Product Description
Gotta dance! Gotta sing! Gotta do most anything because it's show time! In Show Time! kids will learn to become "triple threat" performers, developing their skills as singers, dancers, and actors through more than 80 activities that include imitating a musician or musical instrument, acting out a song, creating a mirror dance, making puppets and playbills, and more. Along the way, they'll learn about the history of musicals, discover musicals about history, and find out how to get it all together before the curtain goes up. Show Time! is perfect for teachers needing to prepare performers for a show; for parents looking for fun ways to fill spare minutes with their kids at home, in the car, or in a doctor's waiting room; and for kids wanting ways to enjoy themselves on their own or in a small group. Several play scripts, a list of suggested musicals for kids, and a play glossary are included. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Excellent addition to drama library
If you can only purchase one book for your drama class, make it this one, or its companion, On Stage. This book worked with third through eighth graders in my drama classes, and helped them get stage ready. It's fun, easy to use and contains activities the students ask for repeatedly.

Wow!
Mrs. Bany-Winters writes a great book!I've tried all of the theatre games and they are all very fun to do.. even if you aren't into theatre!I recommend this book to everyone.. try it at parties, try it by yourself, try with friends.. just try it!

Great Activities
I LOVED this book and Lisa's other book.I think her games and activities are great ways to get kids interested in theatre.Keep up the good work, Lisa! ... Read more

Product Description

Product Description
Opening with David Mancuso's seminal "Love Saves the Day" Valentine's party, Tim Lawrence tells the definitive story of American dance music culture in the 1970s—from its subterranean roots in NoHo and Hell's Kitchen to its gaudy blossoming in midtown Manhattan to its wildfire transmission through America's suburbs and urban hotspots such as Chicago, Boston, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Newark, and Miami.

Tales of nocturnal journeys, radical music making, and polymorphous sexuality flow through the arteries of Love Saves the Day like hot liquid vinyl. They are interspersed with a detailed examination of the era's most powerful DJs, the venues in which they played, and the records they loved to spin—as well as the labels, musicians, vocalists, producers, remixers, party promoters, journalists, and dance crowds that fuelled dance music'stireless engine.

Love Saves the Day includes material from over three hundred original interviews with the scene's most influential players, including David Mancuso, Nicky Siano, Tom Moulton, Loleatta Holloway, Giorgio Moroder, Francis Grasso, Frankie Knuckles, and Earl Young. It incorporates more than twenty special DJ discographies—listing the favorite records of the most important spinners of the disco decade—and a more general discographycataloguing some 600 releases. Love Saves the Day also contains a unique collection of more than seventy rare photos. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

for any serious reader of music history, and it's fun!
Not only is this important narrative non-fiction that blends music history, sociology and politics, it's a total blast.I came of age in the 70's yet was never a huge fan of dance music or disco at the time. I wish I had paid more attention because after reading LOVE SAVES THE DAY, I clearly felt like I missed something really special.The development of the story from the earliest discotheques of the mid 60's in midtown Manhattan grew the inevitable birth of discos in the 70's where gays, straights, blacks, Latinos and whites got all mixed together with the magic elixir of dance music.For the most part it didn't matter who you were or where you came from in the pulsating, hot, hedonistic dance clubs of downtown and midtown, that quickly spread all over America and the world.Many of the key dj's are sadly no longer with us but their legacy will live forever in this marvelous book.

I was there...... Billy Smith (NYC)
I did it all and loved it all! also got paid for all of it....LOL! - Billy Smith (NYC) still hanging out and traving the world! 3/17/07

The Truth About Disco
Thank you Tim Lawrence.This book is the antedote to all the haters out there who still believe that "Disco Sucks" after the post-Comiskey Park backlash.This book is such an amazing and wonderfully readable document that I would recommend anyone interested in 20th century American musical history, or the [...]/black urban experience of the 1970's, or relatively recent New York history read it.Of course if you're interested indisco music or dance music the book is absolutely essential.

This book goes much deeper than the usual Studio 54 cliches that people associate with the genre (although Studio 54 is included, of course) and discusses the origins of the sound and the largely unhearalded people who made this scene happen.David Mancuso is described as a pivotable person here, and the folks who were there will confirm it.The book begins in his legendary club, The Loft, and lovingly details his obsession with sound and the disco experience.Other innovators from the early 70's are also featured including Francis Grasso, Steve D'Acquisto, Bob Casey, and many more.The scene is chronicaled from humble beginnings through the glory years of the mid 70's and ends the decade with the backlash in full swing in mainstream culture but continuing to thrive in clubs like Paradise Garage and Better Days.Along the way you meet producers like Walter Gibbons and Tom Moulton who made some of the classic recordings of the era, and Lawrence takes the time to explain what is so remarkable about their work.You also get delightfully naughty stories about some of the key players in the scene including DJ's, artists, and of course, the patrons that illustrate some of the excesses of the time .Personally, I think that it's this superb combination of detailed research and bitchy gossip that makes the book so thoroughly readable and fun.

I loved reading this book; the only drawback for me was that I couldn't help pining for the days when New York club culture was this incredible before AIDS and Rudy Guilliani conspired to very nearly kill it off (fortunately they weren't entirely successful).

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!

Historical review of a great era!
Lawrence is an academic, and he did not experience the 1970's himself, but he interviewed everyone still alive who did.He concentrates on the DJ's and clubs in New York City, rightly so, but he does branch out to the rest of the U.S. as disco did the same.Of special note are the great discographies in each chapter, presenting the club hits played by the DJ's in each particular year.He proves that disco is not a four letter word!

