2 comments about The Allen Vizzutti Trumpet Method, Book 1 (Technical Studies).

1. its an amazing book that helped me increase my range, dexterity, and flexibility immediately. it has given me new fresh excersizes to add to my routine. not the best book for scales or articulation studies.



2. This book covers a lot every serious trumpet player should know. The book has a lot of exciting exercises and the layout kinda makes it not boring to play them. Recommended! :-)

2 comments about Inside John Haynie's Studio: A Master Teacher's Lessons on Trumpet and Life.

1. I'm a former student at North Texas State University (as it was known in the 60's) and had a few lessons with John and I know Anne Hardin in a periphial kind of way. Maybe this makes me prejudiced but I found this book to be most interesting and found myself using some of the suggestions therein in my own playing.



2. Haynie is a Master Teacher. His technical comments, presented in a conversational tone, are well appreciated. This is a valuable insight into the mind of one of the most influential trumpet studios in the world. For trumpet players who were not so lucky to attend NTSU, this is an opportunity to get many important lessons. The anecdotes from former students are great reading too.

2 comments about New Orleans Jazz and Second Line Drumming w/CD (Dci Video Transcription Series).

1. JIM KELTNER: A great feast, the music and the players from New Orleans, a subject so near and dear to my heart, beautifully presented with lots of details and great pictures.
   
   JOSEPH "ZIGABOO" MODELISTE: Even growing up in New Orleans it was difficult to get this information. This book is a solid piece of work and I'm glad to see these influential players getting the recognition they deserve.
   
   STEVE SMITH: New Orleans is the foundation of all drumset playing period! In this well researched and clearly presented book, are the roots of modern day jazz, blues, R&B, and rock drumming (to name a few). Check it out!
   
   ADAM NUSSBAUM: This is not just a book about licks--it's about people. A great source from a deep well, New Orleans.
   
   CHRIS PARKER: Finally an informal, astute, and insightful look at the global and perennial influence of New Orleans music, especially its feel as originated and expounded on by its drummer/composers/arrangers. These are great men. What's not to love?
   
   ROYAL HARTIGAN: This work is a major contribution to the study of African-American heritage, New Orleans traditions, and the soul of 20th-century drumming. Through the photographs, conversations, transcriptions, and the CD, you feel the spirit of New Orleans music, from ragtime, brass bands, and gospel, through funerals, street beats, funk, rhythm and blues, to the modern scene.
   
   VAL WILMER: Just as the unsung denizens of Congo Square used the drum to remind them they had a past and a future, New Orleans music continues to be both historic and contemporary at the same time. Ideas of personal liberation that began with a reminiscence of an African homeland still inspire the city's drummers. Some are featured here. An invaluable and committed book.
   
   JEFF POTTER (Modern Drummer): More than a book/CD of transcriptions and patterns, this is a volume about history. Its two halves are based on videos from DCI's New orleans Drumming series: Herlin Riley's Ragtime and Beyond and Johnny Vidacovich's Street Beats: Modern Applications. Riley guides us through the evolution of New Orleans jazz drumming styles from their riverboat and brass band beginnings to swing, and Vidacovich demonstrates how he blends local traditions into his modern jazz and R&B drumming.
   
   Although writer Dan Thress receives second billing, he deserves equal praise for his knowledgeable interviews and well-researched articles on important Crescent city drummers such as Vernel Fournier, Baby Dodds, Ed Blackwell, James Black, Joseph "Smokey" Johnson, and David Lee.
   
   Also included are discographies and a pullout poster charting the lineage of influential and notable N'awlins drummers from 1873 to the present. Great to play through or just read, this is a cultural mini-encyclopedia.



2. This is THE book about the heart and soul of New Orleans druming styles.

5 comments about Bending The Blues (Harmonica).

1. If you are a beginning blues harp player, this is the book that you must have to learn how to bend. My bending has improved very much after reading and practising this book. Also a friend of mine uses the book and his bending is improving too.



