Buy used: $12.78

$3.99 delivery August 15 - 17. Details

Or fastest delivery August 12 - 16. Details

Select delivery location

Used: Acceptable | Details

Sold by GoodwillBooks

Access codes and supplements are not guaranteed with used items.

Share <Embed>

Have one to sell?

Sell on Amazon

Flip to back Flip to front

Listen Playing... Paused You're listening to a sample of the Audible audio edition.
Learn more

See all 9 images

Follow the Author

Kenny Werner

Effortless Mastery: Liberating the Master Musician Within, Book & Includes Online Downloadable code Paperback – Illustrated, November 1, 1998

by Kenny Werner (Author)

846 ratings

See all formats and editions

Price

New from

Used from

Kindle

"Please retry"

$9.99

—

Audible Audiobook, Unabridged

"Please retry"

$0.00

Free with your Audible trial

Paperback

"Please retry"

$29.42

$40.29

Paperback, Illustrated, November 1, 1998

$12.78

$20.43

$12.78

Playing music should be as simple and natural as drawing a breath, yet most musicians are hindered by self-consciousness, apprehension, self-doubt, and stress. Before we can truly express our inner self, we must first learn to be at peace and overcome the distractions that can make performance difficult. Kenny's remarkable work deals directly with these hindrances, and presents ways to let our natural creative powers flow freely with minimal stress and effort. Includes an inspiring Includes Online Downloadable code of meditations designed to initiate positive thought. This book has become a favorite of many musicians who credit it with changing their lives! Many are so impressed that they buy copies for their musician friends as gifts. Easy, effortless reading paperback.

"Effortless Mastery is a book that the world really needs. It was not written by a philosopher or an academic. Kenny Werner, is one of my favorite pianists I've ever had the pleasure of working with, and in my opinion one of the best pianists living on the planet. Kenny teaches that 'The joy of practicing is concentration. The joy of playing is liberation.' Effortless Mastery teaches the seeker how to achieve both at the highest levels. It also shows how to practice effectively, promoting real growth and how to play and perform free from fear and self-judgment. I highly recommend this book." ---Quincy Jones

Print length

999 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Alfred Music
Publication date

November 1, 1998
Dimensions

6.38 x 0.54 x 8.98 inches
ISBN-10

156224003X
ISBN-13

978-1562240035
See all details

Kenny Werner
52
Paperback
8 offers from $18.99
Victor L. Wooten
1,287
Paperback
122 offers from $4.86
Philip Toshio Sudo
539
Paperback
120 offers from $1.33
Gerald Klickstein
409
Paperback
31 offers from $12.13
Barry Green
629
Hardcover
171 offers from $2.01
Madeline Bruser
249
Paperback
98 offers from $1.76

Kenny Werner
52
Paperback
8 offers from $18.99
Victor L. Wooten
1,287
Paperback
122 offers from $4.86
Gerald Klickstein
409
Paperback
31 offers from $12.13
Philip Toshio Sudo
539
Paperback
120 offers from $1.33
Madeline Bruser
249
Paperback
98 offers from $1.76
Victor L. Wooten
283
Paperback
57 offers from $9.85

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

This is a great book for any musician, and it has literally changed the way people all over the globe think about their lives and their music. Kenny's candid confession of frustrations regarding his own early development really reveal how *everyone* struggles to reach a place of mastery, no matter what facade of confidence they present publicly. It is an inspiring book that seems to immediately connect with musicians, who say to us over and over, "I've always felt there was something holding me back, and now I know how to let go and move forward!" The accompanying Online Downloadable code meditations will be helpful for those wishing to investigate further the practical techniques Kenny discusses in the book.

About the Author

Kenny Werner is an accomplished pianist who began performing at age 4 and, by age 11, had appeared on television. While at the Manhattan School of Music he became restless with his musical direction and began to explore Jazz as a new means of creativity and expression. Along his journey, he was inspired by masters of the craft to rethink not only the technical aspects of creativity, but also the spiritual aspects. Effortless Mastery is not only an account of that journey, but also an insightful guide for all those wishing to remove their own barriers to creativity in life and the arts.

Start reading Effortless Mastery: Liberating the Musician Within on your Kindle in under a minute.

Don't have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here, or download a FREE Kindle Reading App.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Alfred Music; First Edition (November 1, 1998)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 999 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 156224003X
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1562240035
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 12.5 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.38 x 0.54 x 8.98 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #54,217 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #25 in Jazz Music (Books)
- #34 in Music Reference (Books)
- #34 in Music Encyclopedias

Customer Reviews:
846 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.

