4 comments about Music Theory and Arranging Techniques for Folk Harps.

1. Music Theory and Arranging Techniques for Folk Harps by Sylvia Woods.

   If you ever had to take a class in music theory in school maybe you are more fortunate than I in that and you can remember and apply some of what you learned. For the rest of you I highly recommend buying this book of Sylvia's titled; Music Theory and Arranging Techniques for Folk Harps. Written before the "..... for Dummies" series became so popular, this book takes you easily and with lots of examples and illustrations from major chords to transposing... and everywhere in between! In the introduction Sylvia urges the reader to " Have fun with this book. Just go at your own pace, and take it step by step." Presenting concepts and theory step-by-step is another thing Sylvia does best!!!




2. Sylvia Woods' book on Music Theory and Arranging Techniques for Folk Harps is an outstanding source for the harpist for understanding musical theory and applying that theory to practice. It is written in a deceptively simple style, but her technique works. The reader learns a lot in a few pages. An invaluable guide. Highly recommended.



3. This is a great book that I use as a follow-up/ companion to Teach Yourself to Play the Folk Harp by Sylvia Woods. SO useful and informative, covering a wide breadth of music theory as is relavant to the harp.



4. Very helpful and informative on a step by step process. I didn't know anything about music before. This gave me what I needed.

3 comments about 40 O'Carolan Tunes for All Harps (Midmarch Arts Books).

1. 40 O'Carolan Tunes for All Harps by Sylvia Woods.

   If you have Sylvia's Teach Yourself Book, or are planning to get it, then this book is a natural to follow. The arrangements of 40 of O'Carolan's more popular harp tunes are on two levels so that the book can be used by players of different proficiencies. I was fortunate to have had access to Sylvia's books early in my learning to play the harp and I still play many of the pieces in this book on a regular basis.. Although Turlough O'Carolan lived in another era (1670-1738) he wrote much of the music played by Irish musicians today. The favorites in this book will delight you!




2. Sylvia Wood's book on 40 Carolan pieces is an excellent book for harpers of any skill level. The book gives easy and advanced versions for each piece. Fingering suggestions are also given. The melodies themselves are beautiful. Carolan pieces are subtle and tricky, but are worth every moment to master.



3. This is a great book, with every tune arranged two ways: One for the beginner (that's me) and one for advanced players. I like to learn the easy version of each tune and then try the more difficult one afterward.
   
   Even though I can't yet play most of the advanced stuff, I have fun trying it out and I am constantly learning - I can go back and forth between the two versions, incorporating additional harmonies or rhythms as I am able to pick them out, which helps me gain a more in-depth knowledge of the instrument and the music. Furthermore, the easy arrangements do not stray too far beyond the 29 strings of my folk harp.
   
   I also recommend Sylvia Woods' book of Christmas music, which is set up the same way and kept me happily occupied throughout this year's holiday season.

5 comments about Blues & Rock Harmonica Made Easy (Harmonica).

1. I've been tooting simple melodies on a harmonica for years, and decided to actually learn jazz/blues harmonica for fun. Tried another book first and became frustrated at the teaching technique. Picked up THIS book and was able to play decent sounding chords & licks within minutes! His instructional style is excellent, building on popular chord combinations and licks that we've all heard in popular music. Once I was able to create some self-satisfying "joyfull noise", it was easy to keep going to refine the noise into something better. Another great thing is that his chord combinations match those on my Suzuki Q-Chrd, so I now have some auto-accompanyment. I HIGHLY recommend this book to ANYONE who ever thought about playing a harmonica. I also bought his Music Theory book several years ago and highly recommend that as well. Harp is an excellent teacher!



2. ... Man, if you want to learn how to play harmonica in no time, just get this book. Play along with it on every page as you read through it. Just do what David Harp says, and you will be playing blues and rock on your harp quickly - and you will feel good about what you're doing. This is a REAL EASY book to understand and follow. It's like David is right there talking to you!

   ... As he says on page 10: "Don't get discouraged, ever. If you're a total beginner and feel a bit clumsy and boggled, just relax, and keep the harmonica in your mouth as you read. You'll get it! If you're a more experienced non-blues or rock player who feels "stuck," just remember that all players get into ruts, and a little instruction is a fine way to climb back out."

   ... Trust me, you don't need to know ANYTHING about music or harmonicas to be able to benefit from reading this book. It is EXCELLENT! It is so easy and simple! It's a shame more people do not teach what they know the way David does. I wish I had a person like David teaching me MATH in this same way when I was a kid. I would have been an astrophysicist by now! ... YOWZA! - The Aeolian Kid




3. The author has definitely mastered the art - of the SCAM, that is. This book, and I'm assuming his other opuses on harmonica operation as well, has so little actual usable information in it as to make it a TOTAL WASTE OF PAPER. Unless you're stranded in a Forest Service outhouse and the roll is empty. Not only does he blather on for pages and pages saying absolutely NOTHING, but he introduces his inane "system" and constantly plugs his other publications. And by the way - I'll bet his real last name isn't "Harp." It's probably Shylock. Or Gump.



