Product Description
The first in-depth study of underground dance music. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

It reads like a textbook.
This book is informative, but it's a dissertation and reads like one.

I'm only 30 pages into it and it's a bit exhausting for me. If you don't mind the formality, then it's a good book. For example:

"Here, I am concerned with disco as a concept denoting a particular performance environment in which technologically mediated music is made immediate at the hands of a DJ, and in which this music is responded to via dance by bodies on the dance floor. "

He could have wrote that he is "interested in disco in terms of how the DJ's music makes people dance."

But it's a dissertation...so, it is what it is. I'm enjoying reading it. But I have to read some lines more than once.

Accessible and Insightful
Kai's work is a rarity in ethnomusicology; it's accessible, entertaining, and enjoyable to read.His inclusion of 12 inch singles, top UDM charts, DJ and equipment photographs, in addition to his on personal exposes in relationship to the house scene in NYC make this study a rarity within a discipline full of bickerings over authenticity, theoretical concepts and musical hierarchies."You Better Work!" is a rallying cry for aspiring musicologists and music fans alike. If you danced during this period, it'll bring back those sweet memories of Mr. Fingers, Frankie Knuckles, Ru Paul, Acid and the like.

Great book
This is a great book. It is extremely accessible.I am using it with great success for an Introduction to Ethnomusicology course that I am teaching at a Liberal Arts College.The students like the book very much.It stimulates a good deal of in-class discussion.I would highly recommend this work for anyone interested in music, dance, ethnomusicology, urban studies, popular culture, popular music, American studies, and more... It is the kind of book that affords multiple points of entry.Bravo Kai Fikentscher

An Excellent Reference in Underground Dance Music
If you're looking for a book that's an excellent reference for Underground Dance Music in New York City, then "You Better Work!" by Kai Fikentscher is great reading!

A cornerstone contribution to the exploration of underground dance music culture
Kai Fikentscher's evolutionary study and rounded presentation of New York's underground dance music and culture is a lonely triumph for a subject matter that desperately requires equal exploration of peer contributing U.S. cities such as Chicago, Detroit and Washington D.C.

"You Better Work!" is a straight edge to which much of what has been said about underground dance music culture should be realligned.

It's evident through well-crafted and intricately expressed text that the author has really done his homework.His book shines, especially when compared to similar historical efforts that clearly lack the consistent impact found in "You Better Work!".

Not only should those familiar with underground dance music absorb this essential reading, but the effort should be required academically, with particular regard to music, culture and art.

In addition to explaining fundamental concepts and techniques, Fikentscher details an often ill-reported but critical importance of UDM - the DNA of African, African American, Latino, Gay and a dejected segment of American society which defines the fabric of underground dance music culture. ... Read more

Product Description
Experiencing Disco, Hip Hop, House, Techno, Drum 'n Bass and Garage, Discographies takes a revealing look at the transatlantic dance scene of the last twenty-five years.Tracing the history of ideas about music and dance in Western culture and the ways in which dance music is produced and received, the authors assess the importance and relevance of dance culture in the 1990s and beyond.
The book considers both the problems posed by contemporary dance culture for various forms of writing, academic and cultural, and their origins in the long history of opposition to music as a source of sensory pleasure.The authors offer a framework for understanding the bodily nature of musical experience using a range of theorists including Derrida, Irigaray and Judith Butler, and consider the limits placed on contemporary dance culture as exemplary of the modern regulation of social space.
Discussing such issues as technology, club space, drugs, the musical body, gender, sexuality, and pleasure, Discographies explores the ecstatic experiences at the heart of contemporary dance culture.It suggests why politicians and agencies as diverse as the independent music press and public broadcasting are so hostile to this cultural phenomenon.Discographies breaks new ground in considering important cultural phenomena not only in terms of a politics of identity, but a politics of experience. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

A "must read" book for those who love music and sociology.
This book is a "must read" book for those who love music and sociology. And by the way, also love electronic alternatives cultures and the history of modern music BEYOND ROCK.
Music, sociology, philosofy, history, culture and constant revolution.
Adeep book that you will probably read twice if you like deeep analisys of music and people.

Hey DJ!
Loving this walk back to the past.Great history of clubbing and music-anyone who was dancing or dj'ing in the 70's,80's and 90's will enjoying this dose of house history-good references to tunes as well.

A World of Music, Drugs and Pacifiers.
This book was required for my Audio Visual Arts class at LSU. I had know idea there was such a book. Discographies catagorizes each type of dance music, (ie: House,Jungle,Trance), describing its roots and history.
I highly recommend this book for the avid music listener. This book is great addition to anyones library. It may come in handy someday when you explain to your children, why you are messed up in the head.

DEEPER THAN ONE WOULD THINK.
Think Sociological text.This book discusses many of the finer aspects ofdance culture in an almost clinical manor by someone intigrated in theculture.However this book will take some time to read unless you read agreat deal at college level.This book has the ability to not onlyconverse but help define and expound on the intangables derived by theactivities associated with dance/raving.A very good book however for me asomewhat slow read.The bibleographies after each chapter is probablyworth the cost of the book alone.Keep Movin'! ... Read more

Product Description
Part history, part explanation of early music, this book also plays devil's advocate, criticizing current practices and urging experimentation. Haynes, a veteran of the movement, describes a vision of the future that involves improvisation, rhetorical expression, and composition. Written for musicians and non-musicians alike. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Interesting book, shame about the music
The words of the book are interesting, although in my case Bruce Haynes is preaching to the choir. But a shame about the many musical examples available from the OUP publishers site: I live in New Zealand and we just don't have enough bandwidth to play the examples. So I think I missed out on a lot of the argument. Consider your internet connectivity before buying, expecially if you do not live in North America.

The Philosophy Behind HIP
Bruce Haynes' THE END OF EARLY MUSIC is a book about the historical performance movement, its aims and philosophy and its place in the modern musical scene.Haynes traces HIP (historically informed performance) in history, contrasting its philosophy with the romantic mindset which preceded it (which included the notions of absolute music, canonism, and the "transparent performer").But Haynes' book is not simply a polemic against "mainstream" (i.e. non-historically informed) ways of performing older music; he outlines and critiques different trends within HIP itself, coming down squarely on the side of what he calls the Eloquent Style, a "passionate oratorical manner...based on declamation and gestural phrasing".

Part I of the book is brilliant.Haynes outlines what he discerns as the three successive styles of playing early music in the 20th century.The grand romantic manner, with its swooping portamento and rhythmic liberties, was a carry-over from the previous century.In reaction to this, and influenced by the "objectivist" aesthetic of Stravinsky, a new "Modernist" style developed in the 1930's that was extremely precise, literalistic, and emotionally detached (this is the Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields variety of baroque performance).This style, stiff, mechanical, lacking in inflection, was far worse than Romantic Baroque; Haynes considers it an analogue to the mechanized standardization of the Industrial Revolution. The 1960's saw the beginnings of the Period Style which is now practiced by HIP musicians all over the world.Haynes further divides Period Style into two trends -Straight Style (or "Modern Lite", as he calls it), and the Eloquent Style, which Haynes feels represents the true baroque aesthetic.

