Instant Harmonica is a totally new way of teaching yourself to play the harmonica in as short a time as possible. Yes, even if you have never played a note of music before in your life, you'll be playing your first songs on the harmonica in a matter of minutes. And what songs you'll be learning to play! We've chosen the best Country, Folk, and Cowboy songs around to insure that Instant Harmonica is not only fast but also a lot of fun!

(Willis). A comprehensive step-by-step course specifically designed to suit the needs of all children beginning the piano. Includes: characters and illustrations * writing exercises * sight reading drills * review work * accompaniments * and more.

Musical theatre students and performers are frequently asked to learn musical material in a short space of time; sight-read pieces in auditions; collaborate with accompanists; and communicate musically with peers, directors, music directors and choreographers. Many of these students and performers will have had no formal musical training. This book offers a series of lessons in music fundamentals, including theory, sight-singing and aural tests, giving readers the necessary skills to navigate music and all that is demanded of them, without having had a formal music training. It focuses on the skills required of the musical theatre performer and draws on musical theatre repertoire in order to connect theory with practice. Throughout the book, each musical concept is laid out clearly and simply with helpful hints and reminders. The author takes the reader back to basics to ensure full understanding of each area. As the concepts begin to build on one another, the format and process is kept the same so that readers can see how different aspects interrelate. Through introducing theoretical ideas and putting each systematically into practice with sight-singing and ear-training, the students gain a much deeper and more integrated understanding of the material, and are able to retain it, using it in voice lessons, performance classes and their professional lives. The book is published alongside a companion website, which offers supporting material for the aural skills component and gives readers the opportunity to drill listening exercises individually and at their own pace. Music Fundamentals for Musical Theatre allows aspirational performers - and even those who aren't enrolled on a course - to access the key components of music training that will be essential to their careers.

Twelve internationally-known keyboard artists entertainingly discuss their daily lives of practicing and performing in informative interviews, including reflections on learning new music, reviving repertoire, performing, controlling nerves, recording sessions, playing with ensemble groups, touring, playing in competitions, and the future of the piano. The pianists interviewed include: Vladimir Ashkenazy, Jorge Bolet, John Browning, Bella Davidovich, Misha Dichter, Janina Fialkowska, Rudolf Firkusny, Leon Fleisher, Andre-Michel Schub, Abbey Simon, Ralph Votapek, and Andre Watts.

General Music: Dimensions of Practice is a practical guide for music teachers and teaching artists who strive to teach music holistically. The book begins by framing general music as a holistic music education that is comprehensive, meaningful, and relevant to diverse learners in school and community settings. It is followed by chapters that are organized into one of four dimensions of music practice: performing, connecting, creating, and responding. Chapter authors share creative and innovative teaching ideas, for both elementary and secondary school students, that focus on a wide range of topics, including: songwriting, composing, improvising, singing, moving, playing, listening, analyzing, contextualizing, and connecting. Each chapter provides (a) a rationale for a given area of music study, establishing its importance and relevance; (b) a research or theoretical background, to inform and guide practice; and (c) a pedagogical model or framework illustrated through lesson ideas, curriculum units, or vignettes. The ideas in this book seek to inspire and guide teachers as they build comprehensive music programs that are informed by students and communities.

This exciting revised edition of Enjoy Playing Guitar: Tutor Book 2 picks up where Book 1 left off, guiding students to the next level in their musical development. Using the same clear approach and careful pacing, it introduces new positions (2nd, 5th, 7th), techniques (left-hand slurs, harmonics, the barre), and musical ideas, supported by tailored solos, duets, and trios. With extension activities to advance musicianship, a repertoire section for concert pieces, and a CD with over 60 play-along tracks, this is an ideal one-stop resource for the developing classical guitarist.

The late 17th century through to the end of the 18th century saw rapid progress in the development of woodwind instruments and the composition of a vast body of music for those instruments. During this period a large amount of music for domestic consumption was written for a growing amateur market, a market which has regrown in the latter part of the 20th century. The last 30 years has also seen the standard of performance by professionals on these instruments rise enormously. This book provides a guide to the history of the four main woodwind instruments of the Baroque, the flute, oboe, recorder and bassoon, and this is complemented by a repertoire list for each instrument. It also guides those interested towards a basic technique for playing these instruments - a certain level of musical literacy is assumed - and it can be used by students, professionals and amateurs. Advice is also given on buying a suitable reproduction instrument from a market where now virtually any Baroque instrument can be obtained as a faithful copy. This is the first book of its kind and has its origins in the wind tutors of the 18th century.

Unlike most jazz arranging books, which focus on the rudiments of arranging (transposition, ranges, notation, and so forth), this book deals with the real substance of arranging for small jazz ensembles, in addition to the rudiments. Rinzler devotes a chapter to each of the following arranging elements: intros, endings, accents/breaks/dynamics, time and tempo changes, style changes, form, rhythm section procedure, harmony and orchestration. Over a hundred musical examples demonstrate arranging techniques that apply to 147 jazz standards and modern compositions.