Fun and informative
This is a really fun book to read while also being informative. ... Read more

Product Description
From the #1 wedding Web site and the author of The Knot Complete Guide To Weddings In The Real World, a comprehensive guide to choosing the perfect words and music for your wedding.


In her third book in The Knot series, Carley Roney has created a complete guide to wedding vows, toasts, and readings that is the perfect resource for wedding couples, bridesmaids, best men, and parents alike. Drawing on wedding traditions and customs from around the world, The Knot Complete Guide To Wedding Vows And Traditions includes real-world information on:

—Vows, from the traditional "to have and to hold" to creating your own
—Rituals from a variety of traditionsbreakingthe glass, cutting the cakeandtheir history and significance
—Toasts, from the classics to advice on writing your own, as well as toasting etiquette and tips on choosing your toastmaster
—Readings, spanning various customs and heritages, poetry and prose, plus sources for finding your own selections
—Musiccomplete lists of popular options to help you chose the perfect songs from the processional to the last dance
Amazon.com Review
When planning for the big day, it's very easy to get caught up in beadedwhite dresses, boutonnieres, and how many platters of mini crab cakes toorder, but the most important part of the wedding is the most-oftenoverlooked--the ceremony itself. A wedding ceremony can vary hugelydepending on the religious (or not) beliefs of the couple, their culturalbackgrounds, and their personal preferences. The Knot Guide to WeddingVows and Traditions can help you sort through all the choices and comeup with just the right vows and music for you and your intended.

Do you want the traditional "I, so and so, take thee, so and so, to be mylawfully wedding husband/wife before God" or do you want a looser style:"I love you. And I look forward to being your friend and companion, yourwife/husband and lover for life"? Carley Roney, author and editor-in-chiefof The Knot (www.theknot.com), strongly suggests taking a stab at writingyour own vows, but if that's just too much, cull what you like from themany different styles--from Buddhist to Quaker--offered. Readings can befrom the Bible or other spiritual writings, from poetry or even songlyrics. A diverse selection of writings and excerpts are included as are alengthy lists of songs and music for before the ceremony, the processional, therecessional, and the first dance (everything from Bach's "BrandenbergConcerto No. 4" to Martina McBride's "I Love You").

Also included here are chapters on the wedding program, ring exchanges, andspeeches and toasts. Interspersed are stories and pictures of real couplesand how they arranged their wedding day. Meant as a jolt to your imagination, The Knot Guide to Wedding Vows and Traditions helps you to put a very personal touch on an age-old ceremony. --Dana Van Nest ... Read more

Customer Reviews (30)

Great Resource
Great book for getting ideas for writing your vows.Haven't gotten through the whole thing, but so far I've found it very helpful!

Great wedding resource!
This book is a great resource for those planning a wedding or wanting to know more about a variety of cultural wedding traditions!I used this book to help compile the vows and readings for my own wedding, and also used it for ideas regarding music and toasts.This book covers a wide range of topics including references to religious and cultural wedding traditions, which is interesting to learn about even if they are traditions that you wouldn't want to incorporate into your own ceremony.I would definitely recommend this book to others involved in the wedding planning process...I will be buying copies for friends in the future as engagement gifts!!

Very Helpful
I found this book very easy to navigate with loads of helpful ideas from ceremony writing and rituals to music selection and toasting.If you find yourself planning a wedding with out any help, this book may be a good idea for you.It doesn't have everything(I had to look elsewhere for the full contemporary ceremony)... but it's a great start to giving your own wedding a seamless special touch.

Disappointing
I have to say I was very disappointed with the content of this book.I've just started my wedding planning and have been very reliant on the theknot.com for local resources, etc.I was expecting the content of this book to be as comprehensive and helpful as the info they have on their website but I was really let down.The only thing I salvaged from the book was vows, which I think I easily could get from an officiant anyhow (once I book one!).I found the book was especially lacking in the cultural traditons aspect, which was one of my main reasons for purchasing in the first place, as well as listed readings/blessings.I laughed out loud at some of the love quotes as well, I can't imagine anyone in their right mind including most of those in their ceremony.Definitely shop around for another book of this type.

It has it all...
If you are looking for something besides the ordinary, this is a great book, with fabulous ideas. We had truly unique vows at our wedding, that were meaningful to us. And we got them out of this book. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Invitation to a Review
Having just finished reading Anthony Powell's 'A Dance to the Music of Time' for the third time, I was hesitant in ordering a copy of Spurling's 'Invitation to a Dance' assuming I knew all there was to know in Powell's work. I was right and I was wrong! Spurling's work re-introduces all of the characters, no matter how minor, from the 12 books plus summarises places, paintings and books that have appeared in Powell's work. Nothing new there.
However, when describing the characters, places etc she manages to extract from Powell's work, the very best of his writing. She shows his ability to sum up a character, their foibles, their very nature, in one or two lines, an economy of words that echoes Evelyn Waugh at his very best. This is reason enough to buy the book.
I would recommend it to all of Powell's fans and to anyone who would like to see what fine, entertaining writing and character portrayal is all about.

More fun than you'd think
I expected a rigorous critical work, but this is quite jolly. Surprisingly useful reminder about the many characters and events running through the twelve volumes of A Dance to the Music of Time.

Great Guide!
I have found this book to be a wonderfully handy guide to the sometimes daunting Dance to the Music of Time.Though the book has a number of features, including a brief plot summary and chronology, details on places, works of art and literature mentioned in the novels, it is the character guide that is indispensible.In fact, it takes up about 200 pages of the book.It not only lists the characters, but gives a brief account of them, how they are related to one another, and also an index to where they are mentioned in all the books.

