Animation degree here. (Really dont need a degree. My professors who worked in the industry said many dont have degrees still to this day, its all about passion and skill... and being willing to work 16 hour days)


Seriously fantastic animation. All 12 principles of animation are represented.

Your bro just needs to keep uploading and making animation. Its essentially a portfolio.

Animation companies dont care if you have a degee. They want a stacked portfolio. With solid animation.

When your bro starts applying for animation jobs. Make sure he has a solid demo reel. A demo reel is only the best animation hes made compiled in on vid. Its the resume for these places. Its all about skill.

Fyi the #1 and #2 books (no particular order) for learning animation and developing it are priceless. My professors stressed these books every year. They were used in 90% of my animation classes.

This book...

The Animator's Survival Kit: A Manual of Methods, Principles and Formulas for Classical, Computer, Games, Stop Motion and Internet Animators https://www.amazon.com/dp/086547897X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_5JSgDb5GHT9WJ


And this book....

The Illusion of Life: Disney Animation https://www.amazon.com/dp/0786860707/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_OKSgDbZMMJBVE


This would make a fantastic gift for any animator


Tell your bro not to be down about it. The companies dont care about schooling. Skill and passion are all that matters.


Edit: forgot our schools favorite websites!

https://www.cartoonbrew.com/

Cartoon brew keeps animators updated on general cartoons and animation


http://www.11secondclub.com/


We got extra credit for doing the 11 second club. You got an A for that semester in one class if you could break the top animations that month. Few students did that.


Edit: thanks for gold! insert keyframe of me jumping in 80s pose

The Bob's Burgers Burger Book: Real Recipes for Joke Burgers https://www.amazon.com/dp/0789331144/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_F6j8AbSWQGVN5

You can make them yourself.

https://www.amazon.com/Bobs-Burgers-Burger-Book-Recipes/dp/0789331144

The Non-Designers Design Book. Talks about Contrast, Repetition, Alignment and Proximity. But in very simple terms and is seriously the first book you should pick up when you have a hard time understanding why or where you should place items in a layout which hopefully, is very early in your education. Its a great starting point for learning good practices with layout and organization.

Just in case anyone didn't know this existed:
The Bob's Burgers Burger Book: Real Recipes for Joke Burgers https://www.amazon.com/dp/0789331144/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_xWc4ybTFJRDT6

Real recipes for his burgers!

A Rant and Thoughts on Cross-Instrumental Pedagogy

Well, you're in a world of double suck for several reasons. First of all, most people who have previous instrumental experience have an even harder time with piano rather than any easier one. Why? Because they want to jump in the deep end immediately and ignore their fundamentals. It's like saying, "I can drive a car... so flying this plane can't be that much different... let me take over the controls mid flight!" Sure, you understand the basic concept of using transportation to get get form point A to point B and the idea of not running into obstacles, but that doesn't make you any better at knowing how to control planes, trains, and boats.

Even if you have a deep understanding of a lot of things, the technical work still has to be done for every instrument you pick up. If you end up picking up even more instruments, you can generally get better at the process by understanding it, but you just can't skip the fundamentals.

What makes this problem worse is asking for help from pianists. It seems logical, but they tend to exacerbate the problem. Most of them started as children. They have no background in music education and they take for granted so many of the skills they picked up as a kid. Their advice is about the equivalent of handing someone a guitar and telling them just to go transcribe Steve Vai solos to get better when they can't even play a single chord. It's a serious issue in the piano world. Having trouble with and independence? Can't play Mary Had a Little Lamb out of your beginner book with both hands? Just practice this and you'll be fine.

The reality is that you're just going to have to spend a lot of time on basic stuff and likely put the jazz stuff on hold for quite some time until you get more basic concepts under your fingers. I-IV-V, sure. ii-V-I, not so much. On guitar most chords have a similar difficulty. Heck, I'd argue that most of the moveable jazz chord shapes are easier than some of the triads because they require less barring and tend to cover less strings.

The other advantage on guitar is that if you learn how to play chord, or even a progression, you've pretty much learned it in every key. You don't even have to think about how to play that progression in another key. The physicality of a ii-V-I on guitar is enough that you just need to know which fret to start you ii on and the rest falls into place. Sure, you can learn several variations and voicings of various chords, but the principle still holds. If you want to do something cool like put a 13 on a G7 chord, you just learn the shape. You don't need to know that the 13 of G is E. You sure as hell don't need to know what it is for every other key. You just think, "Well, if I play this on the 7th fret I get C13."