Kenny Werner

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.

Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

KENNY WERNER has been a world-class pianist and composer for over 40 years. His prolific output of compositions, recordings and publications continue to impact audiences around the world. In 1996 he wrote his landmark book, Effortless Mastery: Liberating The Master Musician Within. Werner was awarded the 2010 Guggenheim Fellowship Award for his seminal work, “No Beginning No End,” a musical journey exploring tragedy and loss, death and transition, and the path from one lifetime to the next. He has performed with such legendary musicians as Dizzy Gillespie, Betty Buckley, Toots Thielemans, Charles Mingus, Marian McPartland, Bobby McFerrin, Lou Rawls, Michel Legrand, Gunther Schuller, Bill Frisell, Pat Metheny, Elvin Jones and many more. He is the founding musical director of the Effortless Mastery Institute at the Berklee College of Music and has composed for international orchestras, received numerous NEA grants and been nominated for an Emmy Award.

Customer reviews

5 star		79%
4 star		12%
3 star		5%
2 star		2%
1 star		2%

How customer reviews and ratings work

Reviews with images

See all customer images

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

DJ Warme

Practice does not make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect.

Reviewed in the United States on November 18, 2018

Verified Purchase

There is some important material here, but unfortunately it is wrapped in a cloak of mysticism intended to awe the reader supposedly providing secret eastern knowledge to obtain musical nirvana. Really is a pity because the author has some very good points and ideas. It is no secret that relaxation, and mindful meditation practices are beneficial to performance, learning and quieting the spirit.
The core message of this book is very simple and certainly not new. It is summed up in the saying, "Practice doesn't make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect." Perfect practice combined with increased concentration yield a greater awareness of what you are playing, and eventually, mastery.
Chapter 13 is where the first valuable information actually turns up in the book. A few more chapters after that but the majority is filler. The author makes a comment about eastern vs western teachers. Eastern teachers are masters. Western teachers are frequently not. Such a claim is strangely prophetic. Mr. Werner is clearly not a master of zen or eastern philosophy. Nearly everything he writes about it has the dialog, but neither the soul or the understanding. And that was the biggest detraction for me.
I'm keeping the book and will adopt some of the ideas to be found here. But far too much of the book was pseudo-intellectual nonsense IMO.

74 people found this helpful

Helpful

E. A Young

Absolutely fantastic; some issues with the audio

Reviewed in the United States on March 4, 2020

Verified Purchase

I am about halfway through the book, and it is exactly the sort of medicine I need, to deprogram myself away from the fear-based paradigm that Werner describes that taints my relationship with music and my instruments of choice. It's not rocket science, and he doesn't beat around the bush. It takes work, and sacrifice, and compromise, but anyone willing to put in the honest effort will reap a reward. It's that simple. Not easy, but simple. He lays it out. The book starts with his own compelling story, and then an overview of the fear-based paradigm that we are all trying to transcend. Then it gets real practical in the second half, which I am just about to start, and am really excited to do so.

The book is music focused, but I share it with anyone who seems to struggle psychologically or emotionally with any sort of craft or practice. It's 90% relevant to anything, not just art and certainly not just music performance.

I would deduct a half star, as the audio recordings are great but have some quality issues with pops and distortions that really have no reason for existing. During a meditation those artifacts can be distracting, but really if you *get* the content that you are studying, it's another opportunity to practice the concepts that you are learning :) But as amazon doesn't allow half a star, I am rounding up to 5 stars again :)

This book belongs in the heart and mind of anyone who cares about understanding and embodying the concept of "mastery" in their own life.

As a side note, I find it (perhaps unintentionally? but Werner seems to have a bit of tongue in cheek to his communication style) varying degrees of entertaining to hilarious to read and hear Werner talk about mindfulness and other concepts from his east coast blue collar cultural background. Not being elitist, just enjoying the busting of the stereotypes that you can't be a zen muthaf***** with a Brooklyn accent. Werner is plenty of proof that you can, and I appreciate the groundedness of his upbringing and story make mindfulness more accessible culturally for me. It's like mindfulness for "real people" and not just the "eat pray love" of unexamined economic privilege.

So if you've been wanting to check out mindfulness, but get turned off by so much of the implicit economic elitism in so much of it (also like that with yoga) I recommend this book for that reason alone, as well as the Mindfulness app that is put out by the VA which is also really good and accessible (and free!) without being froofy. Maybe that doesn't make it "intellectual" enough for others, but I find it is plenty intellectual, just presented in a more direct and down to earth sort of way. Werner has a lot of really interesting ideas about music, performance, jazz, etc that I find challenging and provocative but ultimately can find little or no fault in when I put my own ego and insecurities aside.