Absolutely invaluable to a first time reader of the series!

The ideal companion to Anthony Powell's major work
First a warning to people who want to buy this book online: it is a comprehensive glossary, not a book about Anthony Powell and his writing. This is probably why it is called a "handbook".Unlike me, you should not wait until you have read Dance three times before you buy it. The entries are heavily provided with quotations. Very useful for scholarship work are the accurate references (with page numbers). I wonder whether this may pose a problem with subsequent editions that have different paginations. I wish I had bought Spurling's book much earlier: it would have made my first readings easier. ... Read more

Product Description
This innovative look at African Art presents the wonders of one of America’s best known African collections within the ritual context for which the artworks were first created.

Drawing on the Baltimore Museum’s renowned African Collection, this vibrantly illustrated exploration of African rituals uniquely encourages readers to look beyond the solitary artifact and toward an understanding of African music and dance as fully sensory experiences. The one hundred objects presented here are a part of ceremonies that rely on sounds, sights, smells, and tastes to deliver their ultimate effects. Color reproductions of the objects, including masks, sculpture, and ceramics, are accompanied by brief essays explaining the contexts within which each was created. The essays focus costumes; dance, movement and gesture; music and other sounds; storytelling; audiences; staging, and lighting. Field photographs and archival images help bring to life the African ceremonial experience, which we can better understand with the aid of this groundbreaking work. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

present for mom
My mother loves African art and she has spent many hours looking through this book and enjoying the wonderful photographs. Don't make assumptions - she's an 80 year old Jewish Grandma. ... Read more

Product Description

Unlocking the Groove is a groundbreaking, award-winning, music-driven analysis of electronic dance music (EDM). Author Mark Butler interweaves traditional and non-traditional musical analysis with consideration of the genre's history and social significance, deconstructing several typical examples of electronic dance music and focusing on the interaction of beat and rhythmic structure in creating an overall musical design. Interviews with DJs, listeners, and producers flesh out the book, providing insight into the perceptions and performance world of EDM, and making a vivid case for the musical artistry of EDM disc jockeys. The CD included with the book illustrates the analysis with multiple musical examples, both in excerpts and full songs. Butler's work propels the study of popular music in exciting new directions, and will impact the range from popular music studies, music theory, ethnomusicology, and musicology.

Customer Reviews (1)

Required reading for any electronic music enthusiast!
If you want to come to a deeper understanding of techno and the world of electronic music, this is the book.Butler is a pioneer in an area of music that the academic world is just beginning to explore and understand. ... Read more

Product Description
Many DJs, gigging musicians, and electronic music producers understand how to play their instruments or make music on the computer, but they lack the basic knowledge of music theory needed to take their music-making to the next level and compose truly professional tracks. Beneath all the enormously different styles of modern electronic music lie certain fundamentals of the musical language that are exactly the same no matter what kind of music you write. It is very important to acquire an understanding of these fundamentals if you are to develop as a musician and music producer. Put simply, you need to know what you are doing with regard to the music that you are writing. Music Theory for Computer Musicians explains these music theory fundamentals in the most simple and accessible way possible. Concepts are taught using the MIDI keyboard environment and todayÂ’s computer composing and recording software. By reading this book and following the exercises contained within it, you, the aspiring music producer/computer musician, will find yourself making great progress toward understanding and using these fundamentals of the music language. The result will be a great improvement in your ability to write and produce your own original music! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

Great approach to teaching theory.
This is a great book.I actually just bought it because it was suggested along with a textbook I was purchasing for school, and I thought it sounded interesting, so I decided to give it a shot.Turns out is was a worthwhile gamble!

Hewitt takes a very interesting (and down-to-earth) approach to theory in this book.The premise seems to be that with the influx of computer musicians, not only is it easy to skate by without theory knowledge, it's also possible these days to not even be related to music in the form of sheet music and the printed staff.He therefore gives many of the examples throughout the book both in the form of notated music, but also in relation to the piano roll view that is common in so many music software programs (he uses Reason for examples in the book).

For me, this was invaluable, since, for whatever reason, I had never done much to connect the two realms in my head.For me, I was always either reading and writing sheet music, or I was programming music (which I usually did by ear and not by considering the theory of it) and the two worlds existed independently of one another.This book caused me to work with them side by side, which bridged the gap and strengthened my ability in both areas in the process.

It's a quick read if you're willing to work a bit (there are workbook style activities at the end of every chapter).There are indeed some typos and some strange mistakes in the answer key for the activities (which exists as a somewhat difficult-to-find pdf appendix downloadable from the publisher's website) to the extent that you might think you were crazy or didn't "get this theory thing after all" if you believed every answer in the answer key (there are only a handful of these types of mistakes, but they are confounding when you first encounter them).But those small grievances aside, this book has some really great content and is worth the trouble.

