David Tennille - How to play Bouzouki

 

Just found this little boob while searching Amazon. The reviews are really bad. Does anybody know more about it? The index looks ok, but the misspelling on the cover???

If you maybe have it it would be nice if you'd comment and tell about it.

Graham McDonald - How to build an Irish Bouzouki - Online Course and Plans

Many years ago Graham McDonald released a book how to build bouzoukis. He is a luthier and builds bouzoukis for about 40 years now. So he knows what he does. You can buy his book on Amazon or as Ebook from McDonald Strings.

The first chapter can be downloaded as a .pdf here and  Andy Irvine's Forward can be downloaded here .

The full size plans can be downloaded separately here. 

Now he released an online course on this topic. On YouTube you can watch the introductional video which I enclose here. So if you ever wanted to build your own bouzouki this one's for you.

Chord-melody playing for the Irish Bouzouki - Bob Gooday

Some time ago Bob Gooday published an ebook with the title Chord-melody playing for the Irish Bouzouki. It seems that I forgot to mention it here.

In this book he publishes arrangements for 8 Scottish and Irish Tunes for the Irish Bouzouki with Notation and Tab. You can buy it on Amazon for €2.99. That's a good price for value. Unfortunately there are no accompanying Audio Files or Midi Files, so you can't have a listen to what it should sound like. I asked Bob if he could record the tunes and put them on youtube, but it seems he does not have the time to do so.

Now I began to put the tab of one of the tunes (No 3: A Glass of Beer) into Tabledit so that I can listen to it.
If you are interested in the file send me an Email and I will send it to you as Tabledit or midi-file.
I will try to put the other tunes into Tabledit as well.

You can buy the book here:
https://www.amazon.de/Chord-melody-playing-Irish-Bouzouki-Bouzouki-ebook/dp/B077JB3WHK
or here:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Chord-melody-playing-Irish-Bouzouki-Bouzouki-ebook/dp/B077JB3WHK/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1524148742&sr=8-2&keywords=chord+melody+Irish+bouzouki

Wikibooks book about Irish Bouzouki in German

Some who calls himself soylent green (Remember the movie?) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_jGOKYHxaQ
startet a wikibook about the Irish Bouzouki some time ago in German. I wonder who he can be. Do I know him?
Well, the last post dates about two years ago. Nevertheless there are some good hints to be found there. Maybe some other bouzouki players may contribute to this work? I wonder, how he made the chord charts etc.? What programs do you need to produce the pictures? If anyone can help, please comment.
Here's the link to the book:
https://de.m.wikibooks.org/wiki/Irische_Bouzouki

Is there a project like this in Englisch existing, too?

Irish Bouzouki Method by Roger Landes

So here's a new Bouzouki Book which will help the beginner to get in touch with our beloved instrument. I ordered it via Amazon, it took some time but finally it arrived. The book has got 48 pages and no CD, therefore it's only 7,95€ which is a really fair price. But don't worry, the audio files which go along with the book can be heard and downloaded from the website of the publisher (halleonard.com/mylibrary). Just fill in the Enter Code from within the book and here you go.

The book itself is aimed to the absolute beginner. It starts with an introduction on the bouzouki, it's anatomy, playing position, left and right hand and tuning. A short introduction on music notation, tablature and time signatures. That's pages 1-12.

After that you'll find some open-string studies with different pickings and one page on the fretboard.

On page 18 you'll find an introduction to Double Jigs (6/8 time). Lots of exercises which bring the jig rhythm to the beginner, which isn't easy for them. But after all the studies you should understand the jig rhythm when finished page 21.

And off it goes with the first tune, a jig called "The Kinnegad Slashers". First you have the chance to learn to play the melody on your bouzouki. Then follows the accompaniment. I really like the way Roger develops the accompaniment. First he drones without chord changes. This gives a feeling for the melody and the changes in it. After four different sorts of Droning he starts to build up the rhythm, step by step, also only with droning. Really interesting! After you have tried 6 different rhythmic drones there comes an exercise with simple chords. And that's really simple chords. By the way - you won't learn many chords in this book. But that's ok.
Right after the chords follows the first introduction to counterpoints which leads to another simple chord progression. Two more counterpoint exercises and that's it for the first tune.

