learning to play jazz standards
SUDNOW
Richie Beirach - Sudnow's famous studies of piano skill
bring a major breakthrough for the adult student.
John Abercrombie - No-nonsense route to playing songs
on a keyboard with hip sounds. And no two staved
notation. Great course!
Adam Nussbaum - Gives you a fantastically quick access
to a keyboard, whatever your main "axe" or level of play.
Jimmy Rowles - Anyone who'd like to play tunes will have
a ball with Sudnow's terrific tapes.
It really works! - The Today Show
Makes you feel like Bill Evans.- The New York Times
After four months I really could perform.- Gentlemen's
Quarterly
The most direct path to keyboard song playing that money
can buy. Approach Standards with great voicings from
your first session. No decomposing into kiddie tidbits. Hone
skills for the intended end result right away. Clearest, most
informed, step-by-step guidance around.
Nowhere as concise an account of chord structure, harmony
and voicing. Nowhere a practice strategy of such proven
strength. Gain deeper insight into keyboard learning with
this method than in a hundred books or months of lessons.
Most important, sound great soon!
David Sudnow, PhD, is author of Harvard Press classic
Ways of the Hand, named one of the most exciting books
that year by Newsweek, (who called Sudnow an
exquisitely gifted observer). His audiocassette course has
produced thousands of fine players. For anyone, beginner or
expert, who can't play any tune well. In real time. Without
reading music.
Four audiocassettes, a comprehensive manual, and toll free
service. $34.95 (add $3 S/H) - VISA & MC
800-334-5927 email sud...@aol.com
The Sudnow Method, 66 Witherspoon, #201, Princeton, NJ
08542
Hello ,
I'm Dave Sudnow, and I have a whole new way of teaching
you to play your favorite songs at the keyboard. To play
them well. Soon. And without reading music. Whether
you're 14 or 90, with or without musical training - do read
on and learn what all the talk's been about, and why my
course is just what you've always wanted.
Back in 1969 I was a college professor with some time on
my hands. I loved the piano, especially great standards -
Gershwin, Cole Porter, Ellington, Mancini, Sondheim.
Especially the luscious sounds some pianists get! A year of
lessons as a kid left me empty handed. But I'd dream of
playing the cruise ships. I was lucky to meet a musician wise
enough to teach all the ingredients of songs in a few lessons
- the scale that melodies come from, chords and how they're
used, ways to get that hip texture that makes sounds
really great. My kind of teacher - Here are the facts, teach
yourself.. To make a long story short, I did, and six years
later left college teaching to write about music. Then, in
1980 I began research on this method.
The Neglected Song
Piano lessons usually fail. You're not taught how to carry a
tune, pick out melodies, understand ways to use chords and
harmony. Mostly you memorize European classical music.
Why rehearse a piece until it's note-for-note perfect, only to
forget it since you can't put in the hours it takes to keep up
such a repertoire? Taught to read music easily, you'd at
least have some skill - to sit down and casually play Bach,
say. But sight reading a score isn't the main goal of usual
lessons. Just memorizing and forgetting pieces.
But take songs. Tailor-made! Adults need music that's easy
to retain without constant upkeep. The typical American
standard tune is perfect - its melody made for singing, a
short length easy to remember, chords so patterned that
learning a dozen songs you've got the makings of
thousands.
Student as Teacher
I knew that in four hours I could tell anyone all the key
facts, how to practice step-by-step, start to finish, how to
monitor one's own hands and truly learn to play popular
songs with a professional touch.
Regular lessons aren't required. You no more need
someone looking over your shoulder as you learn this music
than you need a monitor to check if you're grabbing a chess
piece correctly. Once steered in the right direction, taught
what songs and the keyboard are all about, you then
become your own finest teacher. I decided to figure out
how to steer you along a best possible route. One that
works as quickly as can be.
Top-Down Learning
Soon after teaching my first students, I could see that
instead of breaking everything down into exercises and silly
simple pieces, I got a much faster result with a throw 'em
in the deep water and teach 'em how to swim approach.
That's sometimes done for skiing, parachuting, bike riding,
even learning new languages - but rarely music. Teachers
start with something easy and have you slowly work your
way up (very slowly!). I resisted that approach. Learn to
play with two-handed, full bodied sounds from day one!
Acquire all your skill playing songs you love, not drills and
exercises never proven to be necessary, or even useful! I
devised a neat way to start anyone at a sophisticated level.
(Many ideas grew out of my study of keyboard learning
published by Harvard in 1978.)