Loads of information for the self-taught, at a comfortable pace for all
I've been composing music using a DAW of some sort for the better of seven years.I've been making music for ten years.My instrumentation skills and production/engineering skills are completely self-taught.Sound like you?BUY THIS BOOK!This book is phenomenal.I highly recommend it.It demystifies music theory, and now I look at music that I make and listen to in an entirely different way.Because I'm vigorously self-taught, the first seven or so chapters were just refreshers.The same kind of stuff you'd find in tutorials and music production magazines occupy the first half of the book.The pace starts at such a slow understandable rate that I would recommend Music Theory for Computer Musicians to someone that has only been using a DAW for a month, and that is all they know about music, period.For the rest of us, about halfway through is when the complexities start stacking, but as long as you've been paying attention, you can take it all in and digest it all.For anyone that doesn't really understand music, they just get by with what feels right (such as myself), this book certainly helps you look at everything that has sounded good musically and figure it all out.I am so glad I read this.The exams at the end of each chapter also are extremely helpful for gauging what you already know and what you are learning.Now I can talk theory, see theory and most importantly hear theory.

Simple but good
This book is a well organized view of music theory for people who are creating music on the computer.
If you already know how to read music, the first few chapters are of little use.
For me, the rest of the book is helping with many parts of creating music.

Music Theory for omputer Musicians bk/Cd (book)
It does a person no good if he/she can run a music program, but don't know how to write/ compose music. Out of the entire books I have read and purchased at Amazon, Michael Hewitt's Composition for the Computer Musician and its companion Music Theory for the Computer Musician is the most important to me...It is one thing to know how to run a music program and a totally another thing to write music. This is a must if you don't have real musicians ...

Totally awesome and recommended to the highest level

Clear and understandable
I have tried a few times to get into music theory yet the books I used in the past seemed so dense. This book is very clear and easy to read with great examples that are supplemented by the clips on the CD. This has jump started my music. I would highly recommend this title. ... Read more

Product Description
It's a remix! Twenty years since acid house and Ecstasy revolutionized pop culture, here's the expanded and updated version of Simon Reynolds' landmark history of rave. Containing substantial new material covering dance-music developments in the ten years since its original publication, "Energy Flash" is now even more definitive. Blending vivid reporting, probing research and passionate opinion in the style of his acclaimed post-punk history Rip It Up and Start Again, Reynolds guides the reader on a thrilling journey from the druggy daze of Ibiza and Madchester via London's gritty pirate-radio culture of jungle and garage to the elegantly wasted clubland of contemporary Berlin. From trance to 2step, microhouse to grime, electro to dubstep, Reynolds tracks the scenes and sounds that have kept electronic music at the vanguard of pop culture. Now more essential and authoritative than ever, "Energy Flash" is the classic chronicle of rave's quest for the perfect beat and the ultimate rush. ... Read more

Product Description
The Portland Collection: Contra Dance Music in the Pacific Northwest, is a collection of 318 traditional and recently composed jigs and reels played for dances in Portland, Oregon. National standards and local favorites are included. The music derives from New England, Irish, Scottish, Quebecois, Appalachian, and English sources, all of which are included in the book. Chord suggestions are provided. There is an extensive commentary on each tune. Discography, bibliography, indices, and more are included.

Since it's publication in 1997, The Portland Collection has become the standard for contra dance musicians all across the United States and has also become popular among fiddlers of many other genres. The book is praised for its clear, readable format; its sturdy covers and binding; its informative, entertaining commentary; and especially for the repertoire itself. This music is suitable for any acoustic instrument. Beginners and accomplished musicians alike will find tunes that match their skill levels in this book.

There are two companion recordings for this book. On A Portland Selection 2 editors Susan Songer and Clyde Curley, joined by fiddler George Penk, play a representative cross section of the music in the book using a variety of tempos, harmonies, and other variations on the music. A Portland Play Along Selection is a 2-disc album of 97 tunes from both of the Portland Collection books engineered for ease of playing along. Fiddler Betsy Branch joins Clyde and Susan on this recording. Both of these recordings are for sale elsewhere on Amazon.com. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

A must-have for contra musicians
This book is THE bible for contra musicians in the Western US.Its form factor is VERY pleasing, especially compared to some other, similar works.Nice and easy to use and read.

Portand Collection
For me this was not a particularly good book.Probably well written, but not helpful for me.

The Portland Collection
A great source of tunes, I had heard about this book from a few friends. Add this to the Fiddlers Fakebook and you will have plenty to keep yourself busy.

Diverse and melodic collection
This is a strong collection of tunes with both melodies and chords included so that an advanced novice guitar player could accompany and fill out the sound.Songs are included in both 4/4 and 6/8, so the rhythms and tunes overall are more diverse and interesting than just standard "old-timey" fiddle tunes.While the collection was compiled for contra dancing, they make for charming ensemble pieces that work well at a variety of tempos.I had a few played at my wedding with a mandolin, penny whistle and guitar, and we were all under the spell of love and good music!

The Best Fiddle Book Out There!!!
If you are looking to purchase a fiddle book, this is definitely the best one to buy. This book contains about 400 tunes and the quality of the tunes is fantastic. Every single tune in this book sounds great and can be ornamentated dozens of ways with plenty of room to make the tune your own. One of the best features of this book is the spiral binding. The binding is great because you don't have to constantly bend your book to get it to stay open on the stand. Another great feature is that the book is organized alphabetically so you can find your tune quickley during a jam. There is also an index which organizes the tunes by key and type which makes it really easy to come up with your own sets. There are even detailed notes on each song. Some of the notes even give suggestions on how to add some ornamentation to the tune.

Overall, this book is great, but there are two things which are worth noting.
-The pages are quite thin and could tear easily.
-The book is very thick but it's only about 8.5 inches tall. This could make it difficult for people with weak eyesight to see some of the tunes. ... Read more

Product Description
The Tejano superstar Selena and the tango revival both in the dance clubs and on Broadway are only the most obvious symptoms of how central Latin music is to American musical life.Latino rap has brought a musical revolution, while Latin and Brazilian jazz are ever more significant on the jazz scene. With the first edition of The Latin Tinge, John Storm Roberts offered revolutionary insight into the enormous importance of Latin influences in U.S. popular music of all kinds. Now, in this revised second edition, Roberts updates the history of Latin American influences on the American music scene over the last twenty years.

