I picked
this book up not too long ago by Randy Halberstadt from Sher Publications (by far my favorite publisher for this genre) and I have to say it is one of the best books I've ever read about music.
This guy is a piano player in Seattle. There are plenty of exercises and patterns and there's lots of advice here for you to practice and work on but the way he breaks things down and communicates ideas is priceless.
I've been taking lessons, playing jazz and studying with different teachers and jazz musicians for years now. This author really nailed a few issues on the head that I have struggled with FOREVER. For instance: why practice all of these patterns and etudes? Should I focus on scales or chord tones? Isn't transcribing and learning licks the best way for me to improve?
I mean it's amazing how hung up I got on these issues and found myself not motivated to practice or not know what to focus on. This guy has really cleared some things up for me! He shares a lot of stories and is interesting, it's more like getting a lesson in person and hearing from the teacher how or why they came across this idea rather than just reading notes off of a page.
This is one of those books I see myself referring to often and for some time to come. I ordered it on my Kindle because I was on my way out the door but I'll probably pick up a spiral bound version as well because I find it easier to go back to the real thing for reference.
Anyways, I checked this book out on a whim (was looking for something to get me back to piano voicings and fingerings) and am really glad I did. I mean it, it's gotta be the best book on music I've picked up in years.
If any of you guys are facing plateaus or ruts in your playing or find yourself feeling unmotivated at times, this book will not only give you some great ideas to re-vamp your practice but also motivate you as a musician to keep putting the work in and keep your love for music!
