The Csound Book: Perspectives in Software Synthesis, Sound Design, Signal Processing,and Programming

Book Description

Created in 1985 by Barry Vercoe, Csound is one of the most widely used software sound synthesis systems. Because it is so powerful, mastering Csound can take a good deal of time and effort. But this long-awaited guide will dramatically straighten the learning curve and enable musicians to take advantage of this rich computer technology available for creating music.

Written by the world's leading educators, programmers, sound designers, and composers, this comprehensive guide covers both the basics of Csound and the theoretical and musical concepts necessary to use the program effectively. The thirty-two tutorial chapters cover: additive, subtractive, FM, AM, FOF, granular, wavetable, waveguide, vector, LA, and other hybrid methods; analysis and resynthesis using ADSYN, LP, and the Phase Vocoder; sample processing; mathematical and physical modeling; and digital signal processing, including room simulation and 3D modeling. The book comes with two CD-ROMs that include more than forty additional HTML chapters; hundreds of musical compositions; more than 3,000 working instruments; the Csound application for Macintosh, PC, and Linux; and a number of Csound audio and score-generating utilities.

Book/CD-ROM Contributors include: Bill Alves, Stephen Beck, Mike Berry, Riccardo Bianchini, Kim Cascone, Michael Clarke, Richard Dobson, Archer Endrich, John ffitch, Rajmil Fischman, Michael Goggins, Matt Ingalls, Richard Karpen, Eric Lyon, Gabriel Maldonado, Hans Mikelson, Jon Nelson, Dave Phillips, Jean Piché, Russell Pinkston, Paris Smaragdis, Erik Spjut, Barry Vercoe, Scotty Vercoe.

Customer Reviews:

An opus work on both Csound and computer music.......2006-04-12

This book is one of a relatively small number of texts that are essential for the library of the computer music practitioner. The book has two CD-ROMs full of several books worth of material. This book is not only a remarkable reservoir of information specific to the Csound compiler, it is also very useful as a general source concerning many aspects of computer music techniques and synthesis methods.
Many have lamented the terse documentation of the Csound manual since it does not provide sufficient examples of how the various opcodes and features of the language may be used by composers and researchers. The Csound Book succeeds brilliantly in filling the void. Even for the seasoned computer musician, the text provides numerous opportunities for "ah ha!" moments and spurs renewed creative responses to musical problems. Part of the reason for this lies in the abundant resources of the language itself and its continued development and refinement by members of the Csound community.
This is a great companion book, allowing the reader to explore practical applications of concepts such as Fourier synthesis, digital filter theory, chaotic systems, reverberation, and algorithmic composition. This is accomplished very elegantly and always with reference to direct experience with the aid of numerous examples of Csound code. The book serves an important function by providing concrete examples of myriad synthesis methods, digital signal processing techniques, and specialized applications within one conceptual framework.
This book is full of excellent graphics, uniform and well commented coding examples, illustrative instrument-design flowcharts, thorough indexing, appendices of various kinds, all of it extremely well edited. There is an impressive unity to the text even though different authors have written the various chapters.
There is a treasure trove of instruments and compositions contained on the CD-ROMs. Many of these are by established composers of computer music and by the authors of the various chapters. Others, however, are by students from around the world. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in computer music in general and Csound specifically.

The Definitive csound Book.......2005-06-08

If you want to learn csound this is THE book to buy in conjunction with csounds.com you will need nothing else. Beware though, it takes lots of time and effort to learn this language and it is not easy. Buy this book only if you are very serious about trying your and at csound. As to Michael S Rempel review, if you are going to drop names to try to sound knowledgeable

" Most of the sound designers in Hollywood use CSound. I know more than a few of them. The guy who invented Trance music, BH is a CSounder. Everyone in his studio owns a copy of this book! I could keep name dropping for a long while, but you get it. CSound is one of the best kept open secrets in the world."

at least drop them correctly. It's BT not BH and he most definitely did not "invent Trance music." He is however an avid csound user. Sorry I just could not let that slide.

