General Collections Tunebooks

100 Tunes for Piano Accordion $14.95

David DiGiuseppe

Complete with fingering, left-hand notation and chord symbols.

300 Fiddle Tunes $9.95

Ed. Ron Middlebrook

Reels, Jigs, Hornpipes and Dances from New England, Irish and Scottish traditions. Nicely notated on the page, not too small!!!

50 Tunes for Fiddle $29.95 with 3 CD's

Mark Geslison

This book contains just over 50 tunes from the US, the British Isles, and Canada. It is intended to give a broad tune base of popular fiddle tunes to students and instructors. Many of the tunes come with a second and/of third fiddle part. Chords are included, with a chord chart for the tunes in the back. The CDs contain all the tunes; listening is the best way to absorb the rhythm and cadences of the music. Always keep in mind that what is written in any of these collections is the bare-bones out-line of a tune. It is up to the fiddler to understand the nuances of the tradition, and what bowings and ornaments and timings are used to really makek the tune sound authentic!
I would describe this volume, for both the way it is layed out and the content, to be a "violinistic" approach to the music, and would be best enjoyed in a class room setting where a violin teacher is exposing the students to traditional music.

A Guide to American Fiddling $17.95 book and CD

Andrew Carlson

A teaching book with six very informative chapters on historical background and technique. Tunes are arranged in order of difficulty cooresponding to the techniques described in the text. The CD both demonstrates the melody and offers back-up tracks. Tunes are a combination of old-timey and standard New England repetoire. Highly recommended for the beginning to intermediate fiddler.

A Little Couple Dance Music $22.00

Collected by Peter Barnes

400 Waltzes, Polkas, Tangos, Hambos, Zwiefachers and other unusual tunes from Europe and Latin America with a smattering of Celtic. Spiral.

American Tunes for Solo and Ensemble (three books) $9.95 each

Craig Duncan

There are three books in this series: The first is for violin 1 and 2 with piano accompaniment, the second for viola and violin 3 with ensemble score and the third for cello and bass with piano accompaniment. Each book has the same tunes and any part can be played with any other part, or they can all be played together. Separate score-sheets are also included for each part. Tunes include American standard traditionals including Cripple Creek, Cotton-Eyed Joe, Red Wing, Eighth of January, Jolie Blonde, Mississippi Sawyer and others. A great idea, especially for string teachers who have lots of kids who want to play together-there ain't much out there along these lines! And this is a real nice set-easy to read with great tunes!

Anthology of Fiddle Styles $19.95 with CD

David Reiner

This book is divided into Bluegrass, Old-Timey, Irish, Scandanavian, Blues, Cajun, Texas, Swing and Jazz, and Twin fiddle styles. A couple of very well documented tunes comrpise each section, with bowings, chords and some interesting and not often visited ideas on kick-offs and endings for tunes. Mainly for intermediate to advanced playes.

Back-Up Trax for Swing and Jazz Vol. 1 $17.95 with CD

Dix Bruce

For any lead instrument- violin, guitar, mandolin or tenor banjo. Here's how BACKUP TRAX works: you play along with the recording, reading the music and learning melodies and etudes to 12 of the most popular tunes in the traditional swing and Jazz repetoire. The practice soloing and improvising. First you'll hear the melody with just guitar backup at slow speed for beginners. Next you'll hear the melody with the whole band at regular speed. Then the band plays several choruses of the tune and YOU supply the melody or solo. Backup Trax offers the advantage of infinite repetition and gives musicians a rhythy section to play to and rehearse melodies. Each set comes with a recording and a booklet of shord charts, melodies and playing tips. Includes standard notation, and guitar and mandolin tablature for each tune.

Back-Up Trax for Traditional Jass and Dixie Land $17.95 with CD

Dix Bruce

For any lead instrument- violin, guitar or tenor banjo. Here's how BACKUP TRAX works: you play along with the recording, reading the music and learning melodies and etudes to 16 of the most popular tunes in the traditional Jazz and Dixieland repetoire. The practice soloing and improvising. First you'll hear the melody with just guitar backup at slow speed for beginners. Next you'll hear the melody with the whole band at regular speed. Then the band plays several choruses of the tune and YOU supply the melody or solo. Backup Trax offers the advantage of infinite repetition and gives musicians a rhythy section to play to and rehearse melodies. Each set comes with a recording and a booklet of shord charts, melodies and playing tips. Words are included for songs where appropriate. (St. James Infirmary, Bill Bailey, Frankie and Johnny and many more).

