Reference Books

Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain, Revised and Expanded Edition

Oliver Sacks

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 85 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Disturbances 4 out of 5 stars.
1 of 6 people found this review helpful.

Ulysses Grant knew two songs: one was the Yankee Doodle, the other was not. That's my kind of pun. I keep telling my Chinese friends that I do not believe in their tones. Tones are just a trick to fool dumb foreigners like me into thinking that the language is unlearnable.
Nabokov, one of my main heroes, tells us in his memoirs that music, for him, was just an arbitrary succession of more or less irritating sounds.
In other words, I am not left alone with my amusia.
I am happy that my affliction is not quite as bad as Nabokov's (whose son became an opera singer, by the way). I do enjoy listening to music and I love concerts. I just don't hear tones and I was the worse singer in living memory in my high school. Only the Bundeswehr appreciated my talent for marching songs. Reading Sacks shows me that it could have been much worse.
The multitude of possible problems is huge. Sacks gives us dozens of case studies, some studied intensively, some just based on correspondence. Music can be the cause or at least trigger of problems, like in some epileptic attacks, or the consequence of problems, like in some hallucinations. Music can be a problem when it disappears or when it intrudes. Music is used as a therapy for many problems.
The book is a veritable phenomenology of musical problems of the brain.
Which leads me to my mild criticism: after some of the stories, the telling of case after case wears you out. There seems to be no handle for explanations yet. Science seems to have a lot of pieces for the puzzle, but is still quite far away from a comprehensive understanding of our brain and mind.
One chapter with special fascination is the one on synesthesia. Nabokov had it as a child, though not in a version involving music. Sacks tells us, that Nab's mother had it too, which is mentioned in Speak, Memory, and that his wife and son had it as well. Transcending the brain, but still short of explanations.
A case that Sacks is not mentioning, that I 'encountered' in my literary excursions, is Kenzaburo Oe's son, who was born with a brain damage, who grew up as a handicapped child in a loving family, and who developed artistic talents as a composer. (Oe's Rise Up O Young Men recommended as an extended case study.)
Disturbances: Wilhelm Busch, a popular German writer/comedian/cartoonist (Max & Moritz) of the late 19th century had this to say about music: it is often considered disturbing because it is always coming along with noise.

Editorial Review:

Amazon Best of the Month, December 2007: Legendary R&B icon Ray Charles claimed that he was "born with music inside me," and neurologist Oliver Sacks believes Ray may have been right. Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain examines the extreme effects of music on the human brain and how lives can be utterly transformed by the simplest of harmonies. With clinical studies covering the tragic (individuals afflicted by an inability to connect with any melody) and triumphant (Alzheimer's patients who find order and comfort through music), Sacks provides an erudite look at the notion that humans are truly a "musical species." --Dave Callanan

1,000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die (1,000 Before You Die)

Tom Moon

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Total reviews: 56 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

The musical adventure of a lifetime. The most exciting book on music in years. A book of treasure, a book of discovery, a book to open your ears to new worlds of pleasure. Doing for music what Patricia Schultz—author of the phenomenal 1,000 Places to See Before You Die—does for travel, Tom Moon recommends 1,000 recordings guaranteed to give listeners the joy, the mystery, the revelation, the sheer fun of great music.

This is a book both broad and deep, drawing from the diverse worlds of classical, jazz, rock, pop, blues, country, folk, musicals, hip-hop, world, opera, soundtracks, and more. It's arranged alphabetically by artist to create the kind of unexpected juxtapositions that break down genre bias and broaden listeners’ horizons— it makes every listener a seeker, actively pursuing new artists and new sounds, and reconfirming the greatness of the classics. Flanking J. S. Bach and his six entries, for example, are the little-known R&B singer Baby Huey and the '80s Rastafarian hard-core punk band Bad Brains. Farther down the list: The Band, Samuel Barber, Cecelia Bartoli, Count Basie, and Afropop star Waldemer Bastos.

