(Berklee Press). When you think of jazz composers, who comes to mind? Jelly Roll Morton, Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Thelonious Monk, Charles Mingus, Bob Brookmeyer. This book is about what they (and many others) do. Jazz composition has evolved into a disciplined art that often evidences great emotional depth and breadth of sophistication. Berklee College of Music legend Ted Pease demystifies the processes involved in writing jazz tunes and in composing episodic and extended jazz wor...

(Berklee Guide). The definitive text used for the time-honored Chord Scales course at Berklee College of Music, this book concentrates on scoring for every possible ensemble combination and teaches performers and arrangers how to add color, character and sophistication to chord voicings. Topics covered include: selecting appropriate harmonic tensions, understanding jazz harmony, overcoming harmonic ambiguity, experimenting with unusual combinations and non-traditional alignments, and many ...

When I began learning I could not find a single book like this that began with absolute basics and went on to explain chords and music theory behind it in a clear and concise manner. I had no access to a piano – just a beat-up Epiphone and a tuning fork so I decided to construct this book around playing and listening exercises on the guitar adding chord shapes only when needed to progress the development of the music theory. This book will not teach you to write scores nor reproduce guitar...

All musicians need to thoroughly learn their scales, chords, intervals and various melodic patterns in order to become complete musicians. The question has always been how to approach this universal task. Guitar legend Barry Finnerty (Miles, The Crusaders, Brecker Bros., etc.) provides in this book a rigorous practice regime that will set you well on the road to complete mastery of whatever instrument you play. Endorsed by Randy Brecker, Mark Levine, Dave Liebman, etc.

This is the definitive guide to blues piano for beginners, by the world-renowned author and educator Mark Harrison. You'll get started right away, learning some essential left-hand and right-hand patterns to use on your first (or next) blues piano gig! The material is organized and explained in the clearest possible way, and all of the twenty-three music examples are very authentic and fun to play. All fingerings for the music examples are also provided. Once you have purchased this book, ...

Music theory need not be dreary! This eBook is the first in a two-part e-series of this well-loved book. Its clear and friendly writing and wry humor, coupled with fun illustrations throughout, makes the topic that music students think of as dry and boring, into something approachable, attainable, and yes, even enjoyable. For players of all instruments and singers, and—something that sets it apart from most theory books—even those who don't read music; it is applicable to all genres of mu...

This is the definitive guide to playing boogie-woogie piano for beginners, by the world-renowned author and educator Mark Harrison. You'll get started right away, learning some essential boogie-woogie patterns which sound great either playing solo or with a band! The material is organized and explained in the clearest possible way, and all of the twenty-three music examples are very authentic and fun to play. All fingerings for the music examples are also provided. Once you have purchased ...

Starting where he left off with his "Serious Jazz Practice Book," guitar legend Barry Finnerty has created another woodshed classic for all jazz soloists. Recording artist with Miles Davis, the Brecker Bros., etc., Barry shows how to become a better improviser by melodically mastering the individual chords used in jazz, how they connect with each other, and how they are used in various song forms. Endorsed by Joe Lovano, Hubert Laws, Mark Levine, etc.

This book is the first in a series of three that will teach you everything you need to know in order to be able to successfully read music on the bass guitar. Starting with the absolute basics, this book introduces all of the fundamental elements of music notation one at a time, reinforcing all concepts with written and audio examples. Rhythms and pitches are introduced gradually, with all chapters containing ten exercises focusing on each new element. More complex aspects of notation such...

(Berklee Guide). Melody is a subject too often neglected in the teaching of music. This unique resource gives melody that attention it deserves, and proves that melody writing is a skill that can be learned. Through proven tool and techniques, you will learn to write interesting melodies, how melodic rhythm influences rhyme, what makes harmony progress, and the many dynamic relationships between melody and harmony. This clear and comprehensive approach to songwriting unlocks the secrets of...

Counterpoint is an approach to musical composition based on the union of independent and interdependent melodies. Counterpoint and How to Use It in Your Music is a step-by-step course in counterpoint, and shows you how to apply it in your own music, whether you write contemporary pop songs or pieces for orchestral or traditional instruments.     "I love to learn from it. A mavelous master piece. I learned a lot from each lesson. I had to tran...

This is the definitive guide to playing pop ballad piano for beginners, by the world-renowned author and educator Mark Harrison. This book is also ideal for singer-songwriters needing to accompany themselves in a ballad style! You'll get started right away, learning some essential pop ballad comping patterns to use on your next gig or "open mic" night. The material is organized and explained in the clearest possible way, and all of the twenty-three music examples are very authentic and fun...