Black Isle Music $15.00

Keith Murphy

Keith Murphy, a Brattleboro resident, has graced the world of tunes and songs with his exceptional talent as a traditional musician. A native Newfoundlander, he is currently a member of Nightingale, a traditional Celtic band, and member of the newer band Assenbly, a jazzier traditional band. He has put together a collection of the tunes that he has written over the years. This is an easy to read, spiral bound book with chord suggestions. A lovely collection with both dance and listening tunes.

Canadian Fiddle Music Vol. 1 and 2 $29.95

Compiled by Ed Whitcomb

A recently reissued volume of 444 original fiddle tunes by 114 Canadian composers from all the traditions across Canada. Heartfelt thanks to Bill Bay for all his recent Mel Bay publications of traditional music and the next person who complains about the stogginess of the Mel Bay company gets the "Most Uninformed Person Award of 2003".

Carol Ann's Collection of Fiddle Tunes $22.95 with CD

Carol Ann Wheeler

Fully titled "Carol Ann's Collection of Fiddle Tunes for Shows, Contests, and Parking Lot Jamming!", this book contains an interesting selection of Scottish and Texas style tunes, often arranged in sets. Some optional harmony parts are also included and all the tunes are on the CD. Very interesting chat text before each number and well as a large collection of great photographs of mainly Western and Texas fiddlers. When I was at the Montana State Fiddle Contest in 1982, I met a Montana fiddler whose name of course I couldn't recall, but I did remember that he was a mortitian.So imagine my surprise when his photo turns up in this book- his name is Gary Beebe! Aslo photos of the younger new fiddlers, Hanneke Cassel and Laura Risk, as well as a shot of Buddy MacMaster in plaid shorts with Alaisdar Fraser in a kilt.Chords, bowings, double stops and ornaments are detailed here. This is a really interesting fiddle tune book- I like it a whole bunch- but the arrangements are definitely not for beginners or low intermediates! Worth the price for the photos alson!

Celtic Back-Up for all Instrumentalists $22.95 with CD

Chris Smith

This book teaches how to perform tasteful, supportive, imaginative improvisational accompaniment back-up with a chordal instrument in the Celtic Session. This is an extremely thorough book, with examples, explanations, and exercises (yes-homeowrk!!!) The 99 track Cd augments the instruction with good ear-training and practice sessions. This is a technical and detailed book that I highly recommend if you are serious about learning to accompany a melody instrument.

Children's Graded Fiddle Solos Vol 1 $19.95 with CD

Carol Ann Wheeler

A much needed book! Twelve traditional tunes, mostly from the old-timey repetoire are notated in three different skill levels, from rank beginner to the advanced student. CD gives audio version of each level, as ornamantation increases accordingly. Bowings and chord progressions are indicated throughout. NOT JUST FOR CHILDREN; GREAT FOR ANY BEGINNING TO INTERMEDIATE PLAYER!!!

Childsplay $14.95 with CD

The Great Waltz

Childsplay is a collection of fiddlers from all over the United States and Europe that play violins made by Bob Childs in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The Great Waltz gave all the members the opportunity to share the common love of the violin, viola and cello, and have produced a CD and book combination of the waltzes they played during their 2001 tour. Most tunes have either harmony violin or cello or viola parts, as well as the 1st violin. Accompaniment chords are indicated. Some of the tunes are traditional and some are by current traditional composers. A lovely book!

Chimes of Dunkirk Spiral Book $15.00 / Cassette $10.00 / CD $15.00

New England Dancing Masters

Dances for Children and beginners. With appropriate recordings of the tunes of a length for dancing if live music is not available.

Dance Ce Soir $29.95 Book; $44.95 Book and CD.

Laurie Hart and Greg Sandell

A collection of 122 traditional and composed tunes from Quebec for fiddle and accordion, collected from Quebecois musicians. The book is written in both French and English and contains transcriptions of the tunes, appropriate chords, and biographies of the contributors. Another fabulous Mel Bay contribution to traditional music!!!!!

Down in the Valley $30

New England Dancing Masters

A fourth collection of more great singing games for children, schools and communities edited by Andy Davis, and Peter and Mary Alice Amidon from Brattleboro, Vermont. Book and CD are $15 each.

Early American Roots $27.95with CD

Geoff Wysham and Tina Chancey

Early American Roots presents a cross section of popular American instrumental music from the time of the American Revolution. The CD was recorded by the six person group Hesperus, an early music ensemble and the book was written to notate the music on the CD. The written music is includes separate parts where appropriate. Sources for the tunes include "The First Book of Cotillions", "The English Dancing Master" and "Apollo's Banquet for the Treble Violin": sources for songs are "Southern Harmony" and "Wyeth's Repository". (Aren't these wonderful names!)The authors encourage experimentation in arrangement and in instrumentation -at the time these tunes were written, musicians played whatever was at hand. A lovely, unusual and recommended collection!

