Instruments & Performers Books

Lyrics 1964-2008

Paul Simon

Amazon Price: $23.10 List Price: $35.00 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Simon & Schuster Amazon Marketplace: 44 new & used starting at $19.94

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Entertainment -> Music -> Instruments & Performers -> Voice
Subjects -> Entertainment -> Music -> Musical Genres -> Folk & Traditional
Subjects -> Entertainment -> Music -> Musical Genres -> Rock

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 4 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

disappointed 1 out of 5 stars.
11 of 21 people found this review helpful.

I saw a review of this book on a morning show and could not wait to get it. The review implied that Simon shared the stories behind the lyrics of each of his songs. When I received the book and saw that outside of a short introduction, the entire book was just the printing of the lyrics themselves with no interpretation or commentary, I was truly disappointed. I returned the book.

Snatch a little purity 5 out of 5 stars.
8 of 8 people found this review helpful.

Here's a vote for Paul Simon being appointed Poet Laureate. It would be perfect: Under Barack Obama's tenure as president the Library of Congress chooses someone equally unusual and gifted to be the eloquent voice of this nation.

Lyrics 1964-2008 is just that: The lyrics to Simon's songs. The number of words here is staggering. You forget just how prolific he has been. More impressive is how many of these songs hit close to home. How many you know by heart.

There are a few bonuses. The album covers are reproduced (in black and white). A sprinkling of photographs include some with Art Garfunkel and some recent performance shots. Best of all, there are copies of the original hand-written lyrics to some of Simon's best songs: "Mother and Child Reunion," "Me and Julio Down By the Schoolyard," "Kodachrome," "American Tune," "Loves Me Like a Rock," "Still Crazy After All These Years," "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover," "Slip Sliding Away," "Boy in the Bubble," "Graceland," "You Can Call Me Al," "Look at That." You can see Simon having trouble with the end of "American Tune" (he has erased some words, and finally puts a question mark next to the lyric). In the notes for "Graceland," you can see the mournful lines, unused: "For no logical reason, no explanation, something deep inside of me is going to Graceland."

There is something redemptive about Simon's work. This book says it all.

Here's the chapter list:

Foreword by Chuck Close

Introduction by David Remnick

1964-1971
Covers these albums:
Wednesday Morning, 3 AM
Sounds of Silence
Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme
Bookends
Bridge Over Troubled Water

1972-1977
Covers these albums:
Paul Simon
There Goes Rhymin' Simon
Still Crazy After All These Years

1978-1983
Covers these albums:
One-Trick Pony
Hearts and Bones

1984-1990
Covers these albums:
Graceland
The Rhythm of the Saints

1991-1998
Covers this album:
Songs from The Capeman

1999-2008
Covers these albums:
You're the One
Surprise

Editorial Review:

A landmark compilation of popular music, this collection contains Paul Simon's lyrics from his first album in 1964 to the present.

Music Theory for Guitarists: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know But Were Afraid to Ask (Guitar Method)

Tom Kolb

Amazon Price: $13.57 List Price: $19.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Hal Leonard Amazon Marketplace: 41 new & used starting at $12.20

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Entertainment -> Music -> Instruments & Performers -> Guitar
Subjects -> Entertainment -> Music -> Theory, Composition & Performance -> Instruction & Study
Subjects -> Entertainment -> Music -> Theory, Composition & Performance -> Theory

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 30 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Theory for Guitarists 4 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

As the title suggests this book concentrates on music specifically for guitar. It would probably be smart to have some knowledge in basic theory before trying to tackle this book. A good free website for a quick rundown of the basics is musictheory.net. There are thirteen chapters which contain information on intervals, triads, major and minor scales, pentatonic scales, chord construction and the like. There are quizzes to help you learn the information. The book also includes a CD with audio examples. Overall, this is a good guitar theory book as long as you have an understanding of basic theory.

gonna be very helpful 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

I'm one of those who has to know every step on the way to big picture. For those who need to KNOW how to play rather than just bang it out.

Editorial Review:

Guitarists of all levels will find a wealth of practical music knowledge in this special book and CD package. Veteran guitarist and author Tom Kolb dispels the mysteries of music theory using plain and simple terms and diagrams. The accompanying CD provides 94 tracks of music examples, scales, modes, chords, ear training, and much more!