4. The one thing I would say about the author is that I like the method of how he teaches: his method of tablature, etc. It is very easy to follow and so forth. However, what he teaches is a different story. As another reviewer noted, there is a LOT of 'filler' and stuff that don't much apply to learning the harp, and you learn so-callled 'popular' riffs that don't sound like anything. I honestly don't feel like I've learned much at all from this particlar book.



5. I don't understand what the previous two reviewers are complaining about. I do not play any instrument. I wanted to learn how to play harmonica with my 9-year old daughter. We picked up this book, looked at the pictures, and started to play. Then we did what the book said ("read the boxes first, come back later for the rest...") and learned how to play more. Within 30 minutes, we were eeking out "when the saints come marching in". Awesome!
   
   Seriously folks, if you know how to read music, or have some background in music, this may be too basic. But for seven bucks, less than the cost of a movie ticket, my daughter and I are learning how to play harmonica. WoooHooo!
   
   P.S. you need a 10 hole harmonica to use this book. This is the most common kind of harmonica. If you would prefer, the same author sells some kits that have a harmonica, book and CD all in one. Red, White, And the Blues Harmonica is one example for about thirteen bucks.

1 comments about Mel Bay presents Easy Celtic Harp Solos.

1. These are nice and simple songs for the harp---more appropriate to a beginner than to an intermediate harpist. A musician familiar with Celtic music will recognize some of these. A more experienced player will be able to improvise and extend the fundamental patterns presented here. Not the best Celtic set we have (even for beginners) but pretty good.

5 comments about The Harp of the Grey Rose.

1. This is a wonderful book! Its not exactly a sequel to Riddle of the Wren, but set in the same universe, with the same hoary feel to it. Not one of his more well-known books, but I loved it as a kid and still do. Both are a definite must-read if you love old high fantasy.



2. I had seen this title on lists of CDL's work, but it took me several years to find a copy. Having read it, I understand why he let it go out of print, and may be keeping it that way even though a new edition would surely sell. It's not a bad book, but it's very much an immature work compared to his later stuff. It's connected to the Newford stories (it's about the childhood of the harper Kelledy), but the tone is very different. The most striking thing about it is the heavy Lloyd Alexander influence, something De Lint seems to have shed as he developed his own voice. In fact, it's downright derivative, though competent and even promising. It straddles, a bit awkwardly, adult fantasy and children's literature, and does not have the distinctive complexity of imagination that makes De Lint's mature work so fascinating and unique. For a fan of the mature work, it's not much more than a curiosity; as an introduction to De Lint it barely hints at the brilliance that came later.



3. Those looking for a typical De Lint read won't find it here. "The Harp of the Grey Rose" reads at a young level, with none of the hints of darkness and/or redemption of some sort that can be found in De Lint's later works. You can tell about fifty pages into the book that it was originally a novella even if you didn't know so beforehand. Though it seems like the rest of the story is a bit forced, if you have a free afternoon, its an amusing story and it doesn't take long to read.



4. I read this book and couldn't put it down. It keeps you in the book and makes you wish you were there. It was like The Riddle of the Wren, but The Harp of the Grey Rose missed out on some of the details it had. The only thing that wasn't great about the book, is that it seemed like two stories. Besides that, this is a great book and you should buy it.



5. This was a quick, enjoyable read, but it is readily apparent that this was his first novel. It pulls too heavily from other sources and doesn't have deLint's distinctive voice that make his later stories so spell-binding.

2 comments about The Harp Handbook.

1. Many consider this book to be the "Harmonica Bible." A great harmonica reference book. I use this all the time.



2. This book deserves a long glowing review, but I don't want to make you waste time reading my comments, when you could be reading this book.
   
   Seriously, the reference information, the musical insight, the CD, etc... Well worth the price!
   
   I bought this book two years ago, and I was recommending it to a friend today. I looked it up so that I could send the link to my friend and I was surprised to see only one review!
   
   I know that book gets lots of praise in "harp circles" and my only guess is that people just assume that everyone knows how great a book it is, and they (like me) forget to go back and write a review.

5 comments about Harmonicas, Harps and Heavy Breathers, Updated Edition: The Evolution of the People's Instrument.

1. Hats off to Kim Field! This is a great book and a much needed one. His excellent research is augmented with great writing. Every harp player in the land should own one.



2. Very inspirational to me and others who keep trying to swipe my copy. This is so well written and organized that I keep reading much of it over and over again. It is one of those books that you savior every word. It is very inexpensive for such a valuable, meaty, entertaining resource. Mr. Field, thank you for this tremendous read. This material would make a great PBS Ken Burns type documentary.



