Mel Bay Masters of the Five String Banjo

by Tony Trischka, Peter Wernick

Here is the most comprehensive banjo book ever written. Tony Trischka and Pete Wernick spent four years researching, organizing and fine tuning this project with staggering over 400 pages of interviews, tunes, photos and analysis, covering every conceivable aspect of the three-finger style. Players at every level will benefit immeasurably from the information gathered here. Though not an instruction book, per se, these pages contain a wealth of information and music. This book focuses on eighteen banjoists who have made significant contributions to their field, including the legendary Earl Scruggs. Each chapter contains a short biography, a lengthy interview, illustrative photos (detailing hand position, pick placement and banjo of choice), and a selection of their best-known tunes in tablature (with accompanying analyses).

Genres: Music, History

Paperback

First published January 1, 1988

Reviews

[Lee Harrington · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have known about this book for several years but never could justify the high prices typically seen on eBay and used book store websites. Finally an acceptable copy became available and I purchased it.
The content of the book includes extensive interviews with many of the biggest names in 5string banjo. The information is of tremendous value to musicians and especially to the novice banjo player. The only problem is that the book, originally published in the 1980’s, is not very current. Many of today’s best banjo artists were not on the scene at that time. Also, over half of the players interviewed are deceased.
It would be great if misters Wernick and Trischka could see their way clear to publishing an updated version of the book.
As a banjo player myself I found the little details in the interviews very revealing. When I was a beginner they would have been quite helpful. There are all kinds of suggestions about instrument setup, learning tools, practice habits and the historical development of the three finger playing styles.
Overall the writing is very good. Each player was asked the same questions but they were allowed to elaborate freely and offer tangential information. This enabled the authors to produce a chart and statistics illustrating the preferences of the majority and the variations revealed.