BUY THIS BOOK
I started 7th grade at a new school. It was an alien environment. Like any 13-year-old, I was uncomfortable in every way and every situation. Westlane Jr. High School had its own little store that sold pencils, paper, and had an entire wall of paperback books. This is where I took solace.
From a very early age I became an avid reader. Much of my childhood was spent at the public library reading and taking books home to devour and return for more. Now on this small wall of paperbacks, for a quarter, I could own my very own book. As I was working and earning some money, I decided to start my very own library. I built a collection of paperback editions of H.G. Wells, Rudyard Kipling, Arthur Conan Doyle, and Jules Verne on a small bookshelf in my bedroom. I discovered and purchased books about the US Civil War and biographies of famous historical figures and books of poetry and mystery.
Eventually I moved on from that small, sequestered school bookstore to large local bookstores where, as kid always of diminutive stature, I used a step stool to browse shelves above my sightline. I realized early on that used bookstores offered better prices and an eclectic selection from which to choose. Plus, they had a ladder to reach the upper shelves which made browsing more fun and adventurous. It was also where I found a small worn red book called Dictionary of Musical Terms by Theo. Baker, PhD., which I still own today. As a budding musician I decided it was something I needed and bought without hesitation. I took it home and read it cover to cover barely comprehending much of it, especially all these musical terms from so many different languages. It was not until much later through the process of musical study and practice that it began to make practical sense.
Purchasing that book, buying records, and playing in school orchestras and bands gave me an insatiable desire to own more books about music, musical history, famous musicians, and sheet music. It is when I moved out on my own and had to box up and move hundreds and hundreds of books did I realize I should be more discerning in my purchases. Also, by then I was amassing a large selection of sheet music. Despite my serious desire to limit my spending on books and music, like an addict needing a fix, I could not really quit.
Fast forward to today. We are a long way from hard copy books and the piles of pages of handwritten music I have from Boris Matueswitch and various hand-written Xeroxed copies of Fake Books. Now I electronically download and store thousands of pages of music and books (though I still like the tactile feel of reclining and reading a book in my hand). My tablet contains apps that allow me to create and edit chord charts and lead sheets. Apps that allow me to arrange for the EC and multiple instruments if needed and then with a click of button change the key signature. All my Fake Books and Music Compilations are online in the cloud for quick and easy access.
When my wife and I retired a couple years ago, we sold our home and downsized. We decided to donate much of our collection of more than a couple thousand books while keeping several hundred we could not part with. I am more discerning when I purchase a book to read if it is not available at the library. Every so often a book comes along that I think is important enough to own in a hard copy, especially so I can underline and comment on passages I believe important. One such book is by my good friend and excellent musician, Judy Minot.
The book is called Best Practice: Inspiration and Ideas for Traditional Musicians. It is an important book for all musicians. It is insightful and well organized. Judy offers ideas for learning and practice and for being inspired to do so. Her section on Being a Beginner especially resonated with me. This is a book written with personal knowledge and experience of the musicians’ emotion, temperament, and point of view. Judy hits the mark in every concept she presents and offers guidance and moments of brilliance to the specific individual needs of all musicians. To quote her from her book,
“As adult musicians we may not expect to become famous and take the world by storm. At the same time we have a right to want to improve and to take ourselves seriously as musicians. This book was written to address that desire.”
Buy This Book. You will be thankful you did.
The link to order the book in the US is below. If you live outside the U.S., you should look in your local amazon “marketplace” i.e. amazon.it or amazon.co.uk.
