The Phillips Collection of Traditional American Fiddle Tunes Vol. 1

Most of the books I have specifically for Bluegrass Jams let me down. Either obscure tunes that no one knows, or tab stacked on 2 versions of notation, or all Celtic, no Bluegrass.This one is GOOD. Packed with classic Bluegrass. Tunes that most people know. And different renditions of the same tune are SEPARATE. Not stacked (if you know what I mean). Some of the "advanced" versions are transcribed from famous players and very fun to play (no tab, just the notes),I really like the Cover Art. Sturdy, metal (not plastic) spiral binding.If your eyesight isn't 20/20, the TOC will be hard to read. Light, tiny font. But nothing a photo copier can't fix to enlarge for quick reference.Bluegrass is not my genre, but I like the music and meet really NICE people at the Jams. I know about 10 tunes, tops. So I sight read and rely on notation to help me participate and have FUN. Phillips Collection (and Fiddler's FakeBook) the best, so far.

This is a nice thick book full of wonderful fiddle tunes. Many well-known (Apple Blossom, Buffalo Gals, Blackberry Blossom, Cumberland Gap) and also some lesser-known pieces (Hell Up Coal Holler, Creek Nation, Raven's Gap), sometimes with more than one version of a tune presented: for instance, there are 4 versions of Blackberry Blossom given. Many of the tunes are written with single notes and are simpler for beginners: others are scored full of double stops and present more of a challenge. Tune length ranges from 2 lines to half a page. Old-Time Fiddling is my favorite fiddle style and this book, the Volume 1 edition, presents perhaps the richest collections of tunes in that style that I've found. My one complaint about the book is that it wasn't prepared in a spiral-bound manner: that would have made it far easier to turn pages and keep the book open on a music stand. Volume 2 of the Phillips Collection, which has been rumored to be out of print, seems to still be available at ordinary prices: I just purchased a copy today (7/28/08) after searching online and finding it at a sheet music/music book warehouse. Don't give up if you want volume 2!Those enjoying Old-Time Fiddling might also want to buy the book "Old Time Kentucky Fiddle Tunes", which has some wonderful, truly traditional Old Time tunes that I haven't seen/heard anywhere else, together with a CD.Many traditional Old-Time fiddlers don't learn "by the notes" and learn only by ear, but if for you as for me the notes on the printed page give you joy to behold and are part of the pleasure of fiddling, or you live too far from hoe-downs, you'll enjoy adding to your collection with this excellent book and its approximately 720 fiddle tunes.

This book contains many, many tunes transcribed in close accuracy according to the manner in which the old fiddlers played them originally. This is one of those books that are a 'must have' for serious fiddlers. Stacy Phillips has done an outstanding job in his faithfulness to tradition. It would be wonderful if Mel Bay's The Phillips Collection of American Fiddle Tunes Vol. 2 would come back into circulation - it is currently an out of print book. It would be better if anyone could buy Vol. 1 & 2 without having to search through out of print titles and pay a premium for Vol. 2.I can't recommend this book, Vol. 1 highly enough. It's something that can be used for years to come and is a wonderful working book as well as a reference.

I have been using this book as a resource for learning and memorizing fiddle tunes and have been very pleased to find that many of the versions in this book are the ones played at my local jam. This book is an excellent resource and I would highly recommend it. The only reason this book did not receive five stars is because it is not spiral bound. A spiral bound book would be much easier to work with and keep open on my music stand.

This book is a great resource for traditional music.

I love the collection of music...covers a lot; well known and obscure! What I don't like about the book is the binding. This is a thick music book, more than 1/2" - it needs to be in a spiral binder so it lays flat. I was playing out of it the other day, after gently breaking in the spine, the page flipped on me - Grrr. Musicians prefer their music to stay put.

Terrific book! It has all the expected “favorites”, and a few surprises. I recommend this to anyone new to old time fiddle music (or not so new) as it is a very handy reference. My copy was used, the book has been in publication since 1996 but I’m not aware of any major revisions.

As a mandolin beginner, I have found this collection to be a great source for new tunes beyond the very familiar ones. Because the binding is stiff, though it is a bit difficult to keep the book opened to the correct page while playing and instrument.