Showing titles in Instruction & Technique

In this interconnected series, Kevin L. Whitworth traces the hidden lives of these iconic stringed instruments, following their paths from workshops and front porches to battlefields, concert halls, and cultural crossroads. Blending investigative history with lyrical storytelling, these books uncover forgotten inventors, misunderstood musicians, and the quiet revolutions that shaped the sound of American music.

Thad Carhart never realized there was a gap in his life until he happened upon Desforges Pianos, a demure little shopfront in his Pairs neighborhood that seemed to want to hide rather than advertise its wares. Like Alice in Wonderland, he found his attempts to gain entry rebuffed at every turn...

Unleash the song of your soul with Zen Guitar, a contemplative handbook that draws on ancient Eastern wisdom and applies it to music and performance. Each of us carries a song inside us, the song that makes us human. Zen Guitar provides the key to unlocking this song—a series of life lessons...

The author of the New York Times bestseller This Is Your Brain on Music reveals music’s role in the evolution of human culture in this thought-provoking book that “will leave you awestruck” (The New York Times). Daniel J. Levitin's astounding debut bestseller, This Is Your Brain on Music...

With a lifetime of experience, profound knowledge and understanding, and heartwarming appreciation, an internationally celebrated conductor and teacher answers the questions: Why should I listen to classical music? How can I get the most from the listening experience? A protégé of Leonard...

Following in the tradition of best-selling Amazon books on the topic, such as "Piano Bar: Playing the Room" and "The Piano Man's Guide to Survival," Dan Ruskin's "TIPS" offers a fresh and insightful perspective on the piano bar business. In "TIPS," legendary piano player Dan Ruskin pulls back the curtain on the piano bar business, offering an entertaining and insightful guide for aspiring musicians.

Musical Momentum: High-Efficiency Rehearsal Systems for Sustainable Ensemble Growth offers a practical, systems-based approach to creating consistent, lasting improvement in ensemble performance. Rather than focusing on isolated rehearsal strategies or motivational techniques, this book reveals how sustained musical growth is built through structure — specifically, the intentional design of learning environments that stabilize skill development and allow progress to compound over time.

Classically trained singers learn how to act with their voice but are taught very little awareness about their bodies as equally expressive instruments. This handbook offers singers of all levels a new, holistic approach to learning how to incorporate meaningful gesture, posture, and body language in their work and become confident end engaging actors in opera and on the concert stage. Performing in Opera and Concert is the first installment of The Lyrical Stage Trilogy, a series about the craft, the repertoire and the value of opera and the classical recital in the 21st Century.

One of jazz’s leading critics gives us an invigorating, richly detailed portrait of the artists and events that have shaped the music of our time. Grounded in authority and brimming with style, Playing Changes is the first book to take the measure of this exhilarating moment: it is a...

Gertrude McFuzz wishes she had two feathers. She gets her wish but learns that vanity has a price. It starts out harmlessly enough, with a rabbit feeling rather pleased with himself and his talent for hearing. A neighboring bear overhears the rabbit's boasting and takes offense. The challenge is...

A comprehensive 20 lesson study of songwriting.

This Piano By Ear box contains fifteen hours of high quality music instruction teaching you some of the greatest songs of all time. These solos are mostly intermediate to early advanced, so you will sound like a true professional once you have mastered them. This package contains mostly movie and theater hits along with a few top hits from the pop and rock world.

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.

My story is rooted in personal and professional development and this first installment represents a small sample of topics, which have had relevance during my career but also help the listeners better understand who I am as a person and professional. This is the first installment of the book, and I have additional books planned, which will delve into a variety of topics I experienced as a teacher. My hope is that others will process the information not as a how-to guide but rather as an opportunity to gain insight into the profession as well as my unique perspective.

C’è qualcosa nello studio dello strumento voce che è indicibile, ineffabile. È invisibile, eppure è proprio l’aspetto più importante, quello che davvero fa la differenza. Ma se è indicibile e ineffabile come raccontarlo? L’autrice suggerisce un percorso di consapevolezza e ascolto fine senza il quale lo studio della tecnica vocale diventa solo ginnastica. Quello che non si vede e non potrà mai essere scritto su una partitura diventa la strada che ci riporta a casa, a riscoprire, attraverso uno scavo archeologico interiore, quello che abbiamo perduto, la nostra voce più vera.

Rarely does God bless the world with an extraordinary musical gift like the one we all came to know as Mikaben. Artist, singer, songwriter, musician, and performer, Mikaben took us on musical highs that sent us soaring to the heavens.

Over the years, Stan Munslow has worked with hundreds of professional singers, students and colleagues alike. He has seen it all, from "wow" to "oh dear." If there is one thing (well, six, actually) Munslow would tell all of them, it would be the six high-level pro tips you'll learn on this audio program. May each and every tip help you become the kind of singer you really want to be!

In my forty-plus years as a private music instructor, the question I'm asked the most by parents is: "How can I get my child to practice?" And, in this crazy-busy time, it gets asked even more! In this discussion, I will give you answers to this question, as well as a heap of advice on helping your young musician/singer/dancer become the very best s/he can be! Put these strategies to use and you will be helping your child maintain an endeavor that will last a lifetime and provide joy, satisfaction, and a sense of accomplishment along the way!

As an artist and singing teacher, I have witnessed countless students experience tremendous growth and surpass their wildest dreams through these proven techniques.

