Product Description
Confessions of a former worship leader For many churches today, music has become one of the most important factors in both their mode of worship and their attempts to reach unbelievers with the gospe ... Read more

Customer Reviews (80)

All should read
I think that all Christians interested in what God expects in worship should read this book.

Great insider's analysis
This book was a great, Biblical look into the Contemporary Christian Music world by someone who came out of it.His conclusions are based in Scripture instead of feelings.I highly recommend reading this book.

BE YE HOLY FOR I AM HOLY
This book was eye opening. I no longer play in a rock band in which I knew I WAS WRONG and I had to REPENT of my own desires and thoughts. This book shines a Truth & Light on the sin of churches today that worship in the power of the flesh and that justify their own sin, pride & rebellion in music worship (not the presentation of the Gospel from the pulpit. Music is for praise not evangelism (study the bible on that). The Truth hurt me, and for my Christian brothers who are saved, but worshipping, glorying & who are under the guised influence of Satan's deviciveness who sets himself up to appear "like God", I say, go back to your bible that is hopefully not missing any of God's Words, and re-read what God says about the Devil, the World, and the Flesh our 3 main enemies of sin. BE YE HOLY FOR I AM HOLY....Try and argue with God's Word, you'll lose everytime, but obedience, holiness & sactification are a choice we have.

I PETER 1:14-16 "As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy."

I CORINTHIANS 1:29-31 "That no flesh should glory in his presence. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord."

II CORINTHIANS 6:16-18 "And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty."

ISAIAH 5:20 "Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink:"

LEV 20:7 "Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: for I am the LORD your God."

LEV 20:26 "And ye shall be holy unto me: for I the LORD am holy, and have severed you from other people, that ye should be mine."

JAMES 4:4 "Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God."

JAMES 4:5-8 "Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy? But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded."

JAMES 4:17 "Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin."

REPENT, REPENT, REPENT

Good Purchase
Book was like new as described. Quick shipping. Good overall experience. Also a very interesting book.

Why I Left the Contemporary Christian Music Movement
I found this to be an excellent book written in the right spirit.I personally led music in a "traditional" church for many years.I have also debated Contemporaries and found that his book enumerated to a "t" the arguments used by the Contemporaries as well as the heavy labeling they resort to to marginalize or neutralize a "traditional".
I would recommend this volume to those interested in the subject and in particular those who have found themselves in the crosshairs of the malevolent and distorted arguments of the Contemporaries.Buy the book! ... Read more

Product Description
Contemporary Christian music has an increasing yet controversial influence on church worship today. This book discusses the topic from a biblical viewpoint and makes a case for using contemporary music in worship -- with theological integrity. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

A Terrible Witness
In my review of Worship in Spirit and Truth, I began with the following: "In my review below, I am fairly critical of this book. I want to make abundantly clear, however, that this critique is in no way meant to refer to Mr. Frame himself. If nothing else, I am comforted in knowing that Mr. Frame brings nothing but good intentions and honestly held beliefs to this work. And as a theologian of some note he should do nothing less. Though I think Mr. Frame is wrong in a number of respects in this book, I hope my critique does not have any flavor of disrespect for Mr. Frame himself."

It grieves me to say that I cannot put forth the same disclaimer in reviewing this book.Frame expends a large amount of paper personally attacking the critics of contemporary worship music (CWM).The instances of this are too numerous to recount them all here.However, as examples I provide the following:

"Like [Marva] Dawn, [D. G.] Hart obviously has little firsthand knowledge of the CWM literature.So in some respects, his diatribe scarcely deserves serious attention." (p. 110).
"But why this remarkable carelessness in research and argumentation from people who are ordinarily intelligent and balanced in their theological judgment?...One suspects that the critics' problems with CWM are not merely theological, but personal, even emotional." (p. 129)
"To say that it 'robs both churched and unchurched people alike of the Living Lord of life,' 'deforms and trivialized Christianity,' or that it presents 'less of a gospel' or 'an inferior gospel' betrays at best the speaker's ignorance, false criteria, or bad temper." (p. 81)

There are numerous other examples.Indeed, in the last two pages of Chapter 11 Frame does nothing but argue that the critics of CWM or motivated by nothing but their emotions.Somewhat bewilderingly, at the conclusion of his personal attacks on CWM critics, Frame turns around and advocates civility."It is important for both sides to put away the flame throwers and speak to one another with the wisdom and love of Christ." (p. 127).Indeed!Frame's incivility in this book is discouraging, to say the least... in fact, it's really disgusting.The instances where Frame passes judgment on the motives of CWM critiques almost always follow a quotation from the critiques in question.My impression was that the CWM critique were focusing more on the problems with CWM as they saw it, not on the problem with CWM supporters.For Frame to turn around and ascribe bad motives to these people is really gross.Granted, I have not read the works by any of the CWM critics that Frame cites (with the exception of D. G. Hart; I've read one article by Hart, but it wasn't one cited by Frame).And perhaps upon reading these works I will find those authors to be as uncivil as Frame was here.But I must admit: I hope I do not.

