This is non-Academic, practical, useful theory for living-room pickers and working musicians who want to be able to think coherently about music in order to ask questions and understand answers about the music they want to play.
The stuff in GBT is about understanding The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, Cole Porter and Duke Ellington, The Grateful Dead and Vampire Weekend.
It’s NOT about analyzing Bach Fugues… but you’ll be able to if you want to.
It was written for the 99% of musicians who are NOT music majors by an incorrigible honky-tonk guitar player who plays by ear … but understands the relevant vocabulary and what’s sensible and useful for MOST players.
“A full course of study under one cover, “Garage Band Theory” is impressively informed and informative, practical, insightful, and should be considered an essential resource for any aspiring musician.
The chapter quizzes (and answer keys) make it a practical guide for all music teachers and home-schooling parents who have rudimentary skills on any instrument.
Exceptionally ‘user-friendly’ in organization and presentation “Garage Band Theory” is very highly recommended for both community and academic library Music Theory & Instruction collections.”
James A Cox – Midwest Book Review
“In Garage Band Theory Duke Sharp has delivered to us the anti-textbook.
Apparently inspired less by the tired approaches of endless theory books on the local music store rack, than by, say, Dave Barry’s delightful drollery, GBT reads at moments like a coffee shop conversation twixt rock band sidemen at a restaurant after a questionable gig, complete with puns both good and bad, musician ‘inside humor’ and self-demeaning laments.
The genius within the madness is that after finally acquiescing to the har-har humor, the reader will find himself actually learning a lot about music along the way.
More to the point, learning how band-stand musicians THINK about music.
There has forever been a gap between the way music theorist negotiate their topic and what a pianist is thinking about when he glances at an upcoming C#7#11. (The truth is, he may still be thinking about the joke he heard last break.)
The gap between traditional theorists and the musicians who play mostly “by ear” is even wider.
GBT comes very close to bridging those gaps.” Craig Hall
“It’s a fresh approach, a “we’re in this all together” vector not often found in theory texts. Duke Sharp makes a solid hit with a work aimed at players that want a comprehensive manual, but don’t want to wade through Walter Piston’s “Harmony”. Mr Sharp provides a user-friendly platform for players of all abilities, with a special emphasis for the gigging musician looking to touch up the ‘zen’ behind that tricky chord change or progression.
A certain sense of humor is an essential part of ‘Garage Band Theory’. The perspective of a working musician gives this primer a unique vantage. This ain’t your standard Mel Bay!” Rich Robiscoe. $15.00 on Kindle.
