General Music

Get on the vinyl train and learn about this captivating hobby Vinyl Record Collecting For Dummies teaches you how to start a collection, grow your collection, and make that collection sound excellent. You’ll learn how to shop for new, used, and rare records, and how to select the turntable that’s right for you. Learn how to determine a record’s value, build your collection on a budget, and properly store and maintain your records. This handy Dummies guide also gives you the background knowledge you’ll need to hold your own in conversations with vinyl enthusiasts—all about music genres, the pros and cons of vinyl types, how records are made, and even the history of record collecting itself. Now you can start collecting rare records, new releases, and everything in between. Learn the basics of buying records at record shops, secondhand stores, and online Determine the value of your collection and learn how to recognize great deals Select the turntable and sound system that are right for your needs Explore the history of recorded music and learn why people are going wild for vinyl This is the perfect Dummies guide for anyone who’s ready to get swept up in the excitement of collecting vinyl records, including beginners and seasoned collectors.

Classical Music For Dummies is a friendly, easy-to-understand guide to composers, instruments, orchestras, concerts, recordings, and more. Classical music is widely considered one of the pinnacles of human achievement, and this informative guide will show you just how beautiful and rewarding it can be. You'll learn how Bach is different from Beethoven, how Mozart is different still, and why not all "classical" music is actually Classical, if it's really Baroque or Romantic.

Start your music career off right with this fun guide to the music industry Music Business For Dummies explains the ins and outs of the music industry for artists and business people just starting out. You'll learn how file-sharing, streaming, and iTunes have transformed the industry, and how to navigate your way through the new distribution models to capitalize on your work. It all begins with the right team, and this practical guide explains who you need to have on your side as you begin to grow and get more exposure. Coverage includes rehearsing, performing, recording, publishing, copyrights, royalties, and much more, giving you the information you need to start your career off smart. Music industry success has never been easy to achieve, and recent transformations and disruptions to the business side have made the whole idea even more daunting than before. This guide gives you a roadmap around the landmines, and provides expert advice for starting out on the right foot. Find the right players, agents, and business managers Make more money from your work with smart distribution Build your brand and get people talking about you Get gigs, go on tour, and keep on growing If music is your calling, you need to plan your career in a way that sets you up for success from the very beginning. Put the right people in place, get the most out of your investments, and learn how to work the crowd both virtually and in person. Music Business For Dummies is your companion on your journey to the music career you want.

Get your mojo working as you take a musical trip from the Mississippi Delta to Chicago's gritty South Side and points beyond with Blues For Dummies, an insightful, toe-tappin', music lovers' guide to the blues. Popular blues guitarist Lonnie Brooks serves as your tour guide through the life and times of the blues, from the acoustic mystique of Robert Johnson and Son House to the urban blues men and women of today: John Lee Hooker, Robert Cray, B.B. King, Etta James, Koko Taylor, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and, of course, Brooks himself.Blues For Dummies travels from sad to glad, with stops along the way at heartache and despair, hope and joy, on the road to great music. Get hip to the different styles and eras of the blues; discover what makes the blues so blue; find out "Who's Who" among four generations of blues musicians; and make tracks to the best blues clubs on the planet with this great, easygoing reference.