What is more, Frame's analysis is incredibly weak.It would be one thing to write a book with rich, deep and thoughtful analysis and, as an aside, point out the relative weakness of the other side's works.But this book is itself too superficial to provide Frame with any foundation to call into doubt any other person's work.A telling example is Frame's treatment of the argument that CWM is the product of narcissism.Frame complains that "critics of CWM, with little if any hesitation, regularly identify CWM with what Christopher Lasch called 'the culture of narcissism.'I find that approach quite unjustifiable, and I find it hard to believe that critics of this sort have given more than superficial attention to the texts of the music." (p. 32)Later, Frame says, "[o]ne cannot say that CWM is narcissistic and then turn around and say that CWM is too focused on praise as opposed to laments and sorrows." (p. 37).This really is the whole substance of Frame's analysis of whether Lasch's The Culture of Narcissism: American Life in an Age of Diminishing Expectations has something to say about CWM.Ironically, Frame's discussion of Lasch betrays a superficiality and ignorance that is the central point of his attack on the CWM critics.As Lasch uses the term "narcissism," you indeed can say that CWM is narcissistic and then turn around and say that CWM is too focused on praise as opposed to laments and sorrows.This is all by way of saying that if Frame was going to be so persistent in attacking the ignorance and superficiality of the CWM critics he would have done well to engage in an in depth retort as opposed to a flippant dismissal.

In sum, this book seemed motivated by Frame's personal animus toward the CWM critics like Hart.Frame just seems frustrated with the critics and he just wanted to attack their positions throughout the book.While Frame may ultimately be correct on the merits, spending 170 pages to personally attack those who disagree with you hardly seems like a productive way to make your point.And above all, it provides a terrible witness of what should be a wonderful example of how Christians of different opinions resolve differences.Frankly, I would be ashamed if a non-Christian told me he read this book.

I would like to shift gears.It would not be fair to Frame to highlight the pervasiveness of his personal attacks without addressing some of the substance of this book.But in doing so, I must make a couple of admissions.First, I approached this book already having read Worship In Spirit In Truth.I found that book to be relatively weak, so I didn't expect much out of this book.Second, though I haven't read the works of the CWM critics, I am somewhat familiar with their arguments and find them to be persuasive.Third, and somewhat related to the second, I am not sympathetic to the use of CWM in organized worship.It's not that I dislike the music or the lyrics (in fact, there are many CWM worship songs that my church uses that I like very much on both grounds); I simply have principled reasons why I think CWM should not be used.That being said, I read this book because I wanted to familiarize myself with the arguments in support of CWM, and I wanted to see if there was and validity to them.My church utilizes CWM, so I wanted to educate myself.

On the whole, I was not impressed with Frame's effort.There is just not enough analysis; instead, this book is filled with conclusory statements.I also think Frame makes logical and analytical mistakes.This review is getting long, so I'm not going to get into examples.Suffice it to say that this book needed to be twice as long (or, as it were, the same length minus the personal attacks on the CWM critics).This is not to say that Frame doesn't make good points.He is right to emphasize that worship music must be intelligible to the worshipers and that this is one of the strengths of CWM (though I don't conceded that traditional hymnody is unintelligible per se).And, as with Worship in Spirit and Truth, I appreciate that Frame attempts to approach this topic with a Reformed perspective, employing the regulative principle and emphasizing sola Scriptura.One thing I really liked about this book is that it puts forth all of the issues and arguments relating to CWM.I think that Frame often misrepresents the nature of the CWM critics' positions, but at least he tries to put those positions forward for analysis.

I am now at the end of writing this review, and I am on the fence: do I give this book one star or two?To be honest, I would give this book two stars (as I did Worship in Spirit and Truth), because there are nuggets of value within.However, I just can't get over the disgraceful way Frame conducted himself in writing this book.To me, this feature of the book overshadows any merit it might have and makes it utterly worthless.There are too many other books on this topic (both for and against the use of CWM) that are not saturated with hypocritical personal judgments to waste time reading this book.If it weren't for the fact that the worship leaders and elders at my church rely heavily on Frame to support the use of CWM, I would have stopped reading this book once Frame personal animus because the apparent thrust of his entire effort (somewhere in chapter three).One star for a misguided project.

Poor Defense
For several years now, I have worked at understanding what the Bible teaches about music in general and worship music specifically. Most of what I have learned has led me to a more conservative and traditional viewpoint. In ordering this book, I was hoping to find that the author would build a biblical case for why so many churches are switching to a more modern music style. Personally, I felt that by using the name "Contemporary Worship Music" the author hindered his argument. Most arguments today center around the genre of Contemporary Christian Music. Contemporary Worship Music is a much more broad concept that includes music from both the CCM genre as well as other styles. By incorporating so many styles, he is making it much more difficult to know what he is defending and rejecting.

