Most Popular Books by William Bay

A popular collection of 47 folk songs arranged in big-note, easy style for the beginning student. Written to provide engaging playing material at an early level of development. An excellent method supplement containing many fun andfamiliar melodies including: Alouette; Aura Lee; Battle Hymn of the Republic; Bill Bailey; Won''t You Please Come Home; Black is the Color of My True Love''s Hair; Blow the Man Down; Down By the Riverside; Drink To Me Only With Thine Eyes;Frankie and Johnny; Greensleeves; and more. The audio download available online contains all the songs from the book. Each song is played twice on the recording. Once with flute and piano accompaniment and a second time with only piano accompaniment so that the student can play along. Includes access to online audio

A step-by-step method teaching correct modern jazz interpretation and phrasing. Great for reading and for learning to "play in the pocket". Companion CD allows the guitarist both to hear how the phrases should be interpreted and to play the jazz etudes with a rhythm section.

A collection of reels written in the keys of C, Am, G, Em, D, A, E, F and Dm. Each reel is written in a different position. Thus, the guitarist learns to play great sounding flatipicking solos while learning keys and positions. Play along CD allows the guitarist to hear each piece and to play with a rhythm backup.

A popular collection of 47 folk songs arranged in big-note easy style for the beginning alto and tenor saxophone student. Written to provide fun playing material at an early level of development. A good method supplement.

A full collection of popular harmonica songs for the beginning player. All songs are easy and fun to play, and are marked with blow/draw and hole indications. Written for the 10-hole diatonic harmonica in C.

A collection of guitar blues compositions in styles ranging from "down-home" blues to rock/blues to jazz/blues. All solos are in notation and tablature. An additional feature of this book is the inclusion of rhythm guitar, drum, and bass parts for each piece.

This book is a collection of seventeen guitar solos in notation and tablature. The solos are appropriate for worship or concert settings. Included are six arrangements on historic melodies and eleven original compositions. A number utilize Dropped-D tuning.

This is a collection of 25 lyrical North American melodies scored for guitar solo. Some of the solos have historical themes and some are from the turbulent Civil War era. Any collection of American ballads would be incomplete without some settings on the beautiful melodies penned by Stephen Foster. A number of those are included herein as guitar solos. All solos are presented in standard notation and tablature. Includes access to online audio.

A follow-up book to the popular Fun with the Saxophone text. Contains 56 big-note, easy solo setting of folk songs, sea chanties, sacred songs, ragtime and dance tunes. Fun music for the beginner.

A concise, incredibly useful scale regimen that enhances left and right hand technique, helps master the fingerboard and paves the way for improvisation. Also a helpful aid to sight reading.

This is an easy to understand yet very comprehensive method. You will learn to play classic guitar in all of the basic keys. In addition you will play a very wide assortment of solos ranging from the Renaissance to 20th Century compositions. Also, you will be taught to play many of the great student masterpieces by composers such as Sor, Carcassi, Carulli, Diabelli, Guiliani, Bach, Handel and Dowland. Finally, studies are contained for playing in the 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th positions. Definitely a hands on method that gets you playing wonderful classic guitar literature.

A very easy, step-by-step book/CD package teaching chords, backup licks and breaks, hammer-ons, pull-offs and other solo techniques. Written in notes and tablature.

A great beginner''s book for learning diatonic harmonica performance. Contains 42 songs, all easy and fun to play. Diatonic, Blues, and Chromatic harmonica stylings are all contained in this book. Also includes a section teaching the rudiments of music. The book teaches tone variance, bend, vibrato, and tremolo techniques. Audio and video download available online

A chord catalog and study guide for fingerstyle guitarists who want to build smooth thumbpicking technique. This book teaches how to read tab and chord diagrams, and shows chords and thumbpicking chords in various key signatures. an appendix is included in the back of the book which shows diminished and augmented chord forms for each key.

Influenced by a wide range of musical styles, these concert pieces are meant to be played with a pick, although they certainly can be performed by a fingerstyle guitarist. the intent is not to showcase sparkling technique, instead they were composed to convey a palate of musical colors and moods. They offer the guitarist a wonderful opportunity for expression. Many are impressionistic in character. Some are musical reflections of thoughts, moods and emotions. Some were scored for a 7-string guitar, with the 7th string either tuned to low A or low B. However, all may be successfully performed on a 6-string guitar. Written in notation and tablature. Free audio downloads are available for use with this title.

This book contains a collection of 38 flatpicking solos over well-known compositions from the 13th through 16th centuries. Three original solos by the author are also presented in the style of lute players from this era. Written in standard notation and tablature. Includes access to online audio.

