5 comments about The Inner Game of Music.

1. I've read this book twice now, and while I've gotten useful tips out of it, it really does read like a book report of the Inner Game of Tennis, frequently using phrases like 'Gallwey refers to...' and 'Gallwey says'. So I read the Inner Game of Tennis and found that I could have garnered much the same insights from this book without the added and sometimes confusing editorializing by Mr. Green. (And some of Green's additions just complicate things by giving your 'self 1' additional ammunition that it may not have thought of yet.)
   All in all a useful book, but to do it over again, I'd skip it and go straight to the Inner Game of Tennis.



2. I've read 'The Inner Game of Tennis' which was great. Years later I read 'The Inner game of work' which I found a little harder to bring into practice. The great thing about this book is that Barry Green, a musician himself, rewrites the whole Inner Game from his standpoint as a musician. This makes it really 1 + 1 = 3.
   It's full of exersizes, very practical.



3. Similar concepts of Gallaways other books ( I have read them all) with a good musical propective. I recommend it to musicians especially if they perform.



4. I had started music lessons late (piano for me, but the book can be read by any musician), had horrible habits, and played with tension. I was not exactly material for a musician. In fact, these things plagued me all my life, and even though I have two degrees in music from top schools, I always felt I was missing something; that I could play better if only something changed.
   
   I thought I needed more finger dexterity. But I realized dexterity was not the issue; everyone can wiggle their fingers. My issue was a mental one. My inner voice (Green refers to this as Self 1) was constantly criticising me, and I was listening. As a result, I too often botched passages that I otherwise could play. Technical mastery was difficult because I played with so much tension.
   
   But my wife put The Inner Game of Music into my hands. After barely even 20 pages, I had shown marked progress. Having completed the book, I can testify to its usefulness and indeed, necessity. Dr Green will walk you through the problems everyone faces, and how to overcome them. Once overcome, there is no longer a mental block that prevents us from attainting to our personal best. (Further, his practice tips are unparalleled.) Now, I no longer have the problems I used to. This is not to say I changed overnight; artistry is a path, and not a destination. But there is a night and day difference between my playing *just a few months ago* and now. I'm even planning on getting my doctorate; a goal I used to feel was a pipe dream.
   
   If you are a musician who struggles to attain technical mastery, or who suffers from performance anxiety, or a host of other ailments that hold you back from being a true artist, this book WILL help you.
   
   Buy it. Now.



5. It has some good philosphy and exercises to help you improve. It is not going to turn you into a virtuoso if you are an amateur, you have to practice and apply the principals. Most of it is commom sense, so if you totally lacked common sense you might be inclined to give it 5 stars. Probably good read for most levels of musicians excercises. A little pricy even with the discount.

5 comments about Adult All-In-One Course: Lesson-Theory-Technic: Level 1.

1. I used to play the clarinet in middle school. Now I'm 18 and it's been quite some time since I've read sheet music. Playing guitar for six years literally ruined my ability to read the stuff, because I would always use tabs instead. But eventually I grew jaded with the guitar, and I decided to choose a new and fresh direction -- the piano!
   
   This book is very well-written, and leaves no gaps. Within just a few days I found myself relearning all that I had forgotten from band class years before, and I've now reached the point where I know more than I did! And I haven't even finished the book yet!
   
   Plus, it tests you on theory and technique. You get to fill in parts of the book, which really helps you get involved with what your learning.
   
   One reviewer downrated this book because of the song choices, and its accompanying CD. I feel that this is in err. I believe the song choices are just as good as any. If the tunes were familiar, then they wouldn't be as challenging to learn. And as for the CD...I did notice that the piano parts are rather quiet, but I always thought this was because it was a play-along CD (which is what I use it as). It's as good as it needs to be.
   
   Besides, the pieces get more interesting as you progress, some of the final pieces being "Greensleeves", "Scarborough Fair", "The Entertainer" and "Amazing Grace" (and written in a way so that each hand will be dually occupied). And by the end of the third book in the series, you'll be playing some of Beethoven's most popular pieces, like "Fur Elise" and "Moonlight Sonata"!
   
   Also -- something that concerned me when I bought this book: do you need a full-fledged piano? The answer is...no!! A sizable keyboard will do you just fine. But, you just might find yourself looking to buy a real piano once you delve deeper into these lessons...because this series really does inspire and nurture a great love for this amazing instrument.
   
