2 comments about Autoharp Owner's Manual.

1. Really good book for autoharp owners. Lots of interesting info in one concise spot. A little technical in spots but all in all a book most autoharp owners can make use of.



2. This book is a compilation of articles from an autoharp publication. The articles have a variety of topics that help an autoharp owner tweak the 'harp to make it more conducive to personal playing.
   There are a number of articles on how to re-felt, how to re-tune, how to play to prevent RSI.
   I found it particularly useful to change my autoharp to diatonic tuning.
   It's the "Chilton's" for Autoharp.
   There are even plans for making an autoharp, lots of theory and suggestions.
   A really fun book for autoharp enthusiasts.
   It's not really a "how to play" book. It's aimed more at heavy users.

5 comments about Simple Flutes: A Guide to Flute Making and Playing, or How to Make and Play Great Homemade Musical Instruments for Children and All Ages from Bamboo, Wood, Clay, Metal, PVC Plastic, or Anything Else.

1. I have just started making flutes as a hobby, because I thought it would be interesting, and to knock out a few cheap Christmas presents for a myriad of nieces and nephews. I did not anticipate what a source of joy making flutes would be for its own sake. This book got me started and will remain the most senior of my teachers as long as I do this. What you do not find in its lines, you will find between them as you grow in the experience. I am sure there are many more advanced books out there, but they will be useless without the foundation that this book provides.



2. My interest in flutes began years ago by making several pan flutes from Bamboo and acrylic tubing. After a trip to Peru in 2004 I became interested in quenas...end blown Andean flutes. My ambitions then carried through to wanting to make transverse flutes. I have found the book Simple Flutes perfect for my initial foray into trans-flute making. I am impressed with the economy of words that conveyed much information. It is a good doorway to other references. The G flute described in this book was easy to build and works very well. More detailed data for other sizes would have been welcome. However, more ponderous book might discourage the neophyte into not carrying through with making one's first flute. Mark's book and instructions made it easy to be successful, which then whets the appetite to get more involved with flutes in other keys.
   A great, simple to read handbook for someone starting in this fascinating hobby.



3. this is a great book to give the BASICS of creating simple instruments such as flutes. its very short and gives some great base ideas for begainers. i do wish it was more detailed however it will have you making flutes quickly



4. Personally, I liked the book, but perhaps some more pictures on how to do things would be nice. For example, on how to make a wood flute it says a shell auger can be used to make a flute. Some step by step directions would be nice.



5. If you have a desire to learn how to build a transverse, or side blown flute, this is a start. Transverse or side blown, is only one of many types of flutes. If you have an interest in Chinese flutes, Bolivian Flutes, pan flutes, or Native American type flutes, do your research on the internet and find the book related to the type. Each of these other flutes are shaped, made, and played differently.
   Simple flutes will teach you the basics and theory of the construction of the classic side blown flute. It is worth the money just to have it as a reference book.

No comments about Transition Mathematics (University of Chicago School Mathematics Project).

2 comments about Beginners Book for the Flute, Part I.

1. This is a great first book for beginners of all ages.The musical selections are sophisticated enough to allow beginners to experience the joy of actually playing music right from the start.
   The approach to both rhythms as well as learning fingering is brilliantly cumulative- starting with 3 notes, there are little tunes at the very beginning. Students especially love the duets.
   My only complaint is that the section on E Major comes very soon.For my teaching, I just skip this section and return to it when the student has a bit more experince navigating sharp key signatures.



2. I bought this book to practice the flute on my own. I started about a month ago, and I see a teacher regularly, but I also like to be able to explore this instrument by myself, and this book is the perfect tool for it! It first introduces three notes, and right from the start there are short and amusing tunes to practice playing these. As new notes and their fingering are introduced, the songs gradually incorporate those, and slowly the author brings the beginner to different keys (other than C major).
   This book does not in any way replace a live teacher, but it provides an interesting companion to my practices. There are original tunes by the author, and simplified adaptations of all genres, mostly from the Renaissance period and a few Xmas/children traditional ones. There are also many songs for two players (two students, or teacher/student). My only regret is not having a companion CD to listen to. For a beginner it would a have been a great help to be able to hear those songs before actually attempting to play them. You can always try to get free MIDI files from various websites, as many songs are from famous composers.
   This first book focuses on a firm tone in the lower register (lower D to C sharp in the first half), and ventured slightly in the higher register up to G, in the last few songs. I was also puzzled that the F minor key was introduced at this point, without any explanation (while E major's first appearance with Jingle Bells, also introduced early, seemed easier for some reason).
   I highly recommend buying a fingering chart as a companion (Flute Fingering Chart: For Flute and Piccolo (Amsco Fingering Charts)), instead of flipping through this book for it.

