Art Rosenbaum's Old-Time Banjo Book (Book/2 DVDs)
Art Rosenbaum is one of America's foremost performers and teachers of traditional five-string Banjo playing. He has a long-time interest in the myriad of old-time tunings that give breadth and richness to mountain and old-time Banjo picking, and has learned first-hand from old-timers in the South and Midwest. Pete Seeger (whose pioneering book How to Play the Five-String Banjo gave Rosenbaum his start in the 1950s) praised the inclusion of 23 tunings in Art's 1968 Oak Publications book Old-Time Mountain Banjo. Art Rosenbaum's Old-Time Banjo Book doubles (plus one) that number of tunings. Rosenbaum groups the tunings into 'families' and shows how they can be used, with various picking styles, in playing Banjo tunes and string band music and in song accompaniment. Experienced players will broaden their knowledge of unusual and interesting tunings and styles, and novice players can get started with 'common' tunings for easy pieces like Cripple Creek and Shout Lulu - the first tunes many old-timers learned. Combined duration of DVDs: 240 minutes.