   If you're looking to learn the piano and can't afford a teacher, don't have time for one, or you just learn better on your own -- this is a must-have aid to your learning.
   
   Good luck, and I wish you well in your learning!! :)



2. This is a pretty good book for the adult learning to play the piano. I didn't give it 5 stars because it's quite boring, but it serves the purpose. At our local small town university I was able to take a piano class for adults and the teacher allowed us to use our own choice of books. I'm not disappointed with my choice. My only regret is that they should have included a CD with it. Then again, my book is used - so the new book may include a CD.



3. I like this book, I started taking piano lessons at the age of 42, and I'm having a good time with it. The only thing is this book should come with a CD but mine didn't and I'm not sure why.



4. When I first started taking piano lessons, this was the book my piano teacher and I worked on. The pieces are simple and boring, but yet demanding to the novice. Since it is an all in one book, you really get your money's worth. Playing the piano is not just about hitting keys, so one must learn some basics about chords and so forth. This book is a great primer.
   
   I highly recommend this book.



5. I started piano later in life. Oh well, I took about six months worth in the 3rd grade. But, I love music and I sing. No, I mean I really sing, like classical!! So, I read music. Of course, you still have to get it from your brain to your fingers so it was like starting from scratch. I am in the last book of this series and play rather well for a late bloomer. I began and went through the first book by myself----would have been much faster to have a teacher. Then I got smart and got a teacher, who also uses these books for ALL his adult students. I feel completely the opposite of the negative review. If you recognize all the tunes in the book, you will NEVER learn to count. Some recognizable pieces are fine, but most are not. This series gives you everything you need, including easy to learn theory. It advances through each book the way that it should. Just like I had to do to learn to read music for vocalizing. Stick with these books--find a teacher who will work with you and go for it. In a couple of years you will be amazed. And if you don't do that, in a couple of years you will be two years older and still not know how to play piano. Good luck!

5 comments about The Blank Slate: The Modern Denial of Human Nature.

1. Pinker argues in favor of evolutionary psychology in this book rather than a blank slate view of human nature (i.e., a view that claims that the mind is formed purely by sensory input with no innate characteristics). Although the arguments in the book mainly focus on the blank slate theory of the mind, Pinker also argues against both the noble savage and the ghost in the machine views; the first view claims that humans are corrupted by civilization (such that the pre-civilization communities lived in a sort of utopian setting) while the second view claims that human thought is controlled by something outside the mind (e.g., a soul). Pinker cites a number of studies in this book to support his thesis that the mind is not a blank slate but that it has some characteristics that cannot be explained by environment alone (many of the studies involve identical and fraternal twins where identical twins have identical DNA but fraternal twins have distinct DNA) and argues that human nature is heavily influenced by the evolutionary process from which the human species arose.
   
   This is the first Pinker book that I have read and I found it very thought-provoking. Pinker is a gifted writer and made what I thought were compelling arguments against both strictly environmental and, to a lesser extent, strictly nativist theories of the mind (i.e., the views that human minds are influenced either entirely by nurture or entirely by nature). It took me a little while to get into this book simply because the idea that our minds are silly putty never has held much appeal for me; thus, I had little motivation to read arguments against a viewpoint that I did not subscribe to in the first place. However, Pinker brought up many familiar views in areas like children, violence and politics and tied these views back to underlying, fundamental assumptions of human nature to illustrate how the various theories of the mind have influenced many popular views in ways that are not always apparent, even to those who hold these views.
   
   Pinker argues that our social views and attitudes, especially the most important ones involving ethical values, should not be made dependent on what may turn out to be a faulty view of human nature. For example, Pinker argues that a concern for human rights is important because a society full of inequality, abuse and torment is one that the majority of humanity would not desire to live in; the fact that we have the ability to empathize with our fellow humans and, in some sense, "feel their pain" creates an even greater moral imperative to work towards a reduction of suffering. Conversely, Pinker states: "It is a bad idea to say that discrimination is wrong only because the traits of all people are indistinguishable. It is a bad idea to say that violence and exploitation are wrong only because people are not naturally inclined to them. It is a bad idea to say that people are responsible for their actions only because the causes of those actions are mysterious. And it is a bad idea to say that our motives are meaningful in a personal sense only because they are inexplicable in a biological sense." I am inclined to agree with these sentiments and I would recommend this book to others who are interested in a discussion on human nature with an evolutionary bent.



