Mandolin Primer Volume One: Chords & Progressions (Second Edition)

The Second Edition of Mandolin Primer Volume One: Chords & Progressions has been completely redesigned and expanded based on feedback from students, teachers, and working musicians. Every lesson has been reviewed, reorganized, and refined to create a clearer learning experience that helps you spend more time playing and less time searching for the right chord.

Written by Matt C Bruno, this practical mandolin chord book teaches the essential skills every rhythm player needs. Whether you’re learning your first chords, preparing for bluegrass jam sessions, or looking for a reliable reference while learning new songs, this book provides a structured approach that builds confidence one lesson at a time.

Instead of simply listing chord diagrams, this book focuses on helping you understand how chords are organized across the mandolin, how they relate to common chord progressions, and how to use them in real musical situations. The clear black-and-white diagrams make the information easy to read and easy to reference during practice.

Inside you’ll find:

• Moveable major, minor, dominant seventh, major seventh, minor seventh, diminished, and augmented chord templates.
• Six practical voicings for the most common chords in the keys of C, G, D, A, E, B, and Bb.
• Common chord progressions used throughout bluegrass, folk, country, gospel, and other acoustic styles.
• Exercises that improve rhythm playing, chord transitions, and left-hand efficiency.
• Practical examples that reinforce each concept through music rather than memorization.
• Easy-to-read black-and-white diagrams throughout.
• Durable spiral binding that lays flat on a music stand for convenient practice.

The Second Edition reflects countless hours of classroom instruction, workshops, jam sessions, and private lessons. It has been carefully updated to answer common questions, improve the organization of the material, and make it easier for players to find the information they need when practicing.

Whether you’re a beginner building your first chord vocabulary or an experienced player looking for additional voicings and practical progressions, Mandolin Primer Volume One: Chords & Progressions is a valuable reference you’ll return to again and again.