Key selling points

·         Teach Yourself Jazz is aimed at newcomers to the subject - it assumes no previous knowledge and offers a comprehensive yet clear coverage of all aspects of jazz.

·         The text is supported by examples from well-known pieces of music and a full glossary.

·         The book includes extensive advice on starting a collection of recorded jazz.

·         Includes an audio CD of important extracts to enhance your listening experience.

Summary of contents

Introduction/PART A: THE HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT OF JAZZ/1. What is Jazz?/2. The Three Elements of Music/3. The Raw Materials of Jazz/4. The Birth of Jazz/5. The Pioneers of Jazz/6. The Blues/7. Piano Ragtime and Stride/8. New Orleans Jazz Migrates/9. Big Bands/10. Boogie Woogie/11. The Swing Era/12. Bop and Afterbop/13. New Orleans Revival/PART B: THE INSTRUMENTS OF JAZZ/14. What’s in the Band?/PART C: THE STRUCTURE OF JAZZ/15. Rudiments of Music/16. Practical Music-Making/17. Scales and Chords/18. Further Chords/19. Chord Sequences/APPENDIX: MUSICIANS/Taking it further/Index

Summary

Teach Yourself Jazz offers something for everyone whose imagination has been captured by the exciting world of jazz. The book looks at the origins and development of jazz and gives an insight into its musical structures and the way in which it is played. It provides an essential guide for both the beginner and the more experienced musician or listener.

Teach Yourself Jazz introduces the music from a number of angles, including:

- its musical and cultural history

- its musical structure

- the instruments upon which it is played

- important practitioners and bands.


An audio CD accompanies the text with over 60 minutes of extracts from key works, to build your understanding and enhance your listening experience.

Whether you read TEACH YOURSELF JAZZ from cover to cover or dip in for specific information, it will help you to improve your understanding, appreciation and enjoyment of the music and its culture.

the author(s)

Rodney Dale has been involved with jazz for over 40 years, including playing piano with a number of bands, organising classes and workshops on jazz appreciation and writing books on the subject.

Key selling points

·         Use the accompanying audio CD to put theory and practice together to become an accomplished and enthusiastic musician!

·         Ideal introduction - suitable for complete beginners and assumes no previous knowledge.

·         Practical and creative approach - learning process is by the student doing and discovering, not merely memorizing facts.

·         Method of learning - based on modern teaching methods: material is introduced a little at a time, new information builds on what has already been learned, repitition and reinforcement provides many opportunities for understanding.

Summary of contents

preface/using this book/introducing rhythm/the keyboard/the staff/combining rhythm, notation and keyboard playing/the bass clef/reading and playing using both hands/three new notes in bass clef and ¾ time/quavers/simple accompaniments/new notes in the G hand position/accidentals/intervals/major scales/the key of F major/completeing the notes on the staff and the circle of fifths/6/8 time/minor scales/major triads/more about triads/semiquavers and triplets/glossary/index

Summary

This book takes the fundamentals of music theory and presents them in a practical, hands-on approach, using easy-to-follow explanations and exercises. Each chapter includes diagrams, examples, clear explanations, helpful hints and self-tests before moving on, which together create a sense of achievement. The audio CD provides extra support and helps to put the theory and practice together.

It is suitable for complete beginners and assumes no previous knowledge.

The author(s)

Margaret Richer has an MA in music with a specialisation in teaching piano. She has taught piano and music theory to adults for several years.

Key selling points

·      Ideal for keyboard, digital piano owners who wish to experiment with the harmony/Singing features included on today's instruments.

Summary of contents

2 x audio CD’s and 16 page booklet

CD1 – Theory and technique

CD2 – Vocal exercise programme.

Summary

Whether you are an absolute beginner, a pop wannabe, a karaoke crooner, or want to add singing to your repertoire, Singing is for you. Friendly advice from your very own instructor will help you develop your voice and enable your talent to flourish. First learn the theory and technique on CD1, then use this with the vocal exercise programme included on CD2 to achieve the voice you’ve always dreamed of.

The author(s)

Singer/songwriter Rick Guard has performed extensively around the world, gaining top 20 hits in 11 countries. He has worked with some of the biggest names in show business and has just completed his album, The Truth about love. He is also the creator of Doctor Voice.