As a historical performance student and performer, I am in fundamental agreement with Haynes' ideas, even if I have quibbles with certain particulars.Although the book has "early music" in the title, it is pretty much limited to baroque music, Haynes' area of specialization; Haynes does not make it clear how much of what he says is also applicable to Renaissance or Classical music.Moreover, it is hardly a "history of music", as the subtitle proclaims, but rather a history of musical interpretation from the romantic era to the present with the baroque era as the point of reference.

At times Haynes could have chosen his words better.As a Catholic, I was dismayed by the language he used in comparing the romantic concert to religious ritual in the chapter "Classical Music's Coarse Caress": "Music of this type thus risks becoming liturgy, UNTHINKING AND UNPROVOCATIVE [my emphasis]...Ritual actions are those that, because they are often repeated, lose the meaning they once possessed, and become automatic".I don't know what Haynes' religious convictions are, but he should have chosen his words more carefully here so as not to offend.

Haynes seems unwilling to give the 19th century any credit whatsoever, and occasionally his claims left me with some questions.For instance, he claims that the 19th-century bred a literalistic approach to the score along with the idea of the performer as mere "executant" of the composer's wishes.But how is this to be squared with the notion of romantic performers using compositions as vehicles for soul-searching personal expression? Elsewhere Haynes rails against the idea of canonism, or playing an exclusive list of compositions by "dead composers".But surely it was precisely romanticism's rejection of the ephemeral music-making of previous eras that allowed the early music revival to take place? On one occasion, Haynes seems blatantly to contradict himself.On p. 220 he criticizes HIP performances of Beethoven and romantic music for not sounding like the recordings of the early years of the 20th century, while earlier on the same page he had suggested that those early recordings don't represent an authentic Beethovenian performing style to begin with.

Other complaints I had were in the niceties of style.Haynes has developed a whole lexicon of names for the concepts he describes (Eloquent Style, Strait Style) and for the most part they work nicely (though the term "musicking" strikes me as silly).But he frequently refers to "Classical music" when it's clear he means "classical music" (the capital "C" indicates the Classical style period, whereas the lower-case "c" indicates "serious" or "art" music). Haynes' tone is informal, to the point of writing "kids" instead of "children" and "paper" instead of "newspaper".In general, the book could have been more carefully edited.

All in all, this is an important and very readable book on the fascinating subject of musical interpretation.

Secrets of interpretation.
A provoking book which should be read by all practising musicians. It is also accessable to the general music lover who is interested in the nature, history and development of musical interpretation, mainly through the copious musical examples which are not simply printed. They can be accessed and heard through internet links.

How and why do 'schools' of musical interpretation develop over a period and then transform into something different? You will be left thinking about this and other related topics when you have read and absorbed this book.Julian Mincham

The Future of the Past....
Bruce Haynes has created a great book for those wishing to have a further understanding of not only what made baroque music "tick" in its own day, but what efforts are being made to keep it ticking today. His efforts to show how we are still searching for how baroque musicians actually thought about and played the music of their time through the hazy mist of Romanticism and modernism is an eye opener, right down to the unruly audiences at operas and the cheers during pieces while being played. Also the high degree of improvisation which was required for many pieces for them to truly take off as they were originally meant to.

Plus, near and dear to my heart is the section on modern period composition and the mention of Vox Saeculorum, a modern guild for period composers. The future of "early" music is definitely moving forward, probably in ways that many have never dreamt of....

A frustrated baroque lover
As a dedicated music lover and activist, once I heard the gorgeous sonorities of baroque music performed in high fidelity sound I was hooked. I bit harder when I played viola in local ensembles, and when the great radio music host, Robert J. Luertsema (WGBH-Boston) began his comprehensive playing of all available G.P. Telemann oeuvre in 1981 - celebrating the tricentennial of Telemann's birth.

Unfortunately, by that time the period instrument movement was taking over. It created an elite private domain for aficionados that excluded the general musical public.Soon the rewarding custom for virtuoso soloists (violin, piano, oboe, cello, etc.) to begin concerts with a baroque work disappeared, because failure to perform in antique modes would be noted archly as "conservative" by wet-finger-in-the-air newspaper critics. Cognoscenti: I respect your commitment but you may as well stop reading because mine is to the larger musical community.

Bizarre practices flourished, like a vocal soloist with lovely restrainedvibrato being accompanied by strings with ostentatiously vibrato-less, flat sound; the Keuken brothers played Geminiani works in similar manner - although Geminiani explicitly exhorted players in his violin method of 1752 to use vibrato. I grieved over the obscuring of beautiful melody with fussy, "correct" ornamentation, and the fragmentation of languorous slow movements with chopped notes.

Now let me admit - I can't figure out from the encomiums of the publisher's review or the single personal reviewer where Haynes stands on all this. Is he going to call spades spades or digging implements? Is he going to unmask the ridiculous prohibitions on electronic amplification so fine baroque groups can go on the road and not just play where some mycaenas subsidizes performance? Is he going to allow us to take back the glorious development of the violin in the last 250 years? Does he really think Beethoven would have settled for a fortepiano if he had had a Steinway at his disposal?

Somebody tell me more and I may buy the book!



... Read more

Product Description
How do music and dance reveal the ways in which a community interacts with the world?How are the senses used in communicating cultural knowledge? In Sensational Knowledge, ethnomusicologist and dancer Tomie Hahn uncovers the process and nuances of learning nihon buyo, a traditional Japanese dance form. She uses case studies of dancers at all levels, as well as her own firsthand experiences, to investigate the complex language of bodies, especially across cultural divides. Paying particular attention to the effect of body-to-body transmission, and how culturally constructed processes of transmission influence our sense of self, Hahn argues that the senses facilitate the construction of "boundaries of existence" that define our physical and social worlds. In this flowing and personal text, Hahn reveals the ways in which culture shapes our attendance to various sensoria, and how our interpretation of sensory information shapes our individual realities. An included DVD provides visual examples. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Written with Japanese mind-set?
A valuable and informative effort by Hahn; indisputably, I suggest.However, her manner of writing is (to me) not as succinct as it should be for an academic work, where information needs to be presented for ease of extraction.
Abovesaid, this book is worth the 'read'.
... Read more

Product Description
This book is for everyone who dreams of placing a song on the Top-40 charts. From the musical basics through the completed song, Josefs reveals the hit-making mixture for rock, country, R&B, and theatrical forms. Illustrated with over 100 real-world examples. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (21)

Well taught, no gimmick song theory
Alot of us "songwriters" start out with a few chords and some opinions. Its easy to do with no knowlesde of music and there are alot of success stories out there to reinforce the idea that you don't need to know anything about music to write a song. You don't, it's true, but knowing what you're doing, what others before you have done, will only make you better. This book takes you through the areas of music theory pertinent to writing songs in any current style of POP music. You don't want to write concertos and Jai doesn't bog you down with deeper theory not necessary to achieve your goals. The book holds your attention with lessons about the tools you use to create songs. Chords, scales, progressions, harmony, etc. Many songwriters don't want to go to the trouble of learning this stuff because it is not absolutely necessary to know it, but I wasn't put off by overly technical terminology or concepts at any point in the reading. Jai also smartly includes many references to current and recent hit songs to make his points and has devised exercises to complete at the end of each concept taught in order to bring it home and make sure you not only read the theory, but HEAR it as well, a very important peice of the puzzle. In the end, you can be an "I write what I feel" snob and ignore the theory behind your craft, or you can buy this book and take command of your craft. By the time your finished, you will have developed an arsenal of musical knowledge that will make your songs more diverse, original and deep. You will also be better equipped to overcome writers block. Ai least, that's what I have found.