This collection of original, contemporary, concert-style compositions for plectrum or flatpicked guitar includes 15 preludes, 4 sonatas with multiple movements, and 12 nocturnes. The solos present a colorful spectrum of tonality, harmony, rhythms and moods ideal for concert or recital performance. All solos are written in standard notation only with appropriate fingering and string markings.

A comprehensive 96-page, large print perfect-bound book of bass chords. Hundreds of chord forms are shown ranging from basic major, minor and dominant 7th forms and venturing into extensions such as minor 7b5, 7b9, minor 9th and more.

This is a very popular guitar method. Its success lies in the fact that it is extremely easy to understand and very flexible. It moves at a slow, steady pace and enables you to play chord accompaniments in 7 primary guitar keys! In addition, you will learn to strum blues chords and you will also begin to play fingerstyle backgrounds. A play-along CD is available to supplement this book, and the course is also taught on a DVD.

A comprehensive yet easy-to-understand recorder method ideal for any age. Incorporates clear visual presentation with a wealth of music of all styles. Includes melodic studies and pieces.

Acoustic Guitar Portraits is a collection of scores from my recording of the same name. The music reflects a rich variety of musical styles and is original. Therhythms are contemporary and the harmonies are lush. The duos feature an intricate dialog between the two acoustic guitars. It has been my goal to present performance or concert material for the plectrum (flatpick) guitar. These compositions were written with that in mind

Guitar solos on 18 selected American spirituals. All solos are written in standard notation and tablature and reflect the captivating rhythms and melodies of these pieces. Includes access to an online audio recording of the author performing each solo.

A comprehensive study text teaching elements of jazz phrasing, articulation, vibrato, chord studies, and technical studies leading to improvisation. In addition, a theory workbook section teaches scales, modal concepts and chord construction. Includes jazz trumpet studies and trumpet improvising.

A unique, yet simple, format makes this a valuable book for any guitarist. The chords are shown in a tree-dimensional visual format and are classified as easy,standard, full-sounding, barre, jazz, and rock power forms. Chords are shown in each of these categories where applicable. In each key, major, minor, dominant 7th, minor 7th, major 7th, diminished, and augmented chord forms are presented

Solo guitar can be a beautiful instrument in worship. However, the guitar as a solo instrument is rarely used. These compositions and arrangements were written to provide pieces for just that purpose. All are very lyrical in nature and allow for a maximum of expression. The guitarist should feel comfortable in freely interpreting these pieces, taking full advantage of tone, dynamics and various tempos. None of the solos should be performed in a hurried manner although most of the works contain sections where tempo acceleration and ritard are appropriate. Thesesolos will work well as preludes, graduals and offertories. In addition the back of the book contains solos on some of my favorite communion pieces. I hope youenjoy playing these and that they convey beauty and inspiration to the player and worship participant. Ebook available online

The joyous Christmas season has inspired musicians in many countries and in many eras to compose beautiful songs. This book contains 18 Christmas carols and songs from the American Christmas repertoire arranged for solo plectrum/flatpick guitar. Each solo can also be played by the classical or fingerstyle guitarist. All of the solos are in notation and tablature. Includes access to an online audio.

A collection of thirty guitar solos for the plectrum or flatpick guitarist drawn from the early American shape-note tradition. These songs reflect the rugged faith of America’s early settlers and range from joyous, rhythmic pieces to somber, contemplative melodies. The arrangements are of medium difficulty and present a broad palate of harmonic colors. Written in standard notation and tablature. Includes access to online audio, recorded by the author.

A user-friendly photo chord guide designed specifically for the left-handed bass guitarist showing basic chord tones for major, minor, dominant 7th, sus 7, minor 7, major 7, diminished, augmented, sixth, minor 6th, 7#5 and 7b5 chords. The arpeggios for each of the above chord forms are pictured on the fretboard and given in notation and diagram form in all twelve keys!

The goal of these twenty etudes is to address various issues of guitar techniquewhile presenting pieces that have melodic content, are interesting and fun to play and which can be used in concert or recital. Fragmented scale runs, scales ascending and descending several octaves, switching positions amidst musical phrases, arpeggio picking, string skipping and combining open and fingered strings are some of the issues addressed in these compositions

A step-by-step, concise, user-friendly guide to learning chords, strumming, and songs. Music is presented in the keys of G, D, E minor and C with a play-along CD. the book also features sections on types of guitars, frequently asked questions, how to string a guitar, and musical and guitar related terminology. Ideal for beginners of any age.•

Here are nine solos for plectrum guitar written with the tradition of the Celtic ballad and Scottish Aire. Many of the solos call for a 7 string guitar but can certainly be played on a 6 string. I have shown alternate notes for the low 7 string pedal tones in the tablature.The solos give the guitarist an opportunity to play concert settings with a maximum of expression. I have recorded all of the solos and they are available as a free internet download.This book is a sequel to my solo collection entitled Guitar Meditations (MB22029). I have authored both solo collections to address the need for serious compositions for the plectrum guitarist wanting to play in concert or recital. the music in each collection draws from a wide variety of influences and utilizes many contemporary harmonic concepts. I hope you enjoy performing and listening to these solos.

