Reso Reading List

This topic has 15 replies, 5 voices, and was last updated 2 years, 2 months ago by Rob Ickes.

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- January 10, 2020 at 3:22 am #6520
  
  Rob Ickes
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  I’m reading this great book right now on the history of Hawaiian guitar. Really fascinating stuff about early Hawaiian players and how the instrument tied into the politics of Hawaii in the 1800’s and beyond. A must read for us Dobro players since we wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for Hawaiian music!
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- January 15, 2020 at 2:47 pm #6608
  
  Todd Borger
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  Rob,
  
  This looks really interesting. I have a personal link with Hawaii that I won’t share right now, but I am really looking forward to reading this book.
  
  I just found an electronic copy of it in our school library. If others here are attached to schools in some way, as students or faculty, they may want to search their library databases to see if it shows up.
  
  Todd
- June 13, 2020 at 4:50 pm #8085
  
  Rob Ickes
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  I haven’t read “The Complete Dobro Player,” but I got a lot out of “The Dobro Book,” also by Stacy Phillips. When I was a kid, this was the only Dobro instructional book available, and I highly recommend it. Stacy covers lots of different styles and the record that comes along with the book is hilarious..
- June 13, 2020 at 4:51 pm #8086
  Rob Ickes
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  First, Learn to Practice by Tom Heany
  
  I just read this book this summer and I got soooo much out of it…
  It is pretty short and concise. Some music books are so “long-winded,” you get lost in all the information they present. This one is short, focused, and yet packed with great info.
  A few of my favorite quotes-
  -If you don’t enjoy your practicing, change it until you do.
  -Practicing is searching for and mastering the ideal motions to play music.
  -Practicing is developing and maintaining ear-hand coordination. Practicing is learning how to listen. Practicing is repetition with purpose.
  -Practice movement. Music will follow.
  -If you want to play music, you first have to learn to move your hands a certain way. Music comes from movement.
  
  I highly recommend this book! LMK what you think about it..
  - This reply was modified 4 years, 1 month ago by Joe Xiques.
- June 13, 2020 at 4:56 pm #8088
  
  Rob Ickes
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  The Advancing Guitarist by Mick Goodrick
  
  I spent a lot of time with this book many years ago. I believe the author taught at Berkelee School of Music and also taught Pat Metheny and other Jazz guitarists from that generation. He has a really different approach to teaching. I enjoyed the “Unitar” section where you pretend your guitar only has one string and you try and get as much music as you can from that one string. So on the Dobro, you would start on the first string (D) and learn all your scales, keys, etc. on that string alone. Then you would do the same for the second string (B), and the third string (G), etc…So you learn how to play in every key on every string. This really frees you up and allows you to play with more freedom, especially when improvising. You really learn the “geography” of the fretboard. This book is a real “mind expander,” highly recommended!
  
  The Advancing Guitarist (Reference) https://www.amazon.com/dp/0881885894/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_rnELEb3EARWYT
- June 17, 2020 at 7:11 pm #8136
  
  Todd Borger
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  Here is an obituary for Darick Everett Campbell. He was a lap steel guitarist in what the article calls the “Sacred Steel” tradition. This was all new to me. Maybe you will be interested.
  
  https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/darick-campbell-gospel-musician-who-upheld-sacred-steel-tradition-dies-at-53/2020/06/16/9c4080e0-af12-11ea-8758-bfd1d045525a_story.html
- June 18, 2020 at 4:08 pm #8146
  
  Bill Frey
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  book: The Practice of Practice by Jonathan Harnum
  
  The author is a jazz sax player, but the book and concepts apply for any instrument. This book is really in depth and I admit that I didn’t read all of it (reading books halfway is one of my bad habits). One thing I found interesting and useful is the author recommends playing drums to work on your timing, regardless of what your instrument is. Perhaps this book can be described as “long winded” but I’d still suggest reading it…. well at least half of it 🙂
  - June 18, 2020 at 11:34 pm #8149
    
    Rob Ickes
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    Hi Bill, I read this one recently also! Really dug it, tons of great advice in there.
- June 18, 2020 at 6:40 pm #8148
  
  Craig Spinney
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  Hey Bill,
  
  Thanks for posting. This looks like an interesting read. I’m going to check it out!
- July 3, 2020 at 10:55 am #8286
  
  Todd Borger
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  Rob,
  
  Not sure if this is the right place to post this, but I just watched your July video and it reminded me of something.
  
  You mentioned the importance of posture and body awareness in general, and in particular you mentioned the Alexander Technique.
  
  I was reminded of my college professor Alexandra Pierce at the University of Redlands. I took a class with her called Movement for Musicians and it changed my life in a number of ways. She later published several books on the subject but I think the most applicable here is Deepening Musical Performance through Movement, from Indiana University Press.
  
  As a side note, while at Redlands John Jorgensen’s father Jim was my band director and conducting teacher. Some good memories there.
- July 4, 2020 at 3:31 pm #8293
  Paul Conrad
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  I don’t know if this will improve your playing, but it’s a great chance to get a little of Josh’s voice and personality. It’s from tapes of him speaking so there’s a lot of flavor. It’s also from late in his career looking back. How Flatt & Scruggs worked as an ensemble. His own influences, like Cliff Carlisle. Maybe reading it will lead you to look up some of the things he references. Great section of other people’s appreciations of Josh. If you love music made by people who grew up in the mountains in the 1930s, it’s a must-have.
  - This reply was modified 4 years ago by Paul Conrad.
  - July 4, 2020 at 10:28 pm #8300
    
    Rob Ickes
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    Great addition Paul, loved this book!
- April 1, 2021 at 10:47 am #11519
  
  Rob Ickes
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  Here’s a great book that I mentioned in the April 2021 Welcome Video. Lots of applications to the music world.
  
  Black Box Thinking: The Surprising Truth About Success
  by Amazon.com
  Learn more: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1473613809/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_PEFZQC8K8XCJ7S0QDTXZ
- October 31, 2021 at 3:53 pm #12614
  
  Rob Ickes
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  Here’s the book by Emma John that I mentioned in the October 2021 Welcome Video. Great thoughts on playing bluegrass and improvising, and just a great perspective on Bluegrass music and artists!
  
  Wayfaring Stranger: A Musical Journey in the American South
  by Emma John
  Learn more: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1474606857/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_M8NZ8ZR8MDK0SVXZRXVF
- October 31, 2021 at 3:55 pm #12615
  
  Rob Ickes
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  Here’s the John Duffey book that I mention in the November 2021 Welcome Video. A “must read” for Seldom Scene and Country Gentlemen fans, and anyone interested in learning what it really means to be in a band!
  
  JOHN DUFFEY’S BLUEGRASS LIFE: FEATURING THE COUNTRY GENTLEMEN, SELDOM SCENE, AND WASHINGTON, D.C. – Second Edition
  by Amazon.com
  Learn more: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1632638398/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_EV4VM3C4ASDE2GX5H73C
- May 9, 2022 at 5:06 pm #14173
  
  Rob Ickes
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  Here’s another good book on other bluegrass life.” This is a great book on what it was like to be a “Bluegrass Boy” in the 1980’s. The author, Mark Hembree, also played bass on “The Dreadful Snakes” first and only recording, “Snakes Alive.” He also was with the Nashville Bluegrass Band for several years until they had a bad bus accident… On the Bus with Bill Monroe: My Five-Year Ride with the Father of Blue Grass (Music in American Life).
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