Dick Weissman

Blues: The Basics offers a concise introduction to a century of the blues. Organized chronologically, it focuses on the major eras in the growth and development of this popular musical style. Material includes: a definition of the blues and the major genres within it key artists such as Ma Rainey, Bessie Smith, Robert Johnson and Blind Lemon Jefferson key recordings Complete with timelines and suggestions for further investigation, this fascinating overview is ideal for students and interested listeners.

Blues: The Basics

Larry Sandberg

This revised and updated book is a guide for the listener, collector, singer, player and devotee of folk music. It covers music from string band to bluegrass, Canadian, Creole, Zydeco, jug bands, ragtime and the many kinds of blues. The book evaluates, reviews and recommends on such subjects as where to buy records and instruments and places where folk music flourishes.

The Folk Music Sourcebook

You can survive happily as a musician, composer and songwriter in your own local music market! The newly revised and expanded edition of this book will show you how. It includes detailed analysis of the latest regional music scenes that have developed; an extensive new section (written by Ron Sobel - vice president of ASCAP in Los Angeles) on opportunities for musicians and composers in developing and selling music in new mediums including the Internet, Greenhouse Channels, Theme Parks, and Desk Top Films; info on how music distribution and retailing is changing to meet the challenges of the 21st century; and many more essential tips. Also features a new appendix and a helpful Resources section after each chapter.

Realizing Your Marketing Potential

Making a Living in Your Local Music Market

(Book). Talkin' 'Bout a Revolution is a comprehensive guide to the relationship between American music and politics. Music expert Dick Weissman opens with the dawn of American history, then moves to the book's key focus: 20th-century music songs by and about Native Americans, African-Americans, women, Spanish-speaking groups, and more. Unprecedented in its approach, the book offers a multidisciplinary discussion that is broad and diverse, and illuminates how social events impact music as well as how music impacts social events. Weissman delves deep, covering everything from current Native American music to "music of hate" racist and neo-Nazi music to the music of the Gulf wars, union songs, patriotic and antiwar songs, and beyond. A powerful tool for professors teaching classes about politics and music and a stimulating, accessible read for all kinds of appreciators, from casual music fans to social science lovers and devout music history buffs.

Music and Social Change in America

Talkin' 'Bout a Revolution

You can survive happily as a musician in your local music market. This book shows you how to expand and develop your skills as a musician and a composer right in your own backyard. Making a Living in Your Local Music Market explores topics relevant to musicians of every level: Why should a band have an agreement? How can you determine whether a personal manager is right for you? Are contests worth entering? What trade papers are the most useful? Why copyright your songs? Also covers: * Developing and packaging your artistic skills in the marketplace * Dealing with contractors, unions, club owners, agents, etc. * Producing your own recordings * Planning your future in music * Music and the Internet * Artist-operated record companies * The advantages and disadvantages of independent and major record labels * Grant opportunities for musicians and how to access them * College music business programs * Seminars and trade shows * Detailed coverage of regional music markets, including Austin, Atlanta, Denver, Miami, Seattle, and Portland, Oregon.

Dan Fox

No matter what instrument you play, chords are an important part of your music. Chord Progressions: Theory and Practice breaks down how theyäó»re important and gives you all the information you need to create chords and use them in your own music. Start off by learning how to build simple major chords and eventually move on to more complex chords such as ninth, eleventh, thirteenth, and altered chords. Also learn to compose your own progressions using techniques such as passing chords, neighbor chords, pedal tones, and voice leading. Finally, learn how chord progressions are used in various styles of music---from early jazz to the music of today. This book is ideal for pianists, but it can be used successfully by any musician familiar with the grand staff. After completing this book, you will have gained a clear understanding of chords and progressions in a variety of musical styles.

Everything You Need to Create and Use Chords in Every Key

Chord Progressions: Theory and Practice

A history, with a personal touch, of the American folk music revival is penned by a recording artist, songwriter, and former member of the Journeymen.

An Inside History of the Folk Music Revival in America

Which Side Are You On?

Knack Guitar for Everyone is a self-instruction book for beginners to intermediates, fully illustrated with 350 full-color photographs and more than fifty exercises and songs in musical notation. By Dick Weismann, who is the author of numerous successful music books and has performed on the Today Show, it covers everything one needs to know about the instrument itself—the parts, different kinds of guitars, care for guitars—and provides the basics of reading guitar music and playing. Lessons are geared toward achievable results, and sidebars address various styles and techniques. Plus, there are a book's worth of play-along audio tracks available for free at knackbooks.com/guitar.