Depends on your theoretical knowledge
I like this book. There's a lot of valuable information in it. The emphasis is on melody, harmony and rhythm in songwriting. For a skilled musician, a lot of this stuff will be very familiar.

I like the melody part. It's this book's strongest part. There's also a short discussion of melody/harmony relationship, which many others fail to recognize.

The harmony part is quite good, but I miss a part on open harmonies (no minor/major 3rd), these are quite important. I also miss "verses/songs with no chords" (using maybe a monophonic line instead, or perhaps a little chromatic percussion), which is quite prominent in current hit music. The modulation part is also pretty basic, and could be improved by discussing different strategies for making complex modulations sound simple and natural.

The rhythm part is, imo, way too brief, covering just the absolute basics.

How does he do it?
In my experience, there are generally two types of songwriting books out there...the kind that try to keep things "fun" by dumbing down the more complex concepts to avoid losing you, and the kind that plow tirelessly through mountains of information with little or no thought given to actually keeping the reader awake, much less engaging his/her imagination.

This book, however, is the best of both worlds. Not only is it the most in-depth and detailed book on creating modern music for songs that I have ever read, it is also one of the most easily digested. The author has a gift for explaining very sophisticated songwriting techniques in such a way as to not make you feel overwhelmed, and he goes well beyond the scope of most other books by helping you understand not only the concept, but how and when to use it. "Writing Music For Hit Songs" covers an enormous range of key concepts including song form, music theory fundamentals, modern harmonic techniques (including borrowed chords, secondary dominants, inversions, pedal point, modulation, and chord extensions and alterations), melody techniques (including pitch, rhythm, phrasing, contrast, tessitura, and motivic development), writing in minor keys, rhythm and groove, and even a section on arranging your finished song for a demo recording. And yet despite covering all of these very complex topics within one book, I don't feel that the author made any sacrifices as to the level of detail he put into each section. His approach is fast paced enough to not get bogged down, but not so fast as to leave you still struggling to connect the dots. And as if this wasn't enough, he provides multiple real-world examples of each concept from hit songs drawn from every genre and from every time period, including oldies, country, grunge, pop, blues, traditional...the list goes on and on.

I never once felt that I was being "lectured" while reading this book, and that makes all the difference bacause it makes you WANT to read it. It should be incredibly useful to anyone looking to break out of old habits and/or escape the limitations that come with not having a thorough understanding of how songs really work.

Looking for a quick melodic fix for your songwriting? This is not it
The book is very heavy on music theory and covers a lot in some very short chapters. If you are looking for a quick fix for creating melodies for your songwriting , this is NOT the resource for you. Also, if you don't have a musical instrument like a keyboard that you can play the theory examples on, or somebody to play them for you. You will be completely lost. Also, it will be necessary to have an internet connection while reading the book so you can go on a site like YouTube to fish out some of the obscure (to the younger generation, at least) songs that are used as references for some points.

Having said that, if you really want to know what you're doing technically when you are creating melodies, and possibly to communicate those ideas to another musician or to write them in sheet music, this will help. But for the average composer, this is overkill. I bought the book with much enthusiasm but very quickly began to get lost and lose interest. Still only about a quarter of the way through, so hopefully by the end it would have been worth the money.

Finally Got It
This book is as good as Rikky Rooksby's best book: The Songwriting Sourcebook.Actually, I take that back, it's BETTER.I learned about secondary dominants, secondary subdominants, writing in minor keys, and borrowed chords, which Rikky Rooksby's book doesn't cover quite as well.Do yourself a favor and read this book...TWICE. ... Read more

Product Description
This book introduces the musical traditions of West Africa and discusses the diversity, motifs, and structure of West African music within the larger patterns of the region's culture. Drawing upon the author's extensive fieldwork, it explores how the music's complex rhythmic combinations in fast-paced patterns and quick, tightly orchestrated movements influence how West Africans understand themselves and their culture. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

The foundations of regional West African sound
Ruth Stone provides a narrowed and scholarly focus in chapters which consider call and response patterns, layered tones in vocal structures, and underlying polyrhythms, using specific quotes and examples from Liberia's Kpelle performers.
Intended as a case-study volume for college-level users referencing the Global Music Series master volume THINKING MUSICALLY.

Parts and wholes
This is an initial impression, after having read this short paperback in the last few hours.First, the various titles in this series (Experiencing Music, Expressing Culture) seem directed at very different audiences with very different levels of musical sophistication, in spite of the uniformity implied by the grouping as a series.The volumes Music in South India (or Music in North India), for instance, could be used with music majors in college, while the present volume and its companion volume Music in East Africa seem more directed at high school students or perhaps college undergrads with more of an anthropological bent.However, that is just to say that different people will write different books, series or not, and the present text is in fact a finely written and informative book.But it is frustrating to find a volume titled Music in West Africa when the text is entirely about the Kpelle in Liberia.It is as if a book titled Music in North America actually only treated music in the south side of Chicago.A more general survey, though such might seem quite unfashionable in the very highly specialized world of ethnomusicology, would be most welcome. ... Read more

Product Description
Ralf Mohr articulates his own authentic and sometimes provocative visual language, which puts the physicality of the individual human being into the focal point. His new photo book -- totally nude women dancing and performing gymnastics -- presents snapshots of the supercharged energetic states of well- trained bodies. These living sculptures are imbued with extraordinary beauty, captured in breathtakingly acrobatic and captivatingly erotic images. The beholder enjoys an intimate exploration of hidden worlds of feeling. Without a doubt, the viewer is welcomed into the laps of these strong women. Dance is a high- performance discipline, the pure pleasure of fantastically moveable bodies -- a revelation. Very explicit full nudity. Hardcover, black and white. Text in English, German & French. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

nude reference
Nothing special for the artist or photographer. I had hoped to see more interesting poses based on gymnastics or dance-these were attempts at being 'artsy' without achieving any real artistic qaulity. ... Read more

Product Description
Perris examines the past and present uses of music as a means for political and social change, overt or disguised. He presents evidence of music as propaganda ranging from Broadway to the official compositions of the totalitarian regimes of Nazi Germany, Soviet Russia, and Communist China, as well as from concert halls to the protest movements of the 1960s. Familiar classics are analyzed, as well as operas of nineteenth-century nationalist composers. Shostakovich, Henze, and Penderecki, as well as Bob Dylan and many rock and roll bands are shown as composers who were adversaries of the state, while others, consciously or not, reinforced the status quo of their particular era. The sensuous encroachment of music in Western religious services is compared and contrasted with the status and use of music in Eastern religions. ... Read more

Product Description
Interested in promoting, selling and distributing music online, got the website but not sure what to do next? is Web Marketing for the Music Business designed to help develop the essential internet presence they want and need.

Looking at how the web has developed, providing instructions on how to set up a web site as well as how to use the Internet to promote the artist and the web site. The book includes information on maximizing web sites to increase traffic, online grassroots marketing tactics that will advance an artists career and social networking sites such as MySpace. There is also a dedicated website with online resources for web support to give the information needed to confidently market music online.