Key selling points

·         Covers all aspects of Djing and is full of first-hand advice.

·         Written by a top DJ and music journalist, who was previously editor of -‘Jockey Slut’ and who knows DJing inside out.

·         Written in an unpretentious, accessible style to appeal to the target consumer.

·         The clear structure means that the book can be read from cover to cover or simply used as a reference guide.

·         Tips and quotes from well-known DJ’s throughout.

Summary of contents

Introduction/Tools of the trade/Mixing/Getting the most out of the equipment/Programming/The dancefloor/Originality/Turning pro/The ten commandments/When it all goes wrong, when it all goes right/Taking it further

Summary

A fully illustrated, step-by-step guide for budding DJ’s who have just acquired or are about to acquire their first turntable.


The book gives a down-to-earth, friendly guide to all there is to know about the craft of DJing. First learn about the technicalities and the tools of the trade and then follow the advice and tips of well-known DJ’s on the practical aspects of mixing and performing to a full dance floor.


Essential reading for anyone who wants to get started and who requires accompanying, comprehensive information to use as both a guide and a reference book.

The author(s)

Rob Wood is a top DJ and music journalist. His DJ career has incorporated numerous fashionable London venues such as Fabric, The Whitehouse and Cargo and his cutting-edge house style has taken him to several festivals including Homelands, the V festival, and the legendary Big Chill. He was previously editor of music magazine ‘Jockey Slut’ and is now a freelance music journalist for The Observer, Harpers & Queen and Hot Dog and a music consultant for campaigns including Glenfiddich, Bombay Sapphire and London Fashion Week.

Key selling points

·         Use the accompanying audio CD to learn how to put the theory and practice together to become an accomplished and enthusiastic musician!

·         Comprehensive introduction - gives you the strong foundations of musicianship to enable you to move as far as you want.

·         Eminently sensible and practical format for the subject area - readers can open the book easily whilst playing the instrument.

Summary of contents

introduction: what is music?/01 get set up/02 laying your foundations/03 getting your bearings/04 your first piece/05 time signatures/06 more about legato and staccato/07 warm up your fingers/08 chords/09 practising ... the early days/10 mad march/11 how to show a passage is to be repeated/12 getting a melody to sing over an accompaniment/13 practising ... when you are ready/14 sharps, flats and naturals/15 think about style/16 exploring/17 accents - and a composer’s tale/18 the metronome/19 the other sort of key/20 organize your fingers/21 compound time/22 pedal without blurs/23 playing jumps/24 ornaments - taming the twiddles/25 syncopation/26 overcoming stage fright/27 where do you go from here?/taking it further/glossary/index

Summary

This book uses a simple hands-on approach, which is very accessible and ideal for beginners. It focuses on actually learning the instrument rather than a theoretical approach. Throughout the book there are practical exercises which are accompanied by advice, diagrams and an audio CD - all of which make this book clear and easy to follow.

The author(s)

Gillian has just retired after 45 years teaching the Piano. She studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, where she gained LRAM (teacher) and AGSM (performer) qualifications. She has taught all ages from 5-85, in state and private schools as well as private tuition.

Key selling points

·         Practical - highly illustrated and with step-by-step instructions to get you playing straightaway

·         Comprehensive - learn the basics then progress to a wide range of guitar music

·         CD - the accompanying CD will give you the correct models to follow and will make learning easier and more enjoyable

