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Masters of the 5-String Banjo
The original Oak Publications, 1988. Oversized paperback; 413 pp; 3 pounds; illustrations throughout.
"...this comprehensive overview of the great three finger players is a must for the library of every serious bluegrass banjo picker - at any skill or experience level. Masters has been a cult classic since it went out of print several years ago...."
Contains many interviews "along with 50 tabs, tons of biographical information, a great many wonderful and useful photos and a fascinating catalog of the string, capo, set up, technique and instrument preferences of 68 top players...". There are studies of Earl Scruggs, Snuffy Jenkins, Don Reno, Ralph Stanley, J.D. Crowe, Bill Keith, Larry McNely, Pete Wernick, Bela Fleck, and many more. "Each chapter includes photos of the player's right hand position and how they wear their picks in addition to detailed discussion and analysis."
"...this comprehensive overview of the great three finger players is a must for the library of every serious bluegrass banjo picker - at any skill or experience level. Masters has been a cult classic since it went out of print several years ago...."
Contains many interviews "along with 50 tabs, tons of biographical information, a great many wonderful and useful photos and a fascinating catalog of the string, capo, set up, technique and instrument preferences of 68 top players...". There are studies of Earl Scruggs, Snuffy Jenkins, Don Reno, Ralph Stanley, J.D. Crowe, Bill Keith, Larry McNely, Pete Wernick, Bela Fleck, and many more. "Each chapter includes photos of the player's right hand position and how they wear their picks in addition to detailed discussion and analysis."
413 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1988
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February 5, 2023
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.
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.
Displaying 1 of 1 review