5 comments about 25 Daily Exercises for Saxophone.

1. They say phrases from some of these Klose etudes found their way into Charlie Parker's musical vocabulary. When asked by Paul Desmond, Bird replied "It's not smoke and mirrors, some of it comes from books."



2. This book was a bit too challenging for me and seemed to be mostly scales. I prefer jazz songs etc... so maybe it was just a poor choice for me.



3. When it comes to playing any musical instrument, gaining mastery over the fundamentals of how to play said instrument forms the base of a musicians training. Yes, a large part is also sheer creativity, but being skilled in creating what you want, and how you want it, is first and foremost to being able to create music.
   
   That being said, the etudes enclosed in this book will work the full range of skills necessary to effectively play the saxophone. Range, articulation, accidentals, endurance, breathing, and phrasing are all worked in each exercise.
   
   If each etude is worked through methodically, starting out slowly and working towards full tempo, all of your playing skills should see improvement.
   I pair this with Jackie McClean's "Daily Warm-Up Exercises for Saxophone" to start each practice session, allowing me to drill the full range of scales, chords, and overall technique.



4. The daily exercises used by Charlie Parker. What more could a sax player want? Scholars have traced their influence in his recordings....



5. This book is really good if you want to master scale passages. I on the other hand, I really don't care for scale music like this. Very challenging!

5 comments about Instant Blues Harmonica 9 Ed: Minutes Away From Blues and Rock Improvisation!.

1. I have been playing with learning harmonica for a while now, but received this book as a present from my in-laws (who were probably tired of hearing "Camptown Races" and "Red River Valley" endlessly). What a treat. David Harp's instruction is super easy, and starts off with foregoing single notes. He gets you started on music, and then when you're having fun (and more interested in practicing), he hits you with more advanced techniques.
   
   I don't mind the Bending Notes book being plugged - there's only so much you pack into a beginners book.
   
   If you're thinking about trying the harmonica, I can't recommend this one highly enough.. :)



2. This is truly the most comprehensible, hassle-free self-teaching guide for raw beginners. Go with this book and you cant go wrong. Just play along with CD and you will have so much fun! After you finish with this one you may want to purchase Jon Dick's Rock and Blues Harmonica for slightly more advanced techniques you may also want to check out Tom Ball's Source Book series which is a very convenient reference of famous Blues harp licks/riffs.



3. This was a Christmas present for two of my grandchildren. The boys were absolutely thrilled with the information, in fact, one of them wrote a piece of music within 24 hrs!!!



4. Good sound and good value. Easy to follow, great beginner and intermediate tool. I was pleasently suprised to find a harmonica in a case included taped to the book. I keep that extra one in the car to practice with the CD. David Harp makes it easy to learn.



5. For anyone who thinks you can't learn to make music in an hour or less, you gotta try this book and CD! Appying a series of very simple breathing patterns--with names like Chicago and Boogie Woogie--you can make MUSIC on the harmonica in only a few minutes. In the first few lessons, David Harp takes baby steps through a series short lessons (none is more than three minutes long) which cover beginning blues, folk and "classical" ideas. In the second half, he covers application of the earlier blues lessons, gives a little explanation of the blues scale, presents you with a simplified blues scale and few tricks. The last few tracks are "jam" tracks so you can test out your new chops. Of course he doesn't get into bending in this introductory course, but for less than $15 it's a GREAT way to start! I use the CD in my car and play along on my commute. It's perfect!

5 comments about The Flute Book: A Complete Guide for Students and Performers.

1. I find this book absolutely helpful but I just want to say that what a pity that only paperback is available. It would be nice to have hardback version..



2. Nancy Toff does an exceptional job with this complete and well-rounded reference book for books. Any information that one could hope for about playing the instrument, buying the instrument, or listening to the instrument is included. The author also does well to give many perspectives on many flute issues, reasoning them out for the reader. The second half of the book on the history of many composers is exhaustive and complete. The catalog of repertoire pieces in a table format with available publishers is invaluable for any performer. Really a must own.



3. Nancy Toff has left nothing out of this grand book -- the history, anatomy, selection, and care of the flute in its popular and more esoteric forms; an extensive discussion on the development of not only classical and modern technique, but also personal style; building a repertoire and creating or finding performance opportunities; the history of flute music, and authoritative suggestions for building a sheet and recorded music library; countless charts and reference materials -- all has been included that a flute player, whether amateur or professional, student or teacher, could and would want to know and reference in the course of their playing career. And if one happens to find anything not included, I feel confident that Ms. Toff would personally see to correcting the matter immediately. An absolute must; look no further, oh wearied flutists (as Ms. Toff insists you are to be called, and not flautists, based on a well-researched etymological conclusion), for your redemption is at hand.