Guitar Fretboard Workbook

Amazon Price: $11.53 List Price: $16.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Musicians Institute Press Amazon Marketplace: 26 new & used starting at $10.12

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Entertainment -> Music -> Instruments & Performers -> Guitar
Subjects -> Entertainment -> Music -> Theory, Composition & Performance -> Instruction & Study
Subjects -> Entertainment -> Music -> Theory, Composition & Performance -> Theory

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 77 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Excellent systematic method for learning the fretboard 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

I have been fascinated by the guitar for over 20 years. As such, I have built up a large library of lessons in various forms. This workbook has pulled many concepts that I have found in disparate sources and coalesced them into one place. My only slight criticism is that the basic music theory involved with learning the fretboard is not in as much depth as I would like. Consequently, I understand some of the confusion noted in other reviews. I encourage beginners to stick with it because being able to break free of the tyranny of the first position will inspire you to further heights no matter what musical style you play. My recommendation for more in-depth music theory for guitar would be the Guitar Grimoire series by Adam Kadmon. Example: The Guitar Grimoire- A Notated Intervallic Study Of Scales

Editorial Review:

Navigate the guitar neck better than ever before with this easy-to-use book! Designed from Musicians Institute core curriculum programs, it covers essential concepts for players of every level, acoustic or electric. A hands-on guide to theory, it will help you learn to build any scale or chord on your own and unleash creativity. No music reading is required.

Hal Leonard Guitar Method, Complete Edition: Books & CD's 1, 2 and 3

Will Schmid, Greg Koch

Amazon Price: $20.65 List Price: $22.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Hal Leonard Corporation Amazon Marketplace: 42 new & used starting at $13.69

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Entertainment -> Music -> Instruments & Performers -> Guitar
Subjects -> Entertainment -> Music -> Instruments & Performers -> Strings
Subjects -> Entertainment -> Music -> Theory, Composition & Performance -> Instruction & Study

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 85 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Good! 4 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

This book is pretty good. It has a lot of music and teaches you a lot about the instrument. It doesn't have all that many contemporary tunes, but it's got loads of classics. Worth the cost!

The BEST way to learn guitar 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

this book collects books 1-3 of the hal leonard guitar method course.i tried all the learn guitar overnight internet courses and shortcuts don't work.i wish i had this book in the beginning!!those other courses left holes in my musical education that this book filled in.this book will teach you how to be a REAL guitarist.Unlike many guitar books which get you started using chords, tablature and eventualy get to sight reading notes, this book takes the opposite approach,it teaches you to read notes and play melodies FIRST,THEN you move onto playing chords and tab.(you must crawl before you can walk grasshopper!)by the end of book one you will be able to read notes on all six strings!and play alot of chords!when you finish this entire book you will be up to the intermediate level,and can move onto any advanced topics/styles in the Hal Leonard guitar method series just put"hal leonard guitar method" in a search on amazon and you will see all the books that can be used with this series(i suggestMusic Theory for Guitarists: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know But Were Afraid to Ask (Guitar Method)to start with because music theory is VITAL to becoming a great guitarist,because when you have a good grasp on music theory you know the mechanics of how music works. but look at the list of titles and see what interests YOU)go get this book and begin a lifetime love affair with music:-)

Editorial Review:

The Hal Leonard Guitar Method is designed for anyone just learning to play acoustic or electric guitar. It is based on years of teaching guitar students of all ages, and reflects some of the best teaching ideas from around the world. This super-convenient Complete Edition features the new and improved method books 1, 2 and 3 spiral-bound together, available as a book only (00699040) or book with three CDs (00697342)!

My First Book of Christmas Songs: 20 Favorite Songs in Easy Piano Arrangements

Amazon Price: $5.95 List Price: $5.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Dover Publications Amazon Marketplace: 29 new & used starting at $3.04

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Entertainment -> Music -> Instruments & Performers -> Piano
Subjects -> Entertainment -> Music -> Musical Genres -> Classical -> General
Subjects -> Entertainment -> Music -> Musical Genres -> Religious & Sacred Music -> Christian

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 12 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

A couple of sour notes, but overall...good. 4 out of 5 stars.
20 of 21 people found this review helpful.

Having purchased this for my kids to use and practice in time for Christmas 2005, I pretested all the music and found it to be a nice starter set of Christmas music for the piano student in their first or second year of training. The arrangements tend to be minimalistic. Caveat: there are at least two obviously wrong notes in The First Nowell and Jingle Bells, so you'd be well advised to correct them once you find them; hopefully they'll fix them by the time a second edition rolls out. Nice features: Each song can be played without turning pages. A charming black-and-white illustration accompanies each song. There's also a list of the songs in order of difficulty for those who want to learn the songs that way.

