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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 15%
    by Staci Robinson
    £10.99 - 18.99

  • Save 29%
    by Bts
    £28.49

    Beyond the Story, a captivating novel written by the acclaimed author Bts, is a must-read for every book lover. Published by Pan Macmillan in 2023, this book takes the reader on an unforgettable journey. The genre of the book is not easily defined, as it transcends the conventional boundaries of storytelling, blending elements of mystery, adventure, and deep introspection. It is a testament to Bts's unique storytelling ability that he is able to weave such a complex narrative with ease and elegance. Beyond the Story is more than just a book; it's an exploration of the human condition, a testament to the power of the written word, and a tribute to the enduring spirit of literature. Don't miss out on this literary masterpiece from one of the most innovative authors of our time.

  • Save 29%
    by Johnny Marr
    £31.99

    Title: Marr's Guitars, Author: Johnny Marr, Publication Year: 2023-10-17, Publisher: THAMES & HUDSON, Language: eng

  • Save 10%
    - My Life as Iron Maiden's Compulsive Angler
    by Adrian Smith
    £8.99

  • Save 23%
    by Jimmy Page
    £34.49

  • Save 10%
    - The Hundred Literary Heroes Who Changed His Life
    by John O'Connell
    £8.99

  • by Mike Senior
    £128.49

  • by Nancy Rooks
    £16.49 - 24.49

  • Save 14%
    - Tales of Music and the Brain
    by Oliver Sacks
    £9.49

    From the bestselling author of Awakenings and The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat.

  • Save 13%
    by William Leavitt & Larry Baione
    £13.99

  • Save 27%
    - The History of the Music in the 1000 Best Albums
    by Brian Morton & Richard Cook
    £21.99

    The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings is firmly established as the world's leading guide to recorded jazz, a mine of fascinating information and a source of insightful - often wittily trenchant - criticism. This is something rather different: Brian Morton (who taught American history at UEA) has picked out the 1000 best recordings that all jazz fans should have and shows how they tell the history of the music and with it the history of the twentieth century. He has completely revised his and Richard Cook's entries and reassessed each artist's entry for this book. The result is an endlessly browsable companion that will prove required reading for aficionados and jazz novices alike.'It's the kind of book that you'll yank off the shelf to look up a quick fact and still be reading two hours later' Fortune'Part jazz history, part jazz Karma Sutra with Cook and Morton as the knowledgeable, urbane, wise and witty guides ... This is one of the great books of recorded jazz; the other guides don't come close' Irish Times

  • Save 20%
    - Postpunk 1978-1984
    by Simon Reynolds
    £11.99

    'A fantastic tribute to an amazingly creative musical period . . . An instant pop classic, worthy of a place on your shelves beside the handful of music books that really matter.' John McTernan, Scotland on Sunday Punk revitalized rock in the mid-seventies, but the movement soon degenerated into self-parody. Rip It Up and Start Again is the first book-length celebration of what happened next: post-punk bands who dedicated themselves to fulfilling punk's unfinished musical revolution. 1978 - 1984 rivals the sixties for the sheer amount of fabulous music created, the spirit of adventure and possibility that infused it, and the way the sounds felt inextricably connected to the political and social turbulence of the day. Simon Reynolds, acclaimed author of Energy Flash, recreates a time of tremendous urgency and idealism in pop music. Packed with anecdote and insight, populated by charismatic and maverick characters, Rip It Up and Start Again stands as one of the most inspired and inspiring books on popular music ever written. 'I had never expected there to be a book on this subject; had I done so, I would never have dared to hope it could be as good as this.' Nicholas Lezard, Guardian Book of the Week 'This remarkable and perfectly timed cultural history is required reading.' Q Magazine

  • Save 13%
    - The Ultimate Guide to Achieving a Professional Sound
    by Billy Decker
    £12.99

    Featuring the full template and used on fifteen No 1 records!

  • Save 25%
    - Authorised by the Freddie Mercury Estate
    by Sean O'Hagan
    £20.99

    This official book contains photographs of Freddie Mercury in all aspects of his life, including photographs from the private collections of his parents and Brian May, as well as portraits by many famous photographers - with explanatory text.

  • Save 27%
    - The Complete Hipgnosis Catalogue
    by Aubrey Powell
    £21.99

    The complete catalogue of seminal design collective Hipgnosis, showcasing ground-breaking cover art created for the all-time greatest rock & roll bands, including the Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd.

