A very handy guide for making Flutes or whistles too
354002
Nick Tomihama,really knows of ways to use PVC from Archery to music flutes,so this book is the way to make  flutes or whistles,I have many of his books and they all show from A to Z so that you to can make what the book shows
3143696
This book has 32 pages and includes a CD of instructions by author Joyce Ochs. It was one of about four instruction books I bought from Amazon and it somehow disappeared into the cosmos. I have had my mountain dulcimer(4 string) for five months and have practised at least three times a week using another instruction book. I also began playing along at local fiddle jams and at each outing my struggling fingers developed a better memory of the songs. Then two weeks ago First Lessons Dulcimer reappeared, but  I thought it would not be useful anymore because I was no longer a beginner. Wrong,wrong,wrong. It is just what I need at this stage of my learning. By now I can play about six of the most commons chords and also fingerpick a number of melodies. Yet this book by Ochs brought me back to the basics.  This was done with concise, friendly,short CD lessons on topics such as: strumming note values; quarter; half, and whole note exercises using familiar Appalachian melodies. The CD is comprised of about 93 BRIEF lessons, and at mid point the student plays Go Tell Aunt Rhody,for example, with a gorgeous accompaniment of guitar bass runs.  At this point, I'll be learning with this book for at least another two months. Then it's recess and a short drive up to Orillia, Ontario for this year's Mariposa Folk Festival. This book found me at the right time.rono
2088078
I recently began taking dulcimer lessons with a group and this is the book we use.  It is very easy to follow and has a CD included that allows me to have accompaniment along with my playing.
948864
Underappreciated intially, looking back this book is a GEM for adult beginners.

Highly recommended by my flute teacher as my first flute book.
Clear comprehensive illustrations and playing instructions with a new tune a day to make it interesting.

Gets you playing very quickly.
CDs provide accompaniment.
3319792
I love these Kanikapila books and wish I had found them first instead of wasting money on others, like the Daily Ukulele books which, between the two, only have about 20 songs that sounded right (at least when played by a beginner).

The Kanikapila books walk you through the learning curve of playing this great little instrument, and this book takes you into melodies and rounds for playing in groups.  My Ukulele group loves it as the rounds sound so awesome, yet are playable even for beginners.  Nice selection of songs and tons of great tips to advance you in 'Ukulele skills.  Many songs are playable for just one person, but if you have access to other players, it's even more fun.
2985156
Excellent beginner Tin Whistle. Great songs in the book and excellent instruction. This plus online video tutorials someone can with effort go from beginner to intermediate to expert and then invest in a professional quality one. Most people in the US wouldn't know the difference between this and a professional quality one anyway.
485957
This book is FANTASTIC for any band director. I'm a clarinetist who has been teaching beginning woodwinds for the past 5 years, and my college methods class left a lot of gaps in my knowledge. Bret's book is a great, accurate, concise guide to teaching woodwinds. I especially like the "Gotchas" for each section--things that band directors often say that are incorrect. Thanks for a great resource!
400063
This little pocket-sized fold-out guide contains, on its 10 interior surfaces, information that will simplify living for anyone who has the use of both hands, and perhaps for some with only one.  Well, maybe not every person, but surely anyone who ever encounters a piece of string, a thread, a rope, a necktie (long or bow), a ribbon, or just about any object long, suitably strong and sufficiently flexible. The introductory paragraph states that the oldest known knot dates from around 7200 B.C.  However, objects such as beads and needles date back over 100,000 years, so humans have found knots essential for living for a very long time.

Beautifully made colorful illustrations showing steps to take in tying an average of four knots adorn each of the ten surfaces, so about forty in all. As you might assume, the knots chosen are perhaps the ones most useful to the widest expected audience. Granted, some knots, with specialized applications to fishing, boating, and rodeos may seem beyond your ken. Yet, when just the right situation turns up in your life where that knot is just the ticket, there it is, if you can find the guide book.

The knots are classified according to key functions to which they are especially suited, though actual usefulness of each probably is limited only be the scope of human imagination.  Where two ropes (etc.) are involved each is given a distinct color, making it easier to follow the steps to make the knot.