From the merengue wave to the great traditions of salsa and nortena music to the fusion styles of Cubop and Latin rock, Roberts provides a comprehensive review.With an update on the jazz scene and the careers of legendary musicians as well as newer bands on the circuit, the second edition of The Latin Tinge sheds new light on a rich and complex subject: the crucial contribution that Latin rhythms are making to our uniquely American idiom.Amazon.com Review
When it comes to 20th-century American pop music, "virtuallyall of the major popular forms--Tin Pan Alley, stage, and film music,jazz, rhythm and blues, country music, and rock--have been affectedthroughout their development by the idioms of Brazil, Cuba, orMexico." So writes eminent musicologist John Storm Roberts of theoften-overlooked role that Latin American rhythms, musical forms, andmusicians have played in shaping American culture. The LatinTinge shows how musical trends from Spain and Africa evolved intothe Cuban son, bomba y plena in Puerto Rico, Argentineantango, and the samba in Brazil. Roberts highlights pioneering LatinAmerican performers who popularized Afro-Hispanic music in the UnitedStates: Cuba's Pérez Prado and Mario Bauzá, for example,swung New York dancers to the beat of the rumba, mambo, and Latin jazzin the '30s and '40s. Brazilian composer Antonio Carlos Jobim combinedhis native country's samba percussion with jazz structures andEuropean harmonies and launched the bossa nova craze of the mid '60s;Mexican American superstars Carlos Santana and the late songstressSelena blended Afro-Cuban, rock, blues, Tejano, and Tex-Mex folkstyles into an upbeat American hybrid. Roberts also details the PuertoRican contribution to the making of salsa, the pivotal role of PuertoRican Americans in creating rap, and the fast-growing popularity ofmerengue from the Dominican Republic. Even an American standard likethe theme to I Love Lucy, Roberts reminds us, was shaped by theLatin influence. --Eugene Holley ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Good reference
"The Latin Tinge" is a great reference book for the development of Latin music in the United States. It is packed full of information on Latin music and its influence on music in America in general, and it also provides some history on the development of these music genres in their countries of origin. This book's only drawback is that it does not make for light or recreational reading and therefore may not be the best book for an overview of Latin music in the U.S., especially for those that have not studied much Latin music history. This book is more geared for those that are already somewhat familiar with the different forms of Latin music and dance and are looking to go more in depth. It is also, as I mentioned above, a great reference book for someone doing research on Latin music. It is recommended for those purposes. Beginners might want to look elsewhere.

Excellent read some small points
John Roberts has written an excellent book which doubles as a good research tool. I checked this out from the library last week and I plan to buy my own copy today. Roberts discusses almost every form of Latin music such as mambo, merengue, son, etc. He also has a glossary in the back of the book so you can look up what you have read. Latin music relies heavily on African elements of melody & rhythm, Roberts downplays this well known fact a little. The marimba is long known to be an west african instrument. Roberts says the name comes from Africa. This is a well known fact that for some reason he tends to avoid.

Other than that minor thing, "The Latin Tinge" is very much worth having in your collection.

A must read!
John Storm Robertsbook "The Latin Tinge", is a superb book on the history of Latin music.The book is well written and clearly takes thereader through a remarkable journey, showing the evolution and thedevelopment of Latin music and its impact on the American music scene. Highly recommended!

A Landmark Study
This well-researched work is a revelation for anyone interested in the roots of American popular music, be it rock, jazz or pop. A good complement to this book is "The Brazilian Sound," which covers Brazilianmusic and has additional information on the influence of Brazilianmusicians on American music.

The best ever (in English) book on American Latin music
The Latin Tinge stands as one of the best books ever (in English) on the American Latin scene. Roberts traces the music through its earliest moments in America, and does a great job describing all the divergent trends and fads within the field of Latin music, and manages to tie them together in a brilliant way that opens up a lot of stuff that we'd never been able to filter through before. If you've ever been looking for a goodbook on Latin music, this is it! ... Read more

Product Description
From the 1940s to the mid-1960s, on several evenings a week, thousands of Irish and Irish Americans flocked from miles around to the huge, bustling dance halls -- the Intercolonial, the Hibernian, Winslow Hall, the Dudley Street Opera House, the Rose Croix -- that dotted Boston's Dudley Square. For the city's Irish population, the Roxbury neighborhood, with its ballrooms and thriving shopping district, was a vital center of social and cultural life, as well as a bridge from the old world to the new.

See You at the Hall brings to life the rich history of the "American capitol of Galway" through the eyes of those who gathered and performed there. In this engaging look back at Boston's golden era of Irish traditional music, Susan J. Gedutis deftly weaves together engaging narrative with spirited personal reminiscences to trace the colorful dance hall period from its beginnings in 1940s Roxbury, when masses of young Irish flooded Boston following World War II, through its peak years in the 1950s, to its decline in the 1960s, when reduced immigration, urban social upheaval, and a shift in neighborhood demographics brought an end to the heyday of Irish dance hall music in Boston. After the last dance hall closed, Dudley Square musicians moved from the big ballrooms to pubs, social clubs, and private parties, preserving the music and passing it on to younger generations of Irish performers.