That's probably why piano seems overwhelming. I assure you it does get better and there is a certain amount of similarity in that over time progressions feel the same in every key believe it or not. The thing is, if you learn them in every key, you realize the motion is the same. The voice leading is the same. You're just navigating white and black keys more. But if you spend time practicing scales and actually know you key signatures and such, you start to feel home and instinctively get that same feeling of same-shapeness that guitar has. Though obviously on guitar you can learn a single scale shape and play it in every key.

Although, I think guitarists often get the better deal by playing scales modally from different positions where as classically trained musicians on pretty much every other instrument think every scale begins and ends at the octave and really aren't as fluent in their use unless it fits that mold. Ask most people to play their E major scale starting on B or C# and they'll likely run into problems. Guitarists often have less trouble with that due to the physicality of the instrument.

Some Recommendations

You probably won't like all of these and might be afraid they don't fit your goals, but hear me out.

Alfred - You really should start getting used to reading music on the piano. I don't know what your reading background is and I don't care if you think you can skip this step. It really will help. Virtually every resource you use will use notation. Investing in reading now will pay off immensely in the long run just saving you time and headaches when you want to digest new material and all the resources are written in standard notation. Additionally, playing a lot of the concepts in context will help a lot. And if you don't have reading experience now, learning on piano and then maybe going back and applying it to guitar might be a fun thing for you. Spend a little time in this book daily.

• Practice slowly and accurately.
  
• When you've gotten a piece pretty much down, move on to the next, but review your previous pieces each time. Maybe when you're 10 tunes in, you can start culling the the very first exercises and just reviewing the last 5-10, but don't just complete a piece and scratch it off never to return.
  
• As you get things under your fingers and are reviewing, you can start doing things like trying to look at the page rather than your fingers and making sure you're associating what you're playing with what's on the page.
  
  Scales, etc. - This book has scales, arpeggios, and cadences in every key cleanly written out with recommended fingerings.
  
  
• Start with scales. Just learn the hands together scales in every major key first. You'll probably have to spend lots of time playing each hand individually to make sure it's under your fingers and then put them together agonizingly slowly where you're literally bouncing your brain from hand to hand trying to think which finger comes next. Do it. Eventually it will be like breathing.
  
  
• Pick a nice comfortable tempo that you feel decent at with hands together and then move on. I'd suggest getting to about 60 bpm.
  
  
• Review old scales daily at your target tempo. Do NOT waste practice time trying to speed up old scales. This likely won't be a problem for you, but the tendency of most non-guitarists is to work on the speed of something like C major trying to get it just a little faster while they can barely blunder their way through F#. I guess it's similar to being able to blaze your root position pentatonic on guitar, but not being able to play majors, minors, or other modal shapes because you spent all of you time on the velocity of the easy scale. Just get everything to 60 or so before you even think about speed.
  
  
• Continue reviewing once you have all 12 keys and maybe try to raise the tempo on review. So maybe aim for 65 with everything. Not 120 with C and 65 with everything else. If you can't play B major at 65, you shouldn't try playing C any faster. Eventually they will all be pretty solid. Over time you'll find that you'll be able to review all 12 major scales over 2 octaves in under 5 minutes. Speed will come with time and accurate repetition rather than fighting the metronome for gainz. #scalegoals
  
  
• While reviewing scales, move on to cadences. Same approach. Add a key every time you can and review all previous keys at a comfortable tempo.
  
  
• While reviewing both of the above, move on to major arpeggios. Same deal as above.
  
  
• Now you might want to dabble with minors taking the same approach. You'll find that due to your previous experience, they will move by much more quickly. Many of them share the same "shapes" the way guitar chords do, but they aren't related. For example, doing arpeggios, C major, D minor, E minor, F major, G major, and A minor all feel the same. So do C# major, Eb major, F# minor, and Ab major. You get the idea.
  
  
• Many of these technical concepts will be reinforced and put into practical perspective in the Alfred book.
  
  From here there are tons of directions to go for jazz stuff. My go-to recommendation is this one for getting the basics of how to think about, use and apply jazz concepts for those starting out.
  