Easiest Fiddle Tunes for Children $14.95 with CD

Larry McCabe

Large print common tunes for the beginning and intermediate player. Each is written in standard notation and tab. The Cd is for tuning, and playing along with another fiddle or panning to turn the fiddle off and just playing with the back-up. Each tune is recorded twice with guitar accompaniment at moderate speed. Tunes are arranged in order of difficulty. Some bowings are indicated, a very helpful feature for the beginner! A good book.

Easiest Fiddling Book $14.95 with CD

Craig Duncan

This book contains 23 arrangements of traditional tunes for the very beginning fiddler or violinist. A wide variety of selections includes fiddle tunes, folk songs, religious melodies and popular songs, beginngin with the easiest and progressing in difficulty. Each tune is written in music notation followed by a fingering chart (learn to read the music- the fingering charts will be useless when you go to other books!). Chord changes are included. BIG PRINT. Great for little kids. All tunes are on the CD.

Eastern European Music for Violin Duet $17.95 with CD

Mary Ann Harbar

A wonderful collection of 92 folk tune duets (could be also played as solos) from Poland, Rumania, Hungary, Serbia, Russia, Croatia, Ukraine, and Transylvania. Includes guitar chords and all the tunes are recorded on the CD.

Easy Fiddle Solos $10.95 with CD

Dick Weissman and Mike Connolly

The author states "with this book, I hope to give the beginning fiddler and immediate grasp of the fundamentals of fiddling in an instructive and entertaining way. It is assumed that the reader has a basic knowledge of reading music and can play in te several keys in the first position. Tablature (unnecessary and inadvisable for the fiddle in my personal opinion) and standard notation are included as well as chord symbols.While it looks to me like most of the tunes are compositions by the authors, the excercises that they incorporate are excellent and progressive. They include bowing and rhythm patterns, shuffles and tags with a whole page of standard tags at the end!

Easy Peasy Tunes $10.95

Ed. Dave Mallinson

101 tunes for absolute beginners and novices, graded as to difficulty. Suitable for all instruments, with chords. Nice to have a nice beginner's book!

English Country Dance Tunes $17.00

Dave Mallinson

See notes for the English Pub Session Tunes book! Same thing, different tunes. Chords included in both books.

English Pub Session Tunes $17.00

Dave Mallinson

Dave is now doing for the English fiddle tradition what he did for the Irish-though how many of the tunes are originally English I'm not sure as with a quick glance through there are decidedly French Canadian, Irish, American and tunes from the Howe collection. It is nice that he features several sections of easy tunes and then ends with tunes that are "A bit of a Challenge"!

Favorite American Polkas and Jigs for Fiddle $12.95

Stacy Phillips

Commonly played tunes; all these versions are taken directly from the playing of well established fiddlers. The fiddler whose version is transcribed herein is indicated next to the title. Chords are included; type is clear and easy to read. There aren't many collections that include polkas, so this is a welcome source. Includes loads of the wonderful Old-Fart polkas like Jennie Lind, Clarinet, and Beer Barrel!

Favorite American Waltzes for Fiddle $12.95

Stacy Phillips

This collection is comprised of transcriptions of traditional American waltzes played by well known fiddlers. There are very few duplications of tunes in the Bill Matheson Waltz Books; these in Stacy's book are generally really traditional waltzes played in the 20's and 30's when fiddlers were first starting to play lots of waltz tunes. They have withstood the test of time! Chords included. A good book to add to the collection of a fiddler who loves to play waltzes! Includes old classics like Over the Waves, Put your Little Foot, Kiss Me Again, and Peek-a-boo. !!!

Favorite Swedish Fidddle Tunes $8.95

Tom Gilland

A new release from the indefatigable Mel Bay company, this is the only Swedish collection that I know of that is readily available in this country. Contains some 30 vals (waltzes), ganglat (walking tunes) polskas, Schottis, Engelska and brudsmarsch (wedding tunes).

Fiddler's Fake Book $24.95

Collection of tunes from all Anglo-American traditions. Discography. If you were looking for one general fiddle book to start your collection, this would be it! Spiral bound.

Fiddling Across America $25.00 with CD

David Reiner and Peter Anick

Featuring 66 transcriptions from fiddlers across the spectrum of American styles. A truly fascinating book notes on each fiddler and photos of many of them. We got Northeast, Southeast, Western and Ethnic catogories with bowings and some chord indications. Great and thorough introductory section on cultural history and traditions and technical playing. Most of the fiddlers represented are the "real thing" rather than revival musicians. There is a hugh amount of good information in this book as well as the tunes. As these are transcriptions, there are lots of technicalities, so this is not a volume for beginners. I would surmise that the tunes on the CD are played by the authors rather than by the original artists, but I don't know for sure. Anyone out there know?

