Instruments of Popular Music
NOTE: Please also see the page Instruments of Jazz for more information about specific instruments.
Music Literature on Popular Music Instruments
Histories, technical guides, and other literature on musical instruments, including those used in popular music, are classified in ML 459 to 1380. See in particular ML 1015.G9 for the guitar, acoustic and electric, and ML 1035 for general works on drums. The recommended books below are sorted by their call numbers for ease of browsing. Hover over the info icon to see a description.
Rock Hardware by
In the 1950s, rock and roll was played on simple instruments with simple audio equipment. But today, rock music can be as technically complex as any Hollywood blockbuster. Rock Hardware uncovers how the instruments and technology of rock have evolved, giving new insight into the mechanics of rock music's most famous moments on stage and in the studio. The book explores the range of instrumental and technical choices, including acoustic guitars, electric guitars, basses, amps, drums and percussion, keyboards, electronic music, brass, woodwinds, live sound systems, and recording technology. An absorbing narrative and 200 striking color photos depict the design intricacies of classic and contemporary landmarks in rock's fascinating instrumental history. Rock Hardware gives today's musician an understanding of how to choose from the vast array of old and new instruments, and how to combine the tools and technology to create their own new milestones in rock history.
Call Number: ML460 .R6 1996Publication Date: 1996
The Hammond Organ: An Introduction to the Instrument and the Players who Made It Famous by
This book includes everything from various models from the original 1935 Model A tube/tone wheel organs, to the solid-state (transistor) era, to the current digital age, with production dates and photos for each. The book also provides a complete history of the Hammond tone cabinets, as well as the famous Leslie speaker, from the first models through the present, with photos and technical data for each. Scott Faragher's account of the demise of the original company, its limbo, and its rebirth is supplemented by many observations from former and current employees of both the original and the new companies. Also included is a comprehensive buyers' guide telling where to find and buy a vintage organ, what to look for, which models to avoid, and what to pay, as well as important technical tips. More than 200 artists in all fields who recorded using the Hammond organ are profiled, with pertinent discographies and photos. Among the many world-famous organists who have contributed to this book through interviews and observations are James Brown, Brian Auger, Goldy McJohn (Steppenwolf), Jimmy Greenspoon (Three Dog Night), Richard "Groove" Holmes, Joey DeFrancesco, Steve Winwood (Spencer Davis Group, Traffic), Gregg Rolie (Santana), Rev. Charles Hodges (Al Green), Lenny Dee, Rod Argent (The Zombies, Argent) Greg Hatza, Hank Marr, Gene Ludwig, Melvin Rhyne (The Wes Montgomery Trio), Al Kooper (Blues Project, Blood, Sweat & Tears, Bob Dylan), Carlton Lattimore (Joey Dee and the Starliters).
Call Number: ML597 .F19 2011Publication Date: 2011
Down the Rhodes: The Fender Rhodes Story: Based on a Film Documenting the Fender Rhodes Electric Piano by
The Fender Rhodes Story is a historical tribute to the electric piano that changed the sound of music. Invented by Harold Rhodes as a rehabilitation tool for soldiers in World War II, the Fender Rhodes piano both revolutionized and empowered musicians to explore a new, electric frontier of music. Through interviews with a remarkable cast of music notables, the book takes an insider's look into how this electric piano played and continues to play an integral role in the creation of a wealth of music, from the 1960s through today. The collection of interviews with Michael Bearden, George Benson, Stanley Clarke, Chick Corea, D'Angelo, Eumir Deodato, George Duke, Larry Dunn, Donald Fagen, Ronnie Foster, Rodney Franklin, Robert Glasper, Jay Graydon, Dave Grusin, Don Grusin, Onaje Allan Gumbs, Ellis Hall, Herbie Hancock, Lalah Hathaway, Rami Jaffee, Bob James, Quincy Jones, Ramsey Lewis, Jeff Lorber, Robin Lumley, Ray Manzarek, Les McCann, Marcus Miller, Steve Molitz, John Novello, David Paich, Jerry Peters, Greg Phillinganes, James Poyser, Patrice Rushen, Joe Sample, Lenny White, Maurice White, Vince Wilburn Jr., Allee Willis, the CBS musical instruments staff, and others provides for a rare glimpse at the music history behind some of the most memorable music of our time.
