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Music

Music speaks directly to your feelings and comes in many forms. For that reason Tales have selected some of the finest music books just for you. You can for example find a biography of your favorite music idol, but you can also find music theory books that will help you become your own musician. Whether you like rock, pop, musicals or classical music we have the books for you. Find your inner melody with a music book from Tales.
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  • Save 21%
    by Fleet Foxes
    £13.49

  • Save 21%
    by Arlo Parks
    £13.49

  • Save 25%
    by Dave Hunter
    £19.49

    Gorgeously illustrated and authoritatively written, Fender®is the officially licensed celebration of the legendary brand's iconic guitars, amps, and basses.

  • by WA, Consultant, USA) Huber, et al.
    £39.99 - 128.49

  • Save 14%
    by Cliff Richard
    £9.49 - 23.49

  • by David Wyn (Cardiff University) Jones
    £29.49

    "Placing the Strauss dynasty firmly within the shifting context of social, political and cultural life in Habsburg Vienna, this zesty new biography reveals the four composers as never before, re-evaluating their music and musical achievements in Viennese society across a hundred years"--

  • Save 30%
    by Giorgio Moroder, Alessandro Benedetti & Peter Bastine
    £41.99

  • Save 20%
    by Mark Angelo Harrison
    £11.99

    At the time, it was unclear why the UK government targeted the Spiral Tribe travelling sound system. Even after arresting many key members and launching one of Britain's biggest court cases against them. Was it really because they were a marauding horde of anarcho-techno-pirates, their outlandish music calling a generation to rebel against conservatism, convention, and even consensus reality? Or was it because, as pioneers of the 1990s free party movement, championing the new British breakbeat and European techno sound, they were reclaiming social space in warehouses and out under the stars? Each weekend they pulled ever bigger crowds away from consumer culture. No superstar DJs, no door policy and everyone dancing together as equals. An inspiring, unifying force of creativity. As Spiral Tribe's co-founder and visual artist (or as the Crown prosecutor described him, 'the criminal ringleader' who'd helped 'mastermind' Britain's 'biggest ever illegal rave' at Castlemorton), Mark Angelo Harrison has a unique perspective to tell their inside story. He vividly charts their nomadic journey and the rapid escalation of their popularity - and notoriety. From small squat-scene parties in London to enormous warehouse raves and free festivals. From one little overloaded van to the mighty convoy of matt-black military vehicles that instigated the teknivals of Europe.

  • by Joseph Alexander
    £15.99

    Learn Authentic Rhythm & Lead Parts for Reggae, Ska, Rocksteady, Dub and MoreIt's no understatement to say that reggae music forever changed the world. A compelling mix of soul, jazz, R&B and Jamaican mento, it's the ultimate feel good music with its hypnotic, laidback grooves.The Reggae & Ska Guitar Book is a one-of-a-kind guide to the guitar styles at the heart of reggae. In fact, it's is a chronological guide to the development of reggae through the decades and shows how to play its many sub-genres with authentic, stylistically accurate guitar parts. Your journey includes scheduled stops at:Ska, the early years - how American R&B combined with elements of calypso and mentoRocksteady - the bridge between the original ska and later reggae erasReggae - the emergence of seminal groups including Bob Marley & The WailersDub - how versions or "doubles" creatively expanded the sound of reggaeSka revival - an offshoot of the punk/mod eras, explore the sounds of The Specials, Madness, The Selecter and moreThe Third Wave - how ska burst upon the US from a California-based revival, with bands like Reel Big Fish, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones and SublimeLovers Rock - reggae surfaces again, this time combining the sweet melodic soul of Motown with laidback Jamaican groovesGoing Full Circle - how reggae influenced world music and artists such as Paul Simon, Eric Clapton and The PoliceDancehall and Beyond - fusing island musical sensibilities with hip-hop, dancehall adopted a new type of reggae drum groove that has influenced countless contemporary pop records ever sinceLearn the Essential Techniques of Reggae GuitarWith each sub-genre of reggae and ska came refinements and changes to the role of the guitar. There is so much more to it than hitting chord stabs on the up-beats! You'll learn...The skank groove that forms the backbone of the ska soundStylistically accurate major and minor chord voicingsHow to introduce double-stops, triplet ideas and sliding articulationsSingle-note pentatonic riffs and fillsHow to play the chicken scratch technique pioneered by Hux BrownUsing delay pedal effects to expand your sonic arsenalAdding jazz, rock 'n' roll licks, and even modal scales to spice up single-note accompaniments in the style of the greatsThe rhythms and approach of the ska-punk movement of the Third Wave

