Book excerpt: Ragtime music has a character all its own. While it lends itself ideally to a variety of settings and moods, it always maintains its unique joyful feeling. the banjo is an instrument ideally suited for ragtime. the bright crisp banjo sound truly adds a new dimension to the ragtime feeling. Mel Bay and Roy Smeck have teamed together in arranging a variety of Scott Joplin and some original rags. All of the music contained herein can be played by tenor, plectrum, or 5-string banjo. It is with great pleasure that we present the joyful sound of Ragtime Banjo! Standard notation only.