* Provides instruction on promoting both music and the artist in the internet, showing how to develop maximum online exposure
* Offers guidance in web site development, to save money by getting the right site up and running first time
* Understand how the Internet is used by experts in the music business, benefit from their experience to make the internet work for you.
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Customer Reviews (21)

Music and Marketing
I selected this book because I was working with a children's choir at the time, and trying to help them get their name out there.Though I was no longer involved in that project by the time I got around to reading this book, I was surprised to find a lot of good information about marketing any sort of business online.

I don't know much about the music industry, or marketing entertainment, but I thought those aspects of the book were interesting, well researched, and well written.Also, in many cases, simply replacing the topic of "music" with any other product or service seems to render the book useful in a wide range of fields.

The sections on creating a web page seemed oddly out of place in the book, since the topics and skills required to do that effectively would require multiple books on their own.That's the only issue I had with the book though, and even those parts weren't bad, just out of place.

If you enjoy reading about marketing strategies, I think this would be a good book to pick up.

Useful Guide
Web Marketing is a two-fold problem; on one side is the issue of just what marketing is (identifying a market and appealing to it) and just what it means in technical terms on the Web.While this book won't be the last word on the subject, it's a good first word.

Hutchinson is a good guide into the practical aspects, especially into channeling the desire to market via the Web into and through Web-based resource.He offers help and insight into getting started, useful information and examples on how to send and spread marketing ideas.Where he's light, and understandably so, is in how to identify a web-based audience.If you know your audience you'll know how to appeal to them, but finding them on the internet is a difficult problem, and this book does not solve it.However, it is worthwhile and it will lead to further questions that you had not considered, to be followed by answers from other sources.

Intelligent & Accessible, Spans the Breadth of Web Marketing for Musicians
Though I find many books on marketing to be annoyingly slick and thin on content, this professionally-written text covers exactly what a working musician needs to get started with web-based marketing or to add increased purposefulness and breadth to their approach.Befitting of an academic text, the author is rigorous in providing citations for trends and statistics in the industry, and yet this reads lucidly enough for an independent musician lacking the enforced discipline of a classroom setting.

Though the text covers topics at a fairly basic level, the breadth of coverage (trends and history of internet marketing, creating web sites and driving traffic to them, social networking, mobile marketing, etc.) over 15 short chapters ensures that this book can help most musicians address gaps in their internet marketing strategy.For example, most do-it-yourself musicians I know aren't really emphasizing Search Engine Optimization and promotion to internet radio, though this book makes the case for why they should be.Most importantly, Hutchinson makes a real effort to put all marketing strategies in context.For example, the chapter on "Overall Music Marketing Strategy" highlights the advantages and disadvantages of a range of offline (radio, retail, touring, etc.) and internet media in order to place web marketing strategy in the context of all other available options.

I'd recommend this for all do-it-yourself musicians as well as those who want to better understand and communicate with a hired marketing specialist.

Given that this book covers rapidly emerging technologies, this book is relevant now but will probably need updating in a few years.

Lots of info on the music industry and the Web, but not what I hoped it would be
As the music industry has changed and artists are no longer dependent on the big record labels of yesteryear, musicians are much freer to work independently to sell their music on the Web. This book does a nice job of showing the history of the industry in the Cyber Age and the paths available for the independent music artists of today.

The book starts with how the industry developed and the current state of the market, and it continues with information on how artists can bring their music to the Internet. It's full of information and tips from industry insiders, and each chapter includes a glossary of terms for easy reference. The author has thoroughly researched the topic and lists all his sources. Unfortunately, I found the book too overwhelming in its scope and would have preferred something more focused and easier to apply to what I want to achieve: creating a website that will best help me sell my work.

I have built simple websites in the past, but the idea of creating a professional, commercial site for my audio work seemed overwhelming, which is why I chose this book. The book does go into website design and much more. However, it does not give me enough information to give me the confidence to build such a site on my own, a site that may make or break my career. I am now more convinced than ever that this is something I will have to hire someone else to do. In that way, the book is a disappointment. Yet Hutchinson did open my eyes to the many forms of marketing and social media artists can use to sell their work.

Amazon has over 50 books on the music business, but very few appear to cover web marketing. While I've read another fascinating book on the evolution of the music industry (The Future of the Music Business: Music Pro Guides (Hal Leonard Music Pro Guides) by Steve Gordon) and several on social media and Internet marketing, this is the first book I've read that deals with both the music industry and Internet marketing. I was hoping for something more along the lines of one of the best--and simplest--social media marketing booksthat I've read (like Social Media Marketing: An Hour a Day by Dave Evans) but specific to the music industry. This isn't the book I hoped it would be. It gives me an overwhelming amount of information, but not enough of the tools that would let me take that information so that I can use it to sell my own work. Perhaps the book I'm looking for has yet to be written, or perhaps I set my expectations too high.

Impressively Complete
This book is a comfortable, portable size, yet it includes all the essential information you need. Beginning with the history of the internet and of iTunes, it then moves on to examine current trends in music marketing and overall strategies.

Then comes the meat of the book: a really impressive overview of web site construction from choosing a domain name to installing e-commerce software, an up-to-date discussion of web marketing and social media, special concerns about mobile devices, and a terrific collection of resources.

A reasonably tech-savvy person will be able to read and understand everything here without suffering, and there are lots of suggestions for web resources when you want to learn more.

This book isn't going to teach you CGI or turn you into an audio engineer. It is going to make it possible for a musician to do a lot of online promotion on a DIY basis. Just as importantly, it'll give you all the know-how to distinguish between what you can do yourself and what you want to hire done, and to make good decisions on who you hire.

As a musician and a web marketer, I recommend this book wholeheartedly. ... Read more

Product Description
Renaissance classic includes choreography and music for 49 dances, plus all-important guidance on how to dress, how to behave and how to carry oneself while dancing at court, set down with utmost clarity and precision. Indispensable source of authentic information on courtly dance in the period from 1550 to 1610. Full scholarly apparatus. Translated and edited by Julia Sutton.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

A Must-have for Renaissance Dance
Nobilta Di Dame is one of the major sources for information on renaissance dance. It contains detailed "rules" for how to do the various 16th century dance steps, as well aschoreographies with music. However, this book is a translation, not a reconstruction of these dances.You still have to do the work of figuring out how to dance them yourself. Nevertheless, if you have any interest in 16th century dance, this book is worth buying, even if you don't dance the specific choreographies contained in it. Sutton's overview of the dance types of the period and the chapters discussing the issues involved in translating the text and music would be of use to anyone who is interested in the process of reconstructing dances from primary sources.

Dover Publications has done the historical dance community a great service by making the paperback edition of this work available.

An excellent source, but not for beginners
Julia Sutton is one of the leading Renaissance dance historians, and this work reflects her careful scholarship. However, while "Courtly Dance of the Renaissance" does contain Fabritio Caroso's explanations of steps and choreographies, it is quite difficult to reconstruct dances from these descriptions. There are many ambiguities in the instructions, and since Sutton's goal is to provide an accurate translation rather than an interpretation, she leaves these conundrums intact. Sutton also translates the names of the steps into English, which makes this volume harder to use in conjunction with other Renaissance dance resources, which leave them in Italian. Nevertheless, for those with some grounding in dances of this period, "Courtly Dance of the Renaissance" is a critical source, and the wonderful discussions of etiquette and costume require no prior knowledge to enjoy.

Antique Reproduced
This is an actual book from 1600.The ad doesn't quite make that clear.This is not "we look at past history."This IS it as our ancestors would have viewed it.