Nobody Does it Better.......2005-02-19

Beginners be warned. This is not a book that is designed to hold your hand. For that go to www.csounds.com and check out the beginners secton. Also join the online forums.

This is the site that the author, Dr. Richard Boulanger maintains for people looking to get started with Csound. It is also the place most of the really good CSound software developers and users hang out.

If you have explored synthesis on another platform, then this is the book for you. If you have explored CSound a bit, and want depth then this is the book for you.

Dr. B has compiled resources and brings together the best of the CSound community in a compilation that is really a collection of CSound essays. Many of the articles are regretably brief. A few sections are missing all together. (Most notably the midi section is not included, and is still not written)

But what is written in this book is the best information you can get anywhere on the subject of computer synthesis in ANY LANGUAGE. I need to clarify that a bit though, two new projects are on the way which will change that. Csound 5 is in developement, and MPEG 4 also has a world class sound engine. But in both cases these new technologies are based on the stuff in this book. Yes, that is right, MPEG 4 has a csound like engine in it.

Csound is first rate. Nothing beats it. I have done the plugin thing, and downloaded or bought just about everything in synthesis available from anywhere. Some tools can offer you nice canned sounds, or pretty patch chords and knobs. But for pure raw power, flexability and creative oomph nothing can equal CSound. This book will take you from the world of patch chords and knobs into the world of programming. That is where the power is baby, in programming. Where anything can plug into anything. All you need are some programming chops and any music or noise you can dream up is at your finger tips.

If it happens in any synth anywhere in the world, then eventually it will happen in CSound. And mostly it already does. And what is more, in CSound you can combine ANY methods of synthesis you want AT THE SAME TIME. No other synth can do that. Period.

BTW the CSound software is free. That is right, free on the PC, free in Linux, and free on the mac. So buy the book, download the software, and meet everyone who wrote the book, and most everyone who writes anything to do with the CSound software on the CSounds web site.

If that is not enough to convince you, consider this: Most of the sound designers in Hollywood use CSound. I know more than a few of them. The guy who invented Trance music, BH is a CSounder. Everyone in his studio owns a copy of this book! I could keep name dropping for a long while, but you get it. CSound is one of the best kept open secrets in the world.

The definitive Csound compendium.......2003-01-19

A word of warning to electronic music newbies: Be sure to learn the fundamentals of synthesis and MIDI before venturing into the realm of Csound. This book assumes a level of knowledge regarding these subjects and will present an insurmountable challenge to someone with no programming experience. However, for those that do, it will present a whole new universe of possibilities.

As a composition tool, there is nothing quite as extensive or powerful as Csound, which is why there is an equally extensive learning curve for its students. I feel that this book is probably better suited as a text for a college course rather than a stand-alone guide for DIYers. But in its defense, I belong to the latter category and have fared pretty well in learning the language.

While I must criticize Mr. Boulanger for not giving thorough enough explanation to some critical topics in his book, overall--this is by and far the best resource for anyone attempting Csound. You will find the contents of the included CD-Roms to be an immense supplement to the book's chapters.

Not for beginners.......2002-12-22

Csound is probably the most powerful digital synthesizer software available. And it is essentially free. But writing code to produce music can feel like creating your own custom draw program from scratch to create a painting. There is no noodling with a keyboard or twisting knobs and listening to instant results. No, you create an .orc and a .sco file, one for the instruments and the other for the "notes"(though the language can be used to create filters and process sound). This gives you unlimited control, but you pay the price of programming headaches e.g. debugging, crashes, etc. There is also a very steep learning curve. Csound is a work in progress, though. Matt Ingalls's (and others) tireless work has made Csound easier to use, and has even updated it to Mac OS 10. He has also created an extension that allows Csound to interface with Max/MSP, perhaps simplifying the composers task. Nevertheless, Csound has a long legacy as a musicN language, and it has its roots in computer science.