Each entry is passionately written, with expert listening notes, fascinating anecdotes, and the occasional perfect quote—"Your collection could be filled with nothing but music from Ray Charles," said Tom Waits, "and you'd have a completely balanced diet." Every entry identifies key tracks, additional works by the artist, and where to go next. And in the back, indexes and playlists for different moods and occasions.

The Pitchfork 500: Our Guide to the Greatest Songs from Punk to the Present

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Total reviews: 3 Average rating: 3.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

FROM THE BRAIN TRUST BEHIND PITCHFORKMEDIA.COM -- THE WEBSITE THE LOS ANGELES TIMES DECLARED "AN ESSENTIAL PART OF THE IPO D GENERATION'S LEXICON, A MUST-READ" -- A FRESH GUIDE TO THE 500 BEST SONGS OF THE PAST THIRTY YEARS.

Named the "best site for music criticism on the web" by The New York Times Magazine, Pitchforkmedia.com has become the leading independent resource for music journalism, the place people turn to find out what's happening in new music. Founded in 1995, Pitchfork has developed one of the web's most devoted followings, with more than 1.6 million readers monthly who tune in for daily reviews, news, features, videos, and interviews.

In The Pitchfork 500: Our Guide to the Greatest Songs from Punk to the Present, Pitchfork offers up their take on the 500 best songs of the past three decades. Focusing on indie rock (Arcade Fire, the Shins), hiphop (Public Enemy, Jay-Z), electronic (Daft Punk, Boards of Canada), pop (Madonna, Justin Timberlake), metal (Metallica, Boris), and experimental underground music (Suicide, Boredoms), it features all-new essays and reviews written with the sharp wit and insight for which the site is known.

Kicking it off in 1977 with the birth of punk and independent music, The Pitchfork 500 runs chronologically, with each chapter representing a distinct period and offering a narrative of how the musical landscape of the day influenced its artists. The book opens with David Bowie, Lou Reed, Iggy Pop, Kraftwerk, and Brian Eno, the "art-rock godfathers" who set the tone and tenor for the next thirty years, and wraps up in the present, when bands connect with new audiences through social networking sites and prime-time TV placements -- and when a single mp3 can turn a niche indie artist into a global sensation. Sidebars like "Yacht Rock," "Runaway Trainwrecks," "Nanofads," and "Career Killers" call out some far-from-classic musical trends and identify the guiltiest offenders.

Modernizing the music-guide format, The Pitchfork 500 reflects the way listeners are increasingly processing music -- by song rather than by album. These 500 tracks condense thirty years of essential music into the ultimate chronological playlist, each song advancing the narrative and, by extension, the music itself.

A Hard Day's Write, 3e: The Stories Behind Every Beatles Song

Steve Turner

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 14 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

A lavishly illustrated, rollicking account of the real people and events that inspired the Beatles' lyrics.

Who was "just seventeen" and made Paul's heart go "boom"? Was there really an Eleanor Rigby? Where's Penny Lane? In A Hard Day's Write, music journalist Steve Turner shatters many well-worn myths and adds a new dimension to the Fab Four's rich legacy by investigating for the first time the ordinary people and events immortalized in the Beatles' music and now occupying a special niche in popular culture's collective imagination.

Arranged chronologically by album, the book breaks new ground by exploring how private incidents influenced the group's writing and how their music evolved. Turner reveals that Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds was really a drawing by Julian Lennon of his childhood friend; Bungalow Bill was an all-American tiger hunter; Doctor Robert was a New York 'speech doctor'; and much more. A longtime Beatles admirer, Turner tracked down and interviewed the real-life subjects of the songs, probed public records and newspaper archives, and spoke in depth to the people closet to the Beatles to unearth tales that have never before been made public. The result is a book that chronicles an untold story of the Beatles themselves.

Illustrated with over 200 photographs, A Hard Day's Write is a visually alluring and highly entertaining journey to the land stretching just beneath your conscious mind, mapped out with strawberry fields, fool-topped hills, and long and winding roads.

