The Contemporary Guitar traces the extraordinary rise of the instrument in concert music over the past century. Though recognized worldwide as a popular music icon, the all-to-recent time when the guitar was looked down upon as a second-class citizen in the world of "serious" music is finally past, and it can now be found in the scores of the most important composers. The guitar's rightful place in chamber music, orchestral music, or as a solo instrument is now without question, whether in the classic acoustic form or the more recent electric version. While the guitar has stood in the vanguard of musical experimentation, its many new techniques and notations remain a mystery for many composers and players. In The Contemporary Guitar, musician and scholar, John Schneider explains each class of technique and illustrates them with examples. Moreover, because the guitar is easily refretted, it has also become a leading instrument in the exploration of the relatively new musical language of microtonality. In this revised and enlarged edition from the original work of three decades ago, Schneider adds a broad-ranging, entirely new chapter on the instruments, notation and repertoire with insights into the interpretation of historical works through the application of accurate contemporary tunings and temperaments. The guitar's unique timbre-its tone color-is one of the most versatile among modern instruments, both acoustic and electric. Most players who intuitively explore the subtleties of tone color will find outlined in The Contemporary Guitar the specific principles of physics that determine these subtleties which, once mastered, permit guitarists to control more completely the expressive palette of their instrument. Designated the Rational Method of Tone Production by its author, Schneider defines in great detail the timbral characteristics of acoustic and electric instruments from theoretical, physical, and musical viewpoints. Players in search of new repertoire will find an historical survey of the literature, an exhaustive list of new music, and a multitude of techniques for bringing such music to life. The Contemporary Guitar provides audio examples online for those seeking to discover new sounds and includes the notation to perform them.

This book has become a classic in all musicians' libraries for rhythmic analysis and study.

Designed to teach syncopation within 4/4 time, the exercises also develop speed and accuracy in sight-reading with uncommon rhythmic figures.

A must for all musicians, especially percussionists interested in syncopation.

Developed to increase the speed and ease of getting around the drumset using rudiments as the foundation. The cross sticking and drum-to-drum patterns used in this book will increase the student's coordination skills, familiarity of the drumset, and soloing vocabulary. An exceptional way to incorporate rudiments into the drumset performer's practice routine.

"How to Play Piano" contains everything the new or intermediate piano player needs to know to really get to grips with making music on this most popular of instruments. Highly practical, it leads you from the basics to more complex techniques, covering playing with the left hand, right hand and both together, along with a basic introduction to reading music. The clear text is accompanied by illustrative photos and diagrams, and the guide is complemented by some classic practice pieces to try your hand(s) at, such as "Fur Elise" and "Pachelbel's Canon", as well as a glossary and further reading.

The perfect companion to Piano & Keyboard Chords, Advanced Piano Chords is a handy resource for those who feel they are ready to take the next step. The simple and clean layout provides 15 chords per key, with positions for left and right hand, covering majors, minors, 9ths, augmented 5ths, diminished 9ths, 11ths, 13ths and add 9ths. Ideal for playing genres such as jazz and musical theatre, this no-nonsense, easy-to-carry, spiral-bound book will fit into a gig bag, flight case or handbag with the minimum of fuss and will help musicians become more accomplished pianists.

Rick Soshensky presents a groundbreaking introduction to music's power to heal and transform, weaving collections of uplifting case studies from music therapy practices with ideas from spiritual traditions, philosophies, psychological theorists, and music therapy theorists and researchers. Going beyond just theoretical and clinical information, The Music Therapy Studio: How Music Heals and Transforms Lives centers the stories and experiences of people with disabilities-marginalized people for whom the world allows little time or place but whose extraordinary musical journeys teach us about the unseen depths and indomitably of the human spirit. In conversational tone, Soshensky introduces the concept of the music therapy studio and investigates core concepts in music-centered approaches to music therapy: the experience of music as a creative art with clients has intrinsic value that supersedes diagnostic labeling and behavioral goal-setting. Through the music therapy studio, Soshensky finds hidden potential for connection and produces touching moments of music and meaning through the healing process. The result is unique and inspiring text that leads us towards a deeper understanding and appreciation of music therapy and music's spiritual benefits.

