A TRADITIONAL MUSIC LIBRARY

A huge archive of traditional, folk & old music - song-books with lyrics & chords, tune-books, sheet-music, scores, old songs, midi backing tracks, tabs, music lessons & theory, learn to play guides for various instruments, chord diagrams, scales and other music educational & academic reference materials.

The traditional and folk music here is categorised into various sections such as: Bluegrass, Old-time, Old Country music, Irish, Scottish, Christian music, Gospel, Worship, Hymns, Ira D Sankey, Christmas Music, Celtic, Ballads, Blues, Jazz, Session Tunes, Carter Family, Children's Songs etc. Tablature collections for Guitar & mandolin, Singing lessons, Song writing, Chord Charts for piano, guitar, mandolin & banjo. Downloadable PDF scores to print sheet music and MIDI backing tracks for many of the songs. A complete library of 100,000+ pages for musicians, bands, music teachers, music students or plain lovers of Real Music.

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AMERICANA - Folk, Traditional, Old Country Music & Song Collections

American Ballads & Folk Songs Lomax's famous book, hundreds of song lyrics, sheet music, notes and commentary.
Our Singing Country, Volume 2 of above by Lomax, song lyrics, sheet music, notes and commentary.
American Ballads & Songs A collection of traditional American songs from Louise Pound, lyrics & sheet music.
The Riverside Song Book - A Collection Of 170+ Classic American Songs With Lyrics And Sheet Music, circa 1893

AFRICAN AMERICAN

On The Trail Of Negro Folk-Songs - negro folk songs with lyrics, sheet music & commentaries.
Negro Folk Rhymes A detailed study of Negro folk music & its origins by Thomas W. Tally with sheet music & lyrics.
Afro-American Folksongs, A Study In Racial And National Music, Some Sheet Music & Lyrics, Henry Edward Krehbiel, 1913
Folk Songs Of the American Negro An investigation into traditional American negro folk songs By John Wesley Work.
Negro Melodies Plantation Pieces, Camp Meeting Songs. A collection of lyrics for 180+ songs, William C Blades, 1921

BLUEGRASS

Bluegrass Songs - lyrics with easy chords - 900+ songs with easy chords marked for banjo, guitar, mandolin etc, also with downloadable PDF versions.
Traditional Bluegrass music with lyrics, midis & sheet-music - 250+ traditional bluegrass favourite songs & tunes with chords, sheet music & midis.
Bluegrass lyrics collection of around 1000 song lyrics, also with downloadable PDF and RTF versions.
Common Session Tunes Guitar & Mandolin Tabs - 1600+ guitar & mandolin tabs with sheet music scores and midis, includes many bluegrass tunes, also with downloadable PDF versions.
Bluegrass Ballads, a book of lyrics for songs relating to the Kentucky of 100 years ago.

COUNTRY, WESTERN & COWBOY SONGS

Old country Songs - 800 Classic songs from Hank Williams, Jimmie Rodgers, Roy Acuff, Red Foley, Jim Reeves et al - Lyrics with chords + downloadable PDF's
Cowboy songbook - 70+ Cowboy, Western and Pioneer songs with lyrics midis & sheet music.
Songs of the Cattle Trail & Cow Camp by Lomax, collection of cowboy/western related songs, lyrics & sheet music.
Cowboy Songs and Other Frontier Ballads by Lomax, lyrics sheet music, notes and commentary on many Cowboy songs.
Frontier Ballads - a collection of western & frontier songs with lyrics & Illustrations.
Cowboy Lyrics a nostalgic look at the old west through traditional song & lyrics plus the authors reminiscences.
Songs Of The Cowboys 100+ Traditional Western & Cowboy Song lyrics.

HAWAIIAN MUSIC

NEW Favorite Hawaiian Songs - 40 songs with lyrics, and sheet music arranged for piano.

