This book provides a handy study, practice and resource guide for all musicians who are seeking to improve their music-making abilities. Though written by a drummer, the text exercises and etudes in this book are not for drummers only! And while a good number of the exercises can be sung or played on any instrument, the reader is encouraged to tap these rhythms out: playing" your thighs with your hands, for example, will work just fine. The examples can be performed solo or in a small group. Includes: -Training for all musicians -Specific exercises for jazz phrasing, pop/funk and classical music -Solo and duet exercises, playable on any instrument -Rhythm etudes with 1 - 4 parts for solo and ensemble practice -A recording with 19 tracks of listening and reference materials"

Suggests techniques for overcoming self-consciousness and improving musical performances, shares a variety of exercises, and includes advice on improving one's listening skills.

In The Mindful Musician: Mental Skills for Peak Performance, author Vanessa Cornett offers guidelines to help musicians cultivate artistic vision, objectivity, freedom, quiet awareness, and self-compassion, both on- and offstage in order to become more resilient performers. Contrary to modern culture's embrace of busyness and divided attention, Cornett's contemplative techniques provide greater space for artistic self-expression and satisfaction. With the aid of a companion website that includes audio files and downloadable templates, The Mindful Musician provides a method to promote attentional focus, self-assessment, emotional awareness, and creativity. The first of its kind to combine mindfulness practices with research in cognitive and sport psychology, this book helps musicians explore the roots of anxiety and other challenges related to performance, all through the deliberate focus of awareness.

The Musician's Journey escorts musicians, performing artists, music teachers, and advanced music students along the road toward a successful career, offering a vast array of resources to guide them from envisioning the process to achieving the practical details. Jill Timmons provides key tools throughout the journey, from sources as diverse as the world of myth to current brain research, which illuminate compelling real-world examples of music entrepreneurs who forged their own paths to success. Included are chapters on careers in higher education; guidance in how to develop a business plan; general tips on grant writing and financial development; a separate section exploring the stories of other successful musicians; and personal narrative taken from the author's work as a professional musician and consultant. The book includes an extensive bibliography of additional resources, and the companion website offers downloadable worksheets and questionnaires to help readers along their way.

Rhythm changes us. Literally. In A Matter of Time: the science of rhythm and the groove, Lamb looks at those physiological changes and defines rhythm by its effect on us. But he doesn't stop there, he compares the body's physiological changes with what top musicians say about rhythm and finds striking similarities. This approach suggests a simple theory of how rhythm works and explains, for example, words like swing and groove are commonly used to describe music. "When I read this book it was like having a grand unification of all of the moving parts. Everything fell into place... For me personally this book is one of the few that have made a profound difference in my awareness of and how I approach music." - Mike Tarrani, Amazon Top 50 Reviewer

In The Musician's Way, veteran performer and educator Gerald Klickstein combines the latest research with his 30 years of professional experience to provide aspiring musicians with a roadmap to artistic excellence. Part I, Artful Practice, describes strategies to interpret and memorize compositions, fuel motivation, collaborate, and more. Part II, Fearless Performance, lifts the lid on the hidden causes of nervousness and shows how musicians can become confident performers. Part III, Lifelong Creativity, surveys tactics to prevent music-related injuries and equips musicians to tap their own innate creativity. Written in a conversational style, The Musician's Way presents an inclusive system for all instrumentalists and vocalists to advance their musical abilities and succeed as performing artists.

Many music books are designed to help better understand written music and theory, but "Primacy of the Ear" focuses on the development of the ear."Primacy" outlines pianist and MacArthur Fellow Ran Blake's approach to growing the ear and explains how musical memory is the key to becoming a more potent musician and shaping a personal musical style.Included are the legendary "ear-robics" exercises, developed by Ran over the course of 30 years as head of the Contemporary Improvisation Department at New England Conservatory of Music.Also covered: The Auteur Theory and how it translates into music making, developing and differentiating between the conscious and subconscious mind, listening and musical memory, how to learn from your musical heroes without being consumed by them, developing and using repertoire, and how to record your music most effectively.Primacy of the Ear is Ran Blake's genius distilled--his teaching and musical philosophy in one volume. Co-written by Jason Rogers.

Open up new avenues of expression through a pain-free, healthy, fluid approach to music-making; Overcome performance anxiety, general tension,and muscular injury; Increase your learning skills and facilitate more effective motor coordination. The New England Journal of Medicine cites that 50% of all professional musicians suffer from varying levels of muscular injury.

Essential Drum Fills is a collection of fills that Peter Erskine has enjoyed hearing and /or playing over the years. The book includes over 500 drum fills in a variety of styles and ensembles, as well as multiple examples, transcriptions and drum charts. Comes with online audio demonstrations and play-alongs. Music PDF files are also included.

My story -- Why do we play? -- Beyond limited goals -- Fear, the mind and the ego -- Fear-based practicing -- Teaching dysfunctions: fear-based teaching -- Hearing dysfunctions: fear-based listening -- Fear-based composing -- "The space"--"There are no wrong notes" -- Meditation #1 -- Effortless mastery -- Meditation #2 -- Affirmations -- The steps to change -- Step one -- Step two -- Step three -- Step four -- An afterthought -- I am great, I am a master -- Stretching the form -- The spiritual (reprise) -- One final meditation.