  • Save 20%
    by Shawn Reynaldo
    £11.99

    First Floor started small. At first it was just a newsletter, an outlet where veteran electronic music journalist Shawn Reynaldo could write and share his ideas without having to contend with outside editors or cater to social media algorithms. It was a blank canvas, and Reynaldo began to fill it with his extended thoughts on not just electronic music itself but the culture and industry that surrounded it. His first few missives went out to only a handful of people, but as the months went by and his writings increasingly became a focal point of discussions within the wider electronic music world, Reynaldo came to a surprising realization: people were actually reading this thing. Just a few years later, First Floor now stands as one of electronic music's most influential platforms, particularly as Reynaldo continues to put many of the genre's thorniest issues under the microscope. First Floor Volume 1 collects his most thought-provoking pieces and provides a nuanced, wide-ranging look at contemporary electronic music culture as it comes to grips with systemic challenges and a time of profound transformation. Whether he's taking a hard look at the genre's futurist ethos, questioning the practices of the modern music press or mapping out what motivates dance music's newest generation, Reynaldo applies an undeniably critical lens, but his words are informed by decades of experience, a genuine passion for the subject matter and an open-minded outlook toward whatever changes lie ahead.

  • Save 23%
    by Cathi Unsworth
    £16.99

    Season of the Witch is a captivating novel penned by the talented author, Cathi Unsworth. Published in 2023 by Bonnier Books Ltd, this book has quickly gained attention in the literary world. The story falls under a genre that blends mystery with a touch of the supernatural, making it a thrilling read from start to finish. Unsworth, known for her gripping narratives and well-crafted characters, does not disappoint with this latest addition to her repertoire. The publication year, 2023, marks a significant milestone in Unsworth's career, as this is the year she introduces us to a new world of intrigue and suspense. Bonnier Books Ltd, the publisher of this novel, is renowned for bringing quality literature to readers worldwide, and Season of the Witch is no exception. This book is a must-read for fans of Unsworth and newcomers to her work alike. It's available in English, making it accessible to a broad audience. Dive into Season of the Witch and experience the mastery of Cathi Unsworth's storytelling.

  • Save 24%
  • Save 29%
    by Nigo
    £35.49

    "With pieces drawn from the extensive personal collection of Pharrell Williams, this is a stunning and unprecedented exploration of the "bling" in hip-hop culture and fashion. Few recording artists have had a greater hand in incorporating the culture of hip-hop into contemporary luxury than Pharrell Williams. Collaborating with Louis Vuitton nearly two decades ago, Pharrell was the first to have his designs integrated into the haute joaillerie of the great maisons. His innovative team-ups continue through to the present day, most memorably with Tiffany and Chanel, and the watchmaker Richard Mille. The most extravagant of these chains, rings, and pendants--crafted in precious metals and studded with gems--are as much a part of Pharrell's musical performance as they are of his personal style. His designs, which include one-off pieces such as solid-gold cases for mobile phones and handheld game consoles, have been legendary for featuring iconography of Pharrell's own brands, Billionaire Boys Club and Ice Cream. This book was originally published with two different colored covers. Customers will be shipped either of the colors at random. Featured in the book are over 100 pieces, many of which he created in tandem with some of the most recognizable designers in the industry--such as Jacob & Co, Yoon & Verbal, and Lorraine Schwartz. With frequent collaborators such as NIGOª and Tyler the Creator, Pharrell discusses his role in the evolution of hip-hop jewelry, the processes involved in the creation of his one-of-a-kind custom pieces, and the state of connoisseurship in a growing market for the most extravagant of hip-hop collectibles" --

  • Save 23%
    by Carolyn McHugh
    £16.99

    A comprehensive illustrated biography of Harry Styles's amazing story to date Harry Styles is an English singer, songwriter, and actor. His musical career began in 2010 as a solo contestant on the British music competition series The X Factor. Following his elimination early on, he was brought back to join the boy band One Direction, which went on to become one of the best-selling boy bands of all time. Styles released his self-titled debut solo album through Columbia Records in 2017. It debuted at number one in the UK and the US, and became one of the world's top-ten best-selling albums of the year. Its lead single, "Sign of the Times", topped the UK Singles Chart. Styles' second album, Fine Line (2019), debuted a top the US Billboard 200 with the biggest first-week sales by an English male artist in history, and was listed among Rolling Stone's "500 Greatest Albums of All Time. Harry's new Album Harry's House was released in 2022 and achieved No 1 on The Billboard 200 breaking records along the way. He is the first UK male artist to debut at No 1 on the Billboard Chart with his first 3 albums.

