5 comments about Introduction to Guitar Tone and Effects: A Manual for Getting the Sounds from Electric Guitars, Amplifiers, Effects Pedals and Processors.

1. First, an introduction to myself; I took some folk/classic guitar lessens around the age of 13. In high school, I learned the electric bass, but was not involved with any bands or musicians outside of school. After graduation, I rarely played either instrument until about a year ago. Now, I've renewed my interest in guitar and bass and I've been trying to educate myself more about guitars, amps, and effects--things I never really learned about in my younger days. Before purchasing this book, I started by brushing the dust off and reading my old copy of The Guitar Handbook by Ralph Denyer (A "must have" book)--a book I partially read in my youth, bought and read Guitar Effects Pedals: The Practical Handbook by Dave Hunter (Read this before you buy any effects pedals!), read a library copy of The Stompbox by Art Thompson (History of pedals with many photos), bought and read Getting Great Guitar Sounds 2nd ed. by Michael Ross (A fine book about tone).
   
   I read this book as if I had not read anything else prior. The positives going for this book are that it is well organized and follows a logical progression starting with the guitar itself then amplifiers then effects and so on. The last four chapters, Building a Pedalboard, Multi-Effects Processors, Amplifier and Effect Modeling, Getting a Good Tone through Your PC, Stylistic Guitar Tones, and Famous Effected Guitarists are topics usually not discussed in the other books that I have read. The appendix titled Effected Guitar Music contains a list of effects with a selection of songs along with the artist that demonstrate the effect, something that I wish other books would do. The CD that comes with the book lets the reader hear an example of each effect from the effects chapters 3-12 and also samples from chapters 13-17. I think this book would be good for absolute beginners, but even I picked up a few new things.
   
   The negatives: While this book is meant to be in the genre of an introduction and at 60 pages, is clearly not meant to be a handbook nor encyclopedia, it just barely passes as an introduction due to its very short descriptions and definitions. After reading chapters 13-17, I came away with more knowledge than before, but now wanting more information with no direction on where to go from here. The information you get from this book is analogous to going to a party and getting introduced to several new people then leaving the party coming away with knowing only their names and how they said the word hello. Getting Great Guitar Sounds 2nd ed. by Michael Ross, has 77 pages and does a better job covering most of the material that is presented in Introduction to Guitar Tone & Effects chapters 1-12. The CD contains approximately 13 min of examples. Though not expecting a fully loaded CD, I was expecting maybe 20-30 min of samples. One or two strums on the guitar to demonstrate an effect seems deficient given that effects produce different sounds whether you are strumming chords or playing arpeggios. The examples from the Style chapter were also short and limited. (Note: Getting Great Guitar Sounds does not come with a CD.) Finally, the back cover touts over 74 photos but almost all of them are either out of focus or are some fuzzy computerized representation.
   
   Overal, If you start out knowing nothing about tone and effects, you will have gained some basic understanding by reading this book but you will have little practical knowledge. For more experienced players, I think this book could easily go from "pass on" to "must have" with a little rewriting, clearer photos, and more and better examples on the CD, while still keeping the number of pages between 60-80.



2. The information was very helpful in setting up my pedal board. The CD with the audio of all the pedals was really helpful in shopping for new sounds. The diagram for the suggested setup was helpful also.



3. this book is a nice introduction to effects pedals and their use for the guitar enthusiast who doesn't know the difference between a fuzz tone and a compression pedal.



4. I really enjoyed reading this book. It is worth, but contains only small amount of information. You may find the entire contents in the book could be written as a couple of chapters. However, the CD was absolutely useful.



5. if it where possible id give it a no star or a half star this book is not worth wasting money. it will just confirm what you already know. i bought it because i thought i was going to read information that explained extensively each pedal effect and talk about pedal chains. i was going to write a lot about it but not worth it, simply put you can google anything that's in this book, you'll have it for free and it will be detailed information .. as opposed to this book.

2 comments about Music for Ear Training (Workbook & CD-ROM).