Summary of contents

The Classical Guitar/parts of the guitar/points to look for when choosing a guitar/buying a guitar/miscellaneous extras/Starting Off/naming the strings and tuning the guitar/how to replace a string/Textures in Sound/scales, chords and arpeggios/The Right Hand/fingernails/the two basic movements - apoyando and tirando/how the fingers are numbered/Apoyando/how to hold the guitar/the position of the right hand/learning the names of the open strings/how to play single notes/simple exercises for the right hand alone/Tirando/how to play arpeggios, broken chords and chords/exercises using very simple chords in the left hand/Simple Theory/note reading/tones and semitones/accidentals/Fretwork/how to find the notes on the guitar/The Left Hand/position of the left hand/how the fingers are numbered/Hands Together/how to play scales/finding the notes/common faults/Making Music/how to play chords/more advanced exercises using arpeggios and broken chords in the right hand/starting to read music/A Sense of Rhythm/note values/beats and bars/time signatures/how to count/First Problems/barree playing/Enriching the Sound/glissando/vibrato/experimenting with different parts of the guitar/the use of fingernails/Your First Piece/very simple first piece, showing how to finger it and any difficulties that can occur/suggestions for expression/Understanding Keys/construction of major and minor scales/key signatures/technical names/Understanding Chords/tonic triads and inversions/cadences/Musical Shorthand/ornaments/arpeggios/repeat signs/expression marks/Advanced Techniques for the Right Hand/tremolo/pizzicato/rasgueado/percussion/golpe/Advanced Techniques for the Left hand/slurring/harmonics/Fingering/examples and suggestions of how to finger new piece/Communication/phrasing and interpretation/Practising/selective practising/technique: scales, arpeggios and studies/sight reading mechanical aids/Moving On/examinations and competitions/performing/memorising/Playing with others/duets and trios for guitars/chamber music/accompaniment/Historical Outline/the origins of the modern guitar and the development of its repertoire/Repertoire/examples from different periods and places/Glossary/Terms used in guitar music

Summary

This is a complete, step-by-step guide to playing the guitar, whether you are a beginner or whether you have tried unsuccessfully in the past to teach yourself the instrument.

The book covers everything you will need to know - from buying the guitar to tuning it, reading the music and actually playing it.

Highly illustrated, it describes in detail the classical technique essential to playing any type of guitar music - classical, contemporary, folk, popular or jazz.

There is a wide selection of music to give you experience of playing and understanding different types of pieces.

Use the accompanying CD to learn how to put the theory and practice together to become an accomplished and enthusiastic musician!

The author(s)

Dale Fradd studied guitar at the Guildhall School of Music, London. She has taught guitar privately at Tonbridge School and given recitals. She now teaches English at Judd School, Tonbridge and St Mary’s Platt, Sevenoaks.

KEY SELLING POINTS

·         ‘FRIENDLY’ - accessible and jargon-free

·         FROM CLASSIC FM - the world’s largest classical music radio station (with 9.5 million listeners per month)

·         LISTEN - CD with Mozart’s ‘Top 20’ included

·         MOZART MOOD CHART - choose the music to fit, or alter, your mood

·         FUN FEATURES - quotes and anecdotes

SUMMARY OF CONTENTS

Introduction/A friendly word before we get started.../The friendly guide to what was composed when/The story of Mozart: the cast list/The boy genius/On the road/The adult composer/The final year/Opera plots/Have a listen yourself/Mozart’s movie music/What the others said about Mozart/Where to find out more/Mozart mood chart/Index/About the authors

SUMMARY

‘The Classic FM Friendly Guide to Mozart’ will tell you everything you ever wanted to know about this famous composer, who consistently has the most titles in the Classic FM ‘Hall of Fame’ (a yearly poll of the nation’s musical taste: 145,000 listeners took part in 2005). Was he really such a prodigy? Did his father exploit him? Was he murdered by rival Salieri? Why does Mozart’s music have ‘K’ numbers? While giving all the facts about ‘The Man’ and ‘The Music’, ‘The Classic FM Friendly Guide to Mozart’ includes lively and light-hearted features, quotes and anecdotes. There are sections about Mozart’s ‘Top 20’ hits (with reference to the CD) and about his music in films, and even a Mozart Mood Chart for when you need to raise or lower your blood pressure. Classic FM, the world’s largest classical music station (9.5 million listeners per month) have teamed up with Hodder to publish this book, which takes its title from a new ‘Friendly Guides’ on-air feature. The radio station is marking the 250^th anniversary of Mozart’s birth in 2006 with many activities on air, on the website and in the Classic FM Magazine.

