Ragtime Solos and Duets

20 Scott Joplin Favorites

By Scott Joplin

Great book if you love Scott Joplin ragtime but are not a professional musician. I play banjo and the book transposes some of Joplin's rags to easier keys to read. Prompt delivery was appreciated.

The songs are several pages long with multiple repeats. Easy to see the notes. I never get bored playing the songs in this book. I play the first line alto and it sounds fine without the second. One of my favorite books.

As a private guitar instructor, I would recommend this book to more intermediate/advanced students playing any instrument. My complaints on this book is that the key signature has been changed on a few of the songs to 'make it more playable' on string instruments (although the original key is...

provided if you want to transpose it. I would rather play the original key). My only other complaint is the binding, which consists of 2 staples. Other than that, I love the music. This book makes for monstrous sight reading on most instruments. It has hard rhythms and syncopation, difficult melodies, and the two voices often have separate rhythms. Although it is a challenge to most, it can be done with enough practice. The pieces sound fantastic on the guitar, and people at the nursing home we played for loved them. The two treble staves with chord names above make it perfect for playing with two or more different instruments.

Very well done, most of the melody lines are more challenging than the harmony line, but on occasion the latter requires some practice or really good sight reading. The first, Original Rags is just a fun play. Many require moving to 3rd or 4th position, so it helped learn my...

way around the fingerboard, though I'm far from done yet. Sure, Joplin begins to sound similar, but they are different. Lots of syncopated rhythms, nothing wrong with that, eh?

Excellent and enjoyable duets.These are from the master of Ragtime the forerunner of jazz.For students that have not worked with syncopation these duets will provide a fun way to practice.