No comments about Mel Bay Complete 10-Hole Diatonic Harmonica Series, G (Complete 10-Hole Diatonic Harmonica).

2 comments about 32 Etudes and 40 Studies for Clarinet (Dover Chamber Music Scores).

1. The product description for this item is inaccurate. It says that this is the first time that the 40 studies and 32 etudes have been together in one book. Southern Music Company publishes a compilation of all the Rose studies, plus the 9 caprices, edited by David Hite, and has done so since 1986. It's called "Artistic Studies: Book 1--From the French School", and the catalogue number is B362. The price is between $12 and $15, so this Dover edition may be an advantage that way. I have not seen this new Dover edition, but I have owned the other since 1988, and it's a great way to get all the Rose clarinet exercises. My first clarinet teacher had me get the separate volumes pub. by Carl Fischer back in the 70s, and I wish they had had these volumes then. I require all of my high school clarinet students to get this book, because these exercises, particularly the 32 Etudes, are valuable teaching/learning tools. The 32 Etudes go through almost all the keys, including minors, and include both technical and lyrical material.



2. This book combines 32 Etudes and both volumes of 40 Studies into a single book. These three volumes are excellent for developing the five principles of clarinet playing and are three of the most well-known clarinet method books. Unfortunately, the publisher has used a standard "perfect binding" so the book will not lie flat upon a music stand. A saddle-stitch, comb, or spiral binding would have been much more appropriate and useful. I would highly recommend finding the original Fischer editions even though collectively they cost more. (Five stars for content, one star for presentation, three stars overall.)

No comments about New Directions for Clarinet (New Instrumentation).

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.

2 comments about Trumpet Technique.

1. Campos' book is an elegantly written, thoroughly researched, and well-organized volume on the pedagogy of the trumpet. He attacks every conceivable issue that trumpet players face including technical, motivational, mental and even physical problems and suggests solutions for all.
   
   This is a wonderful resource for interested players and teachers. Being a university teacher myself, I've made notes throughout the book of interesting techniques to try with my students and in my own playing.
   
   Highly recommended. Thank you, Mr. Campos, for putting together this badly-needed guide to teaching and playing our instrument!



2. This book is very deep yet it so easy to understand.HE Qutes and covers everything that you need to know not just to become a better trumpet player but a better instrumentalists. I myself hadn't finish the book yet but trying to take what I have learn so far and use it.The frist chapter along is very helpful because it bring you into a better understanding of skills and why some people fell when they lack the skills and bring into a place where they can see that there lack of skills are from a lack of understanding and show them how it's done.

1 comments about Principles of the Flute, Recorder and Oboe (Principes De La Flute) (Music (General) Series).

1. This compact volume (73 pp) gives a wonderful introduction to the practice of playing the baroque flute, recorder or oboe. Although coments on fingerings may not apply to instruments produced today, all remarks on tounging and ornamentaion are very valuable. It is a easily accesible authentic document from the beginning of the 18th century.

No comments about The flutist's handbook: A pedagogy anthology.

4 comments about Modern Guide to Fingerings for the Flute.

1. I keep two copies of Pellerite's book handy. His charts cover the gamut from the basic fingerings to harmonics, trills, tremelos, quarter-tones, and special effects. This is a book that can take flautists from the beginning stages to their professional debuts!

   Karen Stafford, Editor of Flutes and Flute Playing for Suite 101.




2. Get this for Christmas. Get this for your birthday. Get this to celebrate a good flute lesson. Just get this before it goes out of print! A must for any flutist but seriously required for the advanced studies.

   Melissa Barrow




3. If you play the flute, consider this book THE industry standard. This is not a book that you should skip buying. If you want to progress past the intermediate level, there are certain practice materials that you must have, and this book is one of them.



4. It's worth your time to invest in learning from a master! James J. Pellerite's classic, A Modern Guide to Fingerings for the Flute is still the definitive guide to flute fingerings, crammed with essential information that isn't available anywhere else. He writes from a wealth of experience as both performer, now retired solo flutist with the Philadelphia Orchestra, and as Professor of Flute (now retired) at the Indiana University School of Music. He has performed and given master classes all over the world, including Japan, and has numerous solo recordings. Some of you may be familiar with his work on the Native American flute as well.
   
   The guidebook is beginner friendly in the visual representation of the fingerings, but goes far beyond what is available in most fingering guides found in flute pedagogical texts, giving the flutist essential information to allow you to achieve any technique a composer could write for you to play and allow you to reach the highest levels of achievement on the flute.
   
   It includes the basic fingerings for the full range of the flute, with multiple fingerings and concise explanations of the differences and advantages of those fingerings and how they are best used. Beginning flutists will also find trill fingerings especially helpful.
   
   Beyond the basics, James Pellerite covers tremolos: the major and minor thirds, perfect fourths and tritones, perfect fifths, sixths, sevenths, and octaves. There is a chapter on altered fingerings - fingerings that can be used to deliberately change flute timbre, transparency, raise pitch, and aid with playing in extreme dynamics. These can add greatly to the flutist's tools for interpreting of music.
   
   There are fingerings for quarter tone and quarter tone trills, which can open many doors for playing music by contemporary composers and playing world music. Also, for the flutist interested in pursuing multiphonics, there is an extensive section for playing 2, 3 or 4 note chords on the flute.
   
   A Modern Guide to Fingerings for the Flute is written very intelligently and concisely. James Pellerite gives you a deep understanding of fingering technique with an economy of words. This is of great importance for performing musicians who are seeking information and don't want to be distracted by wordy or lengthy discussions.
   
   If you are serious about the flute, A Modern Guide to Fingerings for the Flute is an essential tool.

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

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



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

3 comments about Instrument Repair for the Music Teacher.

1. This little book provides a very helpful overview of many aspects of brass and woodwind repair. There are chapters dealing with clarinets, flutes, trumpets and trombones, as well as references to many other instruments. This book obviously can't cover every aspect of instrument repair, but it does an excellent job of providing useful information and describing, in detail, practical repair techniques for the areas it does cover. The author knows how to write well, also.



2. Practical suggestions for the school music teacher. The limited information about the saxophone is, I think, the weakest aspect of the text.



3. Not being a music teacher, I don't really know the names of each instrument parts. Reading through this book I noticed that one must know the technical names of all the musical instrument parts.
   More illustrations would have been very useful, whether they are pictures or drawings.
   Conclusion: if you can find online instrument part schematics, it would greatly help.