Customer Reviews

Metaphors for the Musician

5 star:		(7)
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If you play jazz piano, this book is a necessity!! Randy Halberstadt puts into text, elements that are not always first on your mind. I have been playing over 30 years and have just about EVERY jazz piano book there is, and this should be your "piano bible".

Not only will this book show you how to get great at your playing, it shows you how to practice as well. I can hardly put it down. I thank Randy for taking his time to write a book like this.


Joe Mankowski
Buffalo, NY

This book makes you think. But it also fills your practice sessions with "Aha!" moments. While the format is simple, the author does put you through your paces and you will emerge a much better pianist with a deeper understanding of pop piano, blues, gospel, funk and country. The riffs and cliche sounds of each are showcased in a way that sets them apart and distinguishes your playing style. This is a rare book. You ought to have it whether you're still struggling with faking or already working the music circuit.

Previously I had only owned The Jazz Piano Book by Mark Levine. This really completes the picture instead of just throwing scales/chords at you and theory. Sure there is theory, but he presents it in a practical manner. This is for the player that already has those chord/scale books and still cannot do what he/she wants with the music. His discussion of practicing slow will really convince you of it, and his method for applying slow practice is tremendous. In fact, as I think about it almost every subject from scale [...] to Harmony is presented in a way that really feels like he is talking to you, not like you are reading info in a book. His discussion of harmony/tonal centers is different from any I have ever read!

Buy this book even if you own other improv/theory books it will help you bring it all together! As with anything else, a book is not a magic amulet to make your playing better but this will really help you move forward if you have plateaued...

You can read this book at your instrument, or not. I'm rereading it now for about the 4th time and still getting a ton out of it. I couldn't practice for the last several days, but I read a few pages here and a few pages there. Last night I finally got to get back on my piano, and everything I read flooded back, and I had a great practice.

I found this book, and then discovered that the author is local here in Seattle. I made it my task to become his student. He is such a great teacher, and his teaching and style is right here in this excellent book. Even my other jazz piano teacher has his own copy. I put this book right up there with the Jazz Piano Book by Mark Levine - something that every aspiring jazz pianist should own and reread frequently.

I bought this book when it first came out. Unfortunately, there were some errors in the first edition which have been corrected. I wrote to the author I was so impressed, and he wrote me back about writing the book.

This is really one of the best jazz piano books ever published--telling you how to actually play a tune.

I have studied jazz piano off and on since I was a teenager in the 70s using the Mehegan books (which I do not recommend--mostly because of odd chord charts and the use of Figured Bass, besides the nonsense in them never to "roll a tenth")

I highly recommend this book, and no, I do not know the author personally nor profit from my recommendation--maybe someday.

Hope this was helpful.

This is a wonderful book. I fully agree with the favorable comments here. I've seen some novice musicians (many guitar players) complaining that some theory books are written for piano. Mr. Halberstadt's book will not only give you rich insights into theory and improvisation in general, but will also teach non-piano players something about approaching the instrument. Congratulations to the author.

This book has helped me more with my playing and improvising than any other. But do not pay some outrageous price. It retails for around $29 new.