Monroe Instrumentals: 25 Bill Monroe Favorites Paperback – March 15, 2016

5 stars for a beginner. Don't let my comments dissuade you from buying this book if you are a beginning/intermediate mandolinist. It's not all bad.I liked some of the comments at the beginning of each piece, but I had hoped for more teaching about each tune and more information on breaks and Monroe's style. I had also hoped for more popular favorite instrumental numbers to be included in the book, since that is what the title leads one to believe. (My Last Days on Earth, Southern Flavor, and other favorites are not included.) Also, it wouldn't have hurt to include Jenny Lynn lyrics in the actual sheet music instead of just mentioning them on the previous page.I do not like the book binding at all... It would be high enough quality for a paperback novel, but it does not lay flat. I would recommend that if one were to use this book regularly that they have the binding cut off and spiral bound.I give it 5 stars for effort and for a beginner's music book... but just 1 star based on what I wanted. I am hoping for a more comprehensive book on Bill Monroe or Kenny Baker's music to be published. If someone were to write one with all parts of the band playing their different variations... (as Mark Geslison did with his 50 tunes bluegrass music series) that would be a treasure worth 100 stars! Also, if any future music publishers read this review, it would be much appreciated if you would always, ALWAYS spiral bind or bind your music books with a lay flat binding. Thanks!!!

Very nicely arranged. I was mostly interested in the fiddle tunes like Jerusalem Ridge. And I will point out that like the title says, there are no lyrics associated with this music. So if you're looking to sing Monroe songs, this is not the book for you.

Delivered quickly, and book exceeded my expectations. I have already learned 3 songs and am trying to find time to learn more. Easy to read tab as well as standard music. I have used the tab, but I am learning to read standard music, so it is nice having both.

Nice product....need to brush up on my Monroe tunes

good book, fast service

good for an in depth review of Bill's style. not a beginners instructional book

Excellent, accurate transcriptions of fine tunes.

Great transcriptions. The Kenny Baker Plays Bill Monroe cd is excellent to play along with, it has almost all the tunes. It also seems like the transcription was taken from Kenny Bakers fiddle more than Bills mandolin. Thats just my observation. I love it

This is a superb book that will appeal to both Bluegrass Mandolin players and fiddlers: there are half a dozen Monroe Mandolin pieces transcribed in regular notation and TAB, followed by various fiddle tunes. Highlights for me included "Raw Hide" and "Big Mon", both of which I am busy getting 'under my fingers' on my lovely new Breedlove Cascade Mandolin (fyi: the biggest sounding Mando I've ever played and just perfect for Bluegrass). Certain classic Mandolin tracks ("Kentucky Mandolin" for example, or "My Last Days On Earth") are missing at the expense of a couple of really obscure tunes. Otherwise, this book is a regular Bluegrass Bible for Mandolinists (oh, and fiddlers too).One serious gripe: music books should lie open on a music stand. The binding of this, like an A4-size paperback novel (perfect binding) means it does not stay open on any one page, and you have to physically force the pages to lie open or bend the spine so it virtually breaks. Why make a music book that doesn't stay open when that is its whole purpose?A tip for players who like this: also get Simon Mayor's excellent collection of original Mandolin tunes, "The New Mandolin" (0952277603), for a British take on great Mandolin playing.

Bill Monroe wrote some dull tunes and quite a few are in this book, if you want a lot of mandolin tremolo on a single note written out in full this is for you. As a fiddler was disappointed as quite a few of the tunes are available elsewhere at lower cost.