Garage Band Theory - The Book

(Click the titles to read the whole review)

Garage Band Theory: Review by Craig Hall

In “Garage Band Theory” Duke Sharp has delivered to us the anti-textbook. Apparently inspired less by
the tired approaches of endless theory books on the local music store rack, than by, say, Dave Barry’s
delightful drollery, GBT reads at moments like a coffee shop conversation twixt rock band sidemen at a
restaurant after a questionable gig, complete with puns both good and bad, musician ‘inside humor’ and
self-demeaning laments.

The genius within the madness is that after finally acquiescing to the har-har humor, the reader will find
himself actually learning a lot about music along the way. More to the point, learning how band-stand
musicians THINK about music.    

Garage Band Theory: Review by Rich Robiscoe

It’s a fresh approach, a “we’re in this all together” vector not often
found in theory texts. Duke Sharp makes a solid hit with a work aimed
at players that want a comprehensive manual, but don’t want to wade
through Walter Piston’s “Harmony”. Mr Sharp provides a user friendly
platform for players of all abilities, with a special emphasis for the
gigging musician looking to touch up the ‘zen’ behind that tricky chord
change or progression.

A certain sense of humour is an essential part of ‘Garage Band Theory’.
The perspective of a working musician gives this primer a unique
vantage. This ain’t your standard Mel Bay!

Garage Band Theory: Review by Andrea Lea

When he started teaching guitar and mandolin, Duke Sharp went looking for a book that
explains what his students needed to know. He searched book stores, libraries,
universities, and on line databases. What he found were a lot of small pieces of bigger
puzzles, and some complicated explanations of arcane theories and phenomena that
didn’t matter, but nothing that provided a logically structured and complete picture of
what accomplished musicians know and use every day.

Garage Band Theory: Review by Kris Ellingsen

Clear a space immediately in your music library for Garage Band Theory.
It's not likely, though, that this excellent book will sit on the shelf
for long. I'm guessing that your copy, like mine, will either take up a
position on your music stand, flagged with sticky notes and paperclips, or
perhaps lie on the floor in your favorite practice nook, splayed out flat
(thanks to the practical ring binding) and stained with the coffee cup
rings that indicate a long and satisfying relationship.

Garage Band Theory: Review by Kyle Brenner

I love this book and will recommend it for all my students looking to pursue
ear training! As a studio teacher, I’ve often heard students complain that they wished
they could figure out what chord that was that just went by….”How do you know that’s a
minor chord there?” or “Why are you using that voicing or inversion for that?

And as a teacher, I tell students that I’d like them to be able to figure out songs for
themselves, instead of relying on my ear or a potentially bad TAB from the internet, but
how to get there? Now there’s a tool for the teacher and the student of ear training, and
it’s called Garage Band Theory.

Duke Sharp’s book is, simply put, the first book I have ever considered putting on my
required materials list as a guitar teacher.