Showing titles in Instruction & Technique

Gertrude McFuzz wishes she had two feathers....

Il Trovatore has been ruthlessly parodied. It is a tale of murder and mayhem, burned babies, roasted hags, would-be nuns, strolling minstrels, and bad baritones. And indeed the libretto does call for a willing suspension of disbelief. The reward is in the music, a score as prodigally melodic as only the mature Verdi could write: the "Anvil" chorus, the "Miserere" scene, two great tenor arias, a beautiful baritone aria - a richness without embarrassment.

A Framework for Jazz Mastery is a wealth of information from one of the great modern jazz piano voices, Richie Beirach. Richie lays out in the first of three sections ten essential tips for becoming the jazz player you have the full potential to become. His tips include how to develop the necessary technique, the value in transcribing solos and how to best use them, how to learn a tune, reharmonization, composition, and more.

If you aspire to sing without being bogged down by doubt and incessant mental chatter, this book is for you. Whether you're starting out, getting back from a break, or feeling stuck... this guide will help shift you out of the stiffness of the analytical mind into the fluidity of your intuitive singing ability.

If you are ready to strengthen your singing voice and develop pipes you’re proud of, then the 14-day guide to vocal health, posture, and stage presence in Find Your Own Singing Voice is for you. As cliché as it may sound, your voice is your best instrument. You may not know that vocal health depends on a variety of factors, from posture to diet, and by doing the right things, you can improve the sound and strength of your voice.

Do you struggle writing songs? Have you ever tried learning music theory but found it hard or thought that it wasn't necessary? If you are finding that you are writing songs, and while they sound good, there is something missing, then read on. What you are missing is the sense of harmony and emotion that professional producers and songwriters have. You're about to discover everything you need to know about music theory, songwriting, lyrics, and creativity.

Daniel Levitin follows up his acclaimed New York Times best-selling first book, This Is Your Brain on Music, with The World in Six Songs, an audacious look at how the brain evolved to play and listen to music in six fundamental forms and gave rise to human culture.

In his first book Tracks That Sync, award-winning composer Graham Barton shows you how to unlock an unfair advantage in music licensing with 10 simple principles. Combining creativity, advertising, psychology, and business, he gives you the real-world tools you need to level up your tracks and supercharge your income. From creative choices to productivity hacks, Barton shares his lessons learned over the last decade in the business. He collects them into a powerful manifesto that inspires the modern composer on the path to break through their income ceiling.

Singing brings joy and a magical feeling, but do you feel there's still something holding you back from your full potential? Unhealthy singing habits can put strain on your larynx, windpipe, or diaphragm, leaving you exhausted. These habits can create technical and emotional obstacles. Even vocal powerhouses like Celine Dion, Michael Jackson, Beyoncé, and Adam Levine need vocal training to master their skills.

With all the music production advice out there, it can be very easy to get overwhelmed. You may get a vague idea of the general topic, but you're more likely to be confused, and you definitely won't have any workable knowledge. Well, the good news is this book changes that. Designed to take the complex world of music production, and explain it in simple terms. If you are a home-based musician then this is a must have for making your music sound professional. For the pros and semi-pros out there, this is a great book for understanding what good music production entails.

Ear training is one of the most rewarding skills you can develop, and it’s one that you can work on every day. Which makes total sense: Music is an aural experience, after all. Ear training helps you turn the music you hear into music you make on your guitar. This works for your own musical ideas, too: When you dream up a great riff or chord progression, you naturally want to sit down and play it right away. Ear training helps you do just that.

Master the graceful, soulful sound of the violin. Are you ready to unlock the remarkable world of violin music? Have you ever wondered how a simple bow and strings can create such unforgettable melodies? Are you ready to discover the secret to mastering the stunning art of playing the violin? If your heart is racing with curiosity and your fingers are itching to pluck those strings or move that bow, then “How to Play the Violin for Beginners” is your ticket to an extraordinary musical journey. In this book, you will: Discover the unique history of the violin and its impact on the world ...

I could play and read tabs - but I didn't really understand what I was doing. It doesn't have to take you that long! You can learn the basics here in just a few minutes! This book is here to make things simple! I'm going to break things down and make it so simple, that you’ll understand the basics of guitar theory from day one!

Bill Withers entered the music fray as hardly an afterthought, rewrote the rules for a decade, earned a fortune, then, unable to square himself with the requisites of the music business, took his leave. When he died in 2019 at eighty-one, he was every bit the mystery he was when he started. In this remarkable biography by acclaimed author Mark Ribowsky, the most accidental music supernova is brought to life in vivid detail, told with insights from those who knew him throughout his short but incredibly impactful career.

One of the '60s most popular teen idols, Annette Funicello was more than America's favorite Mouseketeer. She knew Walt Disney, he chose her for his Mickey Mouse Club. She dated Paul Anka, Fabian, and Frankie Avalon. She made movies with such stars as Mickey Rooney and Fred MacMurray. Then she left it all behind to raise a family. In 1992, she reentered public life to share her battle with multiple sclerosis. In this touching memoir, Annette Funicello tells us that, despite it all, life is more perfect than she'd ever dreamed it might be - and once again proves to be "America's Sweetheart."

The story of the music that accompanies the cinematic adventures of Ian Fleming's intrepid Agent 007 is one of surprising real-life drama. In The Music of James Bond, author Jon Burlingame throws open studio and courtroom doors alike to reveal the full and extraordinary history of the sounds of James Bond, spicing the story with a wealth of fascinating and previously undisclosed tales.

Years before synchronized sound became the norm, projected moving images were shown to musical accompaniment, whether performed by a lone piano player or a hundred-piece orchestra. Today film music has become its own industry, indispensable to the marketability of movies around the world. Film Music: A Very Short Introduction is a compact, lucid, and thoroughly engaging overview written by one of the leading authorities on the subject.

Your voice is your identity. It can tell people everything about who you are, how you feel about yourself, and what you believe in. Now you can gain perfect command of your voice with Vocal Awareness. Created by Arthur Joseph, an international voice specialist, Vocal Awareness is a complete system for mastering your voice and integrating it into your life. Your voice has the power to instantly reach out and connect with people.

Most of us dread standing up in front of a crowd. In fact sociologists rank public speaking as our greatest fear. But there's good news. You can overcome this and other fears through the Vocal Awareness® System that Arthur Joseph has spent over four decades successfully developing. Now, in Voice of a Leader, Joseph offers proven methods to create a paradigm shift in the way you present yourself.

If you study nature closely you will understand the strategies and techniques that the natural world has developed over millions of years! Many of these strategies can be applied to the banjo. With practice, your banjo playing will become enjoyable, natural, and effortless! Nature flows. Wind and water move effortlessly through an environment filled with obstacles. Observing plants and animals can teach us how they accomplish amazing feats with minimal effort.