OLD-TIME (OLDTIMEY) MUSIC

Traditional American Old-time (Oldtimey) tune-book and songbook - 300+ tunes & songs with lyrics, chords, sheet music & midis,
Wehman's Universal Songster Lyrics for 6000+ Music Hall, Sentimental, & inspirational old time songs, also with downloadable PDF and RTF versions(Used as source material by many performers from the Carter family to Bob Dylan.)
Old Time Song Lyrics - lyrics of 900+ songs from old-time artists such as Charlie Poole, Ernest Stoneman, Brad Leftwich etc, also with downloadable PDF and RTF versions.
Carter Family Songs with Chords - A fairly complete Carter family repertoire of 200+ song lyrics, with easy chords for guitar, banjo etc.
American Old time Music collection 800 items, fiddle music, old songs, dance music etc, sheet-music scores with chords, guitar & mandolin tabs and downloadable midi tracks and PDF versions.
Common Session Tunes - Guitar & Mandolin Tabs - 1600+ guitar & mandolin tabs with sheet music scores and midis, includes many old-time tunes, also with downloadable PDF versions.
The Play-party In Indiana - Traditional songs and games with descriptive introduction, correlating notes includes sheet music & lyrics circa 1916
Here is a definition of 'old-time' or 'oldtimey' music.

ETHIOPIAN MINSTRELSY, MUSIC-HALL, VAUDAVILLE & VICTORIAN ERA MUSIC

Christy's Plantation Melodies - 176+ Songs Selected by E.P. Christy, Originator of Ethiopian Minstrelsy
The Arkansas Traveler's Songster, With Music for Violin or Piano, collection comic and sentimental songs, circa 1864
Christy's Panorama Songster Minstrel, Comic and Sentimental Song Lyrics as sung by The Christy, Campbell, Pierce's Minstrels and Sable Brothers, circa 1863
Hooley's Opera House Songster - Minstrel ,Sentimental, Comic, and Ethiopian Songs from "The Renowned Band Of Hooley's Minstrels". Circa 1863

MILITARY RELATED

Bugle Signals, Calls & Marches, Adopted by the War Department, Sheet Music for more than 200 pieces 1917
Songs & Ballads of the American Revolution - 90+ Songs With Notes & Illustrations, By Frank Moore.
Southern War Songs(Confederate) Camp-Fire, Patriotic & Sentimental 200+ Song Lyrics (Illustrated)
Songs Of The Soldiers(Union), 150+ Songs With Notes & Illustrations.
Songs Of The Soldiers And Sailors U.S. - 1917 songbook of around 60 song lyrics by the US military for its troops.

NATIVE AMERICAN TRADITIONAL MUSIC & SONG

HOPI SONGS - Native American Songs With Sheet Music, Notation & Commentary
Indian Games, Dances & Native Songs - Native American Ceremonials, Sports, and Songs with Sheet Music, Lyrics & Commentary
North America Indian Story & Song With Sheet Music Lyrics & Commentary, By ALICE C. FLETCHER circa 1900

REGIONAL or PARTICULAR

Song-book Of The Commandery Of The State Of Pennsylvania A collection of lyrics for 60 plus songs of a patriotic or particular interest.
University Of Illinois Songbook, A collection of 70+ related songs with with sheet music & lyrics 1908
Folk Songs from the Southern Highlands by Mellinger Edward Henry,lyrics & sheet music.
Kentucky Mountain Songs Traditional Folk Songs from that area, Lyrics & Sheet Music.
Ballads and Songs of Southern Michigan - 200+ traditional & folk songs, commentary; lyrics & sheet music.
Ballads and Songs of Indiana 100 Songs Collected & Edited by Paul G. Brewster with commentaries Lyrics & Sheet music.
Songs And Ballads Of The Maine Lumberjacks includes Lyrics, Histories & Commentaries
Rocky Mountain Song Book A Collection of Early Political Songs circa 1856
English Folk Songs from the Southern Appalachians - The famous collection by Cecil J. Sharp
The second book of English Folk Songs from the Southern Appalachians by Cecil J. Sharp

STEPHEN FOSTER

Stephen Foster songs - Songbook with 70+ popular songs by Stephen Foster, includes most of the minstrel favourites with lyrics, sheet music & midis.
The Melodies Of Stephen C. Foster, A Collection 150+ of his works with lyrics and original sheet music(piano).
Stephen Foster biography complete online book by Harold Vincent Milligan.
Stephen Foster - youth's golden gleam - His Life And Background In Cincinnati 1846 - 1850 by By Raymond Walter.

CHRISTIAN MUSIC, Gospel, Worship, Hymns, Sacred Songs & Christmas Carols.