1. This book and cd has helped me a lot with developing my ear training. I reccomend it to anyone who needs a boost.



2. First of all, there is no "book". What you receive is an almost empty workbook (of the kind you could buy in any papershop), and a CD with a poorly designed software.
   If you want some quality, buy a common, GOOD music notebook and a GOOD ear training software, like EarMaster School. This book is a waste of money. I bought it, do not make the same mistake.

5 comments about Fretboard Logic III Applications: Creative and Analytical.

1. I am enjoying the concepts in this book. I find the writer easy to understand and does a super job of explaining some difficult principles.
   
   The only think missing from I, II and III are some better chord diagrams.



2. A must for any guitarist seeking to learn the fretboard inside and out. I found it to be well-written and it builds very nicely off Fretboard Logic I and II.



3. This book covers the basics and beyond, in music in general,and guitar in particular.
   The author uses what i would call a "holistic" approach in his teaching.(He presents the whole picture.)
   The best music/guitar learning tool i've seen.



4. This 3rd book is extremely stimulating. It permits your mind and soul to be mush more creative in all aspects of music. Thank you for this amazing insight !!!!



5. Item was a gift for my son on the opposite coast. He reports this book met all his expectations and is very happy with it.

5 comments about HarperCollins College Outline Music Theory (Harpercollins College Outline Series).

1. Most books found on this subject are designed for beginers and are frustrating for those who want to learn more. This book is for those who want more and accomplishes that feat.



2. This is a practical book that summarizes the most important aspects in the Music Theory, Harmony and an introduction to the Musical Analysis. The book is well structured and the explanations are clear and intelligible, for wich it is well adapted for beginners, teachers at college level, and also for those that, not being professional musicians, but they studied this matter years ago, they are looking for an a single-book-abridgment to refresh their knowledge quickly. It only lacks, from my point of view, of an appendix with the answers to the proposed exercises, what would help the self-students a lot.



3. I searched this book for my AP music theory. Wow, such a fabulous review material that other basic thoery books couldn't compare. As a matter of fact, I read this book instead of my text book (which was tedious and didn't explain well). I personally don't recommand this book for beginners, it's very fast paced, especially on the basics. However, for college freshmans or those who take equivalent courses(like me), the book covers a wide range of different concepts to certain depth. Some of the wording has to be read several times before u understand. Overall, the book is quite profundity to me except for the front cover.



4. This book is very informative. Whether you are a beginner or advanced musician, or simply someone interested in music holistically, this is an excellent book.



5. This is a good beginning book for music theory. However, as someone using the book outside of the classroom, I would have liked an appendix with answers or samples for the end-of-chapter exercises.

1 comments about Theory for Today's Musician w/ Musical Example CD-ROM.

1. Unless this is a required textbook for a music degree (as was the case for me), don't bother giving this textbook a second look. Although it covers the basics of music theory right up through in-depth theoretical analysis, the difficult-to-understand directions and extremely frequent misprints and incorrect artist credit given make this book a poor buy. Yes, this is the first edition, so many of these mistakes will be corrected (i hope), but Ralph Turek has a long way to go with this one. If you're looking a great, easy to understand reference on music theory, check out "Tonal Harmony" by Stefan Kostka and Dorothy Payne.

5 comments about Structural Functions of Harmony.

1. If you are a musician and want to know more about harmony, Schoenberg's thoughts should be at least considered. You might not necessarily agree with him, but keep in mind that Schoenberg always taught from a traditionalist standpoint. Despite his "revolutionary" logo, Schoenberg never cared much for music before Bach. Even Schoenberg's idol and so-called reactionary, Brahms, thought highly of Josquin DesPres. And while there are probably better teaching books around, considering Schoenberg's music will be played 200 years from now (at the very least, Verlarkte Nacht) and yours probably won't (unless it's used on TV ad or played on an oldies station), you might want to get some idea of what makes this guy so utterly fascinating.