  • by Donald Macleod
    £14.99

    About the Bagpipe Tutorial - first steps: Recommended by the best pipers in the world!Bruce Hitchings, Michael Grey, Robert Watt, Willie McCallum, Dixie Ingram, Rory Grossart and many more.The book includes all the finger techniques, and in contrast to other bagpipe books it has many exercises that you will need to learn the bagpipes successfully.The book is suitable for absolute beginners all the way to intermediate pipers. You can study on your own or use it as a classroom companion book. You will find crystal-clear instructions on how to play the bagpipes from scratch. This book is also used for training purposes by many professional bands and bagpipe schools.The Bagpipe Tutorial App, which is available from your app store, is perfectly matched to the Bagpipe Tutorial book. Besides the tunes in the book, it contains more than 250 exercise videos covering all the fingering techniques, embellishments and grace notes that you will need in bagpipe playing. The information is in soundtracks and visual displays, with close-ups of the chanter fingerings at different speeds to help you learn them more easily.You will also need a practice chanter to train your finger technique and your first songs. What you learn will only be transferred to the big set of bagpipes after a couple of months. The practice chanter will accompany you all through your life with the bagpipes. You will learn the fingering of new tunes on the chanter and continuously improve your fingering technique with it.This book, a milestone in the teaching of the Scottish bagpipes, will help beginners and intermediate players to achieve rapid success. It is a professional educational tool for playing and understanding the bagpipes.

  • Save 14%
    by Vicki Swan
    £14.99

    Eine Sammlung von 73 Bearbeitungen traditioneller skandinavischer Weisen für Violine. Mit Anmerkungen zu Spieltechniken und Stilen. Die Audioaufnahmen wurden von Vicki Swan eingespielt. Geeignet für SpielerInnen mit 3 oder mehr Jahren Spielerfahrung.Besetzung:Violine

  • Save 23%
    by Gregory Cahill
    £15.49

    The true story of beloved Cambodian singer Ros Serey Sothea, whose “Golden Voice” helped define Cambodia’s Golden Age of music until her mysterious disappearance in the killing fields of Pol Pot’s Khmer Rouge. Developed in partnership with Sothea’s family.

  • by DJ Paulette
    £18.99

  • Save 18%
    by James Gavin
    £11.49

    In George Michael: A Life,“Gavin’s engrossing biography of the singer takes the measure of a gifted, tragic, and infuriating man” (New York Times Book Review). George Michael was an extravagantly gifted, openhearted soul singer whose work was both pained and smolderingly erotic. He was a songwriter of true craft and substance, and his music swept the world, starting in the mid-1980s. His fabricated image—that of a hypermacho sex god—loomed large in the pop culture of his day. It also hid—for a time—the secret he fought against revealing: Michael was gay. Soon his obsession with fame would start to backfire. As one of the industry’s most privileged yet tortured men began to self-destruct, the press showed little sympathy. George Michael: A Life explores the compelling story of a superstar whose struggles, as well as his songs, continue to touch fans all over the world. Acclaimed music biographer James Gavin traces Michael’s metamorphosis from the shy and awkward Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou into the swaggering, dominant half of the leading British pop duo of the 1980s Wham! He then details Michael’s sensational solo career and its subsequent unraveling. With deep analysis of the creative process behind Michael’s albums, tours, and music videos, as well as interviews with hundreds of his friends and colleagues, George Michael: A Life is a probing, definitive portrait of a pop legend.

  • Save 25%
    by Gillian G. Gaar
    £20.99

    San Francisco, CA; Seattle, WA; Toronto, ON; New York, NY; Bristol, England

  • by Orange Hippo!
    £6.99

    From controversial interview quotes to candid life philosophies, through his legendary performance at Live Aid in 1985 to his final days as a solo artist, this little book is full of quotes from Freddie Mercury.

  • Save 24%
    by Fiona (Classical Music Critic - Observer) Maddocks
    £18.99

  • Save 27%
    by Lou Reed
    £21.99

    The Art of the Straight Line captures the energy of Lou Reed's worlds of Tai Chi, music, and meditation. The Art of the Straight Line features Reed's unpublished writings on the technique, practice, and purpose of martial arts, as well as essays, observations, and riffs on meditation and life.