If you are getting started in electronic or computer music and have little background in the field, this book may ultimately prove frustrating. Chapter one provides a perfect example. It opens with an .orc file and uses terms like control rate and sampling rate, but it isn't until much later that we find out what these things mean. Much of the first section is difficult to work through because of this approach. I think that the book would benefit from a rewrite, and I mean truly rewriting section one from scratch so the foundation is Basics of Synthesis. A section written like a "Dummies" book would be helpful for beginners like me, while the Csound mavens could simply flip to chapter X,Y, or Z and read at their level. Otherwise, the author should dispense with the basics and focus on making this a book for those already familiar with Csound. Obviously, the author/editor put tremendous effort into this book, so it seems a pity that it is kind of poorly organized. Finally, The Csound Book would benefit from careful spell checking (the author refers to GEN21 creating "Poison" distributions).

After having spent a year with the Csound book, I can make some recommendations for someone wanting to start electronic composition. You must read Curtis Roads's Computer Music Tutorial, probably the best electronic music book written. Don't let the dry title fool you, it is great reading. It will teach you the fundamentals and will serve as a reference if you decide to tackle Csound. Or, consider using Max/MSP instead of Csound. It isn't free, but it does have a graphical interface, yet it does not sacrifice flexibility. And you can now use Csound as a sort of "plug in" for Max/MSP. If you want to make popular music, Csound will probably only prove useful if your current software can't make a sound that you want.

Book Description

Interactive music refers to a composition or improvisation in which software interprets live performances to produce music generated or modified by computers. In Composing Interactive Music, Todd Winkler presents both the technical and aesthetic possibilities of this increasingly popular area of computer music. His own numerous compositions have been the laboratory for the research and development that resulted in this book.

The author's examples use a graphical programming language called Max. Each example in the text is accompanied by a picture of how it appears on the computer screen. The same examples are included as software on the accompanying CD-ROM, playable on a Macintosh computer with a MIDI keyboard.

Although the book is aimed at those interested in writing music and software using Max, the casual reader can learn the basic concepts of interactive composition by just reading the text, without running any software. The book concludes with a discussion of recent multimedia work incorporating projected images and video playback with sound for concert performances and art installations.

Customer Reviews:

An in-depth look at MAX and its applications.......2006-03-25

MAX is an object-oriented graphical programming environment for creating music and multimedia used for over fifteen years by composers, performers, software designers, researchers and artists interested in creating interactive compositions. MAX reuses the patchable modular analog synthesizer metaphor. You build patches by placing modules on a graphic surface and connecting these modules together with patch cords. The connections represent paths on which values or signal streams are send between the modules. These modules are either processing units (arithmetics, timing, ...), data containers (tables, ...), system inputs or outputs (audio, MIDI, ...). MAX modules are called objects in the sense of Object-Oriented Languages. Objects can themselves be patchers, so that a patch has a hierarchical structure. Some objects have graphical interactive behavior and can be used as controllers, to change values in the patch, or as viewers, to display values computed by the patch.
In this book, Winkler mainly deals with the MIDI version of MAX running on the Macintosh platform. What makes this book so interesting is that it brings together much of the research that has been floating around various institutions and e-mail lists. It is also a fantastic introduction to both MAX and how it interfaces with both performers and computer programming. Winkler informs us that there is a growing future for the MAX environment. With the advent of increased QuickTime and Internet support, MAX is becoming one of the tools with which to enter the interactive programming world. Its strength is that one starts with simple commands and a blank sheet of paper, so to speak, not a grid or staff or piano-roll.
Readers of this book, if novices to MAX and MIDI, could find it hard going at first - but if one can work through the exercises, learning is quickly achieved. If you have already used MAX then the book ties many loose ends together and offers advice on structured programming in MAX. Winkler is careful to define his space and the terminology used. His historical introduction is thoughtful and comprehensive, citing many well-known and some less well-known composers and works. Thus, while informing us of quite pertinent details, Winkler manages to keep an informal style that presents these details in exciting ways.
Once into Chapter 3, we are programming with MAX. MAX is a fourth-generation language - its objects on the screen generate run-time code that the programmer may never see (or wish to see). Its structure is intuitive - generally time runs top-to-bottom and precedence runs right-to-left, and this facilitates informative annotation. Although the book contains tutorial information on MAX, some understanding of the fundamentals of MAX is assumed. Also, it is assumed the reader is familiar with simple musical terms and structures.
Winkler categorizes interactive music programming into three sections: computer as listener, computer as composer, and computer as performer and illustrates this with informative examples contained within the accompanying CD-ROM. Winkler explains how the computer can analyze and compare input usually in the form of someone playing a keyboard, filter this information, add to it, store it, and finally play a response. The computer may act as a very intelligent effects box by following the performer in real time and reacting, thus offering the performer something unexpected in order to facilitate a quasi "interactive process", or there may be no performer at all and the computer may generate its own performance data.
The guts of the book are devoted to good programming technique and design, analysis of musical input data, reaction to musical input data, interaction of MIDI with digitized sound, be it a computer file or a track on a CD, and the complicated process of scoring that follows. Finally, Winkler offers a taste of the future with signal processing, audio-visual development, and the possibilities of controlling MAX with non-keyboard devices. He mentions the MIDI flute, designed at IRCAM, and from this we can imagine using MIDI wind controllers, drum pads and the like to enable performers on one instrument to interact more accurately with another. In addition, there are newer controllers such as pressure-sensitive pads, simple potentiometers, light detectors, and movement sensors that can now all interface with the computer and therefore come under the control of MAX. The opportunities for interactive dance have already been explored at institutions around the world but the technology is now readily available, off the shelf, and is being used by installation artists and choreographers alike.
Mr. Winkler is an able musician who circumvents the boring details and makes programming openly accessible to users. He even offers us many programming examples from which we may build our own interactive works. This book is valuable reference material, as it details and illustrates the powerful IRCAM objects Explode and Qlist, and also objects like Borax and AIFFplay, offering a musical approach. Thus, this book is for anybody interested in bringing computers, MIDI gear, an performers into their creative grasp.

A perfect companion for Max users on all levels........1998-05-05

This book gives one a clear and inspiring view into the Max language and the wide scope of work being done with this Macintosh software. My only regret is that I don't own two copies, one for the studio and one to read at home.

Vocab Rock! Musical Preparation for the SAT and ACT, w/CD

Average customer rating:

A song in your studies
Actual use
vocab rock! Musical preparation for the Sat and ACt
Vocab Rock is Excellent!

Vocab Rock! Musical Preparation for the SAT and ACT, w/CD
Peterson's
Manufacturer: Petersons Guides
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0768923050

Book Description

Don't judge this book by its cover alone, listen to the CD! From Defined Mind, Vocab Rock brings real music, from hip-hop to alternative, to SAT and ACT test prep. Students can groove to tunes from independent recording artists and then use the lyrics, definitions, and exercises included in the book to really learn, and remember the new vocabulary found in the songs. Who says you have to turn down the music to study for the SAT!

Customer Reviews:

A song in your studies.......2007-09-10

Music as always is a very personal experience. Some songs in Vocab Rock! were better than others. The song "Already Taken" could stand alone as a hit. If you like Hip-Hop, you may like the songs in Flocabulary better. But the real point of these works is repetition of advance vocabulary in context. Both works have a plethora of words. Get them both and get a break from flash cards.

Actual use.......2007-05-07

Kids thought the music was unpalatable, but enjoyed the worksheets (ultimately opted for Flocabulary).

vocab rock! Musical preparation for the Sat and ACt.......2007-04-04

Returned.
Difficult to understand the songs and poor tunes.

Vocab Rock is Excellent!.......2006-06-05

I gave this book to my 14 year old and she loves it! After listening to the cd for 3 days I couldn't believe how much she learned from it. She brought it to school to share with her friends and they are wondering where to buy the CD....Great Product!!

Singing in French: A Manual of French Diction and French Vocal Repertoire

Average customer rating:

The French diction 'bible' Singing in French!
Please see information below.