This book is helping me find peace with myself and my own musical practices. Can you put a price on that?

11 people found this helpful

Helpful

bicyclepunk

No Thanks

Reviewed in the United States on September 24, 2020

Verified Purchase

Was recommended this book by a fellow drummer.

I gave it one star. Here's why: I would like to read a book that stays on topic where i don't end up stepping in jesuspoo. i didn't buy a book on beliefs of god. we don't all have the same religion or god and/or even believe in it. When reading a book that feels like the person goes off topic and pushes religion down your throat i find it rude, offensive & disappointing.

So, if you're looking for a good book about being a musician and you are an atheist, agnostic, or from another religion this book may be a major disappointment for you.

24 people found this helpful

Helpful

Effortless Mastery

Reviewed in the United States on December 4, 2016

Verified Purchase

Buddhism teaches us that wanting or desire is the cause of evil, and Zen teaches that unrestrained pursuit lies at the root of our troubles. It seems natural then, that musicianship should be a fruitful field in which to apply zen buddhism. After all, physical exertion is rarely helpful when attempting to play better music, and as Kenny Werner illustrates in Effortless Mastery, it can be counterproductive. He applies zen principles to musicianship, where the primary message is: you have a good musician inside yourself, who will emerge if you remove obstacles that are constructed when you try too hard. In other words, get out of your own way.

Werner approaches the paradox that is zen in a practical way. How do you achieve your goals without striving for them? He doesn't advocate eliminating goals. Instead he finds productive ways to achieve them while avoiding the pitfalls that come from exerting the wrong kind of effort.

While primarily geared toward the improvising musician, his principles can also be applied when trying to master previously written music. He walks a fine line between the practicality of improving one's musicianship and the new age thought that may turn off many readers, but he successfully reaches a balance by consistently focusing on the needs of the musician and providing genuinely useful advice.

23 people found this helpful

Helpful

David Kn.

Take or leave the zen stuff - the music advise is first class

Reviewed in the United States on September 28, 2017

Verified Purchase

I don't really go for all the zen stuff, but if you suspend judgment on that, there is a lot in this book about how to play music for mastery, not just superficial competence. No, you don't really have to start by just playing a single note on your instrument (as he recommends). His basic point is just that you should start from what you can play PERFECTLY, and don't move on to more and bigger chunks until perfection is achieved. If you really dig down into his recommendations, and make a sincere effort to follow them for at least part of your practice, it will definitely improve your playing.

19 people found this helpful

Helpful

Top reviews from other countries

moontime

Mastery of the instrument first then mastery of the self

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 17, 2018

Verified Purchase

All the meditation and affirmations in the world, even on this CD won't make you a good musician if you don't practice (even Mr Werner says this). When you have your pieces down to 'effortless mastery' then you begin with the affirmations and working on your ego. So that means practice, practice till you know the piece inside out, back to front, so the 'instrument is playing it's self' then work on the psychological blockages.

6 people found this helpful

Amazon Customer

Excellent book

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 9, 2018

Verified Purchase

I recommend this book and all musicians will gain from it. A pleasure to read and a life changing and inspiring message for musicians and non musicians alike

4 people found this helpful

Matt S

Excellent Read

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 20, 2018

Verified Purchase

Really goes into the psychology of learning and expertise. A fellow musician suggested I buy it and that was an excellent decision. The author is a jazz pianist and a lot of it comes from that angle but easily applicable to your own instrument

One person found this helpful

Littlewutze

Life changing

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 16, 2014

Verified Purchase

This book can change your life! It describes every problem that I have with paying music and offers an actual solution. I've only just started applying it but I can already see a change. Wish I'd read it earlier!

8 people found this helpful

Simon Parker

How to build, preserve and use positive moods so ...

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 18, 2017

Verified Purchase

How to build, preserve and use positive moods so the subconscious mind can work without interference. A readable, practical guide for life, not just music.

4 people found this helpful

See all reviews

Follow the Author

Effortless Mastery: Liberating the Master Musician Within, Book & Includes Online Downloadable code Paperback – Illustrated, November 1, 1998

Customers who viewed this item also viewed

Customers who bought this item also bought

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

About the Author

Product details

About the author

Kenny Werner

Customer reviews

Reviews with images

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

Top reviews from other countries