THE AUTHORS(S)

Darren Henley is the Station Manager of Classic FM. His radio programmes have been honoured by the Sony Radio Academy Awards, the British Radio Awards, the New York International Radio Festival and the United Nations. He writes regularly for the Classic FM Magazine. Previously, he was a journalist for ITN and Invicta Radio in Kent. Tim Lihoreau is the Creative Director of Classic FM and a regular presenter, as a third of the Saturday Breakfast Show team of Mark, Tim & Annie. He studied music at the University of Leeds and worked as a professional pianist before joining Jazz FM, from where he moved to Classic FM. He has been responsible for writing and producing many of the station’s most acclaimed programmes, which have been honoured by the Sony Radio Academy Awards, the NTL Commercial Radio Awards and the New York International Radio Festival. He has written a column for the Daily Telegraph Weekend section.

KEY SELLING POINTS

·         ‘FRIENDLY’ - accessible and jargon-free

·         FROM CLASSIC FM - the world’s largest classical music radio station (with 9.5 million listeners per month)

·         LISTEN - CD with Beethoven’s ‘Top 20’ included

·         MOZART MOOD CHART - choose the music to fit, or alter, your mood

·         FUN FEATURES - quotes and anecdotes

SUMMARY OF CONTENTS

Introduction/A Friendly Word Before We Get Started/The Friendly Guide to What Was Composed When/The Story of Beethoven: The Cast List/The Spaniard/Vienna, City of Music/”I Am Deaf”/Beethoven’s Women/Ludwig “von” Beethoven, “Nobleman”/A New Flower Glows/A Turbulent End/The Last Master/Have a Listen Yourself/Beethoven’s Movie Music/What the Others Said About Beethoven/Where to Find Out More/Beethoven Mood Chart/Index/About the Authors

SUMMARY

‘The Classic FM Friendly Guide to Beethoven’ will tell you everything you ever wanted to know about this famous composer, who is consistently in the top five in the Classic FM ‘Hall of Fame’ (a yearly poll of the nation’s musical taste: 145,000 listeners took part in 2005). Why was his childhood unhappy? How did his deafness affect him? Who were the women in his life? Who was ‘The Immortal Beloved’? What was ‘The Heiligenstadt Testament’?
While giving all the facts about ‘The Man’ and ‘The Music’, ‘The Classic FM Friendly Guide to Beethoven’ includes lively and light-hearted features, quotes and anecdotes. There are sections about Beethoven’s ‘Top 20’ hits (with reference to the CD) and about his music in films, and even a Beethoven Mood Chart for when you need to raise or lower your blood pressure. Classic FM, the world’s largest classical music station (9.5 million listeners per month), have teamed up with popular TV journalist and acclaimed Beethoven expert John Suchet and publishers Hodder Arnold to publish this book, which takes its title from a new ‘Friendly Guides’ on-air feature.

THE AUTHORS(S)

John Suchet, a regular presenter on Classic FM, remains one of the country’s best known television newscasters, having presented all of ITN’s bulletins for nearly 20 years. Before becoming a newscaster John was a reporter for ITN, covering major events around the world. He has been honoured for both roles: Television Journalist of the Year 1986, and Television Newscaster of the Year 1996. John retired from ITN in March 2004, but Channel Five television invited him back into the news studio in January 2006, and he now regularly presents Five News. Away from the news, John’s great passion is the life and work of Beethoven. He began writing the story of the great composer’s life in 1990. It was published in three volumes entitled The Last Master, a trilogy which earned wide acclaim. The Daily Telegraph wrote: “This book is not for academics but for you and me and anyone moved by Beethoven’s music, and will probably do more to further understanding of the composer than any professorial paper.” John now travels around the UK giving talks about Beethoven, The Last Master, accompanied by his own group of musicians. He has performed in more than 150 theatres, as well as Britain’s major concert halls. He has also given his talk at an international symposium in Beethoven’s home city, Vienna. He regularly broadcasts both on television and radio about Beethoven’s life and music. He was series consultant to the highly acclaimed 2005 BBC2 television series ‘The Genius of Beethoven’. In 2000 John was appointed Honorary Doctor of Laws by his old university, the University of Dundee. In 2001 the Royal Academy of Music appointed him Honorary Fellow in recognition of his work on Beethoven, and in 2003 he was elected onto the Academy’s Governing Body.

Darren Henley joined Classic FM in 1992, becoming Station Manager in 2004. He has written, edited or contributed to thirteen books about classical music and musicians. He is the co-author of The Classic FM Friendly Guide to Mozart, also published by Hodder Arnold.