Today, Irish traditional music is experiencing a major revival, and Boston still boasts a lively Irish music scene. This vivid portrait of the enduring and vibrant heritage of the dance hall era will rekindle memories of the good times in Dudley Square, and it will fascinate the legion of fans around the globe interested in the roots of the Irish music they hear today in concert halls, pubs, and clubs. The book also recounts an important period, as yet unchronicled, in the history of Irish music in America, and of the Irish in the diaspora. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

History of Boston through the eyes of those who performed
From the1940s to the mid-1960s, several evenings a week, thousands of Irish and Irish Americans flocked to Boston's dance halls on Dudley Square to enjoy an unparalleled social scene of music, dance, and shopping. Musician and music book editor Susan Gedutis is also a performer of traditional Irish music in the New England area, and she's the logical author to add rich detail and social history to See You At The Hall, a probe of the history of Boston through the eyes of those who performed there. Narratives weave with social history to make for a compelling study in See You At The Hall.

Settle In, and I'll Tell You a Story
Would you like a cup of tea? How about a slice of soda bread? This book is as warm, lively, and fun as an Irish family gathering. Though the author is a music scholar, this book is refreshingly free of the weighty tone of most academic works--the writing is smooth, informed, and accessible, the tone affectionate. Ms. Gedutis has interviewed many performers and fans about this era, and their recollections are amusing, poignant, and nothing if not sincere. Not only do they recall strong images of a lost city, but they place the music in historical context: as the author points out, when the Irish first came to America, music halls--like social clubs, pubs, and church groups--were just one of the"meeting places" where new immigrants could relax among their own as they tackled the routine problems of life.The Irish well know the power of story and song-- in relating our history, in affirming our personal and collective identity, and in establishing a foundation of shared experience and hope in building a community.

Ms. Gedutis refuses to paint the tale with a broad brush, however. She addresses the social and cultural forces that less informed authors might miss. One example is the tension between some Irish and Irish-American musicians. The former apparently felt that the latter, not born of the Sod,weren't "real"Irish musicians. This view was heartily countered by Irish Americans, who pointed out that many of the "real" musicians couldn't read music. On the argument went, while people danced in the background.

In recalling this era, this book can't help but make one wonder if, in a world where Play Station and cable tv isolate us from one another, perhaps more of us (of all ethnic backgrounds), need to "go to the hall," to reconnect with our neighbors and friends for a dance, a drink, and a bit of chat.(Of course,the photo of Cardinal Cushing doing the Highland Fling is itself worth the price of the book.) ... Read more

Product Description
Whatever your level of experience, The Dance Music Manual is packed with sound advice, techniques and practical examples to help you achieve professional results. Written by a professional producer and remixer, the book is organised into three accessible sections:

Technology and theory
If you're relatively new to the technology and theory behind today's dance music, Rick Snoman discusses the basics of MIDI, synthesis and sampling, as well as music theory, effects, compression, microphone techniques and sound design.
Dance genres
This section covers techniques for producing different musical styles, including Trance, Trip Hop, Rap and House. Snoman takes a close look at the general programming principles behind drum loops, basses and leads for each genre, in addition to the programming and effects used to create the sounds.
Mixing and promotion
Snoman guides you through the art of mixing, mastering, remixing, pressing and publishing your latest masterpiece. This includes a look at how record companies operate, copyrighting your material, pressing your own records and the costs involved. Finally, guest contributors offer essential advice on DJ'ing and how to create your own website to promote your music.

The CD provides demo tracks showing what can be achieved when applying the advice contained in the book, including examples of the quality difference before and after mixing and mastering. The CD also contains free software demos for you to download.

For even more advice and resources, check out the book's official website www.dancemusicproduction.com

* Learn the art of creating original dance tracks and remixes using any music software
* Packed with examples and tips for achieving professional results and getting your music heard
* Includes a free CD-Rom with MIDI files, samples and example tracks ... Read more

Customer Reviews (39)

SUPERB
Superb reading! great info and a joy to read. Really indept info with lot's of suggestions
on how to mix your track. The writer really knows what he is talking about and doesn't mind to share.
Not everybody wants to share his knowledge now a days, so this is very nice.
The writer knows just about every detail to know on electronics, sounds and musicgenres.
If you can get it and if your interested in the subject and have your own homestudio make sure to get it. Even if you have lots of experience this book will help you even further. I just can't stop reading it. i guess i begin upfront again when i first finished the book. Includes a cd-rom with examples. The website and trainingcourse are, however, no longer available.

well worth the money
Don't pay attention to negative comments.
Most of these people just showing off because they may know a bit about music.
This book is worth more than twice it's price.

If you know what you're doing in music then you don't need it.... but I doubt it.
Everyone can learn from this book. Music explained in simple easy to understand way.
This is how a book should be written dealing with highly technical content.

Great Resource
This book is PACKED with information from a seasoned engineer and composer.I've nearly read this book from cover to cover.I especially appreciated the sections on sound design since I had recently acquired Massive from Native.The section on compression and using compression creatively in mixing was a great resource.He also gets into the nuances between the different styles of dance music, citing relevant sources.

The best thing that I liked about his book is that it felt like it was an edited version of his own personal notes.Things he discovered or documented as his own knowledge grew - like I was sitting along side him as he explained the information.He was explicit and clear in most cases and limited redundancy of information except when necessary to exemplify points.Happy composing and mixing!

Perfect
I like the systematic approach of the author explaining in a brief manner the different aspects of the electronic music creation. I love this book!