2. I was a total absolute beginner when I met this book. After three weeks of practice following this book, I can draw-bend one note. I am still improving. This book is concise but very helpful for broad range of harpists from beginners to semi-professional. I am grateful for David Harp for this wonderful text.



3. This book could be great IF it had a CD with it.



4. Great book to learn how to bend notes on your harmonica. Was recommended to me by others.



5. This book was also given to the boys as additional emphasis on learning to play the harmonic and it also, is a great tool for this endeavor.

1 comments about The Allen Vizzutti Trumpet Method, Book 3 (Melodic Studies).

1. Our grandson started playing the trombone 3 years ago. He is doing very nicely with it; but preferred to try the trumpet. This year I bought him the 3 trumpet books so he can help himself and review what he knows. He is doing great with the trumpet now. He hopes to play in the high school marching band with either the trumpet or trombone. Then he plans to go to OSU and be with TBDBITL.

5 comments about A Physical Approach to Playing the Trumpet.

1. I've seen lots of trumpet books but never anything like this. It transformed my playing instantly just by going to the section on embouchure. I must admit I was a bit sceptical about what he says in that section - it seemed counter-intuitive to me - but I tried it and it just unlocked the door for me. I began playing with an effortlessness that I had never known before. Mr Asper has a great ability to make you UNDERSTAND what you're doing. If you're serious about improving, I rate this a "must have".



2. This is an excellent book.
   
   It provides a logical and clear approach to learning the trumpet. It has the best explanation I have seen of exactly how sound is produced from a trumpet and how that sound can be improved.
   
   The author's suggestions are straight forward and bring quick results. In my case some issues I had struggled with were finally made clear and I have significantly improved my tone and fluency.
   
   Mr Asper's detailed description of his recommended approach to practice is outstanding, as are the exercises set out in the appendices.
   
   I highly recommend this book.



3. This is a really different way of looking at the hard graft involved in playing the trumpet successfully. In this book the emphasis on the physical side of playing does effectively persuade the reader to revisit and develop a systematic physical approach to aspects of playing that are often overlooked in other tutor books, when attempting to improve basic and advanced techniques. The exercises are well explained and sequential and would appear to suit both the intermediate and professional trumpet player.



4. I have already learned why I have always had such trouble with high C which is that I've always thought I had to stretch the upper lip of the embouchure(sp?) but instead i should have rested the mouthpiece on the lower lip so as to permit the upper lip to vibrate freely. Now I'll have to see if it works.



5. This is a very detailed book which covers the intended topic. If you are looking for a book that covers the physical positioning and motions to form good playing reflexes and habits this is the book for you. It was not the book for me, however.
   
   I was not thrilled with the way the material was presented. I feel that the book should have explained a concept, then provided exercises to reinforce that concept and the reflexes that go along with it. The book does explain the "Physical Approach to Playing the Trumpet" as advertised, but unless you are constantly opening the book and reading the text you will not get the constant reminder that is important to reinforce these reflexes.
   
   In my opinion, most beginners, especially young ones, are not going to have the discipline and/or patience to spend 75% of his or her practice time reading text. 75% of this book is text. 25% of this book is exercises that can be found in any one of 100 other method books.
   
   If you are the student of someone who teaches this method, then by all means buy this book. I am sure you will find this book will not be the main course of your study, but will be an excellent compliment. If you are not taking lessons from a teacher who intends to teach this method and you are looking for a book you can study on your own...skip it...buy Clark's instead. Unless you are disciplined enough to force yourself to read this book weekly, it will likely collect dust.

1 comments about The Art of Trombone Playing.