2. From the very start this book did not do a good job of clarifying its title or it vocabulary used in its analyses.I think that he thought by using the word function that it would add some esteem or he fancied himself a mathematian. The writer schonberg at the begining of the book first page after the title page the uses word triad a ,three note chord, which I never understood and I think involves a lot acoustic science that mr. schonberg never had or b.s.ed that he had. Succesion, progression,tonal all vague or historically obscure. The entire book has sheet music in it and parts from scores whichs seems to me he could have simplified and condensed his thinking. I think anyone who read/reviewed this book and liked it is putting on the airs because it is in style or the hip thing to like schonberg and it would be uncool amongst intellectuals not to like schonberg. Time to search for alternative ways of understanding music for anyone really is interested in bringing music out of the educational stone age because it has been neglected for to long and has been everyones side project.Fractal science shows progress.



3. This is an important book because it is a document written by Arnold Schoenberg. He wrote it from the way he taught his students harmony. If you know Schoenberg's tonal music you know how highly chromatic it is. It moves from tonal center to tonal center almost without the listener understanding how far they are traveling. This book uses his concept of region and that is not something taught in your freshman - sophomore theory courses.
   
   If you want to read this book, make SURE you have a strong grounding in traditional theory first. Then ground yourself in Schoenberg's treatise on harmony. Then take on this little book. Otherwise it will be opaque to you.
   
   However, just because you can't understand what the composer wrote, don't suppose that it is nonsense or dismiss it because of your own lack of comprehension. Schoenberg was a very important composer and understood the methods of composition very well. He certainly had his own views, however idiosyncratic they may be. It is simply that when you are Schoenberg you can do things lesser musicians cannot.



4. Well it looks like naj "jak" here is almost as clueless as he thinks the book is. He should know that Theory of Harmony is not a book to LEARN harmony, its a book that teaches you in detail the purposes and most advanced properties of such. If you're looking to begin music, do not buy this book. If you are a musician looking for a (in my opinion) genius's perspective on one of the most fundamental elements of music...then thats the book for you.



5. Schoenberg writes from a traditional harmonic standpoint. But he is aware of the fact that the primary systems of analysis are very limited to these traditional sounds and harmonies. Therefore Schoenberg sets out to put into work a new system for harmonic analysis which will work fine on traditional harmonies as well as on newer, more outside progressions. He achieves all of this through his idea of regions within music, a specific idea with a broad goal. By leaving the intricacies of traditional harmonic analysis and widening his scope, Schoenberg presents a system we may all need to take a second look at.

No comments about Lana Turner: The Memories, the Myths, the Movies.

No comments about Theory for Today's Musician Workbook w/ Workbook CD-ROM.

5 comments about The Music Theory Handbook.

1. I bought The Music Theory Handbook because it was required for my college Music Theory class, but I have found it to be very helpful in other areas. It is designed and written to be used in conjunction with an actual live instructor.
   
   The book consists of most everything that can be encountered in a music theory course, is short, and softbound so that it will not leave a large dent in your wallet, because, after all, most college students are poor. This is a highly useful, fascinating book, that is an asset to all that buy it.



2. As a formally trained musician with a Bachelor's and Master's Degrees in music (and currently a candidate for a Doctoral Degree), I have had more than my fair share of Music Theory courses.
   
   This text is a wonderfully crafted work. It is thorough and to the point. It was extremely easy to follow and understand. I wish it had been available to me when I started college those many years ago!
   
   For the music student entering college, or even the serious high school student, this text would make a fine resource to add to your collection.



3. I'm not sure why this book has received so many good reviews. I found it a dull and difficult read. There are many other better, and much more, interesting books on music theory out there. For someone just starting out, I highly recommend Marc Schonbrun's "The Everything Reading Music Book" -- it may not have the Air of Erudition that Ms. Merryman's book has, but it is readable, understandable, and informative.
   
   The Everything Reading Music Book: A Step-By-Step Introduction To Understanding Music Notation And Theory (Everything: Sports and Hobbies)



4. Ms. Merryman's book is a perfect, and perfectly clear, synthesis of the fundamentals that one learned, or should have learned, in undergraduate music theory. This book was never designed to serve as a primary theory textbook; no book this brief could be successful in that endeavor. Therefore, one who has no technical musical background will likely find its compact explanations a bit confusing.
   
