Tutor books

[princessmoose]

What tutor books are good for a beginner, who can read treble clef, but not bass? Played saxophone until about grade 5 so most musical stuff is there.

Thanks.

[Steve Hopwood]

For kids like this one, and for teenage beginners with no previous experience, I use Norton's 'Microjazz for Beginners' (take care, because there is one for 'Complete Beginners' and you don't want that one.

The Norton covers what they need to know to in the early stages. It is rather 'bitty', but you can decide which stuff to leave out depending on how they get on.

From there I use Pam Wedgewood's 'Really Easy Jazzin About' - pieces this age group enjoy. What I do with them after that depends on what they want to do - more classical or more 'fun' pieces. Usually they want to keep things light, so more PW, Martha Mier etc.

[princessmoose]

Ok, he's first year of uni, so quite old, so any adult books perhaps?

[Steve Hopwood]

I start the same way with adult beginners these days. The Norton covers all the aspects of basic musical literacy they need in an adult way - the reason I use it with teenagers.

I have a slightly different approach to the continuation with adults because they might want to play more 'classical' music; for those that do there is Early Classics for Late Beginners series (collected by Marjorie Dawe). Sometimes they know which direction they want to take. If not, I play them pieces from both books so they can decide. Often, they want to do both.

I suggest you tell your pal to start with the Norton for sure, then progress to either the Wedgwood or the Dawe depending on his musical tastes.