Call Number: ML697 .M33 2013Publication Date: 2013
Jazz Piano: A Jazz History by
Traces the development of jazz piano from its African roots to the present and examines the musical styles of jazz pianists, including Fats Waller, Duke Ellington, and Herbie Hancock
Call Number: ML700 .T38 1983Publication Date: 1983
Hotter Than That: The Trumpet, Jazz, and American Culture by
A swinging cultural history of the instrument that in many ways defined a century. The twentieth century was barely under way when the grandson of a slave picked up a trumpet and transformed American culture. Before that moment, the trumpet had been a regimental staple in marching bands, a ceremonial accessory for royalty, and an occasional diva at the symphony. Because it could make more noise than just about anything, the trumpet had been much more declarative than musical for most of its history. Around 1900, however, Buddy Bolden made the trumpet declare in brand-new ways. He may even have invented jazz, or something very much like it. And as an African American, he found a vital new way to assert himself as a man. Hotter Than That is a cultural history of the trumpet from its origins in ancient Egypt to its role in royal courts and on battlefields, and ultimately to its stunning appropriation by great jazz artists such as Louis Armstrong, Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, and Wynton Marsalis. The book also looks at how trumpets have been manufactured over the centuries and at the price that artists have paid for devoting their bodies and souls to this most demanding of instruments. In the course of tracing the trumpet's evolution both as an instrument and as the primary vehicle for jazz in America, Krin Gabbard also meditates on its importance for black male sexuality and its continuing reappropriation by white culture.
Call Number: ML960 .G33 2008Publication Date: 2008
The Saxophone by
In the first fully comprehensive study of one of the world’s most iconic musical instruments, Stephen Cottrell examines the saxophone’s various social, historical, and cultural trajectories, and illustrates how and why this instrument, with its idiosyncratic shape and sound, became important for so many different music-makers around the world. After considering what led inventor Adolphe Sax to develop this new musical wind instrument, Cottrell explores changes in saxophone design since the 1840s before examining the instrument's role in a variety of contexts: in the military bands that contributed so much to the saxophone's global dissemination during the nineteenth century; as part of the rapid expansion of American popular music around the turn of the twentieth century; in classical and contemporary art music; in world and popular music; and, of course, in jazz, a musical style with which the saxophone has become closely identified.
Call Number: ML975 .C67 2012Publication Date: 2012
Classic Electrics: A Visual History of Great Guitars by
From the Award-Winning Team that produced the best-selling Ultimate Guitar Book comes this comprehensive pictorial history of the genuine classics to have emerged during the first 70 years of the electric guitar. Classic Electrics illustrates the full story of the electric guitar - from the hollow bodies so beloved of jazz and blues players in the 1940s and 50s, through to the iconic shapes of the solid bodies that rewrote the history of rock 'n' roll in the 1960s and 70s and helped create a modern cultural phenomenon. The book's A-to-Z format details more than 350 models from over 70 manufacturers, illustrated throughout by an unrivaled collection of studio-quality color photographs that showcases the brilliance, versatility, and sometimes downright eccentricity of electric guitar designers from around the world. This is a book that every guitar player or enthusiast should have on their bookshelves to be referred to again and again.
Call Number: ML1015.G9 C327 2008Publication Date: 2008
Play It Loud: An Epic History of the Style, Sound, and Revolution of the Electric Guitar by
The inspiration for the Play It Loud exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. For generations the electric guitar has been an international symbol of freedom, danger, rebellion, and hedonism. In Play It Loud, veteran music journalists Brad Tolinski and Alan di Perna bring the history of this iconic instrument to roaring life. It's a story of inventors and iconoclasts, of scam artists, prodigies, and mythologizers as varied and original as the instruments they spawned. Play It Loud uses twelve landmark guitars--each of them artistic milestones in their own right--to illustrate the conflict and passion the instruments have inspired. It introduces Leo Fender, a man who couldn't play a note but whose innovations helped transform the guitar into the explosive sound machine it is today. Some of the most significant social movements of the twentieth century are indebted to the guitar: It was an essential element in the fight for racial equality in the entertainment industry; a mirror to the rise of the teenager as social force; a linchpin of punk's sound and ethos. And today the guitar has come full circle, with contemporary titans such as Jack White of The White Stripes, Annie Clark (aka St. Vincent), and Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys bringing some of the earliest electric guitar forms back to the limelight. Featuring interviews with Les Paul, Keith Richards, Carlos Santana, Eddie Van Halen, Steve Vai, and dozens more players and creators, Play It Loud is the story of how a band of innovators transformed an idea into a revolution.