Singing in French: A Manual of French Diction and French Vocal Repertoire
Thomas Grubb
Manufacturer: Schirmer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0028707907

Customer Reviews:

The French diction 'bible' Singing in French!.......2003-11-16

The book Singing in French has been my close friend for many years. In fact, I have just bought a new one since my first one fell apart from constant use! The information presented here is first-class with no detail left unattended. It remains (since 1979) THE major book on French diction for classical singers. Thomas Grubb explains everything in detail so clearly. He knows from experience what a singer's reaction will be and he is able to address that at the outset.Thomas Grubb is not only an expert on French diction, but also a wonderful pianist, vocal coach and an impeccable artist. This book is a must read! Grubb includes detailed repertoire for each category of voice. To singers, this is simply a French diction bible!

Please see information below........1999-10-25

This is Thomas Grubb himself supplying up-dated information on my book. It is presently available through PRENTICE HALL, Inc., 240 Frisch Court, Paramus, NJ 07652 at l-800-766-849l (FAX: 20l-909-6275). It in listed there under Macmillan Library Reference/Schirmer. And I no longer teach at the Manhattan School. Since l985 I have been on the faculty of The Juilliard School and since l984 at Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore.

Average customer rating:

A MUST READ for any public performer
Why is this book out of print? It is AWESOME !!!
Highly Recommended
Humor, Compassion and Reality
Pretty Good Book - Shorter & thinner than I expected though!

Stage Performance
Livingston Taylor
Manufacturer: Pocket
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0671039717

Book Description

There is a secret to winning an audience -- any audience, whether you're standing before them to sing a song, give a speech, or sell an idea. In his very popular Stage Performance class at Boston's renowned Berklee College of Music, singer-songwriter Livingston Taylor teaches students how to take to the stage without fear and deliver a natural performance that is rewarding for both the artist and the audience. Follow his unique approach to being comfortable in the spotlight, and discover:

the conversation of performance
the right way to begin -- and end -- your time onstage
understanding and conquering stage fright

Thousands of shows in 30+ years have enabled Livingston Taylor to understand and offer solutions to the nervousness and confusion people experience onstage as they attempt to expose their art and ideas to others. This is the book that can take every musician -- and performer of every kind -- to a new level of professionalism.

Customer Reviews:

A MUST READ for any public performer.......2006-09-29

If you want to "entertain" an audience, Liv can tell you how to do it. This book is concise, entertaining, and a MUST read. The author provides some real-world reality checks, shows you how to engage the audience, and does it all with humility and good humour. It is truly unfortunate that the book is out of print. It shouldn't be.

Buy it, if you can find it. Borrow a copy, check the library, but definately READ this one! It is short, to the point, and it is even a FUN read! I would sell my copy to you, but I want keep it so that I can read it again!

RHB

Why is this book out of print? It is AWESOME !!!.......2002-08-03

I have seen Liv live on a number of occasions. He is an amazing performer - not as technically proficient as, say, Vince Gill, but he never claims to me. One walks away from his concert feeling as though their emotions have undergone Ty-Bo.

He mixes grace, humor, and modesty in a way that few have managed to master. For the new (or experienced) performmer, this book is a great way to begin that Mastery process.

Highly recommended, to say the least.

Highly Recommended.......2001-09-10

Liv Taylor's book is an excellent resource for all musicians and performers who engage in live performance or touring. As a writer, Taylor brings the reader into his Berklee College of Music Stage Performance Class, where assorted characters (based on real students) receive coaching and wisdom Liv has garnered from his 30+ years of performing and touring experience.

Taylor's primary message is one of cultivating a sensitive and attentive relationship between the performer and his or her audience. He also presents useful thoughts on stage presence, performance anxiety, audience interaction, life on the road, and the requirements for maintaining a viable performing career.

Though Taylor's book is primarily targeted at young, aspiring popular musicians at the beginning of their careers, more experienced artists, musicians from other disciplines, and even actors and public speakers can benefit as well.