(Book). For those who want to learn the inner workings of music without, as author Dave Stewart notes, "getting bogged down in a lot of fearsome technicalities," this is an enlightening exploration of the theory and practice of music. Picking up where The Musician's Guide to Reading & Writing Music leaves off, Stewart uses the same amusing style, clear examples, and practical advice to encourage readers not just to read music, but to write some of their own. The book sheds light on tonality, chord sequences, scales and modes, tempo, rhythm, improvisation and composition, chords and chord voicings, MIDI, and more. 128 pages, 6 1/8 x 9 1/4

The Athletic Musician is an innovative approach that teaches musicians how to prevent and manage injuries, presented in a unique format that combines sound medical protocol with a musician's point of view. Harrison, a musician, discusses the magnitude of the problem of musicians' injuries with reference to statistical surveys and discusses the emotional and psychological impact of injury on the individual musician. Paull, an orthopedic physiotherapist describes, in layman's terms, the athletic approach to a musician's injuries. Each commonly injured area is examined in turn, from neck, back and shoulder pain to arm, wrist and hand problems. For each area, the anatomy is described, followed by an explanation of what causes the injury and how to avoid or prevent the injury from occurring. Musicians should regard themselves as elite "musical athletes" and protect themselves from injury by following athletic training protocols. The authors present appropriate stretching regimes and postural corrections for both on and off stage, as well as ergonomic changes to instrument and playing positions. The text is amply illustrated with sketches for every exercise and stretch, photographs of musicians demonstrating playing postures, and unique anatomical drawings of musicians. The Athletic Musician presents research-based, scientific material in a format that is relevant, clear, and practical for all musicians. The combination of a medical and musical perspectives makes it an indispensable guide for all musicians and the health care professionals who aspire to help them.

Most music we hear comes to us via a recording medium on which sound has been stored. Such remoteness of music heard from music made has become so commonplace it is rarely considered.
Musical Performance: A Philosophical Study considers the implications of this separation for live musical performance and music-making. Rather than examining the composition or perception of music as most philosophical accounts of music do, Stan Godlovitch takes up the problem of how the tradition of active music playing and performing has been challenged by technology and what problems this poses for philosophical aesthetics. Where does does the value of musical performance lie? Is human performance of music a mere transfer medium? Is the performance of music more expressive than recorded music? Musical Performance poses questions such as these to develop a fascinating account of music today. musicians - but via some recording medium on which sound has been stored.

Unlike other books on the philosophy of music, Stan Godlovitch considers music from the vantage point of active music-making. Rather than looking at the composition or the perception of music, Musical Performance considers playing traditions which have developed physical mastery to serve expressive ends. These traditions have been challenged by electronic technology which has made live, human performance seem a mere transfer medium. After developing a full model of traditional performance, Stan Godlovitch asks how well performance proper has stood up, and where (if anywhere) its unique value lies.
This radical new evaluation of music making in the past and future will be essential reading for students of aesthetics, the philosophy of music, as well as musicologists and performance specialists.

El Sistema - "the system" - is a music education phenomenon. Since its inception 40 years ago, over a million Venezuelan children from many different socio-economic backgrounds have participated in its mission of "social change through music". This book therefore offers practical information for those seeking knowledge, inspiration or guidance for adapting El Sistema to widely divergent socio-economic settings, particularly within the USA. Designed as a collection of essays, it explores the voices and experiences of teachers, leaders, parents, and experts from related fields with the hope of inspiring actions, both large and small, to advance social change through music.

This celebration of the art of drumming is a must-have for all drummers, beginning to advanced. With essential tips on techniques and tongue-in-cheek anecdotes, The Drummer's Almanac is informative and fun. Features lots of photos, interviews, quotes, jokes, tuning tips from the pros, maintenance info, studio stories, helpful hints, and so much more!

(Educational Piano Library). The All-In-One Piano Lessons Books A, B, C, and D combine selected pages from the original Piano Lessons, Technique, Solos, Theory Workbook, and Practice Games into one easy-to-manage book. Book C is the equivalant to the first half of Book 2. A perfect choice for beginning group or private instruction, the book/CD offers students a variety of styles and moods, and includes the "best ever" teacher accompaniments. The audio CD is playable on any CD player. For Windows and Mac computer users, the CD is enhanced so you can also access MIDI files for each song.

(Berklee Guide). Improvisation is the art of real-time composition. This book will guide you through exploring some of the many possible scale choices that can be used with chords and chord progressions, giving you a greater range of expression. Topics include the basics of chord-scale theory, modes and how to use them, the blues scale, symmetrical scales, and more. The accompanying CD features demonstration and play-along tracks to really drive each lesson home.

(Berklee Guide). This book/DVD pack teaches expressive, virtuosic, and healthy piano technique for contemporary and classical styles. Through integrated written directions and video examples, you will see exactly how to move your fingers, wrists, arms, feet, body and breath to achieve maximum expressive effect and technical facility. Developed by Berklee Piano Dept. Chair Stephany Tiernan as a continuation of the groundbreaking work of Mme. Margaret Chaloff, this approach to piano technique has been used by thousands of pianists worldwide. The DVD demonstrates each technique in isolation, and in the context of playing repertoire in jazz, rock, new age, Latin and classical styles.

Though the teaching of aural skills is one of the most important tasks facing the college-level music educator, it is often one of the most problematic, sometimes the most feared. Some of this apprehension undoubtedly arises from the lack of effective pedagogical tools that can reliably and more completely address the needs of the discipline. Functional Hearing fills this void with its unique method of comprehensive ear training. This book not only presents melodies for dictation and sight-singing, but also instructs students in how to develop the skills and strategies to hear and sight-sing unfamiliar music. In addition to presenting harmonic and rhythmic dictations, students are also shown how to listen and use their theoretical knowledge to comprehend the harmonic and rhythmic contexts in which they are listening. The book is divided into seven areas which include: Hearing the Essential Elements of Music; Hearing Quality, Function, and Inversion in Triads; Hearing Quality, Function, and Inversion in Seventh Chords; Hearing Secondary Functions and Modulations; Hearing and Performing in Multiple Parts; Hearing Chromaticism; and Hearing in Nonfunctional Contexts. Together, they incorporate unique and groundbreaking ways to train the ears of developing musicians and to encourage them to acquire a high level of aural skill. Functional Hearing is intended to be used in any aural skills sequence lasting from two to seven semesters, or as a companion text in most traditional courses in music theory. The corresponding Instructor's Manual is available free upon request (1-880157-58-6).