Exercises and Pieces from
Mel Bay’s Banjo Method
C-Tuning – Concert Style
by Frank Bradbury
The book by Frank Bradbury is the only currently-published tutor for the classic-banjo style. Bradbury was one of the leading classic and plectrum banjo performers of the 20th century. It should be available from any music store which carries Mel Bay publications, such as Eagle Music in England and Mel Bay in the USA.
Many students find the lack of TAB in the book a real drawback, likewise the absence of an accompanying CD of recorded performances. Well, although I do use TAB, I – like most classic-banjo players – do not depend on it, and Bradbury’s book is a great way in to learning to read banjo music in standard notation. I do think, though, that hearing the exercises and tunes can help beginners tremendously, so I present below a random selection of mp3 files.
Any questions or comments, please contact me robmackillopATgmailDOTcom
Now, purchase the book and get to work!
The following include exercises not available above.
Page 10 Ex.1
Page 10 Ex.2
Page 10 Ex.3
Page 11 Ex.4
Page 12 Ex.5
Page 12 Ex.6
Page 14 Accompaniment Style Chords
Page 14 C Major Scale
Page 14 Three String Chords
Page 16 Study Using 16th Notes
Page 20 Exercise in Thirds
Page 21 Continued Bar Position
Page 28 Exercise
Page 31 Continued Right Hand Practice
Page 31 Golden Slippers
Page 33 The 7th Position
Page 48 Blue Tail Fly
Page 48 Blue Tail Fly Accompaniment
Page 75 Etude in Dm
Page 80 Examples of Syncopation
Rob MacKillop ~ Musician 
Rob, I ran across your website with MP3 downloads from Frank Bradbury’s book C tuning- Comcert Style. I am interested in downloading this material but was unsuccessful in doing so, perhaps you could tell me how to do it? I have owned this book for some time and it seems two complicated for me to understand as I learn music by ear, however I am interested in learning many of the things that are presented in this book. I play in the standard C tuning most of the time and I feel that if I had an understanding of this book it would take me to a new level of playing. please let me know what I need to do to download this and thanks so much for putting this out it is just what I have been looking for.
Paul V, Disdier
Paul, Thanks for writing me, otherwise I wouldn’t have noticed that the site hosting these recordings has shut down. I’ll be placing them here soon, but in the meantime you can download them from the website: http://www.melbay.com/Products/Default.aspx?loaddwn=true&ProductID=93238_R
Once there, click the Downloads tab, and then click the big red button. That will give you 37 soundfiles of tunes in the book, but not the exercises. I’ll try to find my recordings of the exercises and get them online here as soon as I can.
Good luck with the book. It’s worth sticking with.
Rob, thanks so much finally figure this book out.
Paul
PS I’ve now added the Mel Bay files in a Soundcloud Player above. Hopefully the exercises will follow soon.
Hi Paul, all the files are now on the page, including some of the exercises. You have no excuse now 🙂 Get to work!