(Berklee Guide). This book by Berklee bass prof Anthony Vitti will help you make your bass lines more creative, unique and memorable. Tap into the groove and evolve your bass lines by using fills. This book brings you beyond the basics and helps you incorporate figures into your lines that are natural to the groove, and applicable to many styles. The play-along recordings let you hear the fills in context, then practice them with a rhythm section.

(Berklee Guide). Learn the essentials of accompanying soloists and playing in jazz ensembles. Comping is the practice of using chords to accompany a melody. Whether supporting a soloist, playing in an ensemble, or performing solo, this book will help you to use chords effectively and appropriately to create a rich jazz feel and enhance the sound of your whole ensemble. It begins with triads and voice leading, and progresses through altered seventh-chord spread voicings for two hands, covering many different techniques for using harmony and rhythm. The accompanying CD lets you practice with a small jazz combo. Suitable for all major jazz styles.

(Berklee Guide). Whether you're into hip-hop, urban, rock, alternative, dance, electronic, jazz, blues, or country, drums play a prominent roll in the production and arrangement of a song. This book will help to explain everything you'll need to know to produce your own killer beats, from describing individual drums and how they are most commonly played, to MIDI drum sequencing tricks used by the pros, and the proper use of compression, EQ, and group effects when mixing drums. Over time and with steady practice, you'll be able to make these drum production techniques your own, taking your song production skills to the next level while at the same time becoming a master beat-maker.

(Berklee Methods). The Berklee in the Pocket Essential Songwriter is an accessible reference guide that will quickly lead songwriters to ideas that are at the heart of countless hit songs. The tips and strategies jam-packed into this concise guide will help you tackle writer's block and gain fresh insight into the songwriting process. Includes: the 17 chord progressions that are at the heart of the most popular hit songs, guitar charts and keyboard chords showing how to play progressions in all 12 keys, tips to customize essential chord progressions to suit your own songs, contact info for businesses and organizations most important to the working songwriter, and more

Spark your imagination with hundreds of creative songwriting techniques! This hands-on guide provides lessons on how to write innovative songs, based on popular songwriting courses at Berklee College of Music. Whether you're a beginning songwriter who can't read a note of music, or an experienced professional looking for new ideas, this book will provide new insight into your craft; it teaches the fundamental techniques behind today's hit songs, together with easy-to-follow exercises so you can immediately apply these tools to your own art. This book comes with a CD so you can practice your songs with accompaniment, even if you can't play an instrument.

(Berklee Guide). These time-tested exercises will help you to play by ear. This book introduces the core skills of ear training. Step by step, you will learn to use solfege to help you internalize the music you hear and then easily transpose melodies to different keys. Learn to hear a melody and then write it down. Develop your memory for melodies and rhythms. Transcribe live performances and recordings. Listening is the most important skill in music, and this book will help you to listen better. Gilson Schachnik teaches ear training at Berklee College of Music. He is an active keyboardist, composer, and arranger, and has performed with Claudio Roditti, Mick Goodrick, Bill Pierce, and Antonio Sanchez.

(Berklee Guide). Organize and manage your music projects Whether you are a performer, writer, engineer, educator, manager, or music maker, these time-tested charts, plots, diagrams, checklists, and agreements will help make your work easier and better. These forms will help you clarify your work, track critical details, and maintain quality control. Each one includes explanation about how it is used, a key to related symbols and terms, and any common variations. You will find forms for: * Performance, to help you book, organize, and manage concerts and gigs (stage plots, set lists, booking request sheets) * Touring (tour itinerary, checklist, assets inventory) * Technology, to help you manage recording sessions, track gear, and label media (archive sheets, mic input diagrams, take sheets) * Writing songs, compositions and film scores, supporting both creative and business dimensions of the work (split sheets, spotting notes, cue sheets) * Business, including agreements, project management tools, and financial management (booking sheets, tour budget, profit/loss form) * Teaching (audition rating sheet, practice log, lesson plan) Also included are different types of notation formats, and some tips for creating your own forms.

Unleash the creative potential of your guitar, and express your imagination through your music! This inspiring, practical and fun approach to composing and improvising will develop your sense of dynamics, articulation, rhythm, melodic direction and musical E.S.P. Think out of the box, and journey inside this truly unique collection of creative resources for the curious guitarist. Your guitar will thank you! "A wonderful book by a very special musician." - Mike Stern

(Berklee Press). Berklee expert speaks on how to market and distribute your songs and group. Sell more music Learn the most effective marketing strategies available to musicians, leveraging the important changes and opportunities that the digital age has brought to music marketing. This multifaceted and integrated approach will help you to develop an effective worldwide marketing strategy. Step by step, you will develop an active marketing plan and timeline tailored to your unique strengths and budget. You will learn to time your marketing campaign effectively, publicize your music to traditional print outlets and emerging online opportunities, understand the current opportunities for online, satellite, and terrestrial radio play as well as navigate various retail and distribution options, both at brick-and-mortar and online options, such as iTunes, Rhapsody, and other services.