Instrument History

The Bastard Instrument chronicles the history of the electric bass and the musicians who played it, from the instrument’s invention through its widespread acceptance at the end of the 1960s. Although their contributions have often gone unsung, electric bassists helped shape the sound of a wide range of genres, including jazz, rhythm & blues, rock, country, soul, funk, and more.

Discover the Joy of Playing the Harmonica! Have you ever wanted to play an instrument that’s fun, portable, and can make beautiful music in any style? How to Play the Harmonica for Beginners is your perfect guide to starting your harmonica journey, even if you’ve never played an instrument before! What You’ll Learn Inside This Book: Understanding the Harmonica: Dive into the fascinating world of this small but mighty instrument. Learn about different types of harmonicas, like diatonic, chromatic, and tremolo, and discover which one is right for you. Step-by-Step Basics: Start from ...

The rapid evolution of radio and radar systems for military use during WWII, and devices to counter them, led to a technological battle that neither the Axis nor the Allied powers could afford to lose. The result was a continual series of thrusts, parries, and counter-thrusts, as first one side then the other sought to wrest the initiative in the struggle to control the ether.

Despite dogged attempts by musicologists worldwide to find its source, the violin’s origins remain maddeningly elusive. The instrument surfaced from nowhere in particular, in a world that Columbus had only recently left behind and Shakespeare had yet to put on paper. By the end of the violin’s first century, people were just discovering its possibilities. But it was already the instrument of choice for some of the greatest music ever composed by the end of its second. By the dawn of its fifth, it was established on five continents as an icon of globalization, modernization, and social mobility, an A-list trophy, and a potential capital gain.

What was it about a small, humble folk instrument that allowed it to become an American icon? The guitar represents freedom, the open road, protest and rebellion, the blues, youth, lost love, and sexuality. Tim Brookes explores with adoration these ideas and how they became entwined with the history of America.

The Shortest History of Music takes us on a lively tour through several thousands of years of music history, tracing our relationship with this essential art and allowing us to freshly appreciate and understand music today.

In clear and entertaining prose, Plotkin explores a thousand years of music, introduces listeners to more than 100 great works, and profiles in depth many significant composers, including Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Berlioz, Tchaikovsky, Dvoxak, and Mahler. He describes all the musical instruments in the orchestra, defines major musical terms, and makes music theory comprehensible for the uninitiated. There are also conversations with important musicians who offer fascinating insights about their art.

The History of Measurement and Standards: How Time, Distance, Weight, and Precision Shaped Science, Trade, and Civilization explores one of the most overlooked foundations of human progress: our ability to measure the world. From early counting systems and body based units to atomic clocks and digital precision, this book traces how shared standards made cooperation, trade, and scientific discovery possible. Written for curious non-specialists, it reveals how measurement evolved not just as a technical tool, but as a social agreement that allowed civilizations to organize reality itself. ...

The violin has formed an important aspect of Jewish culture for centuries, both as a popular instrument with classical Jewish musicians—Jascha Heifetz, Yehudi Menuhin, Itzhak Perlman—and also a central factor of social life as part of the enduring Klezmer tradition. But during the Holocaust, the violin assumed extraordinary new roles within the Jewish community. For some musicians, the instrument was a liberator; for others, it was a savior that spared their lives. Music historian James A. Grymes tells the amazing, horrifying, and inspiring story of the violins of the Holocaust.

The drum kit has provided the pulse of popular music from before the dawn of jazz up to the present day pop charts. Kick It, a provocative social history of the instrument, looks closely at key innovators in the development of the drum kit: inventors and manufacturers like the Ludwig and Zildjian dynasties, jazz icons like Gene Krupa and Max Roach, rock stars from Ringo Starr to Keith Moon, and popular artists who haven't always got their dues as drummers, such as Karen Carpenter and J Dilla.

Drawing on more than a half-century of research and teaching, Dennis Showalter presents a fresh perspective on the German Army during World War I. Showalter surveys an army at the heart of a national identity, driven by - yet also defeated by - warfare in the modern age, that struggled to capitalize on its victories, and ultimately forgot the lessons of its defeat.

The funny, surprising, and exciting facts about your favorite musical instruments Musical instruments are more than just tools of creation. They are also historical artifacts and cultural symbols. Explore the music world and discover facts about instruments you never knew existed! We live in a world of technology and music. People use musical instruments to express themselves; others use them to build relationships and connect with different cultures. This project aims to teach people about musical instruments' fascinating history, structure, and importance in society today.

Discover the cadence of history and the melody of time in "Harmonies and Histories". This in-depth exploration delves into the captivating world of classical music, offering a comprehensive understanding that fascinates both neophytes and veteran aficionados alike. Embark on a rich journey starting with the origins and impact of classical music in Chapter 1, expanding your knowledge about this timeless genre. Unravel the beauty of appreciating classical music in Chapter 2, learning to identify musical elements and interpret gripping narratives. Chapter 3 will then guide you through the ...

A field guide to the memorials, museums, and practices that commemorate white supremacy in the United States—and how to reimagine a more deeply shared cultural infrastructure for the future Cultural infrastructure has been designed to maintain structures of inequality, and while it doesn’t...

The Host wants to know what the Academy was trying to hide and why the Fallen agreed to it. They want the Instrument of War, the one thing that can tip the Eternity War in their favor and put an end to the stalemate. Any impact on the Academy staff, students or buildings is just collateral damage. Mitch would like to forget that the last year ever happened, but that doesn't seem likely with Little Red Riding Hood now teaching Teratology. The vampire isn't quite as terrifying as he first thought, but she's not the only monster at the Academy.

Brought to you by Penguin. From veteran Financial Times journalist, an epic history of the debt that built the modern world. Long considered the "boring" corner of finance, bonds are anything but. They have funded everything from the Crusades to climate tech, Netflix series to AI data centers...

Meet the inventors and innovators who defined American music history. A radio repairman named Leo Fender imagined a solid-body electric guitar. The inventor of 3-D glasses, Laurens Hammond, envisioned an electric organ in every home. And a German carpenter named Steinway immigrated to New York City with the dream of designing the greatest piano in the world.

Drop the Mic International Anthology, by Author Reneé Drummond-Brown and masterful poets from across the globe have compiled a numerous collection of poetic writes via music genres that depicts literature through the lens of poetic songs. This Compendium explores themes that incorporate poetic devises like rhythm and rhyme: rock and roll, pop rock, hip-hop, electronic (soul sonic), classical jazz, country, folk, and of course what would any Anthology be without rhythm and blues (R&B). These poems are masterfully branded by distinguishing rhythmic echoes and inclusive style of each ...

This audiobook presents the major ancient Egyptian musical instruments, their ranges, and playing techniques. The book consists of five chapters: The Wealth of Instruments, Stringed Instruments, Wind Instruments, Percussion Instruments, and The Musical Performance.

Written by Dr. Artika Tyner, passionate educator and global citizen, Kofi Loves Music is a guide for learning about the history of music and celebrating the beauty of diverse cultures.