Christian Worship Songs With Chords 1000+ Contemporary Worship songs, LYRICS and CHORDS with downloadable PDF versions for printing.
Christian Worship Songs a collection of 500+ Contemporary & trad Worship and Gospel songs, LYRICS with downloadable PDF and RTF versions for printing and editing.
Gospel Songs - Lyrics With Chords for guitar, banjo etc, 1200 traditional songs, also with downloadable PDF versions..
Gospel Praise Songs With Chords -800 plus worship song lyrics with chord diagrams and PDF versions of the songs to download.
Traditional Christian Music collection Sacred songs, Hymns & Inspirational songs, sheet music & lyrics from Ira D Sankey's book "Sacred Songs and Solos"
Hymn Lyrics - a collection of more than 1900 traditional Christian hymn lyrics also with downloadable PDF and RTF versions for printing,editing etc.
Songs from the St Lawrence - The Northern Harp collection of inspirational songs part 1, lyrics
Forest Melodies.The Northern Harp collection of inspirational songs part 2, lyrics
Church Hymns & Tunes 600+ traditional pieces of church music with sheet music & lyrics.
The Book Of Praise From The Best English Hymn Writers - 450 Christian Songs & Hymns Selected By Roundell Palmer
Faber's Hymns - 88 Most Popular & Representative Christian Hymns From Frederick William Faber
Temperance Hymn Book And Minstrels A Collection Of 105 Christian Hymns, Songs & Odes 1841

CHRISTMAS MUSIC

Christmas Carols, Ancient And Modern - 15th to 19th century with extensive historical information.
Traditional Christmas, carols and hymns songbook - 80+ popular Christmas carols and songs with lyrics, sheet music and midis.

IRISH & SCOTTISH CELTIC MUSIC & LYRICS COLLECTIONS

Irish Song lyrics with easy chords - more than 600 songs with Irish associations with chords marked for guitar etc, also with downloadable PDF versions.
Irish Song and Ballad Lyrics - a collection of 1000+ songs with Irish associations, also with downloadable PDF and RTF versions.
Irish Music Guitar Tabs - a collection of 2900+ guitar tabs with sheet music scores and midis, also with downloadable PDF versions.
Irish Music Mandolin Tabs - a collection of 2900+ mandolin tabs with sheet music scores and midis, also with downloadable PDF versions.
Traditional Irish folk music songbook and tune-book - 200+ favourite Irish, tunes & songs 3 part collection with midis, lyrics & sheet music.
The Golden Treasury of Irish Songs & Lyrics Volume 1(each volume has about 500 songs)
The Golden Treasury of Irish Songs & Lyrics Volume 2
Hyland's Hibernian Songster described as 500 songs dear to the Irish heart - lyrics & some sheet music.
Moore's Irish Melodies. Traditional Irish Song & Ballad Lyrics by Ireland's Bard Thomas Moore, lyrics.
Scottish Sheet Music & Guitar Tabs - 4000+ Scottish tunes with Sheet Music Scores, Guitar Tabs and midi files, also with downloadable PDF versions.
Scottish Sheet Music & Mandolin Tabs - 4000+ Scottish tunes with Sheet Music Scores, Mandolin Tabs and midi files, also with downloadable PDF versions.
Traditional Scottish music songbook and tune-book - 140+ favourite Scottish tunes & songs with midis, lyrics & sheet music.
Robert Burn's songs, collection of 360+ items from Scotland's Bard with lyrics & sheet music.