3. If you want to know something of the history of the instrument you are playing, you should have a copy of this book. Well written, entertaining, and loads of material. I especially like the interviews.



4. I found this to be a very enjoyable read and was disappointed when it was over. This should be recommended reading for anyone who plays or is a fan of the harmonica.



5. Previous reviewers have said it all - "savour every word"... "hats off to Kim Field" etc - but my enthusiam makes me want to throw my hat into the ring. I've been writing about music for newspapers and magazines for 25 years, as a sidelight to my job as a journalist, and I'm in awe of the job Field has done with this book. It's exquisitely written and packed with entertaining information. The 20th century harmonica world was populated by all manner of rascals, hobos, eccentrics and maestros (often all wrapped up in the same person), and Field tells their stories in a clean, organised fashion that captures the magic while never resorting to sentiment or hyperbole. While it's very much a book for harmonica nuts, I've been reading plenty of laugh-out-loud sections to my partner, whose passion is more in the classical piano mold. Over the years I've collected a number of compilations of obscure harp players, but they're not obscure anymore. Having them expertly set in the context of their colourful lives has made the listening immensely more rewarding. Bless you, Kim, for putting in the research in the nick of time, before many of these people were dead and unable to speak for themselves. And bless you for your highly professional yet heartfelt approach.

5 comments about Music Theory Made Easy New Edition (Reference).

1. I can't say whether this book is for everyone or not. What I can say is that, after reading this, I finally "get it." I now UNDERSTAND the concepts of music in a way that lessons and practice just couldn't get into my thick skull. Thanks, Mr. Harp!
   
   The book is written in a very concise and abstract style, so don't be fooled by its small size. It covers most of the major musical concepts (notes, intervals, scales, chords, chord progressions, melody and improvisation) in a way that larger "for morons" books can't seem to describe as well in 10 times the amount of ink.
   
   Two caveats:
   
   1: Just 'cause it's small, don't think you'll flip through it and understand it in 10 minutes. It's still a complex set of concepts, even when "made easy."
   2: Don't think that reading this one pamphlet-sized book will allow you to instantly read/write music notation or compose a symphony. I would think this would be obvious, but other reviewers...?
   
   Think of it this way: For the price of a six-pack, there's an excellent chance that while reading this book you'll understand music with sudden "oh wow!" clarity. I got it, and now I get it, and so should you!



2. A very easy to understand book and I love the chord wheel.
   The Amazon service was great. too



3. Wow, too many people have rated this highly and there is sooo much better out there! Save your money and get "Edly's Music Theory for Practical People". It's a great read and really put the pieces together for me.



4. This book helped me understand music theory, thereby improving my music playing and appreciation. The factor that I enjoyed the most about this book is how it can appeal to beginners as well as advanced musicians. He explains everything very clearly. I enjoyed reading this book.



5. The size of the book really makes you expect less but the information contained in it is "dense". The author uses a conversational style, and occasionally advertises his other titles, but the topics are presented very efficiently. I read it over the course of two days and when I got done I knew I was going to be referring back to it for some time.
   
   Some things are very important and only take up half a page but they need to be read about 4-5 times to really "get it". This makes it easy to read too fast and gloss over the details. As you gain understanding you'll appreciate how the author cuts to the chase when explaining things and doesn't ramble on like so many other books.
   
   The Note Finder tool it contains is very handy when learning about chords and scales. Yes you have to make your own and assemble it but it is easy and very worthwhile.
   
   The book will provide the reader a great foundation and some advanced details, such as the complex theories with Jazz, without requiring a daunting 200 pages like some other "introductory" books. This is what an proper introduction to music theory should be like, it would keep many from being scared away and missing out on the fun of understanding and playing music. It is not the end-all-be-all book on the subject, nor does it claim to be. It is just what it claims, an easy reading book that gets you actively using music theory quickly. You will move on to more complete books after this but I can't really think of a better way to be introduced to the subject.
   
   It is worth every penny of its cover price, and then some actually. It is 80 pages but because of the shape of the book, think two paperbacks stacked vertically, it probably contains closer to what a 120-140 page paperback book typically does.

1 comments about A Sacred Feast: Reflections on Sacred Harp Singing and Dinner on the Ground (At Table).

1. As a dedicated Sacred Harp Singer,I have just one thing to say
   about Ms.Eastburn's book,this is a very well written book that can be read on many levels.It is a travelogue about Sacred Harp Singings,it is a
   cookbook filled with a sampling of some of the dishes that you may find on
   a table at a dinner on the grounds,it is also the evolution of a Singer from just a journalist.This book would make an excellent companion to the
   excellent Documentary; "Awake My Soul".

No comments about MAKE: Technology on Your Time Volume 15.