2. I am a big fan of Steven Pinker, and this, in my opinion, is his master work. Beautifully written (as always), it is sweeping in its scope. It demolishes the idea that humans are infinitely malleable and have no fixed nature.



3. A friend lend me this book after a discussion. I am not impressed.
   
   In "The Blank Slate", Pinker attacks the concept, giving the book its title, that we are born without any behavioral predispositions, and "The Noble Savage", that pure humans were all complete, moral beings. Although I agree with him that both of these are wrong, I think he is clearly attacking straw-men here. I don't know anybody who has given the topic any serious thought who would think that way. Pinker gives some examples of opposition to the idea that human behavior has a biological basis, but I think these trends are more fringe than he makes them seem. You will always get a segment of society opposed to any politically relevant scientific insight - look at evolution. There is no serious intellectual discussion anymore that behavior has partially a genetic basis.
   
   But the main problem is that Pinker is at most half-educated when it comes to some of the subjects he writes about. He makes statements which are either plainly wrong or so overly simplistic that they are meaningless. He takes the fact that the cortical folds are relatively conserved across humans as an argument that our behavior is genetically imprinted. But really any type of "Blank Slate" hypothesis would still be consistent with a constant large-scale brain anatomy.
   Another striking example (also noted by another reviewer) is his claim that "Bonobos are some of the most peaceful mammals known, chimpanzees some of the most aggressive. Chimps have sex for procreation, bonobos for recreation". First of all, that is simply not true - there are highly interesting, but certainly gradual differences between these apes, but none of them that radical. No chimp can match a lion in terms of aggression (both as a predator and as a practitioner of infanticide). Sexuality equally has a social role in chimps (and of course a reproductive role in bonobos).
   Second, it is just not a scientific statement - I am not aware of any zoologist making a ranking of the most aggressive or peaceful animals, and these qualities can probably not be expressed in scalar values (and thus ranked) anyway. Pinker sounds like somebody who has talked at a party to someone who had read a book about chimps. The book is filled with such over-generalizations, exaggerations and mistakes. Especially neuroscience (my own field) is not Pinker's strength!
   
   So, a rather sloppily argued book falsifying some opinions which had been falsified a long time ago. I am not sure what this is supposed to achieve? It might be that I am not the target audience for this book, but it is not the type of reading material I want to better myself as an intellectual. This is clearly not an original contribution to any scholarly debate, and not a well researched popular science book likely to convince anyone still believing that biology has nothing to do with human behavior either.
   
   It is a great art to write science books interesting to the expert but understandable to the layman, readable and without jargon, but not dumbed down. Writers like E.O. Wilson and Richard Dawkins have mastered this art, Steven Pinker has not.



4. Stephen Pinker does an admirable job debunking the myth of the blank slate in this tome. Yes, what he says should be common sense by now. No, it is not.
   
   There are many places in the book where Pinker's values and background become evident. However, these are a small price to pay for a great book.
   
   So, what does Pinker do that's so great?
   
   1) He takes his opponents seriously and mounts his case slowly, step by step, taking the reader along with him.
   2) He illustrates that having a blank slate view of human nature is not morally righteous at all. (important for all those disposed to the moralistic fallacy)
   3) He does not talk down to the reader. Contrary to another reviewer, this book is not overly simplistic. There are points here and there where debate is possible, but overall it is highly accurate.
   
   When you are done with this book, you should have no doubt that genetics and evolution were and are very important in human life. Natural selection is the only theory which can explain human behavior- period.
   
   On the more controversial side, Pinker devotes many pages explicating Judith Rich Harris' theory about child development. Her views are very contentious, but provocative. Her basic argument is that children are MORE influenced by peer group socialization than the parenting style they lived under. Harris reached this conclusion after studying the behavioral genetic evidence. In behavioral genetics, it is known that all measured traits are heritable. Further, after subtracting genetic influence, unshared environment accounts for most of the left over variation- not shared environment. This is perplexing to most because it suggests that most environmental influences on personality come from WITHIN families not BETWEEN them. In short, two adopted siblings are no more alike than two strangers on the street, even though they share the same environment. Wheras, two twins seperated at birth are no more different than two twins who grow up in the same household.
   Pinker largely accepts Harris' theory, with slight reservations. D.C. Rowe presented a similar theory years earlier as well. The controversy still rages. It is a bit premature to pick sides. Pinker seems to, but he does tell the reader that Harris' theory is the minority view.
   
