Buy from Sher Music Buy from Amazon.com Metaphors for the Musician is available at select music stores nationwide. You'll find the book in the Seattle area at Capitol Music (7th and Virginia; 206-622-0171) and at the various Mills Music and Kennelly Keys outlets. Call first to make sure it's in stock!

This book is intended for serious jazz musicians of all types. Within its 328 pages you’ll find valuable information about improvisation, theory, career advice, and piano (for pianists and non-pianists alike). Randy has distilled his twenty-five years of playing and teaching experience into clear, down-to-earth instruction that is guaranteed to improve your musicianship. Additionally, many non-musicians have remarked that Metaphors offers them a unique and fascinating window on how jazz works and how it feels to play it.

Read what some of today’s leading jazz musicians have said about Metaphors for the Musician:

“This is a wonderful teaching tool for all music students, not just pianists. As a horn player, I can attest that many of us do not know our way around a keyboard too well. This book sets out the necessary information in a clear and interesting way. All horn players should have this book on their shelf.”
–Bud Shank

“I highly recommend this book. Written from a player’s, as well as a teacher’s, point of view, it moves in a logical, step-by-step, “hands-on” and easy-to-understand manner. Never pedantic, Metaphors for the Musician is constantly buoyed with humor, great metaphors and anecdotes from real-life work situations. Recommended for the teacher, piano accompanist, or any instrumentalist.”
–Bill Mays

“Metaphors For The Musician is an excellent tool for students and teachers alike.”
–George Cables

“Randy Halberstadt knows how to break things down so a student can actually understand it. This book is chock full of great gems that both students and professional players could really benefit from.”
–Jerry Bergonzi

The single best book on learning jazz piano that I have ever seen. It is clear, logical, easy to use, not too dry, and covers a huge amount of territory without seeming too overwhelming. I can’t tell you how impressed I am with it. As much as I admire Mark Levine’s books I have to say your book tops it, especially in terms of helping direct the student specifically in practicing….I had a few horrific teachers when I first became interested in jazz piano, the kind of guys that said, “When you see a Gmaj7 chord you can play these voicings and these scales” without any sense of WHAT to do with those materials, why they worked (or didn’t in many cases) and above all with no sense of chord tones, leading tones, and how rhythm functions in melody, etc., etc….I wish I had had your book then!”
–Wayne Horvitz

“If you love music, buy this book! You’ll be inspired. Randy knows how to teach. His book is full of insights and ideas all musicians can benefit from, regarding voicings, fingering, improvising, theory, etc. His analytical skills clear up many jazz concepts. And he makes learning fun; you’re bound to say, ‘I’m beginning to see the light!’ This book is a must; I’m recommending it to all my fellow musicians!”
–Sam Most

“Hi Randy,
My name is John D’Andrea and I’m living in the Los Angeles area. I’m a composer for film And T.V., plus being a sax player and arranger for over 45 years. Also I taught at Dick Grove School of Music and USC advanced film composition.

I just wanted to drop you a note about your book that I’ve just completed reading. I must say it was a great pleasure reading and exploring all your work and ideas on music. Your book has to be the most comprehensive, complete and logical book I’ve come across on keyboard harmony. It answered and put together some loose ends for me. A very impressive work, KEEP IT UP.”
–John D’Andrea

“Randy’s book delighted me in every way. I particularly like the way he humanized the Herculean tasks assigned to the aspiring jazz pianist. Music is best approached with empathy and a sense of humor. To my eyes and ears and fingers, this book makes good sense.”
–Peggy Stern

“I know Randy. I love hearing him play. He has humor, drama, conviction, and a sense of purpose in his approach to music.

“I find the same qualities in his new book, ‘Metaphors for the Musician’… Without guile or pedantics, and with as little ornamentation as possible, he manages to express, in words, what happens during the creative process, or at least what should happen.

“Using metaphors to provide insights into the largely visceral, supra-verbal processes of music-making, he strikes the right chords again and again with me.

“As I was reading (and a good part of this book is, thankfully, text, and not just notes and scales and technical filler) I was struck with a sense of recognition. He had managed to explain certain functions of playing and listening that I had encountered years ago and forgotten about.

“Most music books that purport to improve one’s playing are either tomes of licks and tricks or self-aggrandizing exercises in ego for the author. This book is refreshing; Randy talks about the experience, the real-time event, the nuts-and-bolts reality of making music from the heart.

“I recommend this book to anyone who is serious about music. Thanks, Randy, for taking the time to compile such a useful and fun guide.”
–Jessica Williams