Great all around book for everyone!!!!
This book is a great source of information wether you are starting out to someone that has been making dance music for a while in they're home or computer. It goes into detail from midi studio setup to different styles of techno not just trance. This book also goes into a little theory, basic music chords, recording, hardware, sampling, editing, mixing, mastering, sound design, publishing, copyrighting and even making your own web page and promoting. It also goes into a little history of the different styles of techno. This book or any other for that matter is never going to be able to tell you the secret formula of creating the perfect lead or beat for that matter but this one will give you ideas and suggestion on how create one and push you in the right direction. Dance music changes so much and goes thru trends that if anyone could make that secret formula it would probably be out dated by the time they were able to document and publish it! This is a must have andI can't wait to see what he is going to have the second volume. If your a know it all and don't want to learn something new don't buy since you already know it all and your selling a million albums a year but those of us that are not this is a great source of knowledge and great advice!!!!!!Buy this one before you buy the remixer's bible cause that is geared for more advanced producers!!!!!! ... Read more

Product Description
Origins of Cuban Music and Dance: ChangY' is the first in-depth study of changY', a style of music and dance in Guant_namo, Cuba. ChangY' is analogous to blues in the United States and is a crucible of Cuban Creole culture. Benjamin Lapidus describes changY' and its relationship to the roots of son, Cuba's national genre and the style of music that contributed to the development of salsa, in Eastern Cuba. He also highlights the connections between Afro-Haitian music and Cuban popular music through changY', connections with the Caribbean that have been largely overlooked in the past.After an initial historical discussion about the region of Guant_namo and the inter-connectedness of its various musical styles with a focus on changY', Lapidus discusses the technical aspects of the genre as practiced within the region and beyond. He considers the socio-historical importance of its lyrics, presenting numerous musical transcriptions that explain how the music is structured, as well as providing background stories to songs. In a chapter unique to this book and a first in Cuban musicology and ethnography, Lapidus describes years of festivals and musical competitions to show how local musical identity takes shape, particularly when encountering national narratives of music history. The volume concludes with a comparison between changY' and son, as well as a bibliography, discography, and videography. ... Read more

Product Description
In Music and Probability, David Temperley explores issues in music perception and cognition from a probabilistic perspective. The application of probabilistic ideas to music has been pursued only sporadically over the past four decades, but the time is ripe, Temperley argues, for a reconsideration of how probabilities shape music perception and even music itself. Recent advances in the application of probability theory to other domains of cognitive modeling, coupled with new evidence and theoretical insights about the working of the musical mind, have laid the groundwork for more fruitful investigations. Temperley proposes computational models for two basic cognitive processes, the perception of key and the perception of meter, using techniques of Bayesian probabilistic modeling. Drawing on his own research and surveying recent work by others, Temperley explores a range of further issues in music and probability, including transcription, phrase perception, pattern perception, harmony, improvisation, and musical styles.

Music and Probability—the first full-length book to explore the application of probabilistic techniques to musical issues—includes a concise survey of probability theory, with simple examples and a discussion of its application in other domains. Temperley relies most heavily on a Bayesian approach, which not only allows him to model the perception of meter and tonality but also sheds light on such perceptual processes as error detection, expectation, and pitch identification. Bayesian techniques also provide insights into such subtle and advanced issues as musical ambiguity, tension, and "grammaticality," and lead to interesting and novel predictions about compositional practice and differences between musical styles. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Shows the link between musical style, perception, and probability
If music perception is largely probabilistic in nature this should not be surprising since probability pervades almost every aspect of mental life. Thus the author invokes a number of concepts from probability theory and probabilistic modeling, relying most heavily on Bayes Rule, an axiom of probability. In music perception, one is often confronted with a pattern of notes and wishes to know the underlying structure that gave rise to it. Bayes' Rule allows us to identify that underlying structure. The author also makes use of concepts from information theory such as the idea of cross-entropy. Cross-entropy shows in a quantitative way how well a model predicts a body of data. In chapter 2 the author surveys all the probability theory needed for the following chapters. He also shows a few simple examples, and discusses the applications of probability theory to other areas of study. In chapter three the author addresses a basic problem of music perception - the identification meter - and proposes a probabilistic model of this process.

Chapters 4 and 6 examine the problem of key perception from a probabilistic standpoint. The author first proposes a model of key perception in monophonic music (melodies). This model is then expanded to accommodate polyphonic music. With regard to both meter and key, the models proposed are not merely models of information retrieval, but also shed light on other aspects of perception. In particular they lead very naturally to ways of identifying the probability of actual note patterns. This in turn provides a way of modeling cognitive processes such as error detection, expectation, and pitch identification, as well as more subtle musical phenomena such as musical ambiguity, tension, and "tonalness". These issues are explored in chapter 5 with regard to monophonic music and chapter 7 with regard to polyphonic music. The final three chapters of the book explore a range of further issues in music and probability. Chapter eight surveys some recent work by other authors in which probabilistic methods are applied to a variety of problems in music perception and cognition: transcription, phrase perception, pattern perception, harmony, and improvisation. Chapter nine considers the idea of construing probabilistic models as descriptions of musical styles and thus as hypotheses about cognitive processes involved in composition.