Call Number: ML1015.G9 T66 2016Publication Date: 2016
The Drum: A History by
In The Drum: A History, drummer, instructor, and blogger Matt Dean details the earliest evidence of the drum from all regions of the world, looking at cave paintings, statues, temple reliefs, burial remains, even existing relics of actual drums that have survived for thousands of years. Highlighting the different uses and customs associated with drumming, Dean examines how the drum developed across many cultures and over thousands of years before it became the instrument we know today. A celebration of this remarkable instrument, The Drum explores how war, politics, trade routes, and religion influenced the instrument's development. Bringing its history to the present, Dean considers the modern cultural and commercial face of the drum, detailing its role in military settings and the creation of the modern drum kit, as well as the continuing evolution of the drum, manufacturers, and the increased dependence on electronic drums, sampling machines* and drum recorders. Finally, drum fans will have at their fingertips the biographies of great drummers and major drumming achievements in the history of performance. The Drum: A History will appeal to every drummer, regardless of genre or style, as well as readers with a general interest in the evolution of this universal instrument.
Call Number: ML1035 .D43 2012Publication Date: 2012
Manuals on Popular Music Instruments and Styles
Manuals for learning, playing, and practicing musical instruments are classified in MT 170 to 810, "Instrumental techniques." Additional resources on building jazz technique can be found at the Manuals and Tutorials page of the Jazz Research Guide. The recommended books below are sorted by their call numbers for ease of browsing. Hover over the info icon to see a description.
Contemporary Jazz Piano: The Complete Guide with CD! by
This comprehensive book with online audio will teach you the basic skills needed to play the variety of styles that comprise contemporary jazz piano. From comping to soloing, you'll learn the theory, tools, and techniques used by the pros. The accompanying audio demonstrates most of the music examples in the book. The full-band tracks feature the rhythm section on the left channel and the piano on the right channel, so you can play along with the band! The audio is accessed online using the unique code inside each book and can be streamed or downloaded. The audio files include PLAYBACK+, a multi-functional audio player that allows you to slow down audio without changing pitch, set loop points, change keys, and pan left or right.
Call Number: MT239.H37 C6 2010Publication Date: 2010
The Art of Jazz Trumpet by
A comprehensive study of modern jazz trumpet playing by renowned jazz musician John McNeil. Contains a personal history of jazz trumpet, articulation, valve technique, and alternate fingerings. This complete edition combines and updates the earlier works and includes a CD as a practice aid.
Call Number: MT442.M36 A7 1993 V.1-2Publication Date: 1993
The Saxophone Handbook: A Complete Guide to Tone, Technique, Performance, and Maintenance by
A complete guide to playing and maintenance, this handbook offers essential information on all dimensions of the saxophone. It provides an overview of technique, such as breathing, fingerings, articulations, and more. Exercises will help you develop your sense of timing, facility, and sound. Extensive directions on repairs will help you maintain your instrument and customize it to support your own playing style and preferences. You'll learn to fine-tune your reed, recork the keys, fix binding keys, replace pads, and many other repairs and adjustments. You'll also learn to improve your tone, intonation, and flexibility while playing with proper technique.
Call Number: MT500 .S628 2013 (Music Collection Oversize)Publication Date: 2013
Hal Leonard Banjo Method, Book 1 by
Authored by Mac Robertson, Robbie Clement, and Will Schmid, this innovative method teaches 5-string, bluegrass style banjo. Covers easy chord strums for the beginner; learning tablature; right-hand rolls characteristic of bluegrass; techniques such as hammer-on, slide and pull-off.
