterns within these tunes and variations will set you on a viable path towards original improvised lines. As a bonus, the author includes a generous appendix containing several of his Flatpicking Guitar Magazine articles that deal with aspects of musicianship that every guitarist should know. While written in standard notation and tab, if you have relied solely on tablature and recordings in the past, this book can provide the key to understanding essential music theory and reading standard notation. If you’re not quite ready to learn to read standard notation, you can still use the tab and the author’s excellent online recordings to learn these delightful arrangements. In any case, it will be fun to get these settings of standard bluegrass tunes “in-hand” and use them in future jam sessions.

With this collection of 26 folk hymns, author Peter Irvine brings shape-note music into the home, and provides adaptable music for a variety of instrumental ensembles. This format allows for instruments such as the mountain dulcimer, Native American or transverse flute, penny whistle, fiddle, mandolin, guitar, and so forth. Anyone can play shape-note music, even when Sacred Harp gatherings or “singings” are not easily accessible. The hymns in this collection are drawn from various classic shape-note sources like Southern Harmony (1835) and The Sacred Harp (1844). Presented in lead-sheet format (melody, chords, and lyrics), and written in keys accessible to all C instruments and several D instruments such as the penny whistle and mountain dulcimer, the material offers plenty of arrangements. Hymns can be sung by a soloist, in unison by a small group with chordal accompaniment, or a mixed ensemble.

This is a collection of 25 beloved “old-time” Gospel songs arranged for flatpick guitar solo. The selections feature beautiful, lyrical melodies and many have a pleasing “Gospel swing feeling”. These solos work well as preludes or offertories at church services or just as fun pieces to play, regardless of the setting. All solos are in notation and tablature. Includes access to online audio recorded by the author for each solo.

Many great Scottish traditional tunes can be traced back to 17th century lute music. In this collection, multi-instrumentalist Rob MacKillop has transcribed and arranged 25 popular tunes derived from various lute manuscripts. While idiomatic to the guitar, some of these arrangements include fast runs and chord changes, so are best suited to the intermediate-level flatpicking guitarist. This guitar collection consists of the same melodies in the same keys found in its mandolin counterpart, Tunes From 17th Century Scotland Arranged for Mandolin (Mel Bay Publications). In both books, suggested chords are provided wherever appropriate. Consequently, the settings work fine as either mandolin/violin and guitar duets, or as solos for either instrument. Until now, most of these appealing dance tunes and airs have not been available as guitar arrangements. Here, except for two tunes in drop-D tuning, all are in standard guitar tuning. With MacKillop’s spirited online recording, generous performance notes and standard notation and tablature for each selection, get ready to explore a wonderful new take on an old repertoire! Includes access to online audio.