I got a fabulous result. In 4-5 months, even novices who
followed my advice for a half hour a day, could sit in to
play a few standards at a local piano bar. In a year they
could handle a full set. Of course folks with former lessons
learned faster.
Soup to Nuts
I gave my seminar to thousands over the next five years. It
presumed no background. Those who didn't know middle C
>from Times Square sat beside classical pianists who couldn't
play Happy Birthday without a score. Students weren't at
keyboards. Each sat with a manual ( packed with
information) whose clear pictures made it easy to follow the
talk. By the time it was over, students knew exactly what to
do, step-by- step, precisely how to utilize all the tools I
provided. I teach how to go past the songs that I arrange,
to use chord symbols on sheet music or fake books. I
teach how to get beyond all symbols, so you can hum a
tune, pick out a melody and play it right off. (No mystery,
no inborn talent, no such thing as tonedeafness!
Playing by earmeans getting typical chord changes into
the hands, nothing more or less.)
Four Great Hours
One day I got a call from a man who'd taken my course a
few months before. He was having a great time learning
songs. A producer of The Today Show, luck would have it,
he wanted to do a feature story on my method and its
students. I then made a live recording of the complete
seminar talk, so the course could be more widely available.
To date, 12,000 have taken my program, and with their
terrific feedback I've continuously refined the Method,
determined to provide a complete music education in one
package. I'm positive there's no competition. Not when it
comes to creating real skill, for adults of all ages and
backgrounds, in the shortest possible time, at playing songs
with sophisticated sounds on any keyboard instrument.
Student Quotations:
Thanks for helping me to become the musician I've always
wanted to be.........William Eckberg, Radio Station
Owner, Bismarck, ND: After 37 days I can play so as to
get oohs and aahs from friends......Don Windrath, Retired
Air Force Officer, Monument, CO: Removes the mystery
of chord construction and provides the logic absent in my
formal training......David Frankel, Attorney, Washington,
DC: After 5 months, in a lounge I played Misty during a
break, and when the pianist returned he said "I wish I
could play with chords like that"......Admiral Thor Hanson
(USN Ret), CEO, National Multiple Sclerosis Society,
NYC: Answers my desire to play piano. The tapes are clear
and encourage self pacing and motivation. David is always
available for any help........David Druz, Physician,
Haleiwa, HI: Four months after starting The Sudnow
Method a piano teacher asked me how many years I had
been playing. Now peopleask me if I play
professionally....Allen Weiss, Physicist, LA: I feel like
you are my personal teacher and a superb one at
that.....Cynthia Dagnal-Myron, Ed. Administrator, Keams
Canyon, AZ: I studied music in conservatories for eight
years and couldn't play by ear till now. You're on the
money....Bill Smith, Electric Company Dispatcher, Oley,
PA: Waiting in a lounge for dinner I played for twenty
people! The owner asked if I wanted a job........Jack Gill,
Professor, Texas Women's U: It really works. I've
learned my fourth song. Not bad for three months.....
I've learned six songs well and really enjoy
your approach ......Joanne Evans, Evans Music Seattle:
For adults, the most practical, enjoyable means for
learning piano.........Ken Marmon, RN, Durham, NC:
Your inspiration showed me that playing the piano was
indeed a do-able thing.........Walter Chrzanowski,
Personnel Specialist, Baltimore: I learned ten songs in two
months.......Bill Gum, Engineer, San Jose, CA: I can play
13 songs now and enjoy this way of learning........Janet
Katz, Realtor, Lebanon, PA: With this method - no baby
pieces. I put my hands on the piano and real music comes
out.....Jim Theby, Architect, St. Louis, MO: I've been a
late starter, but I'm going to make it, thanks to your
fantastic tutoring.......Tom Valeo, Theatre Critic, Chicago:
The most important thing Sudnow taught was to be more
aggressive about learning........Greg Gannon, Art
Director, LA : You've unlocked the mystery of the piano
for me...........Francis Perry, Classical Guitarist and
Teacher, Seagirt, NJ: I have used the method in learning
classical pieces and encouraged my students to do it too.