A person can make sense of this.The steps are taught and there are masses of music sheets.

I am holding the actual material all those elite ladies and gentlemen were taught by.

Wow!

No one especially in America is going to be outdone by the grand people of the past.We're there.I reason it doesn't matter if one is lousy and does it wrong.It's the point of this whole thing.I have read enough to know that "dancing" was about a two year serious undertaking to learn in the past.It'll take about two years one step at a time.This isn't a thin little paper back.

I recommend it but not for the peasants.They can do Darrin's Dance Groves.

A Must Have for the Historical Dance Enthusiast
This book is a wonderful reference tool for anyone interested in historical dancing! Translated and Edited by none other than Julia Sutton, this book explains many of the social dances and practices of thearistocrats. It includes the dance steps, an explanation of how they occur,music, and labnotation. This book is truly a must have for anyone with aserious desire to understand dance practices of the times! ... Read more

Product Description
Native Americans supplied the maracas. African slaves brought drums and ritual music, and Spaniards brought guitars, brass instruments, and clarinets along with European ballroom dancing. The advent of blues and jazz gave new forms to styles of songs, notably feeling songs, which joined the more traditional styles of trova and bolero. Cuban culture represents a convergence of these diverse backgrounds, and the musical heritage presented in this book reflects these traditions as well. In colonial times, African ritual sounds mixed with Catholic liturgies and brass bands of the Spanish military academies. Ballroom dances, including French music from Haiti popular in 18th-century Havana society, existed side by side with the cabildos (guilds and carnival clubs) and the plantations. The son, considered the expression of Cuban musical identity, had its origins in a rural setting in which African slaves and small farmers from Andalusia worked and played music together, developing many variations over the years, including big band music. Cuban music is now experiencing a major renaissance, and is enjoyed throughout the world. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

two reviews from leading journals
Hispanic American Historical Review August 2003
Roy's book is an introduction to Cuban music, stressing its deep historical background, concentrating on a few crucial artists, and drawing a line at the borders of Cuba itself. Roy's strength lies in her explanation of musical structure and in the excerpts she provides from interviews with Cuban musicians, ranging from vaunted composers to local buskers. She provides an insightful description of the major typologies of rumba, ably sketching their common threads and linking their differences to contextual factors such as contrasting practices of urban and rural leisure. In addition, in letting the musicians speak for themselves, she comes closest to translating both the joy and the intricacy of the music. She transcribes the words of a Havana rumbero, who recalls unlocking the secret of a local refrain, "Rabo de mono amarra a Ramon [the monkey's tale wraps up Ramon]" (p.56). The phrase, nearly an aural palindrome, reveals the foundational influence of both medieval Spanish verse, with its complex verbal doublings, and central African tales of trickster deities in the guise of animals. The requisite musical response, discovered by the rumbero in the midst of improvisation-"Por que rabo de mono no me amarra a mi? (Why doesn't the monkey's tail wrap up me?)"-adds the elements of thinly veiled sexuality and gamesmanship, completing the rumba palette. On one hand, Roy asserts that in the early decades of the twentieth century in Cuba, "everything African was considered by the dominant elite to be lowly, vulgar and uncultured" (p. 30). But she provides ample evidence of Cuban elites of the period enjoying Afro-Cuban music, in contexts ranging from carnival street processions to their own salons and concert halls. Exploring the coexistence of a rhetoric of disdain and repression with everyday practices of sponsorship and participation would help to illuminate not only Cuban music but also the knotty issues of race on the island.


~New West Indian Guide
The recent deaths of singers Celia Cruz, also known as La Guarachera de Oriente, and Maximo Francisco Repilado Mufioz, better known as Compay Segundo in the Buena Vista Social Club film, point to the end of a cultural period in the history of Cuban music. Although together they represent the "commercial Golden Age" of Cuban music before the 1959 revolution, individually they represent antagonistic political views regarding the future of their Caribbean nation and their musical expressions. Until his death, Compay Segundo toured the world as a cultural ambassador of the Cuban government, while Celia Cruz joined the Miami-based Cuban exile movement becoming its spokeswoman in the popular music field. Therefore, the following question remains: apart from creating the musical genres songo and timba, what has the Cuban Revolution accomplished in terms of musical evolution?
This is precisely one of the strong points of this English edition of Maya Roy's Cuban Music (translated from the French by Denise Asfar and Gabriel Asfar). Politically objective, devoid of racial and class prejudices, and written in clear and simple language, the book reviews the history of Cuban music from its sixteenth-century origins to the present, including Amerindian, African, and Spanish influences in the formation of a national Cuban music at the end of the nineteenth century. A brief look at its table of contents indicates that Roy employs a modern approach, beginning with the social significance of music and following with brief descriptions of their musical characteristics and typical instrumentation. Her information and analysis is based on personal interviews with musicians and modern musico-logical and historical studies by Cuban scholars; Alejo Carpentier, Fernando Ortiz, Leonardo Acosta, Maria Teresa Linares are among those she cites most frequently. No wonder Juan Flores (professor at Hunter College in the City University of New York and author of many books and articles, including From Bomba to Hip-Hop [2000]) calls it, in the book's preface, "the best survey of Cuban music available."
The book is divided into nine chapters with a complete, up-to-date bibliography of primary sources and a selected discography of Cuban music. It also includes a handy glossary of terms.
Roy establishes her theoretical framework in the introduction. The study of Cuban music evolves from the study of the general history of the island, "a history marked by colonization, the almost complete eradication of its indigenous peoples and slavery." The next eight chapters are dedicated to the description of the different musical genres, styles, and forms, their typical instrumentation, and their musical history, always rooted on the historical, economic, political, and cultural history of Cuba. These are: ritual music, rumba, punto y tonadas, danzon, three variants of The Song (trova, bolero, and "Feeling"), and the national music known internationally as son, which has spread to the whole Caribbean region. The important influence of French-Haitian music in the formation of national forms and the development of the famous rhythmic pattern that identified the Cuban national forms known by specialists as the cinquillo cubano are also included. Chapter 8 is dedicated to a description of the history of music in Cuba since the 1959 revolution and the emergence of two new musical forms: songo and timba. It also contains an excellent description and an objective analysis of the present Cuban government's policies regarding all aspects of musical phenomena (creation, production, and distribution) and its continuous support of popular and classical music research and education. The last chapter deals with the disjunction of two traditions in Cuban music: music before the Revolution, exemplified by the Buena Vista Social Club, and music after the Revolution, mainly songo and timba. Roy concludes in a conciliatory tone:
it is becoming clear that the call for reconciliation between Cubans on the island and those outside, which is clearly transmitted through the music, is in fact being heard. For music, no matter where it originates, has neither borders nor color, as long as it is good music and comes from the heart - and this, without question, is true of the vast majority of Cuban musical expressions. (p. 204)
We have to thank the Office of the French Ministry of Culture for sponsoring the translation of this excellent book. I would also recommend a Spanish translation of the book for the benefit of Hispanophone scholars, students, and music lovers.

