MSCI

This method is excellent! If I could give it more than five stars I would. If you're willing to put in the time it pays off. I have been working on the exercises from this book for almost a year and my ear has improved tremendously. Follow Mr. Arnolds directions in the book exactly as spelled out and you will do yourself a big favor. He has put in the time learning this material himself and knows all the pitfalls of doing it wrong and has distilled a method that works. He learned from the pros and has published what he learned. If you want a nice glossy book with lots of cool pictures this isn't for you. If you want something that works get it, do it, and you'll be amazed. The bottom line is you have to the work for the results. I have noticed some reviews that note the starkness of Mr. Arnold's books. His books are all substance and no jive! He shows his dedication to the material he presents by providing a FAQ section on the museek Website. You can submit a question and he answers it right away, sometimes in minutes, never more that 24 hours. That really surprised me!

This method is excellent! If you didn't get that - this method is excellent. If you're willing to put in the time it pays off. I have been working on the exercises from this book for almost a year and my ear has improved tremendously. Follow Mr. Arnolds directions in the book exactly as spelled out and you will do yourself a big favor. He has put in the time learning this material himself and knows all the pitfalls of doing it wrong and has a distilled method that works. He learned from the pros and has published what he learned. If you want a nice glossy book with lots of cool pictures and esoteric quotes about "intuitive osmotic resonance sensing" this isn't for you. If you want something that works get it, do it, and you'll be amazed. The bottom line is you have to the work for the results. I have noticed some reviews that note the starkness of Mr. Arnold's books. His books are all substance and no jive! He shows his dedication to the material he presents by providing a FAQ section on the museek Website. You can submit a question and he answers it right away, sometimes in minutes, never more that 24 hours. That really surprised me!

I've been using Mr. Arnold's approach to ear training for about a month now. I have found it very challenging but on the same hand very rewarding. The main thing I have come away with from Mr. Arnold's Ear Training method is how damaging interval based ear training can be to your musical development. He believes that you must first understand how to hear the sound of all 12 notes against a key. I was a little unsure whether this all made sense but after working with this method I am seeing real progress. I'm currently using a combination of the (Ear Training One Note) and the Fanatic's Guide and I find it to be a winning combination. If you are serious about developing your ears like I am, I'd highly recommend checking this method out and starting off on the right path.

What can you say about an illustrated book about the Dead? It's fun, disjointed, fragmentary, but it fits perfectly with the Dead and their style of living and music-making. In the usual Dorling Kindersly style, this book contains lots of sidebars with illustrations all over the place. There's no narrative, other than time itself. The timeline, that is the thread through this book, moves from the earliest days to Jerry's death and beyond, covering the albums, important concerts, drug busts and all the other highlights of the Dead's career. If you are, or ever have been, a Deadhead, you'll want this book to leaf through while listening to live Dead shows.

Any Deadhead, serious or casual will find a ton of stuff to pique their interest here. There are treasure troves of interesting factoids in here. For me, it was very interesting to look over so many of the shows I saw and find out things I didn't know and things I did....bringing back many fond memories. So many little tidbits in here are bound to make you smile, laugh, and maybe even cry. Even the most hardcore fan will find a lot of new imformation in here. The only complaint I could possibly have is this is a big and heavy book...not exactly one to take on the subway with you. GET IT.

this is easily one of the most beautiful books I've ever seen. I gave two as Christmas gifts and just came back to get one for myself.
I gave one to a serious Dead fan and one to a lifelong music lover and both were totally blown away.

Simply the BEST. If you're a DJ and don't own this book, you're probably a terrible DJ. BUY THYIS BOOK!!!

All I can say is that this is so ridiculous. I read this book at the library and I couldn't stop laughing. So DJs have talant? It takes years to master the 'art' of playing a record? Listen to me and listen well, you want respect, girls, and money? Let the losers be DJs. Musicians with talant do just that, make music, with instruments. Go buy a guitar.

This book had some elementary basics on sound levels and accoustics, but clubs have people to do that while your setting up your band, so what's the point?