What I miss after that is a hint to other tunes which can be accompanied with the things just learned.

Second tune is a reel called "The sunny banks" and it is almost the same way of exercises.

Third tune is a slip Jig "Drops of brandy". This one is in the key of G. First without capo and then with capo on the 5th fret, now you can use everything you learned before.

The last tune is a reel in Em "Dunmore Lasses". Here only two chord exercises, that's all.

So for a very good price you get a well thought book for the absolute beginner. If you play the bouzouki for some time give it a try for the later exercises. I'm pretty sure you'll find some new thoughts on how to play the bouzouki.

All in all I really like the way Roger concentrates on the playing of the right hand. Most teachers concentrate on chords and on the left hand. If you want that buy another book or the fantastic DVD by Zan McLeod.

More information:
http://www.mandolincafe.com/news/publish/mandolins_001680.shtml

http://www.amazon.com/Hal-Leonard-Irish-Bouzouki-Method/dp/1423479637

Ralf P. Wacker's Irish Bouzouki Book will be translated soon

Ralf, the writer of the German book for the Irish Bouzouki just informed me, that his book is currently translated into English.

The Uilleann piper of his band is studying in Limerick, where she is working on a translation. Let's hope it will not take too long before we can announce a new book for the world market. And I can promise you it will be of great interest for all players of the Irish Bouzouki.

Ralf's websites for more information:
www.ralf-wackers.de
www.currach.de

New book for Irish Bouzouki out now

Ralf Wackers, German musician with Band Curragh
http://www.currach.de/
has release a tutor's book for the Irish bouzouki. As far as I know it is the first book at this topic which is addressed to beginners and intermediate players of the bouzouki. Unfortunately this book is available only in German. So it could be a little difficult to understand all the things said in this great book. But if you have ears and eyes you can learn a lot by listening to the examples on the cd and look at the notation.

For example here is the tune "Toss the feathers":



Click on the picture to see a larger version. Be careful, the chords are for GDAE-tuning! And here's the audio file which goes with it:

MySpace Music Playlist at MixPod.com

If you want to buy the book or like to have more information got the Ralf's website at:

http://www.currach.de/ralf/Bucher/Irish_Bouzouki-Buch/irish_bouzouki-buch.html

It's a self-pressing, so it's only available directly from him. Many thanks to Ralf for allowing me to publish a sample of his book.

Another example page is to be found at Ralf's website:
http://www.currach.de/ralf/Bucher/Irish_Bouzouki-Buch/B-Buch-2728.pdf

A guide to Octave Mandolin and Bouzouki

I just saw that I mentioned this book in one of my first entrys, but forgot to give it the credit it deserves. I think this is a real worthy publication. Lots of tunes included. Every tune is written down in notation and tab. You can find the melody lines plus backup for every tune. On the enclosed CD every tune is played with melody on one channel and backup on the other channel, so you can listen only to the line you want to practise. Very useful.
Most of the tunes are traditional Irish tunes. There are some original tunes from John and some american tunes and even 2 Jazz tunes to be found, too.

Unfortunately John's Website is down.
More Information and Samples on melbay.com

Here's a video by his band "The Wayfaring Strangers"

Andy Irvine-Songbook reissue out now!

Arild has informed me about the reissue of the Andy Irvine Songbook. Information to be found at: http://www.heupferd-musik.homepage.t-online.de/song_buecherei.htm
It's not only a reissue. There are several new songs in it. I will order it today and hope to get it next week.

Well now that I got it I have to correct, there is only one new song in it: My heart tonight's in Ireland. So if you already own the old one you don't need necessarily buy this new one. It's a lot of money for one song.

A review of the original book is to be found at Kieron's website (I did steal the photo from his website):
http://www.chinatogalway.com/Review%20aiming%20for%20the%20heart.htm