A packed history of Cuba's musical heritage
Ably translated into English by Denise Asfar and Gabriel Asfar, Cuban Music: From Son And Rumba To The Buena Vista Social Club And Timaba Cubana by Cuban music expert Maya Roy is an information packed history of Cuba's musical heritage. Individual chapters address ritual music, the rumba, "carnival" celebration music, music since the revolution, and a great deal more in this broad-reaching, nicely organized survey of the unique and lively musical voice of a nation. A superb addition to any personal or academic "World Music History" reference collection or supplemental reading list, Maya Roy's Cuban Music is also available in hardcover (1558762817...). ... Read more

Product Description
Teach these Mexican songs in the classroom and your students will enjoy dancing. Titles are: La Bamba * La Burrita (The Little Donkey) * Chiapanecas (Clap Hands Dance) * Chihuahua * La Cucaracha * La Jesusita * La Raspa. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Godsend
We do the annual 5 de Mayo celebration and our candidates for queen usually do a folkloric dance number as part of the pageant.This year our instructor broke her foot and I had to step in and teach the girls a dance.This book was a godsend.The steps are easy and I am sure they will look great on stage.

Mexican Folk Dances (World Dance Series)
Explaining the dances could be a little more detailed. Perhaps a slower tempo of each song with a cue as to when to start after the intoduction, ques for turning, etc. A dvd video of someone performing the dance would be an excellent additionto the package! Otherwise, my students and I made it work.. and have benefitted from the book, dance and music. ... Read more

Product Description
Although the science of acoustics is fundamental to the art of music, relatively few musicians understand the scientific properties of musical sound.The original purpose of Professor Backus's book was to collect and organize the scattered results of research, past and present, in the areas of scientific knowledge that are relevant to music: the physiological properties of sounds; the effect of acoustical environment; the acoustical behavior of musical instruments; and the various applications of electronics and computers to the production, reproduction, and composition of music. The aims and organization of the second edition remain the same; the results are more complete and up-to-date. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Great introductory textbook for college students on acoustic
Dr. Backus is a professor of physics but also a pianist and has a deep appreciation of both the intricacies of physics and the relationship of physical phenomena to musical instruments. This is a superb text forcollege music majors or physics majors although the latter would bedisappointed by the lack of equations and obvious attempts to suit the bookto music majors. I am a semi professional musician and found that this textsatisfied much of my perpetual inquisitiveness about acustical instrumentsand how they work. ... Read more

Product Description
Ringing with insight, this essential guide teaches artistry with finger cymbals like never before.

An unprecedented resource for Middle Eastern dancers of all styles - and anyone interested in percussion, dance or meditative sound - this innovative guide brings new energy to the subtle art of playing finger cymbals. Abundantly illustrated with photographs and charts, seasoned with stories, inspiration, and practical wisdom from dervishes, professional musicians, and professional Middle Eastern dancers, it offers dynamic in-depth instruction that takes full advantage of the rich variety available in finger cymbals now. Introducing the Nur Method, The Dancing Cymbalist streamlines coordinated practice of music while dancing, helping you master your goals more easily at every skill level, beginner to professional.

Includes:
- finger cymbal styles & sources
- 23 techniques & 6 types of variations
- consistent sound quality; improving timesense; learning rhythms
- finding your Edge
- practice for coordination & speed
- cymbal meditations
- trance unison
- solo & interactive improvisation

and much more. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Excellent Resource
Jenna's book covers all the bases, including one that is close to my heart--zil playing for meditation. I recommend this wonderful book to a wide range of students: those who want a strong foundation, those who want to hone skills, and those who want to discover new ways to explore their playing. Excellent resource!

Where Details meet Magic
The Dancing Cymbalist is surely the most comprehensive book yet written on the art of playing finger cymbals and dancing.It ranges from profound details of musical rhythmic practice that any percussionist would find helpful, to a body-wise system to create healthy playing and moving, to inspirational words and ideas that spark the magic of the creative mind and motivate play and fun.After working with this book, I have already noticed a difference both in my playing and in my dancing, not just in the realm of finger cymbals and middle eastern dance, but in all the professional music and dance endevors that are my livelihood and passion.Thank you, Jenna! -Meagan

Outstanding and Fun!!!
The Dancing Cymbalist is a wonderful book!Its loaded with photographs that are very helpful in learning to play the zills.Jenna Woods is incredibly knowledgeable and she has included a lot of extras that would even aid to drummers as well as dancers!Some of the Chapters included are...Understanding musical time...Learning rhythms...How to practice music and dance at the same time...Coordinating movement with zillwork...Coordinating arm movement with zillwork...Improvisation and Zill choices (to name a few). She even includes a brief history of zills, which i found very interesting and fun.
It truly is a beautiful book, and i would recommend this book to anyone serious about their dancing...and even those just interested in dance itself!:)
~Namaste ... Read more

Product Description
The Rough Guide to World Music is the unchallenged reference work on sounds from around the globe. This third edition is more comprehensive than ever - updated and expanded throughout and with a number of new countries added. Volume 1: Africa & Middle East has full coverage of genres from Afrobeat to Arabesque, and artists from Amadou & Mariam to Umm Kulthum. The book includes articles on more than 60 countries written by expert contributors, discographies for each article with biographical notes on thousands of musicians and reviews of their best CDs. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

imh23
The book arrived quickly and in great order.The transaction was very smooth and easy.Thanks!

In the memory of Giorgos Papasideris + Georgia Mittaki
I think together with our musical knowledge we should investigate and respect peoples's origins
Please make note that Gíorgos Papasideris + Georgia Mittaki were not of Albanian descendant
their great grandfathers were Greeks that migratedfrom Epirus now in Albania.

Work of Lunatic Scholarship Indeed
The first two editions of the Rough Guide to World Music have long been essential reference books for music lovers, and it still holds true with the third edition. Expanded and revised, this is the first volume in a three-volume set, this time around focusing on the music of Africa and the Middle East. Drawing upon a whole host of authors, this work broadens the horizons by looking at every major style of musc in the region, from classical and tribal music, to modern Afro-pop, al-Jeel and Rai sensations. New and popular generes, such as African rap, Arabesque and Toureg music, are also examined in depth, making this volume much more thorough than it's predecessors. The book makes a monumental effort to catalouge the best of newer CD releases, including mention of prominent CD labels, as well as classic hits. Also, in addition to the standard articles, interviews and CD recommendations, most chapters also include a suggested playlist of iPods or MP3 players, giving an overview of the country's musical styles.

The first section focuses on the vast and culturally diverse continent of Africa, and takes up roughly 3/4s of the book. Almost every major country and style is covered - Congolese soukous, Algerian rai, Ethio-jazz, Nigerian Afro-beat, high life from Ghana, East African taraab, chimurenga and mbira from Zimbabwe, and many more. Indeed, South Africa has threeseperate articles focusing on pop, jazz and gospel, respectively. Other articles focus on specific cultures, such as the Kabylie Berbers of Central African Pygmies. New and expanded material includes a look at Toureg music, Libyan music, the San and !Kung bushmen of Namibia, Botswana and post-war Liberia. This makes it an essential buy for those interested in these little known countries. In addition, there are countless profiles, biographies and even interviews with many prominent musicians such as Rachid Taha, Angelique Kidjo, Malouma mint Meidah, Cesaria Evora, Yossou N'Dour, Oliver Mtukudzi and the Drummers of Burundi. Other short side bars and notes highlight topics as diverse as Malagasy reburial rites, Nigerian pop stars abroad, the tribal musics of Kenya, the Chaoui Berbers of the Aures Mountains, and Moroccan music festivals. Theres even an article on pioneering ethno-musicologist Hugh Tracey, who's recordings highlight now lost musical traditions from across sub-Saharan Africa. All in all, a great and wonderfully enlightening look at African music.