   In the end, this book can be read with pleasure by anyone. It is especially usefull to cite as a reference when having vapid debates with soiciologists. Most of Pinker's statements should be truisms. Unfortunately, they are not; Fortunately, he took the time to synthesize the insurmountable evidence against blank-slaters!



5. Yeah, I dont mean to come across the wrong way but i do have a degree in philosophy and i honestly think this is one of the best books i have ever read. Even in light of Kant, Hume, Locke, (Descartes sucks), Aristotle etc... This book does NOT seem to create an original system of philosophical thinking, rather this book is a synthesis of all intellectual pursuits put together, Anthropology, psychology, neurology, philosophy, history, etc... His main thesis is determinism, which in my opinion will be the next revolution in the culture of mankind... Similar to the so called Darwinian Revolution... In a nutshell our brains, more than our environments or so called free will, control our actions...
   
   I highly recommend this book...

5 comments about The Complete Idiot's Guide to Music Composition (The Complete Idiot's Guide).

1. Easy to go through. Excellent grasp of the material and gives easy building blocks. Very helpful for me.



2. This was bought for my daughter - she teaches a variety of age levels a huge variety of music. She will use the book to guide her in teaching composition - so as not to forget something important, or give her the variety of words that make it easier to understand at a variety of age levels.



3. I'm an advanced right brained musician (I've been playing for 20 years but never really gave much thought to theory). This book was just the thing to connect that other side of the brain and now I can start forming some structure out of my playing. The book takes a complex subject and boils it down to the necessities. It's got to be tough to describe abstract concepts like musical phrasing but this book does a good job. Get it if you want to write songs, or even if you just like to jam.



4. I have just read this book completely. I think its a great book with expert ideas. Excellent choice from beginner to intermediate composers.



5. This is a well-written introduction to traditional composition. The examples are plentiful and nicely illustrate the concepts being discussed and the organization of the book has been carefully thought through. I only have a few complaints/reservations about recommending the book:
   
   
   First, the book is very much focused on traditional composition techniques. That's the author's intention, and that's great for most people. However, if you're looking for a book that will help you understand the structure of modern (non-pop) music, there are probably better resources. (That said, if you have *no* background in composition, I think it is wise to read this book before trying to do unconventional things... as in, understand the rules before you break them). The author has little interest in electronica and non-diatonic compositions, so if you're looking to compose NIN- or Slayer-like stuff, then you won't be using many of the tools described in this book (though you will use some of them). There *is* a chapter on non-diatonic/chromatic composition, but the author treats these techniques primarily as a means of "spicing up" a traditional composition, rather than a separate approach to composition all together.
   
   Second, the author's examples and approach assume that the reader has/plays the piano or keys. I am a guitarist, and while I understand that illustrating harmony/melody combinations or counterpoint, etc. is most easily done with the piano (assuming a single musician), it would be nice if the examples were chosen to be a little more generalizable. I also think one would have a very difficult time trying to work the examples in this book with any instrument that cannot play chords. Again, this is reasonable given the topic, but prospective buyers/readers should understand ahead of time.
   
   Finally, the author seems a little unsure of where to begin with music theory. On the one hand, he asserts that readers should have a basic understanding of theory (and repeatedly endorses his own book on the topic... blech). However, some of the material covered in the text seems rather basic. Perhaps the overlap between theory and composition is just to gray to make a clean division, but I found the pace of discussion on theory a little uneven.
   
   Overall, a good book and worth the price. Just be aware of the author's intent and the scope of the book before you buy.

5 comments about The Jazz Theory Book.

1. There is not much more that I could say that has not been already written, but I want to do whatever I can to promote Mr. Levine's book. Truely Brilliant. Even non-jazz players will appreciate the huge amount of thought and work that must have gone into the creation of this book.
   