Also, the vast majority of the book was spent defending the lyrics of the song. From what I have learned, most people would say that the lyrics are only a minor concern. If they are Christ-honoring lyrics, then use them. The lyrics argument is usually more an argument of preference than real biblical fact. However, the music itself is where things become more divisive. I just felt like he spent too little time discussing the facts and using Scripture to defend the music itself.

This book, I felt, did not lead me in any direction, but just stirred a pot of confusion. In an already difficult discussion, there must be a defining of terms; a drawing of a line; a specific biblical stance taken. Watered down personal opinions only add fuel to the fire--and this fire is already out of control.

A Problem right off the start
I grew up in traditional churches, trained in traditional music, and as a young adult, began to listen to, and enjoy, CCM/Worship music, but, over prayer and careful consideration of what I heard, I turned back to my traditional roots, and away from 'worship' music, in particular. Why?

Well, the very name of the book says why: "Contemporary Worship Music..." If you will study your Bibles a bit, you'll see that worship is never about music-it has nothing to do with music, ever. Worship is prayer, speaking to God, normally seen in the Bible on the face or the knees before the Lord. Sometimes music is associated, but it is always considered 'praise', never 'worship'-these two things are distinct from one another in form and function. So, the entire premise is faulty. Once the foundation is wrong, the rest will eventually fall. I have read the reviews of the theological expertise of frame, but having no understanding of this simple fact makes me question the rest of his defense.

A solid, balanced book
I read this book after reading Dan Lucarini's book on the same topic.I found John Frame's arguments to be excellent.Of course, it always helps that I agreed with him, and have reached the same conclusions.In fact, I knew and used the vast majority of the contemporary songs that he mentioned in his book, before being forced out by a group of rebels who rejected my balanced approach in favor of a louder, edgier, in-your-face music style with less doctrinal content in the lyrics, and with less connection to historical Christianity overall (hymns are old and dead, and you can't worship God while holding a hymnal).

I only wonder if this book is not already outdated.I wish Dr. Frame would write a follow-on volume to this book, since the quality (musical and theological) of contemporary Christian music seems to have declined so precipitously in the past few years, due to an apparent attempt by the industry to expand its crossover appeal (and market share) at the expense of being overtly Christian.I would be very interested to hear his writings on "christian" music of the past five years, and the lifestyle of those who propogate it.

A Unique Perspective
Written as a sequel to his earlier work on Worship in Spirit and Truth, this book focuses upon the new trend of Contemporary Worship Music (CWM), beginning with an all too brief theology of music and then exploring the pros and cons of this style of music.The author brings a unique perspective to the work as he personally favors a more classical style of music while still endorsing the value of this modern trend.

Though Frame is a competent theologian, his experience in the strengths and frailties of CWM go beyond the classroom as he draws from his extensive experience in leading worship in both traditional and contemporary settings.An honest attempt is made to balance both the pros and cons of CWM as each of the arguments for and against this style is presented.In the end, Frame advocates a mixture of both classical, traditional and contemporary music.In this era of intellectual and theological pluralism, it could be argued that his approach is a surrender to the philosophy of the world.But instead, it is seen to be in keeping with the principle stated in 1 Corinthians 14 that worship is to be understandable to the worshipers; that it is to take the form both of their spoken as well as their musical language.

This conclusion of a diversification of musical styles is even more important if a congregation is itself composed of a mixture of various ages and cultural background.Frame speaks out against the popular tactic of dividing congregations into traditional and contemporary, pointing out that both groups need each other.

Because I minister in a very cross-cultural setting, both with respect to age as well as with different national backgrounds, it becomes imperative that I am increasingly sensitive to the cultural translation or worship.My own tendency might be to move further toward Contemporary Worship Music, but I need to be equally sensitive to those who speak the language of traditional hymnology.

On the other hand, Frame reminds the reader regarding Contemporary Praise Music:"These songs are very close to the biblical text, focus on the praise of God, and communicate well with people of our time.It is hard to imagine why any knowledgeable Christian thinker would reject such music.But as we have seen, many do so out of ignorance of the songs and because of broader theological agendas wrongly applied to the CWM songs" (Page 129). ... Read more

Product Description
What’s the best worship style for my ministry? Traditional hymns? Country? Rock? Rap? Discover insights from the bible, missions, psychology, and the entertaining history of our hymns. Go beyond emotional appeals to 'the way we’ve always done it' and 'what the praise team likes.' Josh McDowell: 'A well-documented, biblically based, and culturally relevant insight into the debate on contemporary Christian music. For every mom, dad, and pastor, this book is a must.'College president Robertson McQuilkin: '…addresses a church-splitting and generation-splitting issue with thorough scholarship and irenic spirit. He persuades with a gentle approach that respects opposing viewpoints, and he charts practical ways for local churches to incorporate newer forms of music while maintaining harmony in a music ministry for all.' ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

David Cady (Dalton, GA)
Mr. Miller has created an exceptional work by explaining the development and acceptance of different types of religious music for churches.After reading this book, I am more open minded about the development and use of contemporary Christian music.