Fiddling Around the World $22.95 with CD

Mary Ann Harbor

This eclectic sampling of popular ethnic music is largely accessible to the intermediate student. The tunes are edited to present their idomatic ornaments and bowings in a way that's comfortable and easy to learn. Along with a selection of Celtic tunes, there are pieces from Eastern Europe, Mexico and some of the Mediterranian countries.

Fiddling Christmas $14.95

Craig Duncan

Our favorite Christmas fiddle book. The standard American/English carols with several seasonal fiddle tunes such as the Snowflake hornpipe. This book has harmony parts for each song so could be used for two fiddles or fiddle and flute or someother treble instrument and there is also a pull out piano accompaniment section. Chords as well- a great little collection.

Interview with a Vamper $17.50

Peter Barnes

Piano accompaniment techniques for traditional dance music. Indispensable. Spiral.

Jump Jim Joe $30 for book and CD

New England Dancing Masters

Singing games for children, with tunes.

KidFiddle $8.95

Jerry Silverman

Very simple American Old-Time and Irish tunes notated in more than one key. Large print; excellent children's first tune book.

Listen to the Mockingbird $30 Book and CD

New England Dancing Masters

More great dances for children, schools, and community.

Mariachi Violin Transcriptions $12.95

Laura Sobrino

This book is way cool! Ten Mexican violin pieces, arranged for either one or two violins, guitar and bass. No instruction , just the music in standard notation with a separate violin pull out section.

Mark O'Connor The Championship Years $24.95

Ed. Stacy Phillips and Mark O'Connor

This is a fine collection of transcriptions of Mark's contest tunes from 1975-1984, the years during which he redefined Texas fiddling and set a new standard in traditional old-time contest competition. The tunes are from his album "Mark O'Connor-The Championship Years, and the book starts out with a detailed conversation between Mark and Stacy about Mark's career and ends with an interview with Mark and Matt Glaser, with other fascinating interviews sprinkled throughout the book. Chords are charted at the end of each tune. Some cool photos too.

Mel Bay's Complete Fiddling Book $17.75

Over 300 favorite fiddle tunes; Taken from different printed sources, the quality of notation is uneven. Video available.

Ryans Mammoth Collection $19.95

Hornpipes, clogs, strathspeys jigs. Reprint same as Cole's l000 Fiddle Tunes. Or Howe's which is no longer in print.

Sensible Scales Plus! for Violin and Fiddle $14.95

Julianna Waller

This volume is an excellent resource for beginning, intermediate and advanced players. Arranged by skill , each section is concise and easy to understand. Presentation of scales and arpeggios include excellent fingerings and an emphasis on bowing and rhythmis variations. Beginngers are supported with rote and music notation as well as specific goals to accomplish. One special feature is an intense focus on the development of the intermediate player through two-octave scales, arpeggios and chord progression arpeggios. Advanced players will be challenged by three-octave major and minor scales presented in increasing rhythmic values. Finally, scales in sixths and thirds are offered for continued study and development of double stops. Well written, well presented, and highly recommended!

The Fiddler's Tune Book $12.95

Ed. Peter Kennedy

Reprint in one volume of the now out of print two volume set published in 1951. A definitive collection of "old standards" of the contra-dance repetoire. Now includes chords!

The Lover's Waltz $9.95

Jay Ungar and Molly Mason

This beautiful, romantic waltz-the title cut on Jay and Molly's critically acclaimed CD-has become one of their most requested tunes in concert. Perfect for weddings, this arrangement presents the theme three time through-beginning in G and modulatins to D-accurately capturing the rhythms, harmonies and chord voicings of their concert and recorded performances. Editions available for solo piano or violin duet with piano accompaniment.

The Portland Collection $25.00

by Susan Songer

Some 400 tunes from Irish, Cape Breton, American, French Canadian sources that are commonly played at dances on the West Coast (and with the advent of this book, on the East Coast!) Spiral bound, easy-to-read music.

The Violinist's Guide to Fiddling $14.95

Mark Weeg

This book is meant for classical violinists and advanced fiddlers. It includes "difficult" tunes or more complicated versions of standard tunes, notated from real life performances. Traditional bowing and chord patterns commonly used by fiddlers are explored for the benefit of the classical player. Chords are included. Solo variations and or back-up harmonies are included for many of the tunes. Traditions cover the gamut, from Irish to Cape Breton to Bluegrass to Old-Timey. Partucilarly challenging for the average fiddler (like me) would be Parazotti's E flat tune, "The Banks". A popular tune in the Scottish and Cape Breton repetoire, I would recommend it as a particularly exciting and delightful piece!