  • by Jeremy Siskind
    £20.99

    Playing Solo Jazz Piano is an essential new book for creative jazz pianists. The second edition adds two new chapters and audiovisual content to the original. Readers will learn essential solo jazz piano concepts like stride piano, one-handed shell voicings, comping, using basslines, shared-hand voicings, leaving out the bass, and playing ballads. Plus, the book explores modern approaches to solo jazz piano including perpetual motion, counterpoint, and borrowing from classical music. With over 200 musical examples, references to over 100 jazz pianists, and numerous hands-on exercises, Playing Solo Jazz Piano is the perfect how-to for passionate, innovative pianists. " Jeremy has done a remarkable job of organizing the whole history of jazz piano in the book you now hold. It is concise and yet open-ended simultaneously. All of the important concepts and historical styles are here, and presented in a way that is thorough and that will also stimulate you to investigate, listen, experiment and have fun with the world of solo jazz piano.">"Jeremy Siskind's book takes solo pianistson a journey from basic concepts to a real musical conversation: between both hands, across jazz tradition, with textures and rhythms, counterpoint and new harmonies. There's a wealth of musical ideas here: how to efficiently practice, creatively delveinto a song, and musically tell a story.">" I've been waiting for this book! Jeremy Siskind presents a cogent and stimulating series of techniques and approaches to creative solo piano playing, rooted in the tradition while inviting both students and professionals to find their own voice and musical personality. The material is historically informed, well-organized, and specific, yet quite open-ended and fun to read and practice. Early and often, the book provides excellent guidance on how to develop the oft-neglected left hand. Finally, the lists of recommended recorded examples from the music's solo piano masters are an invaluable asset.">" Playing Solo Jazz Piano is an extraordinarily comprehensive text on a complex subject. Jeremy expertly covers a breadth of techniques and styles while introducing fresh concepts drawn from his own unique artistic experience. This book is an invaluable resource for the beginner and advanced student alike.">Author Jeremy Siskind is the student of Fred Hersch and the teacher of widely-hailed prodigy Justin-Lee Schultz. A top finisher in several national and international jazz piano competitions, Siskind is a two-time laureate of the American Pianists Association and the winner of the Nottingham International Jazz Piano Competition. Besides a performance career in which he has been praised as "a genuine visionary" (Indianapolis Star) who "seems to defy all boundaries" (JazzInk), Siskind is an active teacher, including as a faculty member at Western Michigan University and Fullerton College. The author of over fifteen pedagogical books, Siskind chairs the Creative Track for the National Conference for Keyboard Pedagogy and serves as a regular clinician for Yamaha Music Education. He regularly travels too spread peace through music in places like Lebanon, Cyprus, Thailand, China, India, Colombia, and Tunisia with the organization Jazz Education Abroad.

  • Save 20%
    by Mark Volman
    £13.49

    Mark Volman has led a storied life, and many of those stories are contained in Happy Forever. A true son of Southern California, he has gone from topping the charts with The Turtles ('Happy Together') to underground cred with Frank Zappa and beyond. As Flo & Eddie, Mark and his longtime singing partner Howard Kaylan were the not-so-secret ingredient on many other artist's records, taking Bruce Springsteen into the Top 10 for the very first time and helping T. Rex dominate the British charts. Then came The Ramones, U2, Blondie, Duran Duran, and so many more; the list of credits is long and varied.

  • Save 29%
    by Peter Spirer
    £28.49

    The ultimate backstage pass: a photographic inside look at the making of the pioneering hip hop documentary Rhyme & ReasonIn the mid-1990s, documentary filmmaker Peter Spirer embarked on a three-year odyssey to create a realistic portrait of hip hop, interviewing over 80 artists. Spirer captured a seminal moment as the culture balanced on the cusp of the mainstream. As Ice-T comments in the introduction to the book, "Rhyme & Reason is one of the few films that was there to document us before hip hop truly exploded."While filming, Spirer took stills using a medium-format Rolleiflex camera. These photographs form The Book of Rhyme & Reason. Spirer writes: "The Rollei allowed me to capture some amazing moments: Puffy getting a trim in his office while doing three tasks at once, Biggie opening record plaques on his couch, Ice-T and Mack 10 hanging with their homies, Heavy D at the barber, playing pool. There was the Jack The Rapper convention with Death Row making a statement, at a Disney World Hotel, that ended in chaos. There were magical moments such as Redman and Erick Sermon freestyling on the mic to amazed onlookers at a block party in Newark and watching Wu-Tang Clan chop it up on the block in Staten Island on a cold winter's day before they exploded."This coffee-table volume features over 130 of Spirer's photographs from 1994 to 1997. As hip hop commemorates its 50th anniversary in 2023, it is particularly fitting that many of these images from this formative period are being published for the first time.Peter Spirer (born 1963) is an Academy Award- and Emmy Award-nominated director and producer. His catalog of over 32 films includes Rhyme & Reason (1997), Tupac Shakur: Thug Angel, Life of an Outlaw (2002), the BEEF series (2003-5), Notorious B.I.G.: Bigger Than Life (2007) and The Legend of 420 (2017).