1. It is not by accident that Mr. Edwin Kleinhammer's name appears on many, many symphony musicians' bios. There are plenty of outstanding players, but "teaching" world class artists is another thing. CSO artists Mr. Kleinhammer and the late Mr. Arnold Jacobs and the late Mr. Frank Crisafulli have trained innumerable (global) lower brass artists for well over thirty years each. I have had the pleasure of receiving a group lesson from Mr. Kleinhammer with two others and individual instruction from the late gentleman's gentleman Mr. Frank Crisafulli. What about the book? Mr. Kleinhammer states in his book that he strongly encourages lessons, but at the "worst" the book can self-teach the reader...this is NOT an exaggeration. His highly detailed diagrammed/photo-filled pages on embouchure alone can not be replicated in any other text, they are worth the price of the book by themselves. The (paperback) text includes HIGHLY practical sections on breathing, tone, range, slide technique/legatto (when to use "loo" vs. "doo", etc), intonation control, daily exercises and the cruicial tongue-ing and concurrent air flow (emphasize the "air" get the flappy thing out of the way) mistakes of even advanced amateur players. If you "see" the pros calmy whip through a passage of a rapid Rimsky-Korsakov, for example, without jerking the slide or doing face contortions, etc. you're seeing all of Mr. Kleinhammer's book suggestions put into motion..this level of 1st flight pro does "make it" look easy. Go see a Joe Alessi, an outstanding jazz trombonist as well as the NY Phily first chair, and you'll see what I mean.
   The book contains also contains a concise section on trombone prep. literature including Clarke, Arban, Blazhevich, Carl Fischer, Rochut (Melodious Etudes Book III--a masterpiece of symph. prep.in my opinion), and all the significant classic solos and ensemble pieces.
   Again, Mr. Kleinhammer correctly mentions throughout the book that the student needs models to listen to, pattern after..simply put he's talking about "recordings" (not necessarily concert halls as you will not be able to sufficiently pick out the passage)Get the Ralph Sauer (Audition excerpt)or Christian Lindberg CDs and listen, and listen some more.. The student who gets on this early in the game combined with this book and a decent brass teacher will be far ahead of the game.
   Another suggestion is to tune into the current Boston Symphony bass trombonist's website, Doug Yeo, he provides some fabulous suggestions and advice. (Mr. George Krem, Mr. Yeo's first college played with me in Wheaton, IL. He has served as the Chicago Civic Orchestra, Winnepeg & Victoria Canada and now Cedar Rapids, IA principal. He also has a CD out, taught at the U of Iowa for 12 years after being taught himself by Mr. Keith Brown a legendary Phily Orch. trombonist. Mr. Krem is a very fine teacher and artist). This book, with some good CDs to model after and a decent brass teacher (doesn't have to be "lower" brass teacher frankly) will provide some distinct advantages in accelerating your progress. ...

No comments about 2nd Book of Practical Studies for Cornet and Trumpet.

2 comments about HARMONICA METHOD BK/CD: FOR BEGINNERS (Progressive).

1. It was a great book. I had never picked up a musical instument or looked at a sheet of music before. Now I'm pretty good and can play Ode To Joy by Beethoven.



2. This is the forth harmonica book I have purchased and it is the best so far. The music is complete; not like other books with only parts of songs. The size of the book is good because the music is not compressed and allows easy reading. I also like the songs in it. I must say that I have no musical abillity and I was able to play songs in a short a time. If I were to buy one book this would be the one.

3 comments about The Simple Flute: From A to Z.

1. I have gone through about 20 flute books in my quest for inspiration and tips about this wonderful instrument. This one is the best by far because Debost LOVES FLUTES, and he loves to play the flute. He refers to the sound that comes out of the instrument (when played well) as a "sensual pleasure" for the player (and listeners). He thinks "No pain, no gain" is unrealistic, and that more comfort equals more pleasure. Good point! When it comes to the rules of fingering, he maintains that if it isn't the "correct" fingering but doesn't hurt the music, and feels better or makes it easier, one should go ahead and do it. The idea that sticks out most is that playing the flute should be fun and richly rewarding. The A-Z layout of the book is totally reader-friendly. One can look at the list of topics and easily find exactly what is desired. I love this book. :)



2. This is a must for any flutist who trully cares for his craft! This book is trully a work of art! It explains everything from the reality of a sustained note to finger phrasing. It isn't one of those old texts that has absolutely no revalence to music. If you wish to play music it is one of the books you must read. With plenty of new ideas to try as you turn each page. It is trully mind-opening!!!



3. First the book did not appear as it does in the picture. Plain blue binding. A great deal of information from one of the famous flute teachers.