Tag: book

Essential Music Books (age 14+)

I’ve read every practice book out there (most of them twice), and many other music-related books besides. Here’s a compilation of the best of the best. Great advice and excellent writing. If I’ve left out a favorite of yours, let me know in the comments. I’ve done extensive reviews of most of these titles. Look for the link, or go here.

Lots of food for thought in these books for players of every level. These books should be in your music library. The order in which they’re presented reflects my own loose ranking system. The first one is the best. All of them are good.

Shel Silverstein & Johnny Cash

About twenty years ago, I found myself in possession of a battered cassette tape, and where it came from I have no idea. Maybe I found it. On it was a crazy man reading wonderful almost limerick-like poetry that was filled with insight. I’d read Silverstein’s books before this and soon realized who had written the poems, but who was this crazy man reading them with such zany passion? It was Shel Silverstein himself I finally discovered, to my unending wonder and delight. If you’ve never heard him recite his own work, check out this appearance with Johnny Cash

Book Review: The Musician’s Way, by Gerald Klickstein

I’ve read (and re-read in many cases) most books out there on practice and this is one of the best, hands down. Klickstein is a classical guitarist who performs throughout the U.S. and internationally and is a professor at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts.

My favorite 2 aspects of the book are…