4. I borrowed this book from the library. I love the pictures of different flutes of different era. You can see how flute evolved through hundreds of years. Truly amazing.



5. The text is written in modern English which is easier to read and comprehend than some of those ancient scrolls translated from german or some other archaic language. In addition to the information of technique and method, I especially enjoyed the lengthy resource lists for rated (according to level of difficulty)musical compositions for flute.
   
   The book is dictionary-like in terms of weight and feel. The pages are filled with well-written standard type font. I mention this because I have become weary of those pamphlet-thick 'modern music method books' and their clip-art laden, nearly empty pages that are too often mass produced and marketed as an only source of published information.
   
   The author also addresses, in great detail, some of the well and lesser known flute debates(such as the flutest/flautist conflict), the history of flute (with photos from the Dayton C. Miller flute museum/collection, where the author is also the currator), development and changes, and those other topics and issues some(those only superficially dedicated to the wonders of flute) might consider trivial.
   
   I originally borrowed this book from the library. I have since added this title as a must have for my personal music book collection. If you are looking for a recently written, detailed, modern exploration of the flute, by an accomplished authority, this publication is a smart choice!

No comments about Amsco Clarinet Fingering Chart (Amsco Fingering Charts) (Amsco Fingering Charts).

4 comments about 101 Saxophone Tips: Stuff All the Pros Know and Use.

1. I gave it three stars because i found very usefull only half of the book. But for the price I'd say it's a good deal.



2. This book was both very useful and very enjoyable. I was a serious sax player for 20 years, quit playing almost completely for 30 years, and started to play seriously again after I retired (or quit my day job, whichever sounds better).
   
   There are tips about what to carry in your case, how to buy and maintain your horn, what your should practice, and more. This book contains stuff I knew, more stuff I had forgotten, and more that is new since I began playing again. There is a CD that shows examples and playalongs.
   
   This book is ideal for beginners and serious saxophonists. I recommend it heartily.



3. Interesting tips....
   
   Check out Larry Teal's book. Great for beginners and intermediate players.



4. This book is a bargain if you only use a few good tips that are shared. I've been playing alto for five years and got answers to questions I just couldn't get before. I studied under two real pro's but a lot of these tips were never discussed. The writer, Eric Morones, is a VERY accomplished saxophonist. I realized this when I bought his other book, 25 Great Sax Solos. He does all the sax work on that accompanying CD and he's PHENOMENAL. Knowing I was getting tips from this extremely talented musician made this 'Tips book' VERY valuable. Of course, not every tip is going to be an "ah-ha" experience, but buy the book if you're serious about being the best saxophonist you can be. Just five or six good tips is worth a lot more than the price of this book.
   
   I've gone back into this book a few times since I wrote the original review a few months ago. This book is GREAT! I have started using LOTS of great tips in this book. It's like having a seasoned Pro mentoring you in your practice. Following the guidance and advice in this book will make you a MUCH better saxophonist.

5 comments about The Complete Book of Chinese Health & Healing: Guarding the Three Treasures.

1. I do not know who to thank for curing me of a chronic digestive disorder whose underlying cause had eluded allopathic physicians and Western nutritionists for the past 30 years: Daniel P. Reid or the ancient Taoist masters?

   Mr. Reid's books are truly gifts to the modern Western world and to those who sense that there is something more to life than a mass-produced culture and lifestyle. Ancient wisdom does have a wealth of knowledge to impart today in order to live a better tomorrow. If you are a newcomer to Taoism, spirituality, and traditional health practices, this is an ideal book to help you begin your journey towards enlightment. Those with a little more experience will also benefit from reading this book and adding its little gems of wisdom to their library of ever-expanding Taoist knowledge. Somehow, years of higher education and exponetially expanding university tuition never taught me the beautiful, life-affirming, and liberating simplicities expounded by Taoism. Begin your journey with these books.

   I also highly recommend Mr. Reid's "The Tao of Health, Sex and Longevity" as an excellent companion to "The Complete Book..." However, I caution you to exercise maturity, responsibility and personal accountability as you read and practice the ancient Taoist arts. You should be fully aware that there is no way for the author to be familiar with your particular ailments or life-situation. In this regard, I recommend that you pursue your studies under the guidance of a qualified instructor and to seek health advice from a Traditional Chinese Medical practitioner. If you heed the caution and advice you will gain tremendously. There is genuine gold in this ancient wisdom. You will find yourself asking the question: "Why doesn't the rest of the Western world know about this?"