Join the superhero world of Lang Lang and come on a piano adventure with The Lang Lang Piano Method Level 5. Level 5 progresses with the following: extending technique, rhythms and keys through progressive repertoire featuring fun original pieces, classic themes and evocative world tunes. The five progressive books in The Lang Lang Piano Method provide a unique and imaginative way for complete beginners to learn the piano with the world's most successful concert pianist, Lang Lang. There's plenty to play all around the keyboard right from the start. Fun, imaginative pieces develop the left and right hands equally and supporting audio features exclusive performances by Lang Lang of the concert pieces. Musicianship is developed through theory pages and listening to exclusive performances by Lang Lang of piano classics for children. "I've written The Lang Lang Piano Method to inspire today's kids with my passion for the piano." Lang Lang

In the 21st Century, the guitar, as both a material object and tool for artistic expression, continues to be reimagined and reinvented. From simple adaptations or modifications made by performers themselves, to custom-made instruments commissioned to fulfil specific functions, to the mass production of new lines of commercially available instruments, the extant and emergent forms of this much-loved musical instrument vary perhaps more than ever before. As guitars sporting multiple necks, a greater number of strings, and additional frets become increasingly common, so too do those with reduced registers, fewer strings, and fretless fingerboards. Furthermore, as we approach the mark of the first quarter-century, the role of technology in relation to the guitar's protean nature is proving key, from the use of external effects units to synergies with computers and AR headsets. Such wide-ranging evolutions and augmentations of the guitar reflect the advancing creative and expressive needs of the modern guitarist and offer myriad new affordances. 21st Century Guitar examines the diverse physical manifestations of the guitar across the modern performative landscape through a series of essays and interviews. Academics, performers and dual-practitioners provide significant insights into the rich array of guitar-based performance practices emerging and thriving in this century, inviting a reassessment of the guitar's identity, physicality and sound-creating possibilities.

In The Mindful Musician: Mental Skills for Peak Performance, author Vanessa Cornett offers guidelines to help musicians cultivate artistic vision, objectivity, freedom, quiet awareness, and self-compassion, both on- and offstage in order to become more resilient performers. Contrary to modern culture's embrace of busyness and divided attention, Cornett's contemplative techniques provide greater space for artistic self-expression and satisfaction. With the aid of a companion website that includes audio files and downloadable templates, The Mindful Musician provides a method to promote attentional focus, self-assessment, emotional awareness, and creativity. The first of its kind to combine mindfulness practices with research in cognitive and sport psychology, this book helps musicians explore the roots of anxiety and other challenges related to performance, all through the deliberate focus of awareness.

Rick Soshensky presents a groundbreaking introduction to music's power to heal and transform, weaving collections of uplifting case studies from music therapy practices with ideas from spiritual traditions, philosophies, psychological theorists, and music therapy theorists and researchers. Going beyond just theoretical and clinical information, The Music Therapy Studio centers the stories and experiences of people with disabilities-marginalized people for whom the world allows little time or place but whose extraordinary musical journeys teach us about the unseen depths and indomitably of the human spirit. In conversational language, Soshensky uses these stories to introduce the concept of the music therapy studio and to investigate core concepts in music-centered approaches to music therapy, where the experience of music as a creative art with clients has intrinsic value that supersedes diagnostic labeling and behavioral goal-setting. The result is a unique and inspiring book that leads us towards a deeper understanding and appreciation of music therapy and music's spiritual benefits.

Black Music Matters: Jazz and the Transformation of Music Studies is one of the first books to promote the reform of music studies with a centralized presence of jazz and black music to ground American musicians in a core facet of their true cultural heritage. Ed Sarath applies an emergent consciousness-based worldview called Integral Theory to music studies while drawing upon overarching conversations on diversity and race and a rich body of literature on the seminal place of black music in American culture. Combining a visionary perspective with an activist tone, Sarath installs jazz and black music in as a foundation for a new paradigm of twenty-first-century musical training that will yield an unprecedented skill set for transcultural navigation among musicians. Sarath analyzes prevalent patterns in music studies change discourse, including an in-depth critique of multiculturalism, and proposes new curricular and organizational systems along with a new model of music inquiry called Integral Musicology. This jazz/black music paradigm further develops into a revolutionary catalyst for development of creativity and consciousness in education and society at large. Sarath's work engages all those who share an interest in black-white race dynamics and its musical ramifications, spirituality and consciousness, and the promotion of creativity throughout all forms of intellectual and personal expression.