I just recently started taking DJ classes, and this book has been tremendous help. Historically, the barriers to entry have been a bit high in the DJ field, often leaving beginners like myself wondering where to start: what equipment do I need? what are the fundamentals I have to work on? The book fills this gap, providing a comprehensive guide on equipment, techniques, online resources and the general nature of the industry in a very clear format. I've browsed through other books on this subject (a rather limited selection) and none of them come close in terms of breadth and quality.

The book hits on a lot of key points and has an encouraging tone, balanced out by a bit of sarcastic humor. For instance, it notes the likely frustrations from trying a new technique (yes, everyone stinks in the beginning), but this just requires practice, practice, practice. The book has also been right on the mark about how most people in the field, from experienced DJs to record store operators, are quite helpful. Even when I pass the beginner stage, it will surely be a useful reference well into the future.

This book is the most detailed Metallica book I have ever seen. It should be and there are so many items in the book not only the text but with tons of pictures so you know what to look for. Do yourself a favour and buy this book. I call it the bible for Metallica fans.

This book's got everything a die-hard Metallica fan could ask for. I just finished reading it and I couldn't put it down. Normally, I don't read anything, but this being the best book about the best band in the world, I never stopped until the end. Complete history, all the songs played over the years, whatever you wanna know about the band, you'll find it here. If you've never read this book, you're not a full-fledged Metallica fan. Great job, Sem!

Just when you thought you had a good little collection going, some guy from Norway goes and makes a book that makes you realize that you really don't have much! Ouch!!! This is an excellent book for the serious collector, Sem did an awesome job (like big surprise, right). Whether you think you have it all or you are just getting started into collecting "Metallica," you need this book!

It's severly dated by today's standards, but what an excellent read, all the same. I look at it as the music industry version of Julia Phillips "You'll Never Eat Lunch In This Town Again". Biting with sardonic wit, lots of muck-raking (most of it spot-on), and just a wee bit 'o' honesty.

How much of it is true, we'll never know. But the essential bits (the inception of the Boomtown Rats, their immersion into the music scene, other bands, Live Aid, etc.) are required reading for anybody who gives a damn about the music industry. There's loads of comedy as well as pathos, as well as some of the greatest quotes I've ever read in an autobiography.

If you can still find a copy, it's well worth owning.

Bob Geldof's book is a stunning odyssey into the mind of a rock star. he also happens to be a philanthropist who can teach a thing or two to the best of them. the man behind `live aid' not only collected hundreds of millions out of a telethon for africa's famine victims, but made sure they reached the right hands. his forthright language and no-holds-barred style are refreshing. if you must read an autobiography of a rock star, read this one.

This book is one of those books that will renew your faith in the ability of normal people to change the world for the better. It is also hilarious and a great read!

In a world where most opera biographies are either useless, gushy fan magazines or vicious, gossipy garbage, this loving yet warts-and-all account of the life of the great Swedish tenor Jussi Bjorling (1911-1960) is a standout. Although the book is written primarily by his widow Anna-Lisa, there is additional, exhaustive research and editing by Andrew Farkas (who also co-authored an Enrico Caruso biography with Caruso's son). Many of Bjorling's colleagues are also interviewed, and reviews of both his live performances and opera recordings are extensively quoted. As a supplement, there is also a 58-page listing of Bjorling's performances (933 in opera and nearly twice as many concerts and recitals) at the end of the book. The cover shows Bjorling as Romeo in 'Romeo et Juliette', perhaps his greatest role.

Anna-Lisa Bjorling, who was married to Jussi for 25 years, was herself a fine soprano who often partnered her husband in concert. As of this writing she is still alive at 92. Although Anna-Lisa clearly loved Jussi very deeply, she is still capable of being objective about him when required. She is a wonderful writer, providing vivid portraits not only of Jussi, herself, and their children, but just about everybody they ever came into contact with, as well as of life in Sweden in general. After reading this book, I felt like Jussi and Anna-Lisa were old friends.