CHILDRENS TRADITIONAL SONGS & NURSERY RHYMES

Traditional Children's Songs & Nursery Rhymes a collection of 300+ items - lyrics.
Mother Goose's Traditional Nursery Rhymes (300+ pages) with lyrics & some sheet music.
Traditional English Nursery Songs - a very nicely illustrated & illuminated collection of lyrics, circa 1846
Merry Songs & Games For The Kindergarten 90 Pieces with lyrics & sheet music By Clara Beeson Hubbard
One hundred New Kindergarten Songs with lyrics & sheet music by Rena I. & Henrietta A. Halsey
Song Stories For The Kindergarten, 90 pieces with lyrics & sheet music, illustrated songbook
Mother Goose Songs Without Words, children's beginner piano using Mother Goose Songs by L. E. Orth.
Old English Nursery Songs 37 Pieces arranged for piano By Horace Mansion and Illustrated by Anne Anderson.
Our Children's Songs With Illustrations, A complication of nearly 200 Children's Song Lyrics.
Songs Of The Child World, 60 Children's Songs with lyrics & sheet music By Alice C. D. Riley & Jessie L. Gaynor
Songs Of Childhood - Illustrated, 129 songs for Children With Lyrics & Sheet Music
Songs Games And Rhymes 200 songs with lyrics & Sheet music
The Child's Own Music Book 472+ Songs, Tunes & Graded Piano Pieces With Lyrics & Sheet Music
Traditional Children's Games of England Scotland & Ireland, including Tunes(sheet music), Singing-rhymes(lyrics), Methods Of Playing with diagrams and illustrations, by ALICE BERTHA GOMME of the Folklore Society. This is a large two volume dictionary like reference book of nearly 1000 pages - look up all those games you used to play in the junior school playground.
Volume 1 ACCROSHAY to NUTS IN MAY.
Volume 2 OATS AND BEANS to WOULD YOU KNOW.
Songs Every Child Should Know - The Best Songs Of All Nations For Young People With Sheet Music & Lyrics
GRANDMAMA'S SONG BOOK - Cautionary moral songs for Children, with lyrics and sheet music.
English Folk-Songs For Schools, 50+ Popular Songs With Sheet Music & Lyrics
What the Children Sing - Sheet Music & Lyrics for 100+ Most Popular Nursery Songs, Rhymes & Games. With The Traditional Tunes.

MIXED FOLK & TRADITIONAL MUSIC & LYRICS COLLECTIONS

LARGE COLLECTIONS (see also under tablature)

Traditional & Folk Song Lyrics - huge collection 3700+ song lyrics, also with downloadable PDF and RTF versions.
A huge collection of around 4000 songs, mostly traditional & folk with midi files and lyrics, also with downloadable PDF and RTF versions.
Folk Song Collection with 900+ traditional & folk song lyrics with chords in easy keys.

BAWDY & DRINKING SONGS

Bawdy songs - 80 bawdy or rugby type songs, midis, lyrics & sheet music (Warning contains risqué material, may be considered offensive by some.)
A Tankard Of Ale, An Anthology 120 Of Drinking Songs - lyrics

THEMED COLLECTIONS

NEW 250+ Modern fiddle & Dance tunes in a Traditional Style from Canadian Based Musician Paul Gitlitz.
1940s Top Songs - 200+ songs popular during world-war 2, from Vera Lynn, George Formby, Gracie Fields, Glen Miller, the Andrews Sisters etc - lyrics+ PDF & RTF versions for download
Top hit songs from the American music charts of 1930 to 1950 - lyrics+ PDF & RTF versions for download
Favourite Songs & Hymns For School & Home 450 Of the world's best songs and hymns, lyrics & sheet music for voice & piano
Folk Songs Of Many Nations a collection of national folk songs with lyrics & sheet music.
Franklin Square Song Collection 200 favourite songs & hymns lyrics & sheet music.
Our Familiar Songs & Those Who Made Them, 300+ song lyrics, sheet music(piano), composer info & histories of the songs.
THE SONG BOOK 350+ Song Lyrics With Sheet Music, Selected And Arranged By John Hullah. circa 1884
The National Song Book - Collection of some 250 Folk-songs, Carols, And Rounds suggested By The Board Of Education, With Sheet Music and Lyrics. circa 1905
Pub Session Tunes - 3 part collection of 200+ tunes commonly played at pub sessions and music sessions in the British Isles, with sheet music, lyrics & midis.
Popular Songs For The Guitar a Collection 95 Songs arranged for Guitar with Lyrics & Sheet Music.
Soldier Songs - collection of WWI songs as sung by British troops - lyrics.
Folk revival songbook - 70+ folk songs associated with the 60's UK folk revival. - includes lyrics, sheet music & midis.
Popular & Best Known Traditional & Folk music - 80+ best known traditional song/dance tunes, lyrics sheet music & midis.
Sussex Folk Orchestra Tunes - 70+ tunes played by the Sussex Folk Orchestra - English, Irish, Greek, Italian, Welsh, Scottish, American, Cajun, European etc, inc sheet music & midis.
Tunes Dad Whistled a small collection of vintage popular and folk songs arranged for piano - lyrics & sheet music.
Old Time Favourite Hits a collection of vintage popular music with sheets - lyrics & sheet music.
The Angler's Songbook - A Collection of complete lyrics for 200+ Songs Related to Angling

SEA SHANTIES & SONGS

Sea Shanties(Chanties) & Songs of the sea lyrics for 200+ items.
Music Of The Waters - Sailors' Chanties, Songs Of The Sea, Boatmen's, Fishermen's, Rowing Songs, & Water Legends with lyrics & sheet music, lyrics.
Naval Songs & Ballads a large collection of Sea and Navy song lyrics from The Navy Records Society of the British Navy with historical notes & background info.
SEA SONGS - A collection of 70 Traditional Sea & Sailing related songs with complete lyrics.

