Everything You Should Know About Musical Instruments but Don't Have Time to Learn [Paperback]

Michael J. Pagliaro (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1992 | ISBN-10: 0945864493 | ISBN-13: 978-0945864493

A must read handbook for anyone interested in how musical instruments work. Through a series of reader-friendly presentations and graphics, the author simplifies the understanding of the design, construction and acoustical systems of the woodwind, brass and non-fretted string instrument families. Over 100 illustrations and numerous appendices give the reader the freedom to find information easily and quickly in this soft cover, 134 page book. The format makes it easy to read from cover to cover, or, to find one fact relevant to a particular instrument. All chapters are short and to the point, new terms are italicized, and diagrams of the instrument parts under discussion are presented when applicable, simplifying the reader search for information.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Dr. Michael J. Pagliaro has been involved in the field of music for half a century. He holds the degrees of Bachelor of Science in Music, Master of Arts in Music Education, Doctor of Philosophy in Musical Instrument Manufacturing, and Doctor of Science in Musical Instrument Technology. In addition, he is certified by the New York State Department of Education as a Teacher of Music(grades K-12), a Supervisor of Secondary Education, and a Secondary School Principal, and by the New York City Board of Education as a Teacher of Orchestral Music.

Dr. Pagliaro began his career as a performer and band master in the New York State National Guard. He then proceeded to teach instrumental music and to chair a department of music at the secondary-school level. Concluding his activities in music education as a college professor of music education and musical instrument technology, he entered the music industry. There he founded the Ardsley Musical Instrument Service, Ltd., a school music service of which he is now president. He is also director of research and development for Contemporary Music Products Laboratories. He has received several U.S. patents for inventions of musical instrument products which are now sold worldwide.

Besides being a conductor, educator, entrepreneur, and inventor, Dr. Pagliaro has also written more than a dozen articles dealing with musical instrument technology, education, industry, performance, and the music world.

Product Details

• Paperback: 134 pages
• Publisher: Ardsley Musical Instrument Ser (September 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0945864493
• ISBN-13: 978-0945864493
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,980,852 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A concise overview of modern orchestral instruments, December 11, 2006

By 

Andrew J. Szabo "greenwichfinancial" (Greenwich, CT) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Everything You Should Know About Musical Instruments but Don't Have Time to Learn (Paperback)

This wonderful little book (134 pp.) gives an overview of almost all of the instruments in a modern orchestra, including strings, reeds, double reeds, flutes and non-fretted string instruments. It does not cover piano, guitar, or percussion.

The author has numerous advanced degrees in musicology, music education and musical instrument construction. According to the book jacket, Mr. Pagliaro has received U.S. patents for inventions of musical instruments that are now widely distributed. He has been by turns a performer, band master, teacher and college professor. He is also the founder of a musical instrument business located in Ardsley, New York.

The first chapter of this book covers the science of sound. The second is on the anatomy of musical instruments, including sound generation, amplification and manipulation. The remaining chapters concern particular families of instruments: the transverse flute, clarinet, saxophone, oboe, bassoon, brass instruments and non-fretted strings.

The author makes insightful remarks about the potential and limitations of different musical instruments, as embodied in their design. See, for example, his comments on the unique touchiness of the double reed mouthpiece, or the compromises with even temper built into the valved brass instruments. Pagliaro also reviews at various points the historical and inventive process that led to the modern form of an instrument.

The section on non-fretted instruments is particularly rich, conveying an understanding of how these intruments make and amplify sound, as affected by their materials, design and dimensions.

A strength of this book is the drawings of musical instruments, with exceptionally clear labels corresponding to each part. There are also helpful inset drawings of such things as the brass mouthpiece, the violin bow, the bassoon bocal, varieties of bassoon reeds, and oboe mouthpieces.

This book, I believe, is a must-have for specialists in musical instruments. It also would appeal to professional musicians, composers and conductors. Finally, as a general reader with an amateur interest in music, I found the book rewarding. Having read it through, I find myself going back to it from time to time with pleasure.