A Complete Explanation and Guide to Christian Music

This book is perfect for our times. It is my experience that churches, pastors and congregations are totally confused and uninformed regarding music for their church. Mr. Miller gives a fair and complete explanation of all kinds of music and what it means. The objective view is based on the Bible. I think before we can argue about the "Comtemporary Christian Music Debate" we need to be well informed on every level. Mr. Miller does just that. The book helps to clarify what is true and what we have heard from others. Every Christian needs to be informed on this subject. His research is both fascinating and extensive. This unique treasure of information is a must for anyone searching true answers on Christian Music.

Francine Larson, Co-Author of "Character Keys to a Bright Future."

Biblically Balanced Look at Worship Music
Great Historical Background to a Current Debate
By "Book Heaven" (Georgia)

There is nothing more divisive than the type of music used in churches across the country on Sunday mornings. Yet, do we need to quarrel? Author Steve Miller provides a biblical framework for deciding what type of music will speak to the hearts of people. What other criteria should we use? The best sections of the book deal with the history of church music. Great lessons are here! Can't wait for an updated version to be written by this writer.Comment | Permalink | Why no voting buttons? We don't let customers vote on their own reviews, so the voting buttons appear only when you look at reviews submitted by others.
... Read more

Product Description
Musicians and artists have always shared mutual interests and exchanged theories of art and creativity.This exchange climaxed just after World War II, when a group of New York-based musicians, including John Cage, Morton Feldman, Earle Brown, and David Tudor, formed friendships with a group of painters.The latter group, now known collectively as either the New York School or the Abstract Expressionists, included Jackson Pollock, Willem deKooning, Robert Motherwell, Mark Rothko, Barnett Newman, Clyfford Still, Franz Kline, Phillip Guston, and William Baziotes. The group also included a younger generation of artists-particularly Robert Rauschenberg and Jasper Johns-that stood somewhat apart from the Abstract Expressionists. This group of painters created what is arguably the first significant American movement in the visual arts. Inspired by the artists, the New York School composers accomplished a similar feat. By the beginning of the 1960s, the New York Schools of art and music had assumed a position of leadership in the world of art. For anyone interested in the development of 20th century art, music, and culture, The New York Schools of Music and Art will make for illuminating reading. ... Read more

Product Description
A practical guide to essential knowledge for today's musician. A full course covering everything from the fundamentals of sound and music notation to popular song forms and chord scales for improvisation. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Perfect for Practical Theory
Theory & Harmony for the ContemporaryMusician is a great theory book for musicians who would like to learn practical theory.Instead of focusing on symphonic theory, specific instrumentational theory, tone rows, or the like, Arnie Berle goes over the basics of theory that all musicians can use, whether they play jazz, classical, pop, or 12-tone styles.

The book starts the reader with the basics and fundamentals of musical concepts, and quickly jumps into scales, modes, chords, and progressions.

Highly recommended for anyone who wants to have a better grasp on what is going on "behind the scenes" in music, or even for those who want to get a head start to learning and playing music at a more professional level (ie, great for teens who will study music theory in college).

How could they not include the answers?!
It makes absolutely no sense to not include the answers for this book.There are plenty of other theory books that do,,I would recommend one of those instead (IE, Harmony & Theory by Wyatt & Schroeder).

harmony contemporary.
My friend said: If you have insomnia, just read a harmony book or textbook and you would fall asleep in 10-15 minutes. I did not fall asleep with this book because it gave me helpful explanation about chords and chord progression than other books. May be it is too simple for an advanced student but it is enough for me. With a piano/keyboard in front of you, you would learn Simple, Elementary concepts in harmony with not too much diificulty. I think Arnie Berle wrote a lot of good books.

Great book for my way of thinking
I was familiar with a lot of the stuff at the beginning of the book, but there is definitely mucho here even for the advanced player toward the end. The holy grail of what scales sound good (great) over which chords in different situations is addressed here, and if you play you know that those ideas are as good as gold. For example he suggests C Lydian scale (C scale with an F sharp over a CMaj7; and a C Lydian flat 7 over a C Dom7; and many other useful ideas. Further the book was written in a very readable way. This book was perfect for my stage of development.