TABLATURE and SHEET MUSIC FOR GUITAR, BANJO, MANDOLIN, DULCIMER & DOBRO

TABLATURE (free)- GUITAR TAB, and MANDOLIN TAB (with sheet music) for around 4000 songs (the lyrics are included in the large collections section above).
American Old time Music sheet-music with GUITAR tabs, 800 items, fiddle music, old songs, dance music etc, sheet-music scores with chord and downloadable midi tracks and PDF version.
American Old time Music sheet-music with MANDOLIN tabs 800 items, fiddle music, old songs, dance music etc, sheet-music scores with chords, and downloadable midi tracks and PDF version.
Common Session Tunes, sheet-music with Guitar Tab - 1600+ guitar tabs with sheet music scores and midis, for common session tunes, also with downloadable PDF versions.
Common Session Tunes, sheet-music with Mandolin Tab - 1600+ mandolin tabs with sheet music scores and midis, for common session tunes, also with downloadable PDF versions.
Irish Music, sheet-music with Guitar Tabs - a collection of 2900+ guitar tabs with sheet music scores and midis, also with downloadable PDF versions.
Irish Music, sheet-music with Mandolin Tabs - a collection of 2900+ mandolin tabs with sheet music scores and midis, also with downloadable PDF versions.
Scottish sheet-music with Guitar Tabs - 4000+ Scottish tunes with Sheet Music Scores, Guitar Tabs and midi tracks, also with downloadable PDF versions.
Scottish sheet-music with Mandolin Tabs - 4000+ Scottish tunes with Sheet Music Scores, Guitar Tabs and midi tracks, also with downloadable PDF versions.
Folk and Traditional Music, sheet-music with guitar tabs 10,000+ tunes & songs with Sheet Music Scores, Guitar Tabs and midi tracks, also with downloadable PDF versions.
Folk and Traditional Music, sheet-music with mandolin tabs 10,000+ tunes & songs with Sheet Music Scores, Mandolin Tabs and midi tracks, also with downloadable PDF versions.

The "Just the Tune" album series

This (paid product) features many of the best and most popular of bluegrass, oldtimey and traditional tunes played in authentic traditional styles by award winning multi-instrumentalist Rick Townend. As well as being excellent listening music, these mixed format music CDs(download versions only) can also print out sheet music and tab for Guitar, Banjo, Mandolin, Dulcimer, Dobro or Tenor Banjo, for each track. Check it out HERE, there is also a similar product for bluegrass harmony singing HERE. We have had a lot of positive feedback from Appalachian clog dancers who have been finding the Just the Tune series ideal for beginners to dance to as they most of the preferred tunes but not at the usual break-neck speeds.

TRADITIONAL DANCE - MUSIC, STEP DIAGRAMS & TUTORIALS

Appalachian Clogging (stepping) tutorial by Rosie Davis. On-line version of the of her beginners tutorial.
The Morris Book by Cecil J Sharp, being an account, history, technical description and notation for traditional morris dancing.
Cowboy Dances - Western Square Dances with instructions for callers dancers with diagrams, photos & sheet music.
Singing Games a collection of traditional folk dances with lyrics & sheet music, mainly for children.
American Square Dances of The West & Southwest, instruction book with calls, instructions, diagrams, steps & sheet music.
Espérance Morris Book vol 1 and Espérance Morris Book vol 2 - A Manual of Morris Dances with Instructions, Diagrams, Sheet Music and Lyrics.

MUSIC EDUCATION

Singing and playing this the menu for all the music education material on this site.