In summary, this book is a good one in demonstrating that a probabilistic perspective opens the door to a new and powerful approach to the study of music creation. Highly recommended for all who have an interest in algorithmic composition. The following is the table of contents:

1. Introduction 1

2.Probabilistic Foundations and Background 7
2.1 Elementary Probability 7
2.2 Conditional Probability and Bayes' Rule 8
2.3 Other Probabilistic Concepts 14
2.4 Early Work on Music and Probability 19

3. Melody I: The Rhythm Model 23
3.1 Rhythm and Meter 23
3.2 Previous Models of Meter Perception 26
3.3 A Probabilistic Rhythm Model 30
3.4 The Generative Process 31
3.5 The Meter-Finding Process 36
3.6 Testing the Model on Meter-Finding 41
3.7 Problems and Possible Improvements 43

4. Melody II: The Pitch Model 49
4.1 Previous Models of Key-Finding 50
4.2 The Pitch Model 56
4.3 Testing the Model on Key-Finding 62

5. Melody III: Expectation and Error Detection 65
5.1 Calculating the Probability of a Melodic Surface 65
5.2 Pitch Expectation 66
5.3 Rhythmic Expectation 71
5.4 Error Detection 74
5.5 Further Issues 76

6. A Polyphonic Key-Finding Model 79
6.1 A Pitch-Class-Set Approach to Key-Finding 79
6.2 The Generative Process 83
6.3 The Key-Finding Process 85
6.4 Comparing Distributional Models of Key-Finding 89
6.5 Further Issues in Key-Finding 92

7. Applications of the Polyphonic Key-Finding Model 99
7.1 Key Relations 99
7.2 Tonalness 108
7.3 Tonal Ambiguity and Clarity 116
7.4 Another Look at Major and Minor 121
7.5 Ambiguous Pitch-Collections in Common-Practice Music 125
7.6 Explaining Common Strategies of Tonal Harmony 131

8. Bayesian Models of Other Aspects of Music 139
8.1 Probabilistic Transcription Models 139
8.2 Bod: The Perception of Phrase Structure 143
8.3 Raphael and Stoddard: Harmonic Analysis 147
8.4 Mavromatis: Modeling Greek Chant Improvisation 151
8.5 Saffran et al.: Statistical Learning of Melodic Patterns 156

9. Style and Composition 159
9.1 Some Simple Cross-Entropy Experiments 161
9.2 Modeling Stylistic Differences 166
9.3 Testing Schenkerian Theory 172

10. Communicative Pressure 181
10.1 Communicative Pressure in Rules of Voice-Leading 182
10.2 The Syncopation-Rubato Trade-Off 184
10.3 Other Examples of Communicative Pressure in Rhythm 191
10.4 "Trading Relationships" 197
10.5 Low-Probability Events in Constrained Contexts 202
10.6 Conclusions 205 ... Read more

Product Description

Electronic and Experimental Music: Technology, Music, and Culture provides a thorough treatment of the relevant history behind the marriage of technology and music that has led to the state of electronic music today. Beginning with an early history of electronic music before 1945, the book outlines key composers, inventions, and concepts, ranging from Edgard Varèse to Brian Eno; musique concrète to turntablism; and compositional techniques used in both analog and digital synthesis.

The third edition’s reader-friendly writing style, logical organization, and features provide easy access to key ideas, milestones, and concepts.

Features:

• Reader’s guides and summaries at the beginning and end of each chapter
• Innovations boxes providing a unique profile of an influential individual in the field of electronic music
• Listen playlists recommending key recordings in each musical genre mentioned in each chapter
• Milestones timelines summarizing the major technological and musical innovations discussed in each chapter.

Product Description
Music in China is one of many case-study volumes that can be used along with Thinking Musically, the core book in the Global Music Series. Thinking Musically incorporates music from many diverse cultures and establishes the framework for exploring the practice of music around the world. It sets the stage for an array of case-study volumes, each of which focuses on a single area of the world. Each case study uses the contemporary musical situation as a point of departure, covering historical information and traditions as they relate to the present. Visit www.oup.com/us/globalmusic for a list of case studies in the Global Music Series. The website also includes instructional materials to accompany each study.
Music in China offers a unique exploration of the rich, dynamic, and multifaceted Chinese musical landscape. In contrast with previous scholarship--which focused almost exclusively on the role of music in elite culture--this volume takes a balanced look at a variety of traditional and modern genres, including those performed among local and regional folk musicians, in academia, in the media, and on concert stages both inside and outside of China. Using the interrelated themes of identity, modernization, and ideology as a narrative framework, author Frederick Lau discusses the musical features of the selected genres, the processes through which they came into existence, and related socio-political issues. Lau draws on his own extensive fieldwork and performance experience in both mainland China and its diasporic communities to show how the ever-changing Chinese musical tradition takes on particular meanings in China, in overseas Chinese communities, and in diverse international settings.
Enhanced by eyewitness accounts of local performances, interviews with key performers, vivid illustrations, and hands-on listening activities, Music in China provides an accessible and engaging introduction to Chinese music. It is packaged with an 80-minute audio CD containing examples of the music discussed in the book. ... Read more

Product Description
Small-town dance halls once overflowed with people flocking to see their favorite country bands and to dance. Dance Halls and Last Calls explores over one hundred of these vintage dance halls and their communities through the eyes of artists who played there. The book also includes never-before-seen photographs from private collectors. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Can we say Road Trip?
This was a great book. Lots of good information about the Dance Halls throughout Texas. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

FIRST HIGGINS BOOK I READ.....
Loves Music Loves to Dance was the first book I had ever read by Mary Higgins Clark...several years ago. This book sold me on Clark and since then I've read many of her books.
I could not put this book down.I took it on vacation with me and did not budge out of my poolside chair until the book was finished....which...by the way....was disappointing.I did not want the book to end. I hope everyone enjoys this story as much as I.
... Read more