  • Save 24%
    by Bernie Taupin
    £18.99 - 497.49

  • Save 14%
    by Chris Blackwell
    £9.49 - 16.99

  • Save 10%
    by Nate Rae
    £8.99

    Do you know which country won the very first Eurovision Song Contest in 1956? And can you name the five members of Kalush Orchestra, the 2022 contest winners? How about which iconic song ABBA won with in 1974?Celebrating the Eurovision Song Contest, this unofficial quiz book features more than 1,200 questions and will test your Eurovision pop history knowledge to the limit. With different levels of difficulty, there's something for everyone - let's just hope you don't score the dreaded nul points!This book is the perfect companion to a Eurovision party night, and would make a great gift for any pop-obsessed friend or family member.

Music
Music has that special connection with our feelings. It can both make us happy and sad, help through a crisis and through all the difficult feelings we need to acknowledge. Life is not just about being happy, and music can take you on a journey through all those different feelings. In that way music can function as a form of therapy. Music can comfort you and the lyrics can make you feel embraced and recognized. Some of the songs we love most are those, which have that universal feeling and message in them. Those songs that cover all the different and conflicting feelings of life in a verse. You can learn the secrets behind some of the biggest hits or most beautiful ballads in our selection of music books. 
You could also get to know your biggest idol in our icon books. Some of the music icons have lived an inspiring and sometimes hard life, and you can learn a lot from there stories. We have biographic music books with musicians from different genres, all with their own fascinating story. We have multiple music books about the extremely talented singer Freddie Mercury - the frontman, pianist and songwriter in the legendary band Queen. Freddie Mercury had an amazing career and a magnificent voice, and he was at the same time a huge inspiration for homosexuals and generally everyone, who felt different. The singer must tragically lost his life to AIDS and the world lost one of its biggest stars to date, but you can revisit Freddie Mercury’s amazing talent and read his story in the music books Bohemian Rhapsody - The Definitive Biography of Freddie Mercury, Freddie Mercury - the Biography, Somebody to Love - The Life, Death and Legacy of Freddie Mercury, and many more.

Music books for students
If you are studying the wonderful world of music or just wants to improve your performance you should look at our music theory books. They will help you with all the different techniques no matter the instrument. At Tales you find music books for piano, music books for keyboard and music books for guitar. They will all help you in your musicology study or on your journey to becoming an amazing musician yourself. 
We also have music history books that will take you on a journey with all the greatest from Beethoven and Mozart to Tjajkovskij and Stravinskij. When you travel through the history of music you will also visit different music periods and get a better understanding of why the music sounds so differently throughout history. The music is formed by its time and the historical events of that time. If you are interested in the history of music we will recommend the music history book by Cecil Gray called History of Music. The music book moves in the crossfield between the elementary, educational and tries to give answers to some of the things we do not yet understand. It starts with the Gregorian Chant and moves through investigations of both French, Italian, English, and Russian music. 

Musical
If you like to visit the theatre for a musical you can take some of that magic with you home by finding the books, scripts and lyrics of all the biggest hit shows on Broadway and West End. Experiencing a live performance is something unique, but it is over too fast. That is why we recommend you to dive deeper into your favorite musicals with the music books on Tales. You find the lyrics and story behind the world’s nr. 1 hit musical Hamilton that changed the world. The show won The Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 2016 and tells the story of one of America’s Founding Fathers Alexander Hamilton. The musical contains an amazing Grammy award winning soundtrack with the most brilliant lyrics telling the story of the American civil war. The man behind it all is the extremely talented Lin Manuel Miranda, who tells the story of American then, but with the sounds and faces of modern times. You can dive into the fascinating story of Alexander Hamilton and the musical in the book Hamilton: The Revolution or you can learn how to perform the amazing songs yourself with the music books Hamilton - Vocal Selections & Piano or Hamilton - Easy Piano Selections

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