SINGING & SONGWRITING

How to set song lyrics to music and easily create a tune - A non-technical guide for hands-on musicians & song writers.
How to Sing, complete instruction book.
How to Sing a Song - Voice and Body training for artistic song interpretation.
Voice Training In Speech & Song - online tutorial with exercises.
Training the Singing Voice - An Analysis Of The Working Concepts Contained In Recent Contributions To Vocal Pedagogy.
Songwriters Lyric Helpers - Orthometry, Versification & Technicalities Of Poetry also with COMPLETE RHYMING DICTIONARY.
How To Sing Bluegrass Harmony easy tutorial by Rick townend
How To Write A Popular Song - A non-technical how-to-do it system for the aspiring song writer.
Aural Culture Based on Musical Appreciation - exercises & tutorial material for sight singing
HOW TO SING PLAIN CHANT A compilation of the practical rules and methods for performance of this ancient form of Church Music.

CHORDS, SCALES, MUSIC THEORY & MUSICIAN'S HELPERS

UPDATED Chord Charts and fingering diagrams for Guitar, Bass Guitar, Banjo (5 string G & C tuning), Mandolin, Piano and Fiddle (violin) also with downloadable PDF versions for printing.
Scale charts for Guitar, Banjo Mandolin and Fiddle (violin).
Chord Translation table to allow you to translate chords between any keys
Chord Sequence Charts - For Session Tunes & Songs - Charts with the chord playing sequences for more than 600 popular session and jam songs and tunes.
Session Tune Chord Sequence Playing Charts- Mainly Oldtimey/bluegrass - charts of chord playing sequences for 400 popular session and jam songs and tunes.
Jazz Chords for guitar, A simple guide by Rick Townend.
Beginners Harmony, Constructing accompaniments, melodies etc, complete textbook for music students.
Scales & Arpeggios for keyboard with exercises.
MUSICAL MEMORY - A System To Cultivate The Musical Memory For Musicians
The Nashville Numbering System - A simple way to transpose chords to different keys.

STYLES

12 bar blues on any instrument. a basic guide by Rick Townend.
Teach Yourself Jazz - an introduction for musicians wishing to add jazz to their playing styles.
EXTEMPORE PLAYING - tutorial - 40 Lessons, how to correctly play improvisations.

INSTRUMENTS

Hawaiian Steel Guitar - A Simple Chord Based Tutor For Learning Steel Guitar Played With a Sliding Steel Bar
Bluegrass Your Fiddle - An Easy Insiders guide and tutorial on Bluegrass Fiddling by Rick Townend.
How to play the Bluegrass instruments tutorial by Rick Townend
How To Play All The Popular Instruments, Beginners "get your started guide" for guitar, tenor banjo, mandolin, Ukulele, Hawaiian Guitar, violin, Saxophone, Trumpet and Cornet, clarinet, flute, piccolo, musical saw and many others.
BANJO - An easy get-you-started tutorial series on Banjo, inc: Frailing or Clawhammer, Bluegrass or Scruggs style, Playing by Ear & Frailing Backup Banjo.
BANJO - A Book Of Five Strings - online tutorial for old-time banjo by Patrick Costello
BANJO - The Eclipse Self-Instructor for 5 string banjo 1915 instruction manual for playing banjo.
BANJO - The New Method for Tenor Banjo 1919, tutorial the science and art of Banjo playing.
Self learning tutorial for UKULELE, inc. songs with lyrics & sheet music.
The Kamiki UKULELE Method - online tutorial Tutorial for playing Hawaiian style ukulele with sample songs, sheet & lyrics.
The History And Development Of Musical Instruments In Various Cultures From The Earliest Times by Carl Engel
PLAYING THE RECORDERS - How to Play The Descant, Treble, Tenor and Bass Recorders
Handbook Of VIOLIN Playing - A Tutorial For Classical Style Violin
Make Your Own Spanish Guitar - Complete plans & Instruction
MELODEON & Seraphine Instructor - Complete Instruction manual plus excellent collection of Victorian songs.
The First Principles Of Pianoforte Playing, for school or self learners complete tutorial.

REFERENCE WORKS

Encyclopedic Dictionary of Music -extensive traditional & folk music reference.