Editorial Review:

Beginning pianists will love playing these beloved favorites in musically attractive, easy arrangements: Jingle Bells, Deck the Halls, Joy to the World, Silent Night, Away in a Manger, Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, O Little Town of Bethlehem, We Wish You a Merry Christmas, 12 more. Includes illustrations.

The Chord Wheel: The Ultimate Tool for All Musicians

Jim Fleser

Amazon Price: $10.17 List Price: $14.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Hal Leonard Corporation Amazon Marketplace: 38 new & used starting at $8.42

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Entertainment -> Music -> Instruments & Performers -> General
Subjects -> Entertainment -> Music -> Instruments & Performers -> General AAS
Subjects -> Entertainment -> Music -> Reference -> General

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 23 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

theif?!! 3 out of 5 stars.
4 of 12 people found this review helpful.

Mr. Schulz, you invented nothing. This wheel was originally published at least 60 years ago, and probably invented well before that. In music, we all stand on the shoulders of our forebears.

Great Tool 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

This is a concise reference tool for a musician. Once you understand the concept this will save you hours of work !!

Editorial Review:

Master chord theory ... in minutes! The Chord Wheel is a revolutionary device that puts the most essential and practical applications of chord theory into your hands. This tool will help you: Improvise and Solo - Talk about chops! Comprehend key structure like never before; Transpose Keys - Instantly transpose any progression into each and every key; Compose Your Own Music - Watch your songwriting blossom! No music reading is necessary. "This is the kind of device that players of any instrument can use to enhance their musical understanding. Chord and key relationships are inseparable, and learning these relationships is a must in becoming a successful musician." - Alan Remington, Orange Coast College Music Dept.

Alfred's Basic Adult Piano Course: Lesson Book, Level One

Willard A. Palmer

Amazon Price: $9.95 List Price: $9.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Alfred Publishing Company Amazon Marketplace: 73 new & used starting at $4.96

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Entertainment -> Music -> Instruments & Performers -> Piano
Subjects -> Entertainment -> Music -> Theory, Composition & Performance -> Instruction & Study
Subjects -> Entertainment -> Music -> Theory, Composition & Performance -> Techniques

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 43 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

This is an amazing course 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

I have never played piano before and I'm halfway through book 1. I'm taking my time, but its been about 3 weeks. The stuff coming from my fingers sounds like real music and I'm using both hands to play complex music. I never felt overly intimidated though, each new song is a challenge, but never too much of one. The first few songs take minutes, then a couple sessions. I try to practice in tiny chunks (I have a 5 year old son), of about 15 minutes and the length of the songs in this book are great for that. I can't recommend this highly enough.

Alfred's Piano 4 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

I bought the book AND the CD from Barnes & Noble. I don't know why Amazon doesn't stock them both together. I found the book very good, but the CD has a really cheesy soundtrack which sometimes drowns out the piano examples. The pages are clear and precise, the diagrams easy to see, and the concepts clear. Overall I would say that this is a good book for the beginner and you really should buy it WITH the CD, just try and forget the awful din coming from your speakers; just listen to the piano examples to see what it should sound like.

Editorial Review:

A beginning course for adults who prefer a chord approach. It teaches chords for both hands so that the student can play more than single note melodies. It contains outstanding songs such as "The Entertainer," "Scarborough Fair," "Greensleeves" and "Amazing Grace."

The Piano Handbook: A Complete Guide for Mastering Piano

Carl Humphries

Amazon Price: $19.77 List Price: $29.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Backbeat Books Amazon Marketplace: 52 new & used starting at $18.34

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Entertainment -> Music -> Instruments & Performers -> Piano
Subjects -> Entertainment -> Music -> Reference -> General
Subjects -> Entertainment -> Music -> Reference -> General AAS

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 60 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

previous piano experience required! 3 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

This should be called the "piano review" workbook. The problem with experienced teachers and authors is they don't understand the mind of the beginner. They assume we already know things, or gloss over important details, or leave them out all together.

I think the author should have spend more time proofing the materials being taught, rather than babbling on with history lessons about people that have no relevance to the topics and techniques being taught.