  There are tons of other resources that might fit your goals better. A purely technical approach approach is this one, but I'd still recommend the Mark Harrison book first. There are also much deeper jazz texts, though I'm not sure it's even worth recommending them at this moment since you're likely months or years away from being able to approach any of that material.

Amazon link, in case someone wants to support the author by actually buying the book.

I am not a designer. But I am getting better, a big part due to this book:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Non-Designers-Design-Book-Robin-Williams/dp/0133966151/ref=dp_ob_title_bk

Even though it is not aimed at online it is really really good at pointing out some of the very simple and immediately applicable things 'designers' do to make things look better.

e.g. one example if you want two complementary styles of text, make them very different - much bigger, or one much bolder, and a totally different font. Or another could be always making sure things align with something else, you have placed it there for a reason. It all seems very obvious in hindsight.

​

Also checkout https://refactoringui.com/ for a more modern web oriented approach it is pricey for the amount of content IMO but what is there is good stuff.

​

I think it helps with the prevalence of flat/simple sites even as a non designer you can make things look good by striving for simplicity and consistency

Every designer should read Robert Bringhurst’s The elements of typographic style at least once a year.

The Bob's Burgers Burger Book: Real Recipes for Joke Burgers
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0789331144?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf

Best 14 dollars I’ve spent in a long time

Start with these 3 books.

1

2

3

Light-Science and Magic by Fil Hunter is fantastic if you are interested in studio lighting, especially if you're photographing reflective surfaces.

https://www.amazon.ca/Sick-Little-Monkeys-Unauthorized-Stimpy/dp/1593932340

here's a book about the making of ren and stimpy. it's mostly about ren and stimpy. but it touches on some things... including sending work overseas to be animated in korea and sending people over to Rough Draft, the company that animates the simpsons (i think still?) and many other shows. the ren and stimpy crew sent people over there because there's a language barrier, and it's Very difficult to get the Performance out of someone who doesn't speak the language. you can't tell when and where to accent words with, say, an eyebrow raise... so you have to have Everything timed out in advance and it allows for very little improvisation from the creative team.

there's a ton of information about animation history out there but not so many documentaries... a lot of sucking off of Frank and Ollie and the disney "9 old men" for having "figured out" animation rules back in the day (as if they were the only ones doing it). -- they released a book called the illusion of life https://www.amazon.ca/Illusion-Life-Disney-Animation/dp/0786860707 that talked about the early days of disney film.

animation used to be this wildly experimental thing. they first were funny rubber hose things, then people started trying to tell better stories and then the disney crew tried to make you REALLY sympathize for the characters by really focussing on "pathos." to this day, every fucking Cal-Arts student has pathos drilled into their fucking head like it's the only way to tie your shoes.

meanwhile, the wb team kept it loose, they were doing animations to show before movies, set to some of the jovial tunes in their music library. they called them looney tunes. and after 15 years of making them, they Also started to get quite good. John Kricfalusi (the ren and stimpy creator) wrote a ton about Bob Clampett and Chuck Jones (but mostly clampett) on his highly educational blog here http://johnkstuff.blogspot.ca/

hanna barbera discovered it was way cheaper to just make a well drawn design that's highly graphic so that the appeal wasn't in the movement but in the image. then you could just animate the mouth or the legs, limiting how much drawing you really needed. with this method, animators were able to produce Much more footage.

other studios started up to try and milk the surge of this new artform, and sell toys and cereal with it. there were TONS of Really Shitty cartoons. i mean, look at this shit. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXd-2gVOZFk

anyway... in the early 90s, disney experienced "a renaissance" with their films. there IS a documentary about that... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EyeoyRjEiUU it might be on netflix...

disney cartoons became enormously profitable again and animation production kicked into high gear. disney put a ton of money into their tv division and nickelodeon, a rather new company at the time, did the same. but while disney's focus was on their IPs, spinning off pre-existing characters into shows, Nickelodeon needed new material, so they put a HUGE focus on the creators. this of course, attracted creators. Rugrats, Ren and Stimpy, Rocko's Modern Life... etc... it was a huge wave of highly entertaining new material, and it did well.

of course, in the late 90s, animation had sort of ballooned a little too much and films were kinda missing targets despite Enormous budgets, and 3d was this hot new thing people were curious about...

here we are 20 years later and animation is SO FUCKING PROMINENT... tv, films, streams, games, not to mention medical instruction videos, architectural project development, chinese news lol...

rick and morty is animated in canada though. not korea. so there's that.