This book is a collection of Hindi poetries, songs, Shayari, ghazals, and nazams, one may classify as wish but actually these are the words that are able to conclude half of their journey from author's heart to paper, and now it's time to conclude the remaining half, from this audiobook to your heart.

A musician’s journey never ends, and the work is often solitary. Fortunately for bassoonists, Solitary Refinement can be a trusted companion throughout their musical career, replete with exercises adaptable by bassoon students who are still developing their skills, all the way to virtuosi seeking to perfect their craft.

Eight Minute Axe is the ultimate companion for the busy adult who dares to dream big and play big, even amid the daily grind. Crafted by a professional musician, coach, and father of three who knows the ins and outs of a hectic schedule, this revolutionary method will make your instrument come alive, one note at a time.

Rocking in the Free World explains how Americans came to believe they had learned the truth about rock 'n' roll, a truth shaped by the Cold War anxieties of the fifties, the countercultural revolutions (and counter-revolutions) of the sixties and seventies, and the end-of-history triumphalism of the eighties.

The central push at the heart of this little book is to not overlook the opportunity a drum student has to outsmart the default Western mindset when learning. This is not a motivational book. This is about dropping the ego and seeing what's there. Then learning from that center. And if you can't drop the ego (it's not easy), this book helps you with that, too.

On June 12, 2017, Micah Dillon’s world completely flipped. With no prior warning, Micah woke up to find her husband of 13 years, Ben, dead on the floor of their shower. In a matter of moments, everything she’d used to build a steady foundation in life—her marriage, her career, her music—crumbled beneath her feet.

Songwriting: A Beginner's Step-by-Step Guide to Writing a Full Song in Less Than 10 Hours is a comprehensive guide for aspiring songwriters who want to learn how to write and produce their own music. This book covers everything from finding inspiration to recording your song, and it breaks down the songwriting process into easy-to-follow steps.

Songwriting 101: A Quick Guide to Crafting Compelling Lyrics is a comprehensive book that provides aspiring songwriters with essential tools and techniques to write engaging and memorable songs. The book begins by discussing the fundamentals of songwriting, including melody, harmony, and rhythm. It then delves into the art of crafting lyrics, offering insights into how to generate ideas, develop themes, and create powerful imagery.

Dive into a step-by-step process for embracing a mindfulness practice by allowing your raw natural singing voice to be the ultimate bio-feedback tool. Mindfulness and singing have a natural affinity, as they both require a sense of presence. The Mindfulness of Singing fulfills a dynamic niche in the explosive mindfulness market.

This Ray Charles hit makes a great piano solo and now you can learn it “by ear!” In this lesson you will learn an early intermediate level solo of the song without having to use music, print, or video. The arrangement is demonstrated and then taught in detail in two- to four-measure sections completely “by ear.” At the end of the lesson there are backing tracks to practice and perform with.

This hit song from the movie of the same name will always be tied to the scenes of Gene Kelly dancing up and down the street with his umbrella. This arrangement is easy to learn and fun to play. With the lesson you get a full demonstration of the song and backing tracks to play along with once you have perfected your performance of the song.

What would Halloween be without this Peanuts hit? This Intermediate solo by Vince Guraldi is fast and easy to learn because you will be learning it “by ear.” This way you memorize it while you are learning it and you are building your skills to pick out other songs by ear. A full demonstration of the song is included and backing tracks to play along with once you have mastered it. “Good Grief!” you have got to get this one!

You can learn this standard quickly because you will learn it “by ear” without any music or print. The arrangement is performed and then taught in two- to four-measure sections in detail. At the conclusion of the lesson you are given the backing tracks to the song to practice and perform with.

Learn a great country classic without using music or video! This is a lesson on an intermediate level solo of the country hit “For the Good Times.” This lesson begins with a full demonstration of the song followed by a detailed “by ear” lesson taught in two to four measure sections. At the end of the lesson you are given the backing tracks without the piano on them to practice and perform with.

In this lesson you learn a beautiful and easy to learn solo of “People,” from the movie Funny Girl, without using music or print. The arrangement is performed for you and then taught in two to four measure pieces completely “by ear.” Backing tracks are included for you to practice and play along with.

This courtly piece from the 1700s is used in modern times as a beautiful theme at weddings for any of the pre-bride attendants. This early intermediate solo is demonstrated completely and then taught “by ear” in two- to four-measure sections.

This Engelbert Humperdinck hit makes a great piano solo and now you can learn it “by ear!” In this lesson you will learn a late intermediate level solo of the song without having to use music, print, or video. The arrangement is demonstrated and then taught in detail in two to four measure sections completely “by ear.” At the end of the lesson there are backing tracks to practice and perform with.

Kris Kristofferson made this song famous in the '70s and it makes a fun gospel-style piano solo, as well. This early intermediate level lesson starts with a full demonstration of the song for you to use to listen to and practice along with. After the demonstration there is detailed “by ear” lesson teaching the entire song without using music, print, or video. The lesson concludes with backing tracks without the piano on them for you to use as your own personal back-up band to play along with.

Come join the most famous marooned crew of all time with this fun loving hit! This late beginner solo is a quick learn and you get backing tracks to play along with once you have learned how to play it.

This piece is the most-played recessional of all time! The arrangement is played in its entirety and then taught in two- to four-measure sections totally “by ear.” This piece is a must-have for any serious wedding musician!

In this lesson you will learn a late intermediate/early advanced solo of “Beautiful” by Christina Aguilera, without using any music or print. The arrangement is fully demonstrated and then taught in two- to four-measure sections completely by ear.