Bjorling had not only what was probably the most beautiful tenor voice to ever come out of a human throat, but also a nearly perfect technique, a superb sense of style, and the ability to truly stir the souls of his listeners. While he had a reputation for being a very poor stage actor, this was at least occasionally exaggerated. Although Bjorling died tragically young at the age of 49 of heart failure, he had a magnificent and very long career which lasted 45 years, 32 as a tenor. He is probably the only opera singer whose recording career (which began when he was 9!) lasted from acoustic to electric to LP to stereo recordings. He made his stage debut at 19 as Don Ottavio at the Royal Opera, Stockholm, after having studied first with his father, his principal singing teacher, and then at the Royal Opera School with the Royal Opera's director, baritone John Forsell. His career expanded to Europe and the rest of the world very quickly. He made his Metropolitan Opera debut in 1938, and with the exception of the WWII years and several years in the 1950s due to fights with Rudolf Bing, he remained there until his death. He concentrated on about 10 or 15 Italian and French operatic roles, and was also an avid recitalist with several hundred songs in his 'inventory'.

Unfortunately, Bjorling is nearly as famous in operatic circles for his alcoholism as for his glorious singing, and I think that is appalling. In fact, the one thing this book makes very clear is that although the disease was a tragedy for him personally and traumatic for his family, it had comparatively little effect on his actual career, at least outside Sweden. Working actually kept him from drinking. Anna-Lisa offers considerable proof that many of the stories about Jussi's drinking were exaggerations, gossip or outright lies, most tellingly in the true story of the cancellation of the 'Un Ballo in Maschera' recording under Sir Georg Solti, which was a product of producer John Culshaw's malice. Nearly all his colleagues also defend him on this regard. As far as I'm concerned, the only people who have any right discussing Jussi's alcoholism are Anna-Lisa and his children, as they are the only ones who really had to deal with it. ....

Overall, Jussi comes across as a beautiful human being - simple, warmhearted and lovable, a wonderful husband and father, adored by almost everybody who worked with him or knew him. The book is full of stories about his kindness and generosity to colleagues. He was also an avid pike fisherman who loved westerns and was unbeatable at arm wrestling. He basically had only three serious flaws as a human being: impulsiveness that on occasion bordered on irrationality, stubbornness, and what Anna-Lisa calls, for lack of a better term, a deep inner restlessness - the inner demon that drove him to drink.

I only wish 'Jussi' could have been longer. A year before it was published, I spoke with leading Bjorling authority Cantor Don Goldberg, one of the book's proofreaders. He told me that the first draft was 1100 pages. As the final copy is only 520 pages, I wonder what was cut besides the many laudatory comments from colleagues that were considered repetitive. I was surprised that there wasn't more information about Jussi's brothers once they reached adulthood, especially Gosta, who was so close to Jussi that they had an almost telepathic relationship. And while this book does full justice to such fundamental influences on Jussi's singing as his father, John Forsell (who emerges as quite a character!), and Tullio Voghera, I would have liked a bit more on Nils Grevilius, who conducted nearly every recording Jussi made before 1950. There is also virtually nothing about Hjordis Schymberg, the fine Swedish soprano who partnered Jussi over 100 times in Stockholm. More mention of his recordings besides the complete opera sets would have been welcome, although I am aware that his recordings are covered in the companion volume 'A Jussi Bjorling Phonography'. Finally, while I am aware this would have added to the price of the book, there are so few color photos of Bjorling that I think they should have had one on the cover.

'Jussi' is essential reading for anyone with any interest in good music, let alone opera. It is the definitive biography of one of the most magnificent singers and human beings ever to appear on an opera or concert stage. If you haven't heard this man sing, remedy that immediately!

I had never heard of Bjorling until several months ago one late evening when the local classical music station played some of his arias. I had missed the intro to the work and couldn't figure out to whom this incredible and unique voice belonged; I knew I'd never heard anything remotely like it. You have to hear Jussi only once to want to listen endlessly to his voice. (Needless to say, my opera CD collection is expanding exponentially.)

