Alfred's Pocket Dictionary of Music [Paperback] Review

After searching for the past several years for my own students and teachers who study with me, I can finally state that I've found a music dictionary equal to the original "Pocket-Manual of Musical Terms" edited by Dr. Theodore Baker back in 1947 (published by G.Schirmer).Unfortunately, that same dictionary is still available in an "updated" format.I say 'unfortunately' because the new author (ie editor) decided to delete many of the classic terms for reasons unknown.But thanks to Alfred Publishing, Sandy Feldstein has done a great job of maintaining an excellent balance between content and precise meanings in an easy to understand manner. In fact, this small pocket dictionary has more charts and drawings of notes and key signatures than any other dictionary of the same size.In addition, a wonderful biographical section is included in the last section featuring basic facts on the great composersbothpast and present. You will not regret purchasing thishandy size ( 4 x 5 inches) edition,as I have widely recommended thislittle book to hundreds of teachers and schools.

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Product Description:
Contains thousands of entries covering all eras of music. It is unique in that it includes contemporary terms and composers from the popular genre as well as classical terms and composers. It is organized in a logical sequence for quick and easy reference.

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Making Music for the Joy Of It [Paperback] Review

I've had this book for 10 years, and am just now reviewing it, partly because I feel that nothing I write will do it true justice.I do, however, want to add to the great comments here and to promote what Stephanie Judy has done.This book deserves about 5 million stars, if you ask me.
Before I talk about my own musical experience, I want to say something to those who had bad early experiences with music (usually at the hands of bad music TEACHERS).Many of us who were not natural athletes can remember the humiliation of being picked last for the team and then being assigned to the outfield because we weren't good enough for the real action on the diamond.What I didn't realize until reading this book is that there are many folks that experienced similar humiliation when it came to music--maybe being told to sing softer or worse yet, being told to just lip-sync.Now I know what to say to people who tell me, "I'd love to learn to sing or play and wish I'd taken lessons as a child."I ask them to share their experience with me, and then encourage them to get their hands on "Making Music for the Joy of It." If you are one of those folks who always wanted to "do something" with music--and one of your regrets in life is that you let an early experience such as that discourage you from ever trying again until now, don't live with that regret a minute longer. Hit the "purchase" button right now. (Gee, doesn't this sound like an infomercial??) Read the first few chapters and see if you're not encouraged to go for it again.I second the reviewer who said this is a must for teachers of adult students.In fact, they should buy copies for those students as a gift and a reference.
My own musical life has been a relatively easy one.I was a pretty good singer as a child and have played the piano for nearly 35 years.While I do have to practice and work at it to stay really good, it still feels very natural to me.I don't think of a house as being a home without a musical instrument in it.But in 1992, I was in a period of my life where I had spent several years doing music for "other people" more than myself--productions at church, playing for weddings, and most of the time it was stuff that other people picked out, not me--enjoying it less, and, not coincidentally, suffering from some aches and pains in the process.I was at a crossroads--not wanting to continue with music unless I could get some satisfaction out of it again.Call it God or serendipity, but at the low point of that time, I ran across this book, bought it, and my whole attitude about music became what it was when I was a child--pure fun and joy again.The suggestions on practicing, technique, improvisation, and especially the section on ensemble playing and dealing with the inevitable ego and morale issues therein really hit me.That whole concept of "release" and separating making music from "performance" was almost revolutionary--one I still use now when I'm playing songs of my own choosing, and as much as possible with music my director assigns me. I recently revisited them when I found myself drifting into feeling like I was just a pair of hands for a couple of groups I was accompanying.This summer, I've spoken up about what I need in order to continue working with them, keeping in mind what I'd read in the book, and things are much better. While I hope to take a partial break from music "for others" this fall, the music that I do contribute to my church will be much better and I think much more appreciated.
Adding to the excellent work she's done with the narrative is an extensive bibliography and thorough crediting of her sources when she mentions a technique, idea, or concept that was not hers originally.She makes some of the more scholarly work on musicology accessible and user-friendly.And the quotes are real gems--nothing but encouragement and hope, with a little humor thrown in now and then.
In short, this is one of the ten books I'd take to a desert island.Even if I were taking a break from music for a season, I would still want this book close by to ponder on for the time I returned to civilization and my piano.
Buy it now.You won't be sorry. . .

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Product Description:
Starting from the belief that we all have musical ability, Judy challenges popular assumptions about musicality and shows how to remove self-limiting beliefs and avoid frustrations as you discover and express the musician within, whether you want to play classical, jazz, pop, be-bob, old time, or new wave.

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The Definitive Jazz Collection (Definitive Collections) [Paperback] Review

No "fake book", or "real book" this.You get full, well-thought-out harmonizations.This isn't how Jazz pianists acquire their numbers, but hey, this graduate of the weekly visit to the traditional read-the-music-and-play-it-exactly-as-written piano teacher likes it just fine this way.Having played through about 25% of the songs, I'll say there are no really bad arrangements, and quite a few very good ones.The technical difficulty is toward the higher end of the non-classical stuff you find in the music stores -- the average song is about as hard (if you want to play all the notes) as a Chopin Waltz or a Clementi Sonatina.

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Product Description:
A once-in-a-lifetime collection of 90 of the greatest jazz songs ever compiled into one volume. Includes: Ain't Misbehavin' * All the Things You Are * Birdland * Body and Soul * A Foggy Day * Girl From Ipanema * Here's That Rainy Day * The Lady Is a Tramp * Love for Sale * Mercy, Mercy, Mercy * Midnight Sun * Moonlight in Vermont * Night and Day * Skylark * Stormy Weather * Sweet Georgia Brown.

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Jazz Standards [Paperback] Review

Ever start singing a show tune you'd just heard in a furniture store, and get stuck on a line?"Hide your heart from sight, lock your dreams at night, it could happen to you..."That's where this book comes in.It gives you words and melody line for 100 songs and these are strictly A-list of the Great American Songbook (plus some bossa nova, a nice touch), with no filler.Put together the 10 books you've been allowed to take on your Desert Island trip, then slip this one in your back pocket.

As others have pointed out, it's not really suited for instrumentalists.But that, along with the fact that you can probably find all this material on the Internet, is undoubtedly what allowed the publisher to offer this collection at such a low price.

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Product Description:
50 songs, including: All the Things You Are * But Beautiful * Come Rain or Come Shine * Honeysuckle Rose * I Could Write a Book * In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning * Misty * The Nearness of You * Stardust * What'll I Do? * and more.

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The Best Jazz Standards Ever (Easy Piano Songbook) [Paperback] Review

Some of the more popular tunes in this compilation are A night in Tunisia, Satin Doll, Sophisticated Lady and All the things you are. Missing out on classics like Take the A-train in lieu of several rather obscure tunes that aren't exactly Jazz standards, by my measure, is the book's greatest flaw. For the beginning to intermediate jazz student, its a nice book to own. All the songs are full arrangements and not too difficult to play. Advanced pianists will probably be happier with a nice, solid fakebook.

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Product Description:
Easy arrangements of 71 favorites: Ain't Misbehavin' * Autumn Leaves * Body and Soul * Come Rain or Come Shine * Don't Get Around Much Anymore * The Girl from Ipanema * How Deep Is the Ocean * I'll Remember April * It's Only a Paper Moon * The Lady Is a Tramp * Lullaby of Birdland * Misty * My Funny Valentine * The Nearness of You * Satin Doll * Some Enchanted Evening * Stardust * Stormy Weather * The Very Thought of You * more.

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