Solid Basic Overview of Music Theory
This book is a very well written overview of music theory for any kind of instrument.The answers to the "homework" assignments should have been added to the back of the book, but overall it is concise and thorough presentation. ... Read more

Product Description
The Encyclopedia of Contemporary Christian Music is a comprehensive guide to contemporary Christian artists and to secular artists whose faith has affected their life and work. This definitive reference book for fans, families, libraries, and the music industry contains 1,900 informed and insightful entries on major and minor artists from the '60s to the present day. These essays provide band member lists, complete discographies, lists of awards, artist website addresses, biographies of the artists, and reviews of the work they have produced. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (27)

A commendable effort unfortunately stained by many flaws
I bought this book around the time it came out because I am one of those people that tends to want to know about everything relating to artists I listen to. I found many parts of this book to be informative, but considering that I found a lot of things flat out incorrect, I guess I feel compelled to question a lot of what was presented as fact (for ex: Painted Orange never released ANYTHING on R.E.X). Also, one thing that I found particularly obnoxious was the inclusion of the author's opinions, some of which I agreed with, but many times I did not. But, if you are going to call something an "encyclopedia", then opinions should be scarce, if not nonexistent. That being said....c'mon, anyone who can paint Audio Adrenaline's bland rap workout "We're a Band" in a favorable light and then subsequently refer to "Shiver" and "Grylliade" from The Prayer Chain's Mercury as "boring" is begging to not be taken seriously. I was also annoyed at how he bent over backwards to include a lot of obscure artists who never made any real impact, but then neglected to leave out about half of the Blonde Vinyl catalogue. Anyways, I'm glad someone did this, and it's obvious a lot of work went into it, but this thing needs to be revised. However, as much as I hesitate to admit it, if you are looking to become knowledgeable on the subject of Christian music, this is probably the most comprehensive collection of data available (in one book anyway).

Not what I thought it would be!
I thought it would have more 'internet' pointers/information about the songs also.My wife said she liked it (it was a birthday present for her).
She also says that she will and has used it.She sings at church and is involved with the song selections some times.

Great book
This is a wonderfully informative book. When I recieved it, I just could not put it down. So many interesting facts and information. If you are a Christian music fan, it is a must own book.
I can't wait for an updated version or at least a contunuation to 2009.

This is actually a pretty good book
This book is very well done, and have loved reading it cover to cover. It tells of many groups from A-Z and very acurate and put together very well with much thought and plenty of heart. This is the one book to get for all you christian music enthusist who want to find out about their favorite bands. And the Jesus music era. The only downside to this book is that it dosent mention some artist which I was disappointed in that but very understandable, maybe because powell didnt know them or hear of them yet. Or the bands were created after the book was done either way I hope someday he will reissue this book again with other christian bands

Very Valuable Resource
My experience with CCM dates back to the mid 70s, on the tail end of the Jesus Movement.I attended my first Saturday night concert at Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa and the group was Daniel Amos.They were just releasing their self titled debut album.I was hooked and hungry to find out as much as I could about other artists who were putting out this high quality music.Thank you to Mark Allan Powell for bringing back some great memories as well as for balancing first hand interviews, historical accounts and sound theological analysis.I was not expecting a resource work on a music genre that is not always known for its depth to challenge me, but Powell managed to do so by demonstrating how a number of the artists developed and matured in their understanding of God and themselves.The articles on Marsha Stevens and Sam Phillips in particular describe two CCM pioneers who do not fit into the tidy CCM image, but at the same time deserve prominent places in the history of the genre.A one of a kind resource.I look forward to an update. ... Read more

Product Description
The Music Theory series is designed from the ground-up to explain the terminology and musical structures needed for modern applications. Level One is an introductory course which covers music notation, key signatures, basic scales, intervals, modes, diatonic relationships and 3-and 4-part chords. Level Two is an intermediate-level course covering larger chord forms, "definitive" chords in major and minor keys, substitutions, analysis of key centers in tunes, "upper structure" chords, voiceleading, and pentatonic and blues scale applications. Both levels include reference appendices, a complete glossary of terms, and hundreds of written theory exercises with answers. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (14)

I'll add a voice to the chorus.
If you're trying to teach yourself piano in one or more popular styles, you can't go wrong with anything written by Mark Harrison.

This book is no exception.

I bought this book even though I already own "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Music Theory". Don't get me wrong, it's a good book, but it doesn't compare to Harrison's treatment of the subject matter in this book.

It's the difference between a good presentation and a great presentation.

I've looked at a few treatments of elementary music theory, and although they all cover the same ground more or less, Harrison's book shows the logic behind the suff you have to memorize. That's what separates this book from the others.

For very beginner
It is the first of three volumes but I can say that if they had used a little smaller font sizes, all volumes can be in a mid-size book. And the information in all volumes is just for the very beginner. If you got his The Pop Piano Book so don't get them - just a waste of money. It's bad that in the text the writer is always offering you another book of him, sounds like 'i never teach you anything if you don't buy all of my books'. And after all he's got 6 books but the other 5 except the Pop Piano Book, are useless: Don't let the very big font sizes fool you, all the page have only 15-20 sentences, so with a normal size font it can take only 40-45 pages. Buy just a little book about harmony for beginner and you'll get what you expect from this one.