  • Save 11%
    - Queen
     
    £12.49

  • Save 10%
    - Easy-to-Use, Easy-to-Carry, One Chord on Every Page
    by Jake Jackson
    £8.99

    360 chords, organised as a chord per page, this is a flexible, comprehensive solution for anyone learning or playing the guitar at any level. This no-nonsense, easy to carry, wiro book will fit into a gig bag, flight case or hand bag with the minimum of fuss.

  • by James Longworth
    £9.99

    Helps young guitarists to start at beginner level and progresses to Initial/Preparatory Grade. This work explains the method in 15 stages and contains original pieces and traditional tunes in different styles including classical, folk and world music as well as favourite film and TV themes such as "James Bond", "Batman" and "The Flintstones".

  • Save 26%
     
    £70.49

    A fitting tribute to possibly the greatest pop band ever - The Beatles. This outstanding hard-cover edition features over 1100 pages with full scores and lyrics to all 210 titles recorded by The Beatles. Guitar and bass parts are in both standard notation and tablature. Also includes a full discography. Songs include: All You Need Is Love * And I Love Her * Baby You're a Rich Man * Back in the U.S.S.R. * The Ballad of John and Yoko * Blackbird * Can't Buy Me Love * Come Together * Drive My Car * Eleanor Rigby * From Me to You * Glass Onion * A Hard Day's Night * Help! * Hey Jude * I Saw Her Standing There * I Want to Hold Your Hand * Michelle * Penny Lane * She Loves You * Twist and Shout * Yesterday * and many more! Book is packaged in its own protective box. A must-own for any serious Beatles fan or collector! 7-2/8 inch. x 10-7/8 inch..

  • Save 10%
    by Wladyslaw Szpilman
    £8.99

    The powerful and bestselling memoir of a young Jewish pianist who survived the war in Warsaw against all odds. Made into a Bafta and Oscar-winning film.

  • Save 23%
    by Alex Van Halen
    £16.99

  • Save 10%
    - A Commonplace Book
    by Stanley Donwood & Thom Yorke
    £8.99

    A celebration of the process and artwork created for the Radiohead albums Kid A and Amnesiac

  • Save 14%
    by Adrian Besley
    £9.49

  • Save 15%
    by Jarvis Cocker
    £10.99

  • Save 24%
    by Ms Patti Smith
    £18.99

    **THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER**A deeply moving and brilliantly idiosyncratic visual book of days by the National Book Award-winning author of Just Kids and M Train. More than 365 images chart Smith's singular aesthetic - inspired by her wildly popular InstagramIn 2018, without any plan or agenda for what might happen next, Patti Smith posted her first Instagram photo: her hand with the simple message "Hello Everybody!" Known for shooting with her beloved Land Camera 250, Smith started posting images from her phone including portraits of her kids, her radiator, her boots, and her Abyssinian cat, Cairo. Followers felt an immediate affinity with these miniature windows into Smith's world, photographs of her daily coffee, the books she's reading, the graves of beloved heroes - William Blake, Dylan Thomas, Sylvia Plath, Simone Weil, Albert Camus. Over time, a coherent story of a life devoted to art took shape, and more than a million followers responded to Smith's unique aesthetic in images that chart her passions, devotions, obsessions, and whims. Original to this book are vintage photographs: anniversary pearls, a mother's keychain, and a husband's Mosrite guitar. Here, too, are never-before-seen photos of life on and off the road, train stations, obscure cafés, a notebook always nearby. In wide-ranging yet intimate daily notations, Smith shares dispatches from her travels around the world.With 365 photographs, taking you through a single year, A Book of Days is a new way to experience the expansive mind of the visionary poet, writer, and performer. Hopeful, elegiac, playful - and complete with an introduction by Smith that explores her documentary process - A Book of Days is a timeless offering for deeply uncertain times, an inspirational map of an artist's life.

  • Save 10%
    - The Making of a Modern Man
    by Sean Smith
    £8.99

    Sunday Times bestselling author Sean Smith tells the extraordinary story of a modern cultural icon: Harry Styles.

  • Save 17%
    - A Memoir
    by Bobby Hall
    £9.99

    An explosive memoir from Bobby Hall, the multiplatinum recording artist known as Logic.

  • Save 23%
    by Lenny Kravitz
    £15.49

    The autobiography of rock icon, Lenny Kravitz

  • Save 23%
    by Patrick Pfeiffer
    £16.99

  • Save 15%
    by Willie Nelson
    £10.99

    The unvarnished and complete story of the life of one of America's greatest ever songwriters.

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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