   Good luck to all of you as you travel the Tao of life-enrichment through ancient wisdom. I encourage you to pursue this seemingly miraculous path towards a better life. Learn from it and spread the word. You, and others, will never regret it.




2. Reid's book is great. I read it, and tried the Breathing exercises....WHAM! I felt so energetic since! FUll of vitality! I applied his advice on diet & food too, and my past digestive disorder and stomach bloats and aches are history! I listened to him and start conserving my 'jing' if you know what i am talking about, and I feel on top of the world! READ THIS BOOK!



3. There are thousands of books published about Chinese Medicine,but none come close to this one for readability, enjoyment, clarity,and detail. While I don't agree with every single interpretation that Reid makes, I find that I am constantly referring my patients and students to this book.

   It is a great place to begin your exploration of Chinese Medicine in its broadest scope. Reid writes intelligently, and yet simply, about the full range of Chinese Medical practices and the foundations of Energetic Medicine too.

   His format takes the reader, step-by-step, along the path of understanding this rich tradition of self-care, personal evolution, and natural healing. You will find plenty of personal stories in this book and a fair share of scientific findings which support the understanding presented.

   Perhaps most importantly, you will be able to apply the basic principles, as described so clearly here, in your daily life. This is truly a book that can help you get started on the path of natural healing in your own life.

   If you are in the healing profession, you will discover a world of refreshing insights, challenging questions, and beneficial protocols to explore.

   I highly recommend this book to anyone who is sincerely interested in Chinese Medicine or Qigong.




4. I happened across this book in a bookstore and bought it on a whim. I was not before interested in Taoism, but fairly open minded. THIS IS THE BEST, MOST INSPIRATIONAL BOOK I HAVE READ IN YEARS. I don't want to go too over the top or I'll lose my credibility, but this book quite simply has changed my life (ok, that's over the top). If you enjoy cooking with fresh ingredients, the book gives great advice about food combining and which ingredients are most healthful. Reid also gives a few recipes at the back of the book that he considers "healing" recipes. The recipe for Hunan chicken was worth the cost of the book. I have been cooking for a decade and that recipe is the most delicious dish I've ever made. I really can't say enough. I am less interested in the sections on Chee-gung, but they are still useful as a way of understanding the importance of quieter, less strenuous stretching/activity. I bought this book 6 months ago, but I would say that I pick it up to read sections at least once a week. I have lost 15 pounds, am full of energy and feel more positive and refreshed than I have since I was 21.