This book/CD teaches you how to hear and play Groove Time. Tunes include: Evil Ways; Blue Tuesday, Truckin''; Blues Drive; She Done Me Wrong; and Coastin''. Two improvising scales are shown for every tune, and each selection presents a different blues style for improvising. Blues tunes are presented in the keys of C, Am and G. You can also play along with the companion CD which features an excellent blues band playing all of the back-up parts.

A collection of 19 flatpicking solos in the beautiful and rousing old-time style, reflecting the spirit of late 19th and early 20th century rural America. Written in standard notation and tablature. Includes access to online audio.

Part of Mel Bay''s new and innovative QWIKGUIDE® series, this handy-sized book features selections such as: Blackberry Blossom; St. Anne''s Reel; Whisky Before Breakfast; Morrison''s Jig; Billy in the Low Ground, Crazy Creek, Cold Frosty Morning, Harvest Moon, Sweet Lillie, East Tennessee Blues and more. Written in standard notation and tablature.

ÊThis is the flagship book in Mel Bay''s new Achieving Guitar Artistry series. Herein you will find an extensive collection of linear pieces with interesting melodic content. Frequent performance of these etudes will not only enhance technique, but offer the guitarist a wonderful opportunity to improve tone, touch and lyrical phrasing. We suggest playing each etude at a slow tempo at first, the goal being to achieve a clear and beautiful tone on every note. The next objective is to develop a sense of lyrical completeness to each musical phrase. Make the phrases sing! Once you have achieved the desired quality of tone and expression, increase the tempo to work on the technique. Mel Bay''s Guitar Journals - Mastering the Fingerboard: The Reading Book (MB20903) would make an ideal supplement to Linear Guitar Etudes as it presents etudes in all keys and positions. The pieces in Linear Guitar Etudes are multi-positional. That is, the player will be required to move from position to position on the fingerboard. The music is presented in standard notation only, with left-hand fingering included on the more complex passages, and circled numbers to indicate the strings where certainnotes and passages are to be played. These etudes sound good on both nylon and steel-string guitars, and will be a valuable addition to the music library of any guitarist, enhancing their abilities regardless of the style of music played.

This book and accompanying online audio are a great introduction to the world ofclassical guitar. The user friendly method is ideal for self instruction or for use with a teacher. The book contains many great sounding pieces playable by the beginning student. This method will get you playing fun music right from the start.

A collection of Southern Gospel and Camp Meeting all time favorites scored in notation and tab in an easy to play flatpicking guitar style. A companion CD is included. on the CD each piece is played twice, once as a guitar solo with accompaniment and again as a back-up track so the guitarist may practice the piece and use in a worship setting; ideal for small group or church performance.

Lively Clarinet Tunes is a collection of 57 spirited clarinet solos. The selections include reels, hornpipes, jigs, sea chanteys, dance tunes and more. These flute solos are ideal for performance or just enjoyment while playing the instrument. Guitar chords are included for accompaniment and can be used by any chordal instrument.

This book in the Guitar Picking Tunes series presents 29 favorite hymns arranged for guitar solo. The material spans the centuries, but reflects a deep faith, including lyrically-beautiful hymns such as “Just as I Am”, to the powerful “Crown Him with Many Crowns”. These solos work well as preludes, offertories, communion hymns and even recessionals, or simply for enjoyment. All solos are written in standard notation and tablature. Includes access to online audio.

Mel Bay''s latest series, Guitar Journals, is the ultimate reference guide of exercises and solos in different genres. This comprehensive collection of studies and solos presents a diverse and eclectic array of music. In addition to great sounding warm-ups and picking studies, solos are presented in the following categories: Fiddle Tunes, Ballads and Waltzes, Celtic, Rags and Swing, Gospel, Classics, Playing on Up the Fingerboard, Playing in Mixed Positions, Advance Solos and for the truly adventurous Strange Solos. All music in notation and tablature. Hard cover, covered spiral binding and premium stock paper make this a volume so beautifully printed and bound and containing so much valuable music that you will treasure it for years to come.•Comprehensive collections of flatpicking study and solo material•Warm-Up and Picking Studies, Fiddle Tunes, Ballads and Waltzes, Celtic, Rags and Swing, Gospel, Classics, Playing on the Up the Fingerboard, Playing In Mixed Positions, Advance Solos and "Strange" Solos.•All music in notation and tablature•Beautiful hard cover with covered spiral binding and premium paper.