   Instead, this book was designed primarily as a refresher for people's memory of concepts that they, at one time or another, had under their belts, but that may have faded. Nonetheless, one should not think that the book's brevity results in any skimming over the subject matter. Quite the opposite is the case, and it is impressive that Ms. Merryman can pack so much into such a short space, all the while explaining the fundamental issues in the most straight-forward manner.
   
   Music schools often find their hopes that students entering their graduate programs are arriving with a secure base of knowledge of music theory disappointed, and frequently they must require students to take remedial theory courses before allowing them to tackle more sophisticated concepts. Were every music student graduating from undergraduate school to take the summer to absorb the material that's in the few pages of Ms. Merryman's book, fewer schools--and students--would be disappointed come September. This book should be on every musician's shelf or, better yet, desk top.



5. I had been looking for a book like Marjorie Merryman's, The Music Theory
   Handbook for my secondary piano students who want to prepare for college level theory beyond where most of the existing pedagogical books take them. In a one hour piano lesson, there isn't time to delve into a college text like Benward or Ottman. Ms. Merryman has packed the basics of Theory 101 into an informative text with helpful examples.
   In addition to the fundamentals, harmony and counterpoint are presented along with analysis, phrase structure, form, compositional techniques and instrumentation. Exercises based on the concepts presented in each part are grouped in a separate section.
   
   The clear format makes the text easily comprehensible. I highly recommend this book for high school students who plan to continue their musical studies in college.

5 comments about Jazzology: The Encyclopedia of Jazz Theory for All Musicians.

1. The book's approach is so intuitive, it almost leads you by the hand into the world of jazz. Certainly jazz is freedom of expression but you have to know what you're doing and this book is the tool for that. Combine it with some tunes and mix in some listening, and the world of jazz is open to you. This should be a standard in every high school with a jazz program and every college lab band.



2. This excellent book is useful and relevant both as a reference work
   and as a coursebook.
   
   In addition to being the definitive compendium of music theory as it
   relates to Jazz usage, it also contains exercises for the student
   that can be used in the classroom as a supplementary teaching tool or
   even as a full blown course of study in itself.
   
   There are hundreds of musical examples to flesh out the prinicples
   and topics covered in the text.
   
   The material is well paced and in a logical order. The uncrowded look
   of the page layouts aids considerably in making this vast amount of
   technical material easily digestible for learners of any level.
   
   This extremely deep book is certainly poised to become the standard
   Jazz Theory text of the 21st century.



3. Although it is only one of many jazz theory books on my shelf, I find that this book sticks out for its breadth and applicability to performing and arranging in the jazz idiom. This is accomplished through the sections on piano playing for all jazz instrumentalists where the topics include both voicing and comping rhythms. The latter is usually left out from theory books. There is also a chapter devoted to solo styles where the student can read through analysis of solos with the musical example provided in the book. There is a chapter on arranging for various ensembles as well as a chapter that deals with "Early and Traditional Jazz" a much overlooked area in our jazz history studies. The book even ends with a chapter on practicing that deals not only with what one should practice, but why we practice particular aspects of the music.
   
   Of course there are all of the requisite chapters on scale/chord theory and the ii-V-I progression that you will find in most books, but it is the added material that appleals to the player as much as the theorist. That is what makes this book a superior buy to many others.



4. This book is one of the very best I have seen,
   along with "hearing the changes" by Jerry Coker,
   and Jazz and Popular Harmony by Daniel Ricigliano,
   it has become a favorite.



5. This is a good look at a rehashing of what has been, for a long time. Some authors are better at portraying certain subjects in better context than others. These 2 gentleman seem above the average! I like it, very much.
   
   The biggest value of this book though, is the fact that the great Jeff Bent was such a huge part in the authentication process.... I personally am working on several learning methods for publication. It would be an honor to have Mr. Bernt give a look at my ciriculum also. ( I probably mispelled that, thats why I need Jerf!!)
   
   Anyway, good book. Nicely done!