Recommend a fingerstyle book?

[josh_michael]

Hi my finger-picking friends,

I was hoping that someone could recommend me a song book (in sheet music, w/ notes not just chords) of some fingerstyle folk songs (think greensleeves). I'm sort of having trouble searching the internet for it. Because I'm not looking for classical, a method book, or beginner books. Which seem to be what most of my searches come up up with. So if any of you know an advanced book of sheet music for some good fingerstyle songs I'd greatly appreciate a suggestion.

Thanks a lot!
-Josh

 

[arthur rotfeld]

You should go to a good local store, if you can. It's best to look at the arrangements.

Greensleeves shows up in lots of books. You'll find it in Christmas books from most publishers as "What Child Is This". I seem to recall it in "The Colors of Christmas" that I edited a million years ago for Cherry Lane—that was a good fingerstyle book, playable stuff, but strong. We also re-printed the Jeff Beck version in a few books too. Something is probably still in print.

Look up Mark Hanson, great arrangements. Laurence Juber is another great player and arranger and he's got a few books out. Those are challenging and really well done.

If you're thinking about some jazz stuff, look no further than Barry Galbraith.

 

[josh_michael]

Cool man I appreciate the recommendations I'll look into it.

 

[arthur rotfeld]

If you find some books you're curious about, let me know. There's a decent chance I'll be familiar with them.

 

[arthur rotfeld]

I also might add, lots of the great contemporary players have arrangements and compositions on their websites—some free, some for sale.

 

[bayAreaDude]

I like Mark Hanson's The Art of Contemporary Travis Picking and The Art of Solo Fingerpicking: How to Play Alternating-Bass Fingerstyle Guitar Solos.

Oh, and Ed Gerhard Guitar Songbook too - he's amazing and his stuff is definitely advanced.

 

[arthur rotfeld]

That Travis book is a method book—a really great one—but it does have a number of good arrangements in it.

 

[josh_michael]

Thanks guys

 

[Matt L]

If you want a challenge, try The Guitar Book by Pierre Bensusan. You'll also get recipes for French cuisine in the bargain.

 

[Wolfboy1]

There are a lot of great resources out there if you dig a bit. Here is one with a lot of stuff including some good Chet Atkins material:
http://www.milaresolsimi.com/fgrc/tab_new.htm
http://www.milaresolsimi.com/fgrc/tab.htm

Here is a fun one with with some history:
http://ofgc.bizland.com/

Here are some flamenco tabs
http://www.ravennaflamenco.com/tab/

Here is the best pay to play site I have found:
http://www.kellyvalleau.com/
I joined for about 6 months and downloaded every tab I was interested in (a lot) did a bunch of lessons and quit. Almost all his songs have a preformance video on Youtube if you already have the tab. Here's the one that convinced me to sign up


And this guy at LickNRiff has a bunch of great fingerstyle arrangements and lessons for free. His arrangements are presented as good as Kelly's but some of his stuff is real good. Check out his loonnnnng lesson on Steve Howe's "The Clap" for instance. He has a site plus everything is on youtube as well and all free.
http://www.licknriff.com/category/instrumental-versions/



There....that should keep you busy

 

[guitarjazz]

Google John Knowles.