A Step-by-Step Guide to Notes, Chords, and Playing

Knack Guitar for Everyone

In recent years an almost overwhelming number of books have appeared covering various aspects of American folk music and its history. Before 1970, most comprised collections of songs with a sprinkling of biographical information on noted performers. Over the past decade, however, scholars, journalists, and folk artists themselves have contributed biographies and autobiographies, instructional books and historical surveys, sociological studies and ethnographic analyses of this musical genre. In 100 Books Every Folk Music Fan Should Own, performer and historian Dick Weissman offers a reliable route through the growing sea of book-length studies, establishing for future scholars a foundation for their research. Beginning with early twentieth-century collections of folk songs, the author brings readers to the present by exploring modern studies of important events, critical collections of primary sources, the most significant musical instruction guides, and in-depth portraits of traditional and contemporary American folk musicians. For each title selected, Weissman provides his own brief summary of its contents and assessment of its significance for the reader—whether fan or scholar. Folk music fans, scholars, and students of the American folk music tradition—indeed, any reader seeking guidance on the best books in the field—will want a copy of this vital work.

100 Books Every Folk Music Fan Should Own

Alfred's Basic 5-String Banjo Method 1 continues the Alfred Music tradition of easy-to-use, thorough, and enjoyable instruction for the absolute beginner. The basics of right-hand picking are covered, including pinches, different kinds of rolls, and backup patterns. Basic left-hand techniques are introduced, including hammer-ons and slides, and chord diagrams are provided for both G-tuning and C-tuning. Important topics such as setting up the banjo, tuning, banjo heads, fingerpicks, strings, and capos are taught as well. Illustrations, diagrams, and photographs throughout the book make learning easy and fun. Learning to play has never been more fun than with Alfred's Basic 5-String Banjo Method 1---the best choice for today's beginning banjo students.

The Most Popular Method for Learning How to Play Beginning Banjo

Alfred's Basic 5-String Banjo Method 1

Play the 5-string banjo in virtually every musical situation now! Beginning with fundamentals like choosing the best instrument and tuning, this comprehensive book covers basic to advanced techniques in a variety of styles, from classical and bluegrass to reggae and bossa nova. Banjo virtuoso and educator Dick Weissman leads musicians through every topic with easy-to-understand lessons and a CD that demonstrates each example and tune. Every player, from beginner through intermediate and up to professional, will enjoy exploring styles and expanding their repertoire with Banjo A to Z. All music is presented in standard notation and TAB. Special features: Techniques include the Seeger strum, hammer-ons, pull-offs, clawhammer strums, double thumbing, two- and three-finger picking, forward and backward rolls, bending, rasguado, and tremolo. * Styles include traditional, bluegrass, blues, Dixieland, ragtime, waltz, Irish, flamenco, calypso, reggae, South American, Middle Eastern, minstrel, and classical. * Learn effective ways to tune, use the capo, play melodically, and understand basic music theory.

Everything You Need to Play 5-string Banjo in Every Style

Banjo A to Z

Ron Sobel

Music Publishing covers the basics of how a composition is copyrighted, published, and promoted. Publishing in the music business goes far beyond the physical sheet--it includes live performance and mechanical (recording) rights, and income streams from licensing deals of various kinds. A single song can generate over thirty different royalty streams, and a writer must know how these royalties are calculated and who controls the flow of the money. Taking a practical approach, the authors -- one a successful music publisher and attorney, the other a songwriter and music business professor -- explain in simple terms the basic concept of copyright law as it pertains to compositions. Throughout, they give practical examples from "real world" situations that illuminate both potential pitfalls and possible upsides for the working composers.

The Roadmap to Royalties

Music Publishing

In today’s fast-moving music industry, what does it take to build a life-long career? Now more than ever, all those working in music need to be aware of many aspects of the business, and take control of their own careers. Understanding the Music Business offers students a concise yet comprehensive overview of the rapidly evolving music industry, rooted in real-world experiences. Anchored by a wealth of career profiles and case studies, this second edition has been updated throughout to include the most important contemporary developments, including the advent of streaming and the shift to a DIY paradigm. A new "Both Sides Now" feature helps readers understand differing opinions on key issues. Highly readable, Understanding the Music Business is the perfect introduction for anyone seeking to understand how musical talents connect to making a living.

Real World Insights

Understanding the Music Business

Tom May

While many dream of a career as a singer/songwriter, few know how to go about getting bookings, copywrighting and protecting their songs, making promotional recordings, getting radio and print coverage and negotiating contracts for appearances. This book covers all of these topics and more, aimed at everyone from the absolute beginner to the more seasoned performer, to help them avoid the common pitfalls and problems encountered along the road to success. The authors draw on years of experience as songwriters and performers. They have conducted interviews with many singer/songwriters who share their experiences, both good and bad, as they’ve worked their way up from local gigs to full-time careers. Throughout, practical tips are highlighted and real-life stories help illuminate common issues faced by all performers/songwriters.

Dick Weissman

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