Easy-to-Use – serie

Teach yourself the essential piano chords plus many more! Organized as a chord per spread, for the left and right hands, this is a handy, comprehensive reference for jazz, pop, rock and soul musicians playing the piano or keyboard at any level. This no-nonsense, easy to carry, wiro book will fit on a stand and into a music bag or hand bag with the minimum of fuss.Revised and updated version, replaces ISBN-13 9781844517152

360 chords, organised as a chord per page, this is a flexible, comprehensive solution for anyone learning or playing the guitar at any level. This no-nonsense, easy to carry, wiro book will fit into a gig bag, flight case or hand bag with the minimum of fuss.Revised and updated version, replaces ISBN-13 9781844513925

"Scales & Modes" is a fantastic guide for musicians of all genres and players of all instruments. Along with chords, scales and modes are the building blocks of music and are very important to know, particularly for composition and improvisation. Featuring 31 of the most commonly used scales and modes in each of the 12 keys, this book is great for those who wish to improve their playing technique and for those looking to write and arrange their own melodies. Created by musicians for musicians, with helpful pictures, clear accessible text and a practical ringbound format, it is an ideal resource for musicians of all abilities.

A handy guide for both guitar and piano players, this book places the most popular chords in context. The simple and clean layout provides clear diagrams and practical advice on chord progressions, with concise information on what chords are, how they can be used, and what they can be used alongside. In its compact spiral-bound format this is an essential companion for both beginners and more experienced players looking for extra ideas.

No band would be complete without a bass element giving depth and unity. "How to Play Bass Guitar" contains everything the new or intermediate bass player needs to perfect their playing of this vital instrument. Highly practical, the book leads you from the basics of how to hold, fret, pluck and play scales through to playing chord-framing patterns and muted percussive rhythms - understanding how the bass underpins the harmonies of a band. The clear text is accompanied by illustrative photos and diagrams, and the guide is complemented by a chord finder, scales and modes finder, a glossary and further reading.

"How to Play Guitar" contains everything the new or intermediate guitar player needs to know to really get to grips with making music on this most popular of instruments. Highly practical, it leads you from the basics of how to strum, pick and play simple chords, through the various elements of playing rhythm and melodies, to more complicated chords and tunings. It includes further techniques from slurs to harmonics, and a section on performing. The clear text is accompanied by illustrative photos and diagrams, and the guide is complemented by a useful chord finder, examples of scales and modes, a glossary and further reading.

This is the ideal guide for those who wish to get to grips with music to a greater depth, to learn to play faster, more complicated scores, to compose and arrange music – the possibilities are endless. This guide provides everything you need to know, explaining pitch, the treble clef, the bass clef, rhythm, accidentals, key signatures, scales and chords, along with a compendium of additional information. Then practise what you have learnt with the ‘Play Along’ sections containing simple, well-known examples of music, from ‘Scarborough Fair’ to ‘Jerusalem’. With helpful diagrams, clear accessible text and a practical ringbound format.

"Chords for Kids" is a handy resource for children and early learners of guitar and keyboard. Chords are one of the most important ways that children can learn about music. They provide a fast route into playing with others and encourage a feeling for structure and composition. The simple and clean layout provides chord diagrams on each spread, for both guitar and keyboard, allowing a parent or teacher to explain easily. Using a simple tab-per-key approach, it covers all of the basic chords in each key, including majors, minors, triads, fourths, sixths, sevenths and ninths. Some variations are included at the back for further exploration.

No band would be complete without some kick-ass electric guitar. "How to Play Electric Guitar" contains everything the new or intermediate electric player needs to perfect their playing of this vital instrument. More than a simple how-to-play guitar book, this great new addition to a best-selling series also shows you how to use effects, how to adapt to stage and rehearsal amps, how to record the electric guitar at home on your computer and how to cope with cables, feedback and dodgy microphones while playing live on stage. The clear text is accompanied by illustrative photos and diagrams, and is complemented by some how-to-play basics, selected scales and modes and useful barre and power chords.

Finding the right rhyme can be excruciating, songwriters too often choosing ridiculous words in desperation. This is an invaluable resource for any budding songwriter or even an experienced lyricist with writer's block. Featuring tips on songwriting, the book focuses on the types of rhyme and assonance (end rhymes, last syllable rhymes, double rhymes, beginning rhymes, first syllable rhymes) for a range of popular styles. Arranged phonetically and drawn from a variety of musical 'dialects', from rock and pop to folk and hip-hop, this is the quick and simple guide you need.

The perfect companion to the 'Guitar Chords' book, 'Advanced Guitar Chords' is a handy resource for guitarists who feel they are able to take the next step. The simple and clean layout provides 360 chords shown as chord boxes, covering chords that are played further up the neck and in 3rd position, along with more extensive provision of augmented and diminished chords. Ideal for playing genres such as jazz, this no-nonsense, easy-to-carry, spiral-bound book will fit into a gig bag, flight case or handbag with the minimum of fuss and will help musicians become more complete guitarists.

The perfect companion to "Chords for Kids" and "My First Recorder Music", this is the ideal guide for those who may enjoy playing instruments, but have not yet mastered how to read music from the page. It is ideal for any age, but especially for children between 8 and 10 years old. This guide provides the essentials you need to know, explaining pitch, the treble clef, the bass clef, rhythm, accidentals, key signatures and time signatures. You can then practise what you have learnt with the 'Play Along' sections containing simple, well-known examples of music. It comes with helpful diagrams, clear accessible text and a practical spiral-bound format.

"How to Play Piano" contains everything the new or intermediate piano player needs to know to really get to grips with making music on this most popular of instruments. Highly practical, it leads you from the basics to more complex techniques, covering playing with the left hand, right hand and both together, along with a basic introduction to reading music. The clear text is accompanied by illustrative photos and diagrams, and the guide is complemented by some classic practice pieces to try your hand(s) at, such as "Für Elise" and "Pachelbel's Canon", as well as a glossary and further reading.