Good for jazz theory, but not concise - skips music notation
I teach college level music and was experimenting this semester with this text. I was initially drawn to it because I was looking for a little more modern approach as I also strongly gear students toward being able to play by ear as well.I thought that it would be a good reference for my students to have later in its explanation of theory, too.
But I was very disappointed when I got to the section about the Circle of 5ths. It's diagram explains it so that the flats circle clockwise and sharpes circle counter-clockwise. This is backwards to me! I could not teach my students something I felt was unconventional, so I had to avert to a supplemental text.Also, it totally skips introducing music notation (counting rhythm of notes,etc in written music) in the first book entirely!Even though I agree that contemporary and jazz music is best expressed by introducing chord structures,and jazz music is more liberal than what is just written. I just can't personally totally eliminate rhythm altogether and ignore it as if it weren't a foundational element.
Also, overall I found it too wordy to make reference to while explaining the topic during class. Good for individual study but not classroom. IT was not concise enough and on some topics skipped around illogically on explaining it.

Excellent for self-teaching and classroom work
I am using this book to teach music theory with highschool students. The text is very readable, the graphics are very intuitive. His methodology is very helpful for broad understanding. I highly recommend this book for individual learning or classroom support.

Good teaching; poor typesetting
"CMT - Level 1" serves it's purpose wonderfully.It taught me many things clearly where other books failed (such as intervals, and the Circle of Fifths/Fourths).Mr. Harrison is a good teacher, and I would recommend this book to my friends.But I will keep the praises brief seeing as there are many reviews here that do just that for me.

The reason I give this book four stars rather than five is because of the typesetting used.The text is very large, and there is a *lot* of wasted real-estate on each page.If the typesetting had been improved, this book could have been truncated by at least 100 pages, allowing for cheaper production, and finally, a less expensive book for the public.If it's any revelation, I was able to complete this book in only four days, with two-three hours each day(this includes doing half of the exercises).

Also, there is one more complaint.Mr. Harrison is a great teacher, but is not as fortunate in his writing skills.Although this does not take away from the things learned, it is a bit annoying at times.For instance, about every other sentence is terminated with an exclamation mark.There were times I felt like I was reading a chat log from an AOL channel.Also, there are numerous places where paragraphs (and sometimes several pages) were copied and pasted into another area of the book, with a few [music] notes changed here and there.About one-third of the book is a result of copy and pastes from the other two-thirds.

All of that aside, it did exactly what it was meant to do: give me a clear introduction to music theory. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (2)

Contemporary Composers on Contemporary Music
A very nice compilation of essays, speeches, and excerpts.Definitely worth a read if you're interested in composition, later 20th century music, or just music in general.Some essays are insightful, and some are... not, but that's to be expected when you get artists together into one "place."

Comprehensive but not enough; non-selective
This ambitious work attempts a comprehensive view of XX Century music as expressed by the composers. Some chapters are esthetically nauseating (e.g. the chapters concerning a couple of straight-line Soviet composers, and some Western charlatans as well), but the historical value of these texts is undeniable. At last could I read the "scandalous" text by Babbit "Who cares if you listen?" However, it seems that in many cases the Editors just put together what was readily available instead of trying further to obtain what would be desirable to publish. Considering that this reviewed edition was published in 1998 maybe some younger composers with appreciable international projection could have been included (e.g. Rihm, Essl). Some very important composers are missing (Berio, Messiaen, Boulez). ... Read more

Product Description
The universally acclaimed and award-winning Oxford History of Western Music is the eminent musicologist Richard Taruskin's provocative, erudite telling of the story of Western music from its earliest days to the present. Each book in this superlative five-volume set illuminates-through a representative sampling of masterworks-the themes, styles, and currents that give shape and direction to a significant period in the history of Western music. Now in paperback, each of the volumes is being sold separate for the first time.

Music in the Late Twentieth Century is the final installment of the set, covering the years from the end of World War II to the present. In these pages, Taruskin illuminates the great compositions of recent times, offering insightful analyses of works by Aaron Copland, John Cage, Milton Babbitt, Benjamin Britten, Steve Reich, and Philip Glass, among many others. He also looks at the impact of electronic music and computers, the rise of pop music and rock 'n' roll, the advent of postmodernism, and the contemporary music of Laurie Anderson, John Zorn, and John Adams. Laced with brilliant observations, memorable musical analysis, and a panoramic sense of the interactions between history, culture, politics, art, literature, religion, and music, this book will be essential reading for anyone who wishes to understand this rich and diverse period. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Brilliant, extensive, essential.
Taruskin continues to display his comprehensive and astounding knowledge of art music, this time focusing on the late 20th century. Whereas Alex Ross' recent "The Rest is Noise" deals mostly with biographical detritus and speculation, Taruskin interweaves cultural history with a close examination of the music itself. This is a serious book in which Taruskin's well-known prejudices are explained. I imagine this is the difference between a brilliant musicologist and a trendy critic. The sweep and depth of Taruskin's knowledge of music is overwhelming. Damn him for keeping me up two nights in a row and which made me keep thinking even after I had turned of the light. ... Read more