They've gotten great results......Paul Rubinstein, NYC:
My father was the pianist Arthur Rubinstein. I had the
best lessons money could buy, yet I always wanted to play
Mercer... rather than Mozart..... With David's course I'm
having the time of my life...Cliff Lander, Wholesaler,
Avon, MA:Your system works, even for the most
skeptical. Now when I enter a store that sells pianos I can
actually sit down and try one......Pat Deer, RN, Franklin,
IN: Can't believe what my hands are doing and the notes
I hear them playing. I've finished three songs in 12
weeks.........Betty Jeffrey, Piano Teacher,....Ravenswood,
WV: I'm excited that with your method all I've ever
learned about popular music is coming together........Art
Katona,Trombonist, Ontario, Canada: I purchased your
method a year ago and it is without a doubt the best music
instruction I've encountered........Samuel Lortz, Retired
Leather Processor, Greenville, SC: I started your course
before my 70th birthday, and I'm now playing with skill I
never thought possible at any age.......Randy McClanahan,
Attorney, Houston: One more satisified customer. So far
everything you promised has come true.......Joyce
McFarlin, Sales Rep, Arlington, TX : After one week I
played a song that sounded like a song......C.H.
Meares,Physician, Huntsville, TX : In nine months I
learned twelve songs and developed confidence and pride at
the keyboard........Steve Messina, Auto Parts Manager,
Evanston, IL: I'm 56 and feel like a kid. I can really
play the piano, a feat I thought impossible.........Bill
Michell.....Pychologist, Chicago: Made me believe that I
could learn and encouraged hope and
enthusiasm.........Barbara O'Brien, Homemaker, Downers
Grove, IL: I've learned 30 songs in the last 17 months
studying your method........Mark Pinsky, Professor,
Northwestern, Evanston : Inspired by your course and
stimulated by your views.........Mark Ruth, Flight
Instructor, TWA, St. Louis: Fascinated by your scientific
approach to teaching and learning.........Bruce Smith,
Editor, Bloomington, IN: The simplest way to familiarize
yourself with the keyboard and provide rewarding sounds
to keep up the interest........Mary Trimble, Computer
Programmer, Stanwood, WA: Pleased with my progress
this year, and delighted that I now play a dozen
songs........Scott Vaden, Pastor, Norton, VA: After two
weeks I've learned all of Misty, a little slow but note
perfect and right on time........Bill Von Ruden, Physician,
Hutchinson, KS: Thanks for many moments of pleasure
you've given me and my wife.......Della Wettengel,
Homemaker, Chicago: I've been wanting to play this
sound for 15 years. People who've played for years are
very impressed and ask what are you doing?.. ..Mike
Young, Restauranteur,
-------------------------------------
sud...@aol.com The Sudnow Method, Inc
66 Witherspoon
Princeton NJ 08542
1-800-334-5927
-------------------------------------
Jeff Harrison
[SAME OLD AD DELETED]
For those even thinking about buying the Sudnow Method, hereąs a couple of
real-life testimonials:
D.F. at aol.com wrote:
łI bought this guy's tapes-he's an amateur with an aggressive scam-don't
throw your money away!˛
J.K. at bell-atl.com wrote:
łI went to a two-day seminar in Philly when he had a traveling
road show called "Play it by Ear" where he sold tapes. The gist of his
theory was that *all* tunes are based on the cycle of fifths, and everyone
was basically led to believe that almost all pop tunes can be harmonized
in this simplified fashion.˛
These are just two of the many unsatisfied customers. Artist testimonials
along the lines of Beirach or Abercrombie unfortunately have much less
weight since it is quite obvious that Sudnowąs łMethod˛ did *not* help
them reach their present level of artistry.
This, however, is not the real issue.
David Sudnow, besides being an łaggressive scammer˛ contributes relatively
*nothing* to REC.MUSIC.BLUENOTE but posting his ads over and over and
over. He simply considers us łpotential customers.˛ He has stated to me
via email that REC.MUSIC.BLUENOTE łis great place to do business,˛
completely disregarding that Netiquette strongly condemns posting
hype-laden ads over and over on Usenet.
His disdain for REC.MUSIC.BLUENOTE people can be best summed up with
another łgem˛ he mailed me. It states:
łWould you rather bullshit talk about nothing, or
[sic] substantive commercial messages? If you opt
for the latter, you're just a prick!˛
Sorry Dave, I but I find the Newsgroup to be a incredibly valuable source
of information from a number of talented musicians all coming together
because of a common love for jazz. If you call that łnothing,˛ thatąs your
problem. I do not find your endless postings łsubstantive.˛ Sorry for
posting a quote from private email folks, but I think his łpotential
customers˛ should see what they are buying into.
If Sudnow needs Internet advertising, he most certainly could get an
account with a Internet Service Provider and setup a page on the World
Wide Web like most other commercial interests have chosen to do.
If you find his behavior to be offensive - TELL HIM! There is no censoring
of this Newsgroup (thank goodness!) so the only rational course is for
those who dislike it to ask him (and others like him) to stop.
His address is: sud...@aol.com
Perhaps he might like it if you send him an ad about one of your upcoming
gigs as well! ;)