Although smaller than the section on Africa, the Middle Eastern section of the book is just as interesting and informative, even if the region is covers is somewhat smaller. The greats of Arabic classical music, such as Abdel Halim Hafez, Farid al-Atrache, Fairouz and, of course, Oum Kalthoum, are all covered. There is also a quite up-to-date (for the moment anyway) chapter covering Egyptian pop music, and seperate chapters for the regional musics of other Arab countries. Whereas they were lumped together in the previous edition, articles on Lebanon, Syria and Iraq have been updated and expanded enough to merit their own chapters, each showing their countries unique styles of music. The many, diverse traditions of Iran, Turkey and Israel are each covered, ranging from the whirling dervishes to bellydance to Persian classical music. There are also seperate articles covering ethnic groups such as the Kurds, Sephardic Jews and the Bedouin. The Caucasian republics - Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan - get pushed into this book too, due to shared cultural heritage with the Middle East. And, to top it off, theres a great new chapter about the rise of Arabesque, eletronic music that draws on Arab and Turkish influences (think Natacha Atlas, or Rachid Taha's remix of "Ya Rayah"). Very cool...

So, is it worth the buy? I'd certainly say so. If your a world music fan, especially one interested in African or Middle Eastern music, this book will become an essential reference for you. Especially if you want to learn more but have no idea where to begin. Even if you consider yourself pretty familiar with the musical styles here, you'll still find plenty of gems you may have missed out on, or never heard of before. Trust me on this one. It's already expanded my CD collection, and I've only had the new edition for a couple of days. The focus has greatly expanded from the previous editions too, which were a little heavily focused on pop music. This edition is more broad, showing a vast array of regional and cultural styles from across Africa and the Near East. It's a must buy, and I strongly recommend it.

Bigger and better!
The Rough Guides--the CDs and the books--offer spectacular resources for anyone interested in international music. This is the first volume in a projected 3-volume set that will replace the current two-volume edition. The material on Africa and the Middle East present about 50% more material than before, and include suggested "playlists" in addition to the biographical and discographical information included in the previous edition. As a radio programmer I find the Rough Guides quite useful.

An Essential Guide for World Music Lovers
Even after all these years, this book is an essential for world music lovers, from novices interested in learning more about something they just heard off the radio to seasoned music lovers interested in rounding out their collections. This encylopedic work (the first volume in the series) gives a brief survey of the different music traditions of Europe, the Middle East and Africa, divided by country, region, style or ethnicity. Each article was written by different authors, so obviously there is some variation, but they include very thorough details on the history, culture, background and style of the music, along with a sample discography at the end. Most articles include one or two profiles of famous artists from that country.

The first section, Europe, covers almost every country in Europe, as well as giving articles on the Saami people of Scandinavia, Gypsy music, regional cultures from Spain (like the Basques and Galacians), and Bhangra, the festive dance music of Britain's Punjabi diaspora! Everything you would expect is here, like Spanish flamenco, Portuguese fado, Greek rembetika, Norwegian fiddles, Scottish bagpipes, Celtic music from Ireland, Swiss alp horns, the haunting vocal music of Bulgaria and so forth. There are also quite a few surprises hidden in here too. Much of this section tends towards the folk, for obvious reasons.

The Middle Eastern chapter covers the music of Turkey, Iran, Israel, Armenia, Georgia and the Arab states (except for parts of North Africa), as well as Kurdistan and the Sephardic Jews. Theres alot of variety here, from the classical Arabic pop music of Oum Kalthoum, Fairouz and Abdel Halim Hafez, to modern Egyptian pop like Amr Diab, Natacha Atlas, and Hakim. Along the way, theres also the haunting sound of the Armenian duduk, Nubian music, Persian and Turkish classical traditions, Lebanese dabke, dervish rituals, Georgian polyphonic singing, Sephardic romances, Iranian-American pop music and Palestinean folk songs (which is great to see them acknowledge that Palestine DOES have a unique culture). This section is very good, with a very rich mix of traditions and cultures.

The biggest part of the book deals with Africa, with a very strong emphasis on regional pop music. Some countries (like Libya, Somalia and Namibia) are sadly overlooked, but all the powerhouses of African music are hero... Ethio-jazz, Algerian rai, high life from Ghana, Congolese soukous, Malagasy pop from Madagascar, Kenyan benga, South African gospel, Nigerian afrobeat, Senegalese mbalax, Moroccan gnawa, mbira music from Zimbabwe, Kabylie Berber music, east African taraab, recordings of the Pygmy people of Central Africa, Mande music of Mali... so much gets covered here, including numerous lesser known traditions (like the music of Zambia, Sierra Leone, or the Indian Ocean). Its by far the most exhaustive part of the book, full of great information, important artists and numerous CD recommendations.

Over all, its a wonderful introduction to the vast (and sometimes confusing) world music scene. The book was written in the late '90s, so some of the information is a little dated and a few REALLY great new artists or CDs aren't mentioned, but thats a minor detail. In fact, many of the CDs mentioned in the suggested listening section remain best sellers today! Theres also the occaisonal trend of focusing in on pop music or CDs more readily available in the west, but again, theres nothing wrong with this. Think of this book more as an introduction or a guide book and you'll be fine. Once you get into world music, or even just a particular culture or region, you'll be good. So check this book out and see what you like (or don't like). ... Read more

Product Description
THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF CAJUN MUSIC! - Words and Music to 247 Original and Traditional songs. A treasury of Cajun Music collected, transcribed, and annotated by Raymond E. Francois. "Ye Yaille Chere" is a comprehensive collection of music from southwest Louisiana from 1900 and earlier to nearly 1970. This book is a valuable reference for anyone interested in Cajun music and the Cajun culture. Tunes, turns, chord changes, and words are documented in manuscript for more than 240 selections, ranging from old songs which have nearly been forgotten to the classic songs of Cajun repertoire. Variations of many songs are included, and songs are cross-referenced to original and other recordings and to related songs. Reminiscences by Cajun musicians and extensive notes provide a musical and cultural setting for the selections. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Cajun music roots resource
I'm thrilled to have all of these great traditional Cajun songs - melodies *and* French lyrics *and* English translations - at my fingertips.The description of general characteristics that make this music truly Cajun is a real boon for someone who's trying to get a handle on how to play this genre with any instrument.

Cajun Songbook
This is a fantastic songbook for fans of Cajun Music; it is the most complete reference to the music of the bayou. Old favorites and new classics make this songbook the best of its kind; there's no other Cajun songbook that covers the scope of this one.

Wonderful translation of the Cajun songs from French
For someone who doesn't understand French, it is hard to really know the meaning of the Cajun folk songs.Mr. Francois does an excellent job of translating.In addition, he gives a small history of the songs as well asactual written music.

This is the "bible" of Acadian "Cajun" music!
This is the "bible" of Acadian "Cajun" music!Raymond E. François ... Read more

Product Description
For freshman/sophomore-level courses in any Music Theory curriculum.Blending step-by-step guidance with frequent practice, this text helps students cultivate an understanding of sight singing. This text presents melodies and exercises that enable students to develop the skills of reading pitch, reading rhythm, and combining these two essential elements.The Sixth Edition contains nearly 1200 melodies taken from a wide spectrum of music literature and the world's folk music. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Just right
Everything just fine - book was in the condition indicated, and arrived on time without a hitch.