The total glossing over the major and minor scales is horrible. To many "see if you can figure out...." without any followup explanation to check our work. To many new concepts found in the musical examples with no explanations as to their meanings.

This is not a book for beginners. It is good for picking up a tip here and there if you already have experience.

Very disappointed.

Editorial Review:

With clear and easy-to-understand exercises, The Piano Handbook is perfect for anyone interested in learning the piano or improving their skills. It provides fresh material and techniques in styles ranging from classical to jazz, rock, bebop and fusion, and gives new players everything they need to learn and enjoy the piano. This book's innovative tutorial approach covers classical and contemporary music styles in an integrated way, and the companion CD brings the playing techniques and concepts to life. A full-color photo gallery illustrates the history of the piano and its essential recordings. This hardcover, deluxe edition also features semi-concealed spiral binding so the book stays open on the piano. The Piano Handbook prepares you not just to play, but to perform - and not just as a pianist, but as a complete musician.

Virtuoso Pianist in 60 Exercises - Complete: Piano Technique

Amazon Price: $6.95 List Price: $6.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: G. Schirmer, Inc. Amazon Marketplace: 52 new & used starting at $3.41

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Entertainment -> Music -> Instruments & Performers -> Piano
Subjects -> Entertainment -> Music -> Theory, Composition & Performance -> Exercises
Subjects -> Entertainment -> Music -> Theory, Composition & Performance -> Instruction & Study

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 54 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

A mustn't have! 1 out of 5 stars.
5 of 6 people found this review helpful.

Going against the grain here I would say DO NOT buy this book! I am a piano teacher and yes, I had to use this book in my younger days. Recent research, however, has shown that using this can potentially give you wrist problems such as RSI. Finger strength is not really a priority when learning the piano. Good technique and understanding of the music is.

Ask yourself: How many times do I repeat patterns such as those in Hanon over and over again when I am playing a piece of music? The answer is never! So why train your fingers to do that? The only thing playing Hanon makes you better at is playing Hanon!

If you want to improve the technique and musicality of your playing find a Mozart (or Haydn, Corelli, Kabalevsky or any other composer) piano piece that you enjoy and that is within your ability or will stretch you just a little and learn it. Practise it slowly and play each phrase with the correct notes and fingering every time. This gives you a piece of music you can perform as well.

In short, if you were an athlete would you train using physical techniques from the early 1900s? Our knowledge of physiology has moved on and even some elements of the piano action have been improved to make actions lighter and more responsive.

If you are looking to improve your piano technique I suggest you read:
Lhevinne: Basic Principles in Pianoforte Playing
Gieseking & Leimer: Piano Technique (Paperback)
Sandor: On piano playing

They aren't necessarily the easiest books to read, but playing the piano isn't easy! I use other books as well (e.g. 20 Lessons in keyboard choreography), Czerny for certain things, but never Hanon!

Editorial Review:

This collection of exercises has been a "Must Have" for many years. Designed to build independence and dexterity.

Philadelphia Chickens

Sandra Boynton

Amazon Price: $11.53 List Price: $16.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Workman Publishing Company Amazon Marketplace: 151 new & used starting at $0.01

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Ages 4-8 -> General
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Ages 4-8 -> General AAS
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Arts & Music -> Music -> Songbooks

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 142 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

What an event! What a show! It's catchy and quirky. Tuneful and toe-tapping. Exuberant, unexpected, and utterly endearing. It's what happens when you take America's beloved illustrator and children's author and combine her buoyant genius with some of the most talented people on the stage—presenting Philadelphia Chickens!

Created by Sandra Boynton, Philadelphia Chickens is a family musical in a book, bringing together a full-color songbook of 17 1/2 illustrated story-poems with a full-length, fully orchestrated CD of original songs performed by the likes of Patti LuPone, Kevin Kline, Meryl Streep, The Bacon Brothers, and Laura Linney, who pleads "Please, Can I Keep It?"—it followed me home. / What exactly it is/ I don't know. Also joining in are Eric Stoltz, Natasha Richardson, Scott Bakula, and two Boyntons, including daughter Caitlin McEwan, who performs a piece that every little listener will relate to—a love song to the chocolate chip cookies that are just out of reach. With the collaboration of composer Michael Ford (known to Boynton fans from Rhinoceros Tap), Philadelphia Chickens is that rarest of kids' musical discs—one whose inimitable lyrics and music make it as sing-along, dance-along, cluck-along for parents as it is for their children.