Here's the book on Amazon

Source: I play piano (3 years of lessons, 2 years self-taught) and have started picking up guitar (6mo self-taught)

Piano and violin can be rough to learn without a teacher. If you just want to play music, there are a lot of free resources available for guitar - justinguitar.com is fantastic. There is a subreddit for learning guitar which has a very helpful and supportive community.

Now, if you maintain that classical piano is really your thing, then I can certainly relate, but I will warn you that the available free video lessons are largely missing. There are tutorials on youtube around specific songs or specific topics, but nothing as structured as justin's site (at least that I've found).

My recommendation is to pick up a method book - I used Alfred's Basic Adult Piano Course: Lesson Book, Level One, which is about 10$ on Amazon - and work through it page by page. Join a forum like the adult beginner forum at pianoworld, where you can post videos of your progress and people can help you with the trickier items like posture and hand positions.

There is a subreddit for piano here as well, which is worth subscribing to as well.

First off, read anything by Carl Jung. His theories on archetypes and the collective unconscious form the groundwork upon which not only games, but the entire modern entertainment industry are built.

Basically Jung argues that there is a collective set of symbols and ideas that all humans, regardless of culture or upbringing will respond to. Understanding these symbols, and building your game around them - either as mechanics or story - allows you to influence how the player will respond.

Jung: A Very Short Introduction is a pretty easy way to get started. After you read that I'd suggest getting into the meat of Jung's own words with The Portable Jung (coincidentally edited by Joseph Campbell)

And with that, you should also read The Hero with a Thousand Faces by Joseph Campbell. He takes Jung's ideas, and shows the specific symbols used in the Hero's Journey - one of the most common story types. People talk about the Hero's Journey all the time - but it's a really important concept to understand if you're doing any sort of creative works. Here are two quick video primers on it:

A more serious one: Ted Ed: What Makes a Hero

A more awesome one: Glove and Boots: The Hero's Journey :)

If you want to go further on the narrative route I'd also suggest The Seven Basic Plots by Christopher Booker. He takes the Hero's Journey and shows how it is just one of several different plot archetypes, all of which have their own internal path, rules, and idiosyncrasies.

Now, in case you're thinking "Why are you sharing these books about narrative with me? Games are not stories!" remember that people have been responding to stories for all time - and good storytellers are masters at making people feel the desired emotion at the desired time.

Therefore I'd also direct you to Story By Robert McGee as well as Poetics by Aristotle. Both of these books look at story in a mechanical sense, and explain the precise methods storytellers (both ancient Greek ones and modern Hollywood ones) use to evoke emotions in the audience. These principles almost directly translate to game design.

After that I'd suggest looking at Chris Crawford's list of books all game designers should read. Unfortunately I can't find a copy of the list on the internet, but it's at the end of his book Chris Crawford on Game Design

This is a copy and paste from a few months ago. There isn't really a "bible," so to speak, because the field is so varied. But this list should get you started. There are also some technical writing textbooks on Amazon that might be useful.

• The Chicago Manual of Style, 17th Edition - the classic reference. This covers pretty much everything you ever wanted to know about grammar and usage, including things you didn't know that you didn't know.
  
  
• The Chicago Guide to Grammar, Usage, and Punctuation - this is an expanded version of chapter 5 of the CMoS mentioned above.
  
  
• The Microsoft Manual of Style, 4th Edition - if you write for Windows-based software, this is the book you need.
  
  If you're looking for more mechanical things like document structure and organization, I'd recommend the following:
  
  
• Information Development - look for this one used, it's been out of print for awhile. Good information on managing documentation projects. I'm a bit of a broken record on this subject, but a LOT of a technical writer's job is managing projects.
  
  
• Handbook of Technical Writing (this is apparently a textbook now...?) - just what it says on the tin. Good overview of various topics related to tech writing.
  
  
• Developing Quality Technical Information - another overview of various topics related to tech writing. This isn't a "read cover to cover" kind of book, but more of a "open to a random location and just start reading" kind of book.
  
  
• The Non-Designer's Design Book - one thing that tech writers have to think about, or at least should be thinking about, is document design. This is the best book I've found on that subject, bar none. The principles taught in this book guide the layout and design of pretty much every document I've created in the past 9 years.
  