So it was a great pleasure to discover this excellent biography, which illuminates not only his life but also the opera world from the 20s through the 50s. His early life and training from his father are particularly interesting if you wonder how such a great talent was discovered and developed. (The only question in my mind not answered is the extent to which his children inherited the incredible musical talent that was in his family for generations; that they perform is mentioned but never elaborated on.) The book is well documented with quotes from his peers, and the authors do a splendid job of presenting the entire person with his strengths and weaknesses in a very objective way that holds the reader's interest from beginning to end.

Using painstaking research, Mr. Farkas helps readers understand the demons that followed this troubled musical genius. I always revered this extraordinary man; I now feel that I know him. Thank you, Mr. Farkas Carol P. (JBS member...attended Washington conference but never met you)

This beautiful book has gorgeous slick illustrations from the Metropolitan Museum of Art as well as clearly printed piano scoring to accompany the lullabies. It is by far the best book of its kind I've seen. I send it to every new baby on my list and hope it never goes out of print!

Good if you would like to play lullabies, and the pictures are super. I like the tape of Golden Slumbers in the book section but its really songs, and better ones then are on Lullabies.

This book is gorgeous. My husband and I are new parents and it has been a joy to sing these clasic lullabies for our new son. The CD is marketed by amazon under the classical music section. It's entitled Lullabies: A songbook companion. It is beautifully recorded. The set is the perfect gift for new parents.

Full of casual sex and violence, this is a salacious account of life on the road with the Rolling Stones. Greenfield excels at nailing personalities and describing the fishbowl the band lived in. The Stones begin the tour in a vulnerable state of mind, scared that their glory days are behind them. Their braggadocio picks up considerably as the tour progresses. Near the end we have 16 year old girls doing "favors", beatings are given to anyone who steps out of line, groupies being filmed "in action" (despite Bill Wyman's 10 yr old kid hanging around!) for that infamous tour movie who's title I can't even mention here. Plenty of cruel nihilism. Oh well, I didn't read this expecting a nursery rhyme! This book delivers, warts and all.

I read this book in one go. Once I started, I just could not put it down. Besides giving the reader a great inside look behind the scene of the 1972 tour madness of the Rolling Stones, the author also provieds us with an excellent snapshot of the political and social situation in the USA during the early seventies. Of course, you get all the juicy details of groupies, drugs and playboy bunnies - but you also get a feel for how depressing at times the isolation of a major tour can be. You should definitely buy this book, if you love Rock'n'Roll, no matter if you are a Rolling Stones fan or not !

I think I know this book by heart. I can still recite the tour cities and dates. And... ahem, ahem, I really believe the reason they got Keith out of jail in Warwick, RI was not because of "the show must go on" (please!), but because Keith would've started heroin withdrawl. Get it?

I've enjoyed playing this book for the past 10 years. I believe this is an essential book to have for any accomplished or even novice pianist. I got it as a gift when i was in my 3rd year of piano and i've loved it ever since then (I'm now preparing for my level 10 practical exam) . It's really helped me develop my sight reading skills. And i've spent hours a day playing these songs for fun. And the format (comb binding) of the book is great because you don't have to worry about the book closing while you're trying to play the pieces.

IF YOU WERE TO ONLY HAVE ONE BOOK ON CLASSICAL PIANO MUSIC, THIS WOULD BE IT. WITHOUT A DOUBT, I WILL ENJOY THIS BOOK FOREVER. NO ONE SHOULD BE WITHOUT IT.

This book is Great. When I first got it I couldn't wait till I got it, then you just can't wait to put it down. But this book isn't for beginners.

Lyrical Life is a classy, clever gift idea for any music fan and it would make a great stocking stufffer. The artwork is wonderful and the concept is a lot of fun - my friends and I have been quizzing each other on the songs that make up the storyline.

This is a must have for any music fan! Great stocking stuffer!!

Music is always with you, when you drive, when you think, when you dream and when watch tv. Songs remind you of summers, lovers, moments and moods. This books will capture all of that. It will talk deep into your soul, showing you that the lyrics you know form a nice story, well narrated and illustrated. But this book is way more then that. This book is different for every reader, because each page will resonate in a different way for each reader. There are a thousand stories in this book, hidden among the lines.
You need to find yours!!

You've got the music in you!!! (new radicals)