Product Description
A great, easy-to-use collection of just the chords and lyrics to 80 hits from today's top CCM artists. Includes: Abba (Father) * Alive * Awesome God * Don't Look at Me * El Shaddai * Find Us Faithful * Friends * The Great Divide * He Will Carry You * His Strength Is Perfect * I Will Be Here * Just One * Live Out Loud * Love Will Be Our Home * A Maze of Grace * Oh Lord, You're Beautiful * Pray * Run to You * Speechless * Testify to Love * Via Dolorosa * and more. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Great music book
This book is very helpful. I especially like the part about how it shows you what chords you are going to play at the begining of each song, under the title.It includes many popular songs.One down side is the size of the book.It is good for practicing but not for playing with 2 or more people together.(this written by the 11yo boy who uses the book) ... Read more

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A comprehensive look at the lyrics, music, cultures, themes, and styles of rap music. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Pretty good
Arrived pretty fast. Is in a good condition even though I was not expecting that many highlighted pages.

Thorough
Hip Hop is founded on the valorization--rather than villification--of recontextualization, revision, and redaction. In a examplary work of musical and cultural studies scholarship, Rose traces the ways prior black musical/oral traditions, technological advances, and sexism undergird the discourse (just to mention a couple of the lens through which she takes on rap). The work highly accessible to hip hoppers non hip hoppers alike, furthermore. Finally, it is to Rose's benefit that she comes from an "insider's" vantage point, giving the text a genuine concern for where the music comes from, finds itself, and is indefatigably headed towards.

Essential! Rich!
Tricia Rose details the Hip-Hop Culture - and its beauty and depth - in this book I call "essential for Hip-Hoppers". For example: I'm writing 'bout Brazilian hip-hop and "Black Noise" cleared manydoubts I had on hystoric, artistic, and politic aspects of the 'Culture ofStreetz'. Another contribution that elevates this 'Bible of Hip-Hop' is theway Tricia Rose writes. The words flow natural, with many rich informationsreduced in a very agradable text. If you don't like this book, you'll neverunderstand the 'Black Noise' of this new millenium!Peace!

powerful topic: execution?
I read this book as a compulsory action for the 'Poetry of Rap' course in which I am currently enrolled at a major university. As a narrative and dialectic of black culture, or rather a single faction of black culture, this book is powerful and informative, providing analysis of many, manysocial thinkers of the Black Arts and later movements as well as Rose'sperspective(s) on the developments of the culture. However, the executionof this text, ostensibly an academic account, is weakened by a diffusestructure, imprecise diction (beyond that necessitated by dealing with atopic heretofore untreated in academic circles with any rigor) andatrocious editing. I highly recommend the text, but by the same tokenrecommend it with a disclaimer: hear why she says, and not what she says.

Very interesting (but "brilliant"???)
This is an impressive interpretation of Black musical culture, with loads of interesting information and pertinent feminist content. I've read several books with somewhat similar subject matter, from Dick Hebdige'sbroad and helpful survey to the rather pretentious book by Russell Potter;but none of them captured my interest as much as this one. ... Read more

Product Description
Critical Issues in Music Education: Contemporary Theory and Practice examines the rich and challenging complexities of music teaching and learning from a variety of perspectives. With individual expertise in fields including assessment, philosophical foundations, technology, mentoring, critical theory, and musical development, the contributing authors are graduates or faculty at the highly regarded Teachers College of Columbia University. In this text, they link current educational theory to pedagogical inquiry of current educational practice, calling for teachers to critically reflect on such professional activities as lesson planning, curriculum design, repertoire choice, and student evaluation.

Designed for upper-level undergraduate and introductory graduate courses, Critical Issues in Music Education provides beginning music educators with comprehensive grounding in research-based practice. It also gives more experienced teachers new lenses to help them innovate, interpret, and lead in their profession.