   Buy It



2. I'm a lifetime guitar player and have recorded and toured with a jazz band for the last five years. I'm long past buying books on improving my playing; not that I think I'm that good I've just not found that many that seemed to be worth the time. Many offer ideas based on some gimmick such as learn only 5 scale patterns and you can be an expert at solos! My experience has taught me that there is no substitute for practice and playing with great musicians! However as my band has matured and we have become more classically jazz oriented there have been many occasions where I need a technical reference on jazz theory and just didn't have access to a good one. A friend of mine who is a professional musician mentioned this book almost in passing and called it "The Bible" on the subject. Well whatever you want to call it its great! The author lays it all out in a very straightforward and logical approach that anyone with an interest in jazz and some basic experience can understand. In addition, it's not just for guitar players. Highly recommended!



3. I read the reviews, I went through the site, I checked around... Seemed like a great book to get a hang of jazz theory...
   
   I have one problem though...I can't read music. And NOWHERE in this whole reviews or description is it mentioned that this book has ONLY MUSICAL NOTATIONS.
   
   I've bought a few books on music and have actually picked up quite a bit through tabs (My instrument happens to be the guitar.)
   
   Now when I get to the returns section it says I have to ship it right back to the US of A... while all incoming packages are shipped by Amazon to a local courier who then delivers it to respective addresses.
   
   What a sham! Overall all those who might be toying with the idea of picking up this book BEWARE. ITS MANDATORY TO KNOW AND UNDERSTAND NOTATIONS.
   
   Otherwise well the money's down the drain... at least for me for now I guess...



4. This is a MUST have for any jazz musician. Now, let me just warn you that if you don't play piano you might not enjoy the book as much considering a lot of the things written in the book by Levine are really being directed towards piano. There are also many jazz piano standard sample pieces that you will find through out the book. That being said though, Levine makes his points more than clear and explains the theory in a way that you will totally understand. If you read carefully and pay attention to what he wrote, you will without question become a better jazz musician. I hope this review has helped you, please feel free to leave comments!



5. I've been using a friend's copy of this book for years and finally bought my own copy. This book belongs in the library of any jazz musician, regardless of instrument (I play bassoon, guitar, and piano), experience or playing level. The information is presented in a clear, concise way, and Mark Levine is quick to remind readers that theory is only a set of guidelines, but that you need to know the guidelines before you try to move beyond them. He quotes numerous musical examples, and you will get the greatest benefit from this book if you listen to these selections. It's also a great way to expand your jazz collection. The book is applicable to any instrument and contains examples in both treble and bass clef (Bb, Eb, F, etc. instruments will need to transpose though). No tablature for guitarists, but if you play jazz guitar you really should be able to read music because they give you sheet music in jazz ensembles, not tablature.
   It's a great learning tool for any jazz musician, and a great reference tool for the experienced musician or jazz composer/arranger. Buy it!

5 comments about The Chord Wheel: The Ultimate Tool for All Musicians.

1. Buy this. It puts many things about chord theory and music relationships right at yor fingertips. It's worth twice the price. Just stare at it and you will absorb it.



2. This is a concise reference tool for a musician. Once you understand the concept this will save you hours of work !!



3. I bought chord wheel a couple years ago and could not figure the thing out to little explanation and I play piano hoping to help me play by ear better. No luck it sits in the bottom of all my music. I am trying one of the other music books right now.



4. Hi, D. Shultz "siteswap soroban" i think i should believe what you said. Now i know who is the original inventor. Next time when you got ideas just go and meet the book publishers. Couldn't trust on private colleges anymore.
   
   Anyway, if this is your real idea. I really salute your knowledge and i would give the 5 stars because of your work (not Jim Fleser). I'm so sorry to hear that, i know how hard it feels when somebody stolen our ideas. However, i suggest you gather enough of evidence and try to sue the author.



5. 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.

5 comments about The Complete Idiot's Guide to Music Theory, 2nd Edition (The Complete Idiot's Guide).

1. Couldn't recommend this more highly. Easy to understand with concepts that build upon one another in a logical fashion. Very helpful.



2. This is a very thorough approach to ear training, complete with a CD to demonstrate pitch, intervals, etc. Good instruction on chord-building, chord progressions, transposition, and many aspects of composition. Highly recommended.



3. I am 'musician' for some time. I've had some music education, but that was a long time ago, so I have decided to purchase this book and I was overjoyed with simplicity of Mr. Millers writing. Right now I know some stuff that I couldn't figure out before thanks to great exercises and great examples that are in the book. Instantly I've ordered the other book 'The complete idiot's guide to music composition' from the same author and soon as I get it I will write the review for it.