Call Number: MT562.R63 H31 1980Publication Date: 1980
The Jazz Guitar Handbook by
The Jazz Guitar Handbook is a step-by-step guide to jazz guitar playing. It takes you from the basics through to advanced harmony and soloing concepts, and teaches you the music theory a jazz guitarist needs to know. Along the way it covers a wide range of styles, including jazzy blues, swing, bebop, modal, jazz-funk, Gypsy, and more. The handbook features over 120 exercises in notation and tab and includes a 96-track CD of examples, play-alongs, and backing tracks. It also presents the history of the jazz guitar and its great players. Easy to use and useful for players at various levels, this volume is a must-have reference for players looking to expand their jazz skillset.
Call Number: MT580.F64 J39 2013Publication Date: 2013
Secrets of Shred Guitar by
This book/CD teaches beginning to advanced guitarists the secrets of shred. It covers: sweep, alternate and tremolo picking; string skipping; multi-finger tapping; legato, trills and more. The techniques are broken down into 48 exercises and etudes progressing in difficulty, and the CD has examples of each, at regular and slow tempos.
Call Number: MT585.C45 S4 2007Publication Date: 2007
Play Great Rock Guitar: Jam, Shred, and Riff in 10 Foolproof Lessons by
GET READY TO ROCK! In ten easy lessons, PLAY GREAT ROCK GUITAR will take you from closeted air guitarist to real-life rocker. Each lesson is linked to audio files on the included CD, so you can hear exactly what you're learning. Play along with the CD to get just what those chords, riffs, and melodies are supposed to sound like. Soon you'll be playing your favorite songs along with your favorite bands--or in your own rock band! Including the basics of harmony and melody, riffs and solos, and the fundamentals of blues, rock 'n roll, classic rock, heavy metal, rhythm guitar, and alternative, PLAY GREAT ROCK GUITAR is for anyone who's ever dreamed of playing popular music's most supremely cool instrument--or who's caught the "Guitar Hero" bug. With the helpful CD, clear illustrations, and examples from the rock gods you worship, PLAY GREAT ROCK GUITAR creates the world's next master shredder--you!
Call Number: MT599.E4 C35 2010Publication Date: 2010
Absolute Beginners: Ukulele by
Step-by-step pictures take you from first-day exercises to playing along with a backing track! Absolute Beginners has been designed to tell you everything you need to know from the very first time you play your ukulele. In one great book you get: a look-and-learn course that uses clear pictures instead of long explanations; practical advice and tips covering everything you need to know to get you playing, fast!; audio tracks to show you how things should sound, plus full-length accompaniment tracks to play along with!; and more. It's simply everything you need! An owner's manual approach to your ukulele that makes learning easier than ever before!
Call Number: MT645.8.S67 A2 2010Publication Date: 2010
Rock Drumming Workbook: A Guide to Improving Your Rock Grooves, Fills, and Phrases by
Seasoned drummer, composer, and educator Ed Roscetti gives you the nuts and bolts in a variety of rock drumming styles in this book/CD pack. Topics covered include: bass and drum connection * hard rock and grunge * double bass drum technique * funk rock and alternative * grooves, fill ideas and ensemble figure phrases * reggae and ska rock * straight and shuffle rock * and more. This interactive workbook and play-along CD package is a great learning and teaching tool for students, teachers or professionals who want to get their rock time feel together.
Call Number: MT662.3.R67 R6 2005Publication Date: 2005
Drumset Beats and Fills: For Today's Progressive Music by
In this book/CD pack, Jim Ryan presents over 500 beats and fills that can be used and adapted for all styles of music. Specialized areas include odd meter, fusion, funk, shuffle, and swing rhythms. The accompanying CD demonstrates several examples from each area.
Call Number: MT662.3 .R93 2008Publication Date: 2008
Interlibrary Loan
Users are encouraged to search for items beyond University Libraries' catalog via RILM Abstracts of Music Literature and WorldCat. Materials not available in print or online may be requested through Interlibrary Loan. Please allow up to seven days for electronic delivery and up to fourteen days for delivery of physical items.