The Chord Wheel: The Ultimate Tool for All Musicians

Jim Fleser

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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.

The Piano Handbook: A Complete Guide for Mastering Piano

Carl Humphries

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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.

Whole Lotta Led Zeppelin: The Illustrated History of the Heaviest Band of All Time

Jon Bream

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Total reviews: 3 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

They were the heaviest band ever, creating the blueprint for an entire musical genre and becoming a touchstone for an entire generation and their children. Now, to celebrate their fortieth anniversary and December 2007 reunion, here’s the first-ever complete illustrated history of Led Zeppelin.

This all-star tribute to one of the biggest rock ’n’ roll bands of all time features many of today’s top American and English rock journalists from Rolling Stone, Creem, Billboard and more, as well as reflections on the band’s inspiration from some of rock’s top performers, including Aerosmith, Heart, the Minutemen, the Hold Steady, and others. An appendix features the complete discography.

Glorious concert and behind-the-scenes photography from some of the top names in rock photography covers the band from their first 1968 show as Led Zeppelin through the 2007 reunion. Also included are more than 200 rare concert posters, backstage passes, tickets, LPs and singles, T-shirts, buttons, and more from the United States, UK, Canada, Germany, France, and Japan, all comprising a book as epic as the band it honors.

Created from the ashes of the Yardbirds by guitarist and session wizard Jimmy Page, Led Zeppelin featured virtuoso bass player John Paul Jones, gonzo drummer John Bonham, and Robert Plant, a vocalist like no other before him. The band singlehandedly defined what rock ’n’ roll could be, leaving in their wake a trail of tales as tall or as a real as we wanted them to be.

2009 Official Vintage Guitar Magazine Price Guide: The Only Complete Guide! (Official Vintage Guitar Magazine Price Guide)

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Editorial Review:

Now celebrating its 20th anniversary, The Official Vintage Guitar Magazine Price Guide continues to be the industry-leading reference for values on vintage and collectible guitars, basses, lap steels, mandolins, ukuleles, banjos, amps, and effects. The expanded 2009 edition spans over 500 pages and includes information on more than 1,400 brands and more than 1,000 photos, plus a detailed look at the "hows" and "whys" of the collectible instrument market. This guide is the only such work to cover all this in one very affordable volume!

Uncle John's Bathroom Reader Plunges into Music (Uncle John's Bathroom Reader)

Bathroom Readers' Institute

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 9 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Fun Read 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

My hubby loves these readers. Since he is always breaking out in a song, we thought this would be the perfect gift! He loves it.

Editorial Review:

What do Franz Liszt, Louis Armstrong, Woody Guthrie, and Elvis Presley have in common? What’s the story on the birth of the banjo, the electric guitar, and the Stradivarius violin? Why did disco happen? Who are the punk princesses? These are just a few of the questions answered in this lively book. Filled with facts, trivia, and stories about the world’s musicians, instruments, songs, and more, this endlessly diverting "plunge" dips into the history of Motown, muzak, and marching bands; tells the secret stories behind the hits; explores legendary venues like the Grand Ole Opry, the Apollo, and the Fillmore; spots the rarely sighted “two-hit wonders”; describes the origins of karaoke, rap music, and the cha cha cha. In short, it includes all the music news that’s fit to print is here in a variety of formats — longer entries for extended sojourns and brief tidbits for shorter stays.

The Penguin Guide to Recorded Classical Music 2009 (Penguin Guide to Recorded Classical Music)

Ivan March, Edward Greenfield, Robert Layton

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Editorial Review:

This has remained the best and most successful guide to classical music for more than forty years. Fully revised by its team of eminent authors and written with wit and passion, The Penguin Guide to Recorded Classical Music offers reviews of all the latest releases as well as the finest established recordings. It also includes an overview of the greatest historic performances, major period instrument recordings, an in-depth survey of the best of the budget-priced CDs, and the core collection of 100 handpicked, must-have CDs. Now published annually for the first time, this book is essential reading for every serious classical music fan.