To some of us, books really don’t sound that exciting, do they.
Some immediate connotations include classrooms, boredom, the 20th century, stuffy academia, cruelly dense text that makes your brain physically hurt, etc.
But for those that have had our lives changed by music, you know that music books have been an instrumental guide in taking that talent to the next level.
1. Music books unlock more opportunities.
Music books, whether new or borrowed, have been the ticket to serious growth for decades. Without them, we would have been lost as youngins exploring the world of music. We all know progression comes from practice. The tangible book guide still serves as the most practical key to do this.
2. Music books are real.
Get the e-book version, sure, but having a physical book is great for practicing. You can display more on an open book page than you can on your iPad or 13-inch laptop screen, it doesn’t need to be charged and if it falls off your stand, desk or bed, it’s not going to break. Books: mankind’s greatest achievement.
3. They’re designed to teach you.
Obvious, I know, but music books mean one thing — progression. You want to go to the next level, you have to get practicing. Also, music books aren't going to try and sell you anything else, like you might find on a website. There’s no “life-changing” upgrade for $3.99 a month or pop-up about single musicians looking for love in your area. It’s just you and the music.
4. Because you’re lazy.
Bad technique holds so many players back. Sometimes you just have to go back and hit the books. Fast progression comes from not taking shortcuts, but from relearning processes the smart way. There’s no quick, cheap fix for quality playing.
5. Great players started with them.
I’m not a fan of tradition, but some things hang around because they work. Why has the music book not died? Because there is a tonne of incredible talents who’ll still attest their skills to them.
6. Nobody likes listening to bad music.
It’s safe to assume that people that learn the basics properly will progress. They have the ability to learn faster and they have the technique that will become the platform for making music people love. Just sayin’.
7. Teachers are better with them.
Like I said, music books are designed and proven to take people through the process of learning. There’s nothing in them that’s been unnecessarily influenced by somebody’s preference or opinion. This stuff is time-tested. As a music teacher, they provide a wonderful companion when it comes to schooling your kids.
8. Parents can give their kids the gift of music without knowing it themselves.
As the old proverb goes “Give a man a fish feed him for a day, teach a man to fish and feed him for a lifetime”. Show a kid how to play a song and they can play it; teach a kid to learn music and give him or her a lifetime of joy and a creative outlet of expression. Not as catchy as the original phrasing, but there’s probably an equal amount of truth to it. Parents, you don’t have to know it yourselves. You just need to give them the platform to learn. Give them a book.