-Doc Wallace, Faculty, the Juilliard School

Humor, Compassion and Reality.......2001-06-15

Excellent, engaging, compassionate, humorous, with lots of useful information on myriad facets of the music business. This material is the fruit of 30 years of experience, and is laced with gritty, funny anecdotes that bring each of Taylor's "lessons" to life. I'm buying another two copies for friends.

Pretty Good Book - Shorter & thinner than I expected though!.......2001-05-20

I enjoyed Mr. Taylor's style of writing and the way he laid out the book like the course he teaches. I was surprised when it first arrived at how slim and small the book is. Great for carrying around and reading but I felt he could have told me more for the money :) Maybe that's just me. As a performer with 13 years experience, I thought he made lots of good points and I agree with most of them. Would be a great book for a beginner.

The Technique of my Musical Language (Bibliotheque-Leduc)

Average customer rating:

Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant
Very practical demonstration of Messiaen's techniques`

The Technique of my Musical Language (Bibliotheque-Leduc)
Olivier Messiaen
Manufacturer: A. Leduc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: B0006AW8CW

Customer Reviews:

Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant.......1999-04-12

Olivier Messiaen may be the greatest composer of the 20th century. His discussion of his own musical technique is brilliant, lucid, and almost as endearing as the music itself. A must fr any serious scholar of music.

Very practical demonstration of Messiaen's techniques`.......1998-12-21

This book is arranged in short lessons or demonstrations of Messiaen's musical concepts, with musical examples that illustrate the points. In comparison to the other books on Messiaen's composition techniques, this one is the best at getting to the point quickly.

Teach Me Italian (Paperback and Audio CD): A Musical Journey Through the Day

Average customer rating:

don't buy it!
Probably a Great Product for a younger child
Teach Me Italian: A Musical Journey Through the Day
Great cd!
Singing in the car...

Teach Me Italian (Paperback and Audio CD): A Musical Journey Through the Day
Judy Mahoney
Manufacturer: Teach Me Tapes
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: 093463355X

Book Description

A Musical Journey Through the DayChildren ages 2-12 learn languages with ease and humorusing this innovative book and audio set. Teaches numbers, the alphabet, days of the week, everyday phrases, and more! Songs include: The More We Get Together; Hush Little Baby; Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes; and more! Audio features familiar tunes sung by native childrenaccompanied by professional musicians. Delightfully illustrated 20-page book suitable for coloringincludes all song lyrics and translations.

Customer Reviews:

don't buy it!.......2007-06-21

I agree with Lorena from Milan. I am Italian as well and if you want your kid to learn Italian in the right way, especially pronunciation, stay away from this book. The leading singer has a very strong accent that makes it hard for me at times to understand what she is singing (and I am a NATIVE Italian and I teach Italian in the US so I am used to bad accents...)
Also, the songs are translated in a way that does not match the music, so when I listen to it, it gives me the chills. You can find much more authentic material around done and sang by real Italians!!

Probably a Great Product for a younger child.......2007-04-20

I bought this product for my daughter only to find out that it is intended for a much younger child. The songs are really for 1 or 2 year old or a child that it not too much older. My daughter, did, however, like learning Italian with Let's Learn Italian Picture Dictionary.

Teach Me Italian: A Musical Journey Through the Day.......2007-01-27

This book and CD are AWESOME! I have three kids: 6, 4 1/2, and 2 1/2, and they all LOVE to sing along with the songs on this CD. It has been a huge hit in our household. I think the songs are very catchy - I have even caught myself humming along with them in my head at other times during the day!

This set is perfect if you have little ones that can't read yet - my 2 1/2 year old was counting in Italian before he was couting in English!!!

Great cd!.......2006-07-09

This is a great CD. I use it for an italian playgroup that I run, and moms and kids enjoy the familiar tunes!

Singing in the car..........2006-03-15

A wonderful product to help my daughter grow up bi-lingual.
We have been lisnening to it since she was 3 months old on our car trips around town and even I have come to expect and enjoy the friendly and memorable songs.