If you don't know how to tie a bowline, that knot is so useful you might want to buy the guide just to teach yourself and other important persons in your life how to tie it.
I already knew how to tie the bowline and several other handy knots when I spotted this at my son's home.  I thought this little guide so good that I immediately ordered one for myself.  It's fun to look at, and I'm not the least sorry I spent the money for it.
539765
This book presents an array of techniques that go beyond the fundamentals of playing the saxophone. It can serve as creative inspiration as well as a technical handbook for modern pieces that incorporate some of these techniques. The techniques are introduced along with tips on how to practice them, this allows for it to be used both with or without the presence of a teacher.
The second part of the book consists of creative examples of how the sounds can be applied accompanied by a play-along CD. They're also inspiration for using these effects in composition.
636175
This is so helpful to understand the techniques for glassblowing.  The instructions are concise and offer drawings that clarify the different processes.  A must-have if you ever thought you wanted to try glass-blowing!
3154066
Cirone's Pocket Dictionary of Foreign Musical Terms is a must have for anyone who aspires to understand composers' directions. This small, but relatively complete, handbook of terms is more than a listing of common terms. It addresses the sometimes obscure instructions that baffle the modern player, but which would have made sense to a contemporary of the composer. In my experience as a symphony musician (SF Symphony Trumpet Section, Retired), knowing and applying the sense of a composer's instructions has always made me a better performer. Get this book!
4453804
This book is a helpful and enjoyable way to learn about the various types of instruments. I learned quite a bit about different instruments. The pictures are funny with different animals playing the instruments. Our children loved the pictures, but they were probably a bit too distracted by the pictures. Also, many of the sounds are described in an poetic way that is not very objective in my opinion.
88196
If you only want to buy one book of tinwhistle tunes, this wouldn't be a bad way to go.  About half of the 34 tunes are ballads and airs, and the other half are dance tunes such as jigs, reels, polkas, hornpipes and mazurkas. Most of the tunes are quite distinctive and catchy. They are also in an informal, easier to more difficult order. The companion CD (available from 'Sheet Music Plus') has all the songs, played on whistle & low whistle, flute and guitar. I don't have the tutor by the same author, but I suspect that combined with this book one could become well steeped in Celtic whistling and music.
655382
Jazz, rock, show tunes, this book has them all. Fun selection of music; very different from the typical classical-only music flute books. It would be good to have the songs graded by difficulty, but I'm having a lot of fun with this book!
793609
This book includes just about everything a composer or clarinetist needs to know about "extended techniques." The many pages of fingerings for mulitphonics and descriptions of the qualities of multiphonics are invaluable. I wish the book included a CD, but there are many sites on the internet containing aural examples of the techniques included in this book. The lack of examples is the only reason I give this book 4 instead of 5 stars. An excellent tool for musicians!
1868118
I suddenly, at 63 years of age, decided I wanted to get into wind instruments. I bought a metal fife, this tin whistle, and a Yamaha recorder. The fife is played with the instrument to my right side just like a flute. That thing, if your lip/mouth position is perfect is the best sounding, and has a deep rich sound. But, that perfect positioning is extremely illusive. When I bring the fife up to play, I don't know if I'll get that beautiful rich sound, or a high pitched squeak, or no sound at all.
  The tin whistle can get a very nice sound, but you have to 1.really control your breath, and 2.recognize that proper finger positioning over the holes is a must. Forget blowing this fife very hard, and keep it under control with a small amount of breath. Get your finger positioning slightly sloppy and hear the squeaks. This is a subtle instrument. Blow it like a saxophone and you will get frustrated quickly. My fingers may be a little too big for this tinwhistle, but I still enjoy playing it. Can't beat it for the price. I suppose I'd rather the plastic mouth piece was metal, but the plastic one works fine.
  I'll get to the reading music soon, but with this little 6 hole whistle there are so many familiar songs you can play if you spend a few minutes working them out.
  I am suffering through a serious fight with cancer and choose to spend some of my time trying to learn to play these instruments. I enjoy them and it helps to take my mind off my problems. Time well spent I think.
963377
This book is, by far, one of the best I have found on actual physiological considerations in flute playing.  The author is complete in his detailed descriptions of the irksome and oft times unanswered flute challenges such as tone quality and high register issues. He provides realistic and straightforward solutions.  He examines, diagnoses and treats embouchure problems like a skilled, and patient physician.

He truly shares his expertise and instruction in flute.  He picks up where the local band and orchestra teacher falls short.

I am very very happy with this book.  His solutions offer immediate results and this is very satisfying.  Unfortunately, there are not more books out there like this one.

Most method books offer little, if any REAL flute-specific information.  Rather, we are subjected to mix and match titles on generic, mass-printed pages.

The introduction pages alone, on care and selection of flute, provide more information than most 'method' books with their series and sequels combined.

This book will not bore you with more folk songs, polkas, or sing along tapes. This text finally offers some real information and instruction from an articulate and expert master of flute.

If you really want to develop as a flute player, this is a great book to have in your library.