• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

"The Jazz Theory Book," by Mark Levine: $60. Realizing just how little I know...

A

Aaron Saunders

Apr 27, 2002
7,384
21
Ontario
#1
is probably just about the best thing that ever happened to me! I cracked it open at the store and looked at the chapter names, and thought I had the first four or five down cold and could fake my way through the first 12 if I needed to.

Boy was I wrong.

I was golden for the first chapter -- basic theory. Major scale, modes, basic chords. Then...bam. It's so much information! I mean, jeezums jippity crow. And it's FILLED with examples! Seriously guys, this is a GREAT book. I'd reccomend getting your grade 2 rudiments and some basic chord theory/harmony stuff before getting into this one (I don't think I would've been ready for this book if I hadn't) but it's seriously a wealth of information. It's into modal jazz and reharmonization by the third chapter!


PS: The shop marked it up a bunch, and I don't even care. GREAT book.
 
#5
jeff schmidt said:
I only paid 40 for my copy last year. In fact - isn't the $40 price printed right on the cover?
Click to expand...
Yep. They blacked it out with a sharpie. I didn't notice until I was at lunch just over an hour later. At my next lesson (monday, my one this week was cancelled) I'm going to ask them exactly what they thought they were doing.
 
#8
40USD = 49.6792CAD

Also, note that I paid sixty for it. My mom tossed in ten bucks herself :P. So in total, the cost was actually $70CAD. Even after adding taxes to $49.68CAD, it should've only cost $57CAD. Instead they tacked on another $10. I mean, I personally paid only a couple bucks more than cover price, but that's still seriously uncool that they would mark it up that much.

Also keep in mind that I get a 5% discount on books there. Any non-student of the store would have to spend another 5%. Not much, but...still, uncool.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back