Rapid Greek (Musical Brain Trainer) (Musical Brain Trainer)

Average customer rating:

This method really works
An hour well spent

Rapid Greek (Musical Brain Trainer) (Musical Brain Trainer)
Marlon Lodge
Manufacturer: Earworms Publishing Ltd.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: 1905443013

Customer Reviews:

This method really works.......2007-06-10

I listed to the Rapid Greek tape for several weeks before going to Greece and also during the time I was in Greece. I was able to start using some phrases the moment we landed. The approach is unique, enjoyable and it really worked for me. I can't praise the tapes enough!! I think they work best for someone who doesn't want to become fluent in another language, but wants to gain a level of understanding that will make a vacation or a business trip much more enriching.

An hour well spent.......2006-07-21

The "Earworms Learning" Greek course provides an hour of useful travel phrases set to music. The course is simple and enjoyable. I have also listened to the German and Italian courses and I look forward to the Portuguese course and the level 2 Greek course which should be available soon.

The Wheels on the Bus (Raffi Songs to Read)

Average customer rating:

The Pages of This Book go Flip and Turn
A great book with many things to talk about
Love it!
Good version for toddlers
My 17 month old's favorite book!

The Wheels on the Bus (Raffi Songs to Read)
Raffi
Manufacturer: Crown Books for Young Readers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0517576457
Release Date: 1990-03-10

Book Description

Illus. in full color. "With a jovial bus driver as host, readers have quite a ride ahead of them as the bus bounces through what appears to be a French town. In her first book the artist humorously injects the familiar song with cheerful new life."--Horn Book.

Customer Reviews:

The Pages of This Book go Flip and Turn.......2006-09-08

Timing is everything to read this book, which is really a song. Although the notes are at the end to hint how the words should be read, without hearing it sung first and reading it out loud in a dull monotonous fashion a toddler may look at the reader as if to ask "Why bother?" Then I heard it on one of the CDs and now the words flow beautifully and make me read and read, read and read, all through the night.

A great book with many things to talk about.......2006-07-21

I bought this when my daughter was 13 months, and after 7 months she still loves this book. There are different people in the bus - adults, kids, elderly, pets, etc., and many things happening on and off the bus.

When my daughter refuses to drink her milk, I'll turn to the page where the baby is happily drinking from the bottle, then she will take her cup and start drinking.

Try Raffi's CD as well. He sang the song to a cheerful tones with kids in the background - my daughter loves it.

Love it!.......2006-03-17

This is the second copy I'm buying as the 1st one was read until it fell apart! My 14 month old LOVES this book.

Good version for toddlers.......2005-10-20

My 18-month-old grandson enjoys this song (and "bus" was one of his first words). He isn't real excited about the book yet, but I think he will enjoy it later when he can sing it himself. My only problem with the book is that two of the pages were upside down. But because it's a board book, I was able to separate the pages with my nailfile and paste them back in right side up with library glue (one of the perks of being a librarian). Vona Van Cleef, librarian/gramma

My 17 month old's favorite book!.......2005-10-02

My daughter calls this book "Vroom vroom!" It is by far her favorite. She liked the song before she ever saw the book and the illustrations in this version fascinate her -- so many things to point to and discuss! Just today, she propped up this book so her dolls could read it, too.

I was not bothered by the baby getting a bottle at all. I breastfed my daughter, but she often got a bottle of pumped milk, especially when we were out and about.

Earworms Rapid Japanese (Musical Brain Trainer)

Average customer rating:

Best option for quick and dirty Japanese

Earworms Rapid Japanese (Musical Brain Trainer)
Marlon Lodge
Manufacturer: Earworms Publishing Ltd.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: 1905443072

Customer Reviews:

Best option for quick and dirty Japanese.......2007-10-04

This is the only product that I have used that will have you ordering food and getting directions in Japanese in under a week. The insistent repetition method really works. I found myself spontaneously remembering phrases that I had tried to learn in the past. Earworms is is bar none the best option for the unserious student of Japanese, and should be considered by anyone who is trying to learn this language.

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