Sightsinging
I bought this book for my daughter, who says it was the wrong edition, and the CD was missing. I don't know what else to say.

Good resource that will significantly improve your skills if carefully followed
I picked this book up at my local used bookstore for a fraction of the price that it costs new, or I would have never purchased it.However, for the less than $10.00 price tag, I had to get it!

The idea of this volume is to provide a large amount of singable lines in order to perfect sight-singing.The author's (compiler's?) idea is that once a piece of music has been read, it is no longer useful for true-sight-singing practice.Good point!But there are many volumes that are just as good to use as this one.

However, it's not bad.If you can get a deal like I did, going through this book will certainly improve your sight reading skills.

Good service
This book took a really long time to get, not in the time-frame the seller said it would be.However, the book was in the condition stated. ... Read more

Product Description
Starting with the guerrilla media tactics of Industrial music in the late 1970s, the author charts an ongoing trend in electronic music: an increasing amount of sonic quality, recorded output and international contact, accomplished with a decreasing amount of tools, personnel, and capital investment. From the use of laptop computers to create massive avalanches of noise, to the establishment of micro-nations populated largely by sound artists, 21st century sound culture is expanding in its scope and popularity even as it shrinks in other respects. Numerous exclusive interviews with leading lights of the field were also conducted for this book: William Bennett (Whitehouse), Peter Christopherson (Throbbing Gristle / Coil), Peter Rehberg (Mego), John Duncan, Francisco López, Carl Michael von Hausswolff, Bob Ostertag and many others weigh in with a diversity of thoughts and opinions that underscores the incredible diversity to be found within new electronic music itself. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Incredible read
Microbionic is a truly fascinating book.The insights and wealth of information provided on the one hand make it read like a text book charting the history of electronic music and sound art, but on the other hand it seems to be written mostly from personal first hand knowledge. Although critical at times, it shares multiple perspectives and view points and appears to have no agenda other than to inform the reader about the subjects and artists on hand.It gives profound insights into the artists covered, as well as their works, intentions and progression of ideas over the course of their careers.I would say Microbionic is and will remain the quintessential authority on the subject. A must have for any musician, sound artist, or professor.Furthermore, I am none of the above and found this book to be extremely fascinating.I had little if any knowledge at all about many of the artists covered and found the book to be incredibly fascinating and inspiring!

Massive
The book from what I've read so far is massive. I'm really, really into it. It reads a bit like a good RE:search publication from the 90's. Not to lower it to the level of a pop phenomenon -- Bailey really covers the bases here, in an accessible, educational style that doesn't just speak to a limited critical theory audience.

... Read more

Product Description
History of Dance: An Interactive Arts Approach provides an in-depth look at dance from the dawn of time through the 20th century. Using an investigative approach, this book presents the who, what, when, where, why, and how of dance history in relation to other arts and to historical, political, and social events. In so doing, this text provides a number of ways to create, perceive, and respond to the history of dance through integrated arts and technology. This study of dancers, dances, and dance works within an interactive arts, culture, and technology environment is supported by the National Standards in dance, arts education, social studies, and technology education.

History of Dance: An Interactive Arts Approach has four parts. Part I explains the tools used to capture dance from the past. Part II begins a chronological study of dance, beginning with its origins and moving through ancient civilizations and the Middle Ages through the Renaissance. Part III covers dance from the 17th to the 20th century, including dance at court, dance from court to theater, romantic to classical ballet, and dance in the United States. Part IV focuses on 20th-century American dance, highlighting influences on American ballet and modern dance as it emerged, matured, and evolved during that century.

History of Dance: An Interactive Arts Approach includes the following features:
* Chapter outlines that present topics covered in each chapter
* Opening scenarios to set the scene and introduce each time period
* Explorations of dancers, choreographers, and other personalities
* Explorations of the dances and significant choreography and dance literature of each time period
* History Highlights, providing unusual facts, events, and details to bring history to life
* History Trivia boxes containing insights into how dance relates to the history, art, and society of the time period
* Web sites to encourage further exploration
* Developing a Deeper Perspective sections that encourage students to use visual or aesthetic scanning, learn and perform period dances, observe and write performance reports, develop research projects and WebQuests (Internet-based research projects), and participate in other learning activities
* Vocabulary terms at the end of each chapter

Each chapter in parts II through IV provides an overview of the time period, including a time capsule and a historical and societal overview. Each chapter focuses on major dancers, choreographers, and personalities; dances of the period, including dance forms, dance designs, accompaniment, costuming, and performing spaces; and significant dance works and dance literature.

The chapters also feature a series of eight experiential learning activities that help students dig deeper into the history of dance, dancers, and significant dance works and literature. These activities are presented as reproducible templates that include perceiving, creating, performing, writing, and presenting oral activities infused with technology. Teachers can use these activities as optional chapter assignments or as extended projects to help apply the information and to use technology and other integrated arts sources to make the history of dance more meaningful.

History of Dance is an indispensable text for dance students who want to learn the history of dance and its relationship to other arts of the times using today's interactive technology.

... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

A good book
The level of this book was not given when we bought it.Has been a great supplement for our middle school homeschooling, although the book is written for college-level, I am sure.

Exceptional Dance History Textbook
Writer Wellness: A Writer's Path to Health and Creativity Author and former college dance instructor, Gayle Kassing, has provided an exceptional book with History of Dance: An Interactive Arts Approach. I use this book in the university history of dance courses I teach and it presents a picture of the development of dance from pre-historic times to 20th century America in a concise and readable format. Students have no trouble grasping concepts and following the material because it is organized in a manner that makes sense. Kassing underscores each section with a history timeline and information about politics, society, etc. to encourage readers to view the history of dance as an important and natural outgrowth of human history from the beginning of time. My students never fail to have "aha" moments and to make connections about dance and life that helps them retain more information. The book is packed with information and includes several well considered appendixes that help students with research projects. Every chapter includes numerous dance and history websites where students can go for additional information, and the websites are generally intact (haven't disappeared in other words.) Kassing has "nailed the turn" with her book and I look forward to future work from her. Anybody interested in dance history, any library, homeschooling student looking for an interesting course, or teacher should give this book a close inspection. For schools that adopt the text, the publisher provides a wealth of printable teaching resources online for free!

Good for classical dance and dance class
I ordered this for a class for college and it was okay.

Has the most of the names that were a part of dance, plays, and who made them, up to 2006-7.

Not good for the history on other forms of dance.

Nice layout for quick studying.

If you looking for a book on ballet and how it got started, then this book is for you. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (2)

Well done and enjoyable
This book gives the history and backstory behind some popular Christmas hymns and carols. There's some first class artwork here also that will add to your enjoyment. Last and last not least is the CD of music. So you get 3 products in one- a book about Christmas carols, some vintage illustrations and the CD. All are well done and this is a great value as well as a fine gift item.

BEST CHRISTMAS BOOK/MUSIC
I bought this book for my husband. It an excellent Christmas gift. The best Christmas music you will ever hear. It is an amazing book, with a most wonderful CD reflecting the true meaning of Christmas. The book give detailed information about the origins of the songs with the lyrics. This is something that I enjoy myself. If you want the real thing (Christmas Hymns) get that book. ... Read more