FEATURES

* Links theory to teaching practice through a variety of perspectives
* Traces the historical, philosophical, and social underpinnings of current beliefs, theories, and practices
* Suggests reflective tools and professional development strategies for music teachers
* Includes discussion starters, project ideas, and suggested readings at the end of each chapter ... Read more

Product Description
Now you can play along with 11 top Contemporary Christian hits with this pack featuring professional accompaniments on CD. Songs include: Be Exalted, O God * Firm Foundation * First Song That I Sing * Greater Is He * Holy * Million Pieces * My Redeemer Lives * Spoken For * Think About His Love * To Ever Live Without Me * Undeniably You. ... Read more

Product Description
This exciting collection features 32 songs from Disney's most recent movies (from The Little Mermaid to The Emperor's New Groove), arranged in our famous easy-to-play notation. Includes: Be Our Guest * Beauty and the Beast * Can You Feel the Love Tonight * Circle of Life * Colors of the Wind * Friend like Me * Go the Distance * Hakuna Matata * Kiss the Girl * My Funny Friend and Me * Out There * Reflection * Someday * Under the Sea * When She Loved Me * A Whole New World * You'll Be in My Heart * You've Got a Friend in Me * and more! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

a LOT of songs!
A lot of these EZ play books (as fantastic as they are) do not really have that many songs - I think this one has the most out of any of these I've used! It's great for variety and familiar songs that are made really simple for the earliest beginer! Fantastic deal!

Fun book, but not entirely true to the songs
I loved the idea of learning to play disney songs since I'm not great at playing by ear.I wasn't too thrilled with the selection of songs in the book, and the ones I did decide to play did not sound exactly like the actual disney songs.I even found one where I am certain there is an error in the score because it doesn't sound good at all.It is still a fun book, but it didn't quite live up to my expectations.

contemporary disney
This was an okay book, but not quite what I expected. There are a lot of songs from Hannah Montana and the high school musical series not just the Disney movies we love. If you go for the newer Disney teen stuff, you might like it, but that's not why I ordered it so it wasn't what a wanted.

It's great!
This book is great for Beginners that want to play popular music.With names of notes on the notes it makes it easy to play and read.It is fun and encourages kids to play.

Poor song choices
Some of the songs really disappointed me. "Part of Your World," for example, is written as simply as the big-note version. And there is a lot of space wasted for Disneyland resort music...and I doubt many people care to play any of that. But there are some nice things too, like music from the Lion King broadway musical. I just wish that "Contemporary Disney" didn't mean "Disneyland resort + stuff from random sequels like 102 Dalmations that no one cares about." ... Read more

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Product Description
Hearing Film offers the first critical examination of music in the films of the 1980s and 1990s and looks at the burgeoning role of compiled scores in the shaping of a film. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

An Interesting, Well-Written Overview
This book is enjoyable to read.A person who knows nothing about contemporary classical music can read this book and know about the lives and the music of all of classical music's most important composers.It tells about the distinguishing features of the composer's musical work in general and goes in to more depth on several of modern music's most important compositions. I highly recommend this book. ... Read more

Product Description
Writers of commercial music are more in demand than ever before. The rules have changed in the past decade, and the contemporary writer needs a multifaceted skillset in order to succeed in business. This book will help you master the three roles of the new job: writer, producer, and engineer. You will learn to set up a profitable business model for creating commercial music, providing your clients with music that fits their needs and budget, at today's quality standards. Whether your interest is in producing music for jingles, film scores, videogames, corporate presentations, or other commercial areas, this book will reveal how to set up shop, find work, and create music at today's demanding professional standards. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Great book!
This book is great, its an easy read and yet you walk away feeling well-educated upon reading it.Mr. Farquharson doesn't try to sugarcoat anything and tell you its going to be easy, or that if you wait long enough somebody is going to spark your career for you. He offers concrete, accomplish today-type objectives to help the reader get themselves headed in the right direction. I have found the book to be quite inspirational and helpful. I highly recommend it to anybody interested in getting involved in music production.

amazing insight into the buisness.Covers all the Bases!!!!
This book is very well writetn and expresses things other books don't attempt to touch.This book give a great deal of insight into what a producer, engineer and writer does, and how to do it, but it goes above and beyond acting as a guide for how to do these professionally.It dives deep enough into the technical aspect of recording to give you a good idea of the information you would need as a producer or engineer.On the other side, it talks alot of about the buisness of recording and writing.This is what sets the book apart from many others in the category.On top of the information is a great personal tone that Michael puts into the book, you feel the sense that he is in the room telling you these things from his personal experience, which makes all the information easier to capture.i highly recommend this book.

An awesome book at an awesome price!
What sets this book apart form other production or business books is that every topic contains not only a list of important steps but the authors personal approach to the topic.This, in effect, gives the reader the big picture behind the elements, allowing him or her to adapt the specifics of this book to almost any situation.

very useful!!!
This book was such a wonderful resource for me!I have been thinking about wanting to get into writing music for commercials, but really didn't know what it all entailed.This book had so many answers for me as well as ideas that will be helpful to me!This is such a great book for anyone who wants to get into this business! ... Read more

Product Description
13 songs recorded by today's top CCM artists. Songs include: Breath of Heaven (Mary's Song) * Emmanuel * Welcome to Our World * While You Were Sleeping * and more. ... Read more