5. This book is nothing short of spectacular, and this is because it motivates to start doing some of what Daniel Reid. explains. Reid, a Westerner living in Asia since the 70's, comes with Western scientific explanations (where possible; modern science isn't yet developed enough to understand and acknowledge nature of some things) of why Taoists do things the way they do.
   Books subtitle is "Guarding the three treasure" - and by that he means the body, energy and spirit, he touches all of them. After reading it I understand a lot more things about the world in general. A lot more...
   I first started reading his other book - "The Tao of Health, Sex and Longevity", and I would recommend starting with that one, because it is more basic and easier to chew by the Western mind. This books is also very clear, and you don't need other explanations, but reading the other one first would make some things easier. Personally, after I finished this one book, I understood some of his teachings in "The Tao..." that I had skipped at that point and started doing them now. One good example of this is to do skin brushing every day. Why? Stimulate lymph movement, especially helpful for people living sedentary lives every day. I intend to reread both of them many times, and hopefully pick new good habits with each pass. I'll probably look into his other works.
   So, what's in the book?
   It starts with explaining the Taoist cosmogony, starting with the One source, Tao. You probably already know its mark, it' that circle with black and white "tears", each having a small spot of the other inside it.
   They are the two poles, Yang (male/active/warming/ascending, white with with black spot) and Yin (female/passive/cooling/descending).
   There are three powers - heaven, earth and humans, the latter mixing the treasure of spirit and awareness from the heaven (whose laws are named "destiny") with the nourishment and essential building blocks of the body.
   There are four foundations -blood, energy, nourishment, and resistance (e.g. immunity), and you need to develop all of them. They depend on each in many ways, and each could be overactive or underactive. They should be balanced for a vibrant health. There are remedies for all of them. While everyone is more likely to know that that chlorophyl is good for blood, did you know there are energy supplements? Yes, such as air ionizers, and, suprise, crystals (wear one around your neck), plus modern stuff (pulsed field generators, cranio electro stimulation and others).
   There are five energies (water, wood, fire, earth, metal), and each is associated with some colour, foods, vibration, season, bodily organs, taste, time of day, feeling, and more. For example, this fits with the Western knowledge that each organ is most active at a specific time of the day. BTW, looking at some list of symptoms, I figured that I have underactive kidneys, and inspired by this I went to an acupuncturist/chinese doctor and he confirmed it. Now that the problem is confirmed, I know what foods to emphasize, what breathing exercises to do, etc.
   There are six evils (of environmental energies) - wind, heat, dampness, dryness, cold and fire, each more prevalent in a specific time of a year, and could combine (e.g. cold dryness). BTW, I should tell that in Chinese medicine body is treat as a whole, except for injuries, it's your lifestyle that's the problem, and several symptoms that seem totally unrelated point to the same thing. Alcoholism creates 'stomach fire' and 'liver fire', heavy smoking, sugar creates 'internal dampness', exposure to electromagnetic pollution creates 'internal wind'. Everything fits together, with easy to understand words, yet all having Western scientific equivalents, albeit way harder to follow.
   Seven emotions (Joy, Anger, etc.) - for Chinese healthy and non-excessive thoughts lead to physical health. This is harder to understand - in the West people are referred to psychiatrist for mental issues, yet there are many cases of curing psychological problems by diet, and, reversely, get sick by thinking negatively. I would suggest Deepak Chopra's books (e.g. Quantum leap healing) for an scientific explanation of how this works. Basically it's a positive (as in self-enforcing) feedback between nervous and endocrine systems.
   Eight indicators: Chinese doctors follow a four stage process: interviewing (remember, everything matters: chills/fever, stool/urine, diet/sleep/sex), observing (way of moving, talking, breathing, skin color; tongue and face analysis are true arts, both having parts corresponding to internal organs), and ends with touching (flesh, internal organs, accupresure on vital points which become tender in sick people, and taking pulse, which is again an art). After the initial state is evaluated, different remedies might be prescribed (massage, accupuncture, diet, breathing), looking for the eight indicators (yin/yang, internal/external, cold/hot, empty/full). Symptoms come and go during treatment, change one into each other, and so do the remedy but at the end the body and internal organs are balanced, the evil energies are removed. It's very hard to be a good Chinese doctor, you need to learn a lot, because everything relates, from anatomy to nutrition to breathing to environmental exposure to lifestyle.
   This was the first part of the book, and there were three of them.
   It then talks about diet and nutrition, what foods go with with elemental energy (and thus with what organ), talks about food profiles and effect on the body (sugar, meat, fats, etc.), about gradually improving the diet and how to watch for detox signs. Avoid unhealthy fats (such as (partially) hydrogenated vegetable oil), pasteurized milk (not even calves can live on it), eat lots of fermented foods, drink pure water, and other sound advices on food combining (don't eat meat with potatoes or bread, for example). He talks about enzymes - spark of life - and how overcooking destroys them.
   Regarding the energy "treasure", he explains about the bioenergy and the bioenergetic model of human body as determined by ancient acupuncture practitioners, how Western researchers have confirmed and validated them (look for Robert Becker - he rediscovered acupuncture points and proved that we are influenced by planets through the endocrine system) and then talks about electromagnetic pollution. He emphasizes chee-gung (chi-kung/qi-gong) - "energy work", slow movements synchronized with breathing to balance endocrine and nervous system, improve the energy stored in the body and thus build immunity etc. There are even specific chi-gung exercises for each elemental energy imbalance (read: affected organ). There are special sexual yoga solo exercises.
   Finally... meditation. All the above can help with meditation. He explains why one should meditate, and from this chapter I understood what hermites in caves, enlightened monks, yoga gurus, taoist masters, martial arts experts all have in common. It is hard to explain, and reading the book might not be enough. In short, you might not be prepared to accept it. This is it... it's like religion. Suffice to say that the meditation chapter changed my life. I hope it will change yours. I actually preffered to write only about the meditation chapter in this review.
   
   The books also has food recipes (balanced according to the teachings), herbs and some herbal recipes, plus lists of suppliers to get products from.
   
   Dan Reid has an approach so that both Eastern and Western knowledge should be used and combine to create a better life for all of us. He certainly does combine them - Eastern trued and tried practices with Western technology (e.g. herbal remedies with vitamins, enzymes, cofactors and nootropic; modern energy supplements.
   
   This is just a one page review. Of course the book is much more thorough. Just go get it, study it and practice from it even as you are still reading it for the first time. You'll never regret it. Mark my words.