Hi Tobin,

I just logged into the forum to post an answer to your request before being aware of your PM. Sorry for not answering earlier – I often check on the forum, but only when posting something I do log in and have a chance seeing any PMs.

The term "Traditionelle deutsche Volksmusik" is not squarely defined.

Do you mean 'really traditional music', such as Schlaflied by Brahms 'Guten Abend, Gute Nacht …' (http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guten_Abend,_gut'_Nacht) or 'Die Forelle' by Schubert (http://www.volksliederarchiv.de/text6359.html). While this may be seen more in the classical realm, it sure would be 'Volksmusik'.

A little more recent Volksmusik may be similar to 'Wenn die bunten Fahnen wehen …' (http://www.volksliederarchiv.de/text1265.html, http://www.myvideo.de/watch/8386129/Heino_Wenn_die_bunten_Fahnen_wehen_2002).

There are a wide variety of typical German folk songs from this type of genre fringing on s.th. that may be called 'Schlager' or sort of 'Hit songs' in more American coinage. A more modern representantive may be Helene Fischer (e.g. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pb1aMK8LW3o). Albeit dubbed Volksmusik this would be definitely more in the realm of pop or whatnot, yet safely denoted 'Schlager' in German. Nena got some international recognition (e.g. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIvO51PwNvs, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRFyKRlPfEg). There are endless more examples.
A giant on the German 'Schlager' sky is the late Udo Jürgens (just a Google shot here –> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9d33YUILvQ, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EgY3rtE5_VU).

Typical contemporary Schlager charts may be found on the net, e.g. -> http://www.oljo.de/deutsche-schlager-charts/top100-hitparade-deutschland.html.

You may also be interested in some other type of typical traditional Volksmusik, sometimes dubbed 'Biergartenmusik' or 'German Blasmusik' (just a blind shot via Google here -> e.g. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NZVkJmdcVo, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zob_OuEyDvM).

So it may basically boil down to what your intentions are. Are you heading towards a more educational aspect addressing classical and 'real traditional' Volksmusik, or are you interested addressing these many Schlager buffs in Germany. The hitch with these Schlager buffs may be that Schlager aficionados are more used to consuming music, not so much to creating music. Musicians or music students interested in creating Schlager music are probably well served with some of your pop RealTracks. Yet you could pick some particularly prominent German Schlager and go with them.

Or are you interested in creating business opportunities supporting these many 'Blasorchester' in Germany, best translated via brass bands or wind bands.

I could imagine that many young brass instrument students would very much welcome some 'zünftige' RealTracks resembling 'zünftiger Blasmusik'. 'Zünftig' is an often used German term denoting something real proper, hearty and genuine and particularly often used in traditional context.

The scope of traditional German 'Volksmusik' is very much greater than the scope of 'Schlager'. The term Schlager maybe seen as a subset of the term Volksmusik.
In contrast to your post here on the forum, Tobin, in your PM you've explicitely mentioned interest in German Schlager. I am sure we get quite some suggestions to specific typical German Schlager by fellow forum members.

Best wishes

Martin