Burgess Speed - Guitar Atlas: Japan

Burgess Speed Guitar Atlas Japan PDF. Your passport to a new world of music, Book & CD. To most of us, Japan is an exotic and faraway land. When we see images of Shinto shrines, pagodas, geishas, and Kabuki actors in face paint, our imaginations are immediately captured.
Now you can experience this rich and mysterious culture through its music. In addition to arrangements of classic folk tunes such as "Sakura" and "Edo Komori-uta," Guitar Atlas: Japan teaches about Japanese scales, modes, and tunings, and traditional instruments such as the shamisen, koto, shakuhachi. Learn guitar techniques to emulate the sounds of these exotic instruments. Discover the fascinating world of Kabuki music, including a style of shamisen playing called ozatsuma. The book also informs about the Bon odori, or bon dances, held during the summer festival of Bon.
This exciting introduction to the music of Japan offers new and interesting music to add to your repertoire, and teaches techniques, theory, and traditions that will enhance your playing and enrich your spirit. A CD demonstrating all examples and compositions is included.
The book's first three chapters cover some important fundamentals. Chapter 1 is a brief one-page history lesson which breaks down the history of Japan into five major eras and observes how musical styles have evolved from the sixth century until the present day. In Chapter 2 the author explains many of the the traditional instruments of Japan. These include the shamisen & sanshin (three-string banjo-like instruments), koto (a 13-string harp), biwa (a type of four-string lute), shakuhachi (bamboo flute) taiko, gakudaiko, dadaiko, and tsuzumi (drums) and binzasara (wooden clappers.) Chapter 3 delves into Japanese scales and modes and presents some really interesting insights into how these concepts have been influenced by ancient Chinese music theory which relates concepts such as Yin and Yang and the elements of Wood-Fire-Earth-Metal-Water to the traditional pentatonic Yo and In scales that are the basis for most traditional Japanese melodies.

Format: PDF + CD Audio tracks (Mp3). 50 pages