BALLADS & SONGS

The Oxford Book of Ballads -The Best English Lyric Ballads Chosen & Edited by Arthur Quiller-Couch c1910
A PEPYSIAN GARLAND Black-letter Broadside Ballads Of years 1595-1639 From The Collection Of Samuel Pepys
A Century Of Ballads 1810-1910, Their Composers & Singers Inc. "Old Ballads And Ballad Makers" by Harold Simpson
The English And Scottish Popular Ballads collection - Francis Child's reference work for traditional folk songs & ballads.
We also have below the full 8 volume version that Child published in 1860,
Volume 1, Volume 2 , Volume 3, Volume 4, Volume 5, Volume 6 ,Volume 7 Volume 8
Popular Music Of The Olden Time Volume 1 by W. Chappell is a standard reference work for traditional Songs, Ballads & music.
Popular Music Of The Olden Time Volume 2
Stories of Famous Songs Vol 1 Provide histories and background information on some of the world's most famous
Stories of Famous Songs Vol 2 and popular songs, also covers regional variations in song names and with some lyrics.

JAZZ & BLUES

Jelly Roll Morton, inventor of jazz online book by Alan Lomax with some sheet music and lyrics samples.
The Book of Jazz - all aspects of jazz explained.

FOLK & NATIONAL MUSIC

The National Music of America - The Sources & Factors Influential In Forming America's Music, By Louis C. Elson c1900
Introduction to Folk Music In the United States. - Complete book by Bruno Nettl
The National Music Of The World - styles, characteristics and meaning of music associated with the traditions of nations and regions of the world
Curiosities of Music - A rare facts about the music traditions of ancient & "savage nations" includes Chinese, Indian, Arab and non western tradition music, by Louis C Elson.
Folk & Traditional Music of the Western Continents, folk & traditional music of Europe, Africa & America by Bruno Nettl
Military Music And Its Story - The Rise & Development Of Military Music by Henry George Farmer.
Studies In Folk-song And Popular Poetry by Alfred M. Williams 1895

MISC

INDEX To Kindergarten Songs Including Singing Games and Folk Songs by Margery Closey Quigley
What is a Barlow Knife and some comments on song and music titles.
The Killaloe March and The Connaught Rangers - history notes.

MUSIC TECHNOLOGY

Music Tech, audio and home recording glossary extensive.
Acoustics & Sound For Musicians - The Theory Of Sound Which Constitutes The Physical Basis Of The Art Of Music

FIND SONGS, MUSIC & COMPOSERS

Music Search/Song Finder - an index of popular music and songs from the last 500 years(approx)
Biographical Dictionary Second Edition c1952 from The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers - info on thousands of composers/writers and their songs.
Songbook Finder - A contents list for 62 popular songbooks and tune-books of folk and traditional music.
Fake Book & Real Book Finder - A contents list of many popular fakebooks and realbooks
History & Encyclopedia Of Country, Western, & Gospel Music, composers, artists & songs index.

NOTEWORTHY COMPOSER FORMAT MUSIC

10 tune books in Noteworthy Composer format including O'Neill's Dance music of Ireland (1600+ tunes) (Other new Noteworthy Composer format items available from main menu)

MISC INFO & WEB RESOURCES

NEW Bluegrass, Oldtimey and Acoustic Music Events & sessions in South East England
About this site - how it started, copyright & music performance, using files from this site etc.
Check Web Safety Ratings for traditionamusic.co.uk from McAfee SiteAdvisor
Old time Music what is it? Definition
Old-time music related links to sites
Folk and traditional music clubs and venues in various areas of the UK (extensive regionalized list)
Music Technology (home recording etc) and music software related links
Traditional music related web resources.
Musical Instrument related web resources (banjo, guitar, fiddle, mandolin etc)
SUPPORT FAQ Handling problems with this site playing midi, using a Mac, downloading our registered version etc
Rods Guide to safe on-line buying.
Notes about how to unlock your phone
Get a discount on your on-line shopping - discount/voucher codes for many major retailers.
COOPERATION WITH RELATED SITES - If you have a traditional or folk music site check this out.

TRADITIONAL MUSIC DEFINITION: Songs and tunes which have been performed, by custom, over a long period (usually several generations). They are most often folk songs, country dance or similar types of folk music but they can also be pieces from known early composers and may have been the "pop music " of their time. Traditional music (or public domain) is also used as a copyright status covering music which is out of copyright. In Europe (EEC) music copyright does not expire till 70 years after the death of the composer.
Important; this site contains only public domain category* folk, traditional and roots music. There are no modern pop, rock county songs or similar. Please see this page for more detailed copyright information and performance recommendations.