4. Based on the reviews, the first book I bought on this subject was Edly's Music Theory for Practical People. Don't waste your money on that book, or you may very well feel like an idiot due to the incomplete and confusing presentation of music theory. Instead, be intelligent and become well informed on this subject by buying The Complete Idiot's Guide to Music Theory. The subject is presented thoroughly and in a logical manner. Michael Miller is a skilled author and a skilled musician who not only is very knowledgeable about music theory, but knows how to teach it.



5. I'm in 11th grade and have played the piano for 10 years. I've performed at the Lincoln Center in New York City and have accompanied many musicals. Having said that, I realized that I knew everything about music - except the theory behind it. I began looking on the internet for a music theory book and this is the one I found. I was a little hesitant about buying it because some reviews stated that it was for beginners only. I bought this book anyways and yes, the first third of this book is the basics - tempo, dynamics, time and key signature, ect. But this book has so much more (and the beginning section serves as a great reference when you need to know how to count 9/4 time and stuff like that). This book has everything I wanted and more in it from building chords, writing music, following a lead sheet, and directing music. It is a great resource that I think every musician should have sitting on there bookshelf.
   Bravo Mr. Miller

5 comments about Music Theory for Guitarists: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know But Were Afraid to Ask.

1. I found this book extremely helpful. For the first time, I learned about a visual pattern on the fretboard that allows me to play a mayor scale on any key. Switching to a blues scale simply ammounts to removing certain steps in the major scale. This is a great work.



2. I should start by stating that I am a beginning guitar student. So please take my review in the appropriate light. The book "Music Theory" is a unique addition to my quickly growing guitar library. It is broken into 13 chapters:
   
   Chapter 1 - a detailed explanation of the fretboard. This was particularly useful for me, because it explained what every note on the fretboard was. Tuning and intonation are also briefly discussed. Everything in the book is also given in TAB as well as sheet music.
   
   Chapter 2 - covers the basics of reading music including the treble clef, musical alphabet (A-G), accidentals (flats, sharps, naturals), rhythm, time signatures, note values, beams, dotted notes, chords (stacks, names, and frames), repeat signs, and tablature.
   
   Chapter 3 - discusses the major/minor scales, key signatures, and the handy circle of fifths.
   
   Chapter 4 - focuses on intervals (distance between two notes).
   
   Chapter 5 - covers the major and minor triads (chords which are a third interval apart).
   
   Chapter 6 - discusses harmonizing the major scale.
   
   Chapter 7 - a study of chord construction - both in theory and on the fretboard, covering major, minor, power, suspended, sixth, six/nine, seventh, extended, altered, slash, and poly chords.
   
   Chapter 8 - discusses harmonizing the minor scale.
   
   Chapter 9 - talks about key centers (something I must admit I haven't quite figured out yet).
   
   Chapter 10 - covers the 12-bar blues progression, the major and minor pentatonic scales, and parallel pentatonic scales.
   
   Chapter 11/12 - discusses modes, modal harmony, other scales, and chord/scale relationships.
   
   Chapter 13 - covers chord substitutions and reharmonization.
   
   My impression of the book is "Wow!" There is a tremendous amount of information in this book. As a beginner, I really benefitted from the first five chapters, but quickly lost my way as I pushed further ahead. But I fully expect that as I gain more experience, I will continue to consult this very valuable resource.
   
   Written by Arthur Bradley, author of "Process of Elimination" - a cool erotic thriller that pits a martial artist against a world-class sniper.
   
   As always, please be kind enough to indicate if reviews are helpful.



3. I am mostly an intuitive guitarist who actually does fairly well as a performer. I was hoping this was the book that would help me along, but it was not what I hoped. It's still pretty technical and fails to link riffs, patterns, and fretboard relationships into music that you can recognize and use. A few bits were OK, but it's back to doing what I do best- listening and playing along, and teaching myself.



4. This book will provide good information for a beginning guitar player. I still have a long way to go in what appears to be a long process.



5. You know how when you go into a guitar shop you see racks full of pamphlets with nothing but chord and scale diagrams? Well thats what this "book" is. Customer reviews on Amazon have helped me find a lot of cool books, but this is one time where I got suckered. This pamphlet is 103 pages long, and has very sparse amount of text between diagrams, which you will only understand if you already have a working knowledge of music theory.

5 comments about Guitar Fretboard Workbook.

1. I have some of my advanced students use this book as a way to reinforce the fretboard and music theory.



2. If you ever wanted to see the neck as one topic, this is the book to have. If learning guitar was like basic training, this book would be your PT shorts.



3. I have made it through chapter 8 and I am learning more than I have during the past 20 years of playing. I wish that I had done this sooner but better late than never. This is a great book to go through before attempting to start the Music theory book by Tom Kolb, which I will start next.



4. I took lessons for about 5 years, and I have been playing guitar for over 20 years, took a couple year break, and got back into it. I had learned the scales and did a lot of improvisation, but I was never able to easily find the note I was looking for without searching for it by ear. After reading the 1st chapter or 2 and doing the exercises I am easily able to find the notes anywhere on the fretboard, I wish I had read this book about 10 years ago.



5. This book is, as the title suggests, a workbook. You study, complete excersizes, practice. It connects bits of theory and helps you understand how all the elements of the fretboard work together, from tuning to scales to complicated chords. This book teaches what I have been trying to learn for ages- how to "navigate" the fretboard. Because of this book, I can identify any note on the fretboard, or create scales up and down the neck without getting lost (which is the key to soloing). If you follow the instructions and use this book the way it's intended, you will actually understand music theory on the guitar in a very practical way. I cannot overstate the importance of the knowledge this book will help you gain. You will have plenty of "AHA!" moments when you work on some excersizes and then realize how vital the knowledge is that you just gained. This book is superb and will improve your playing and understanding, guaranteed!

5 comments about This Is Your Brain on Music: The Science of a Human Obsession.

1. Like many of the negative reviewers, I found that *This Is Your Brain on Music* didn't enhance either my knowledge of music or of cognitive science. It's not without any substance, but that substance has been spread pretty thinly, and it offers one of the weakest evolutionary explanations for music as a human phenomenon: it demonstrates fitness because it indicates abundant amounts of free time. Perhaps this is true of the drive to perform, but what about the millions of people addicted to listening to music? Isn't music in some way *special* ? No one gets a painting "stuck in their head" for days as happens with music, and there doesn't seem to be a visual corollary to those stroke victims who can no longer speak--but who can still sing. To be sure, Levitin doesn't seem particularly interested in this, but this is part of the problem with the book. I also have to agree with reviewers that felt the book was disorganized and not compellingly written, but I never found Levitin to be particularly egocentric--I think he's making the case that he's well-qualified to discuss both the brain and music. Unfortunately, he doesn't convincingly do either, and the book's most memorable element is probably the title.



2. The author is very experienced in both the relevant science, and the real music industry. I have a strong sense that he knows what he's talking about and is highly credible. The writing style is excellent. There were all kinds of facts in here that ranged from novel to amazing. This really does tell you important things about how psychoacoustics works, and has a lot of ideas and speculations (it's hard to prove) about the meaning and function of music in the human experience. I've been recommending this one to lots of my friends.



3. As a professional musician and a medical doctor, I must say it is the best book on music - in all its facets - that I've ever read.



4. I, too, found the endless name-dropping endlessly irritating. As to the rest - I leave it to the more knowledgeable among us. However, I do recommend reading ALL the reviews before reading the book.



5. One can't expect a thorough look into the interplay of phychology, mind-body mechanics, and music in a shory popular book. That being said, this was an entertaining romp through the field.
   
   The first seventy or so pages was essentially an introduction to music theory and how the mind can proces music as, well, music. For those with a music background it will be tedious and won't tell you much that you don't already know, but for someone who has only touched on it it will be like drinking from a firehose with all the information in the pages.
   
   The rest of the book deals more directly with why certain music is liked, how it most likely evolfved, and the practical utility of music in society and individual survival. If you're ever wondering why there are still oldies stations around, it's because of all the boomers who have an emotional attachment to music of their youth, the time when music tastes are most aggressively defined.
   
   One annoyance was the infantile critique of mind-body interplay, where he ascribes to the opinion of Dennitt that the brain creates the mind. There's not enough room in the review to state why that is incorrect, but it shouldn't have even delved on this weighty topic. Overall though, there wasn't much blanket overgeneralization that plagues many popular science books, though the meanderings of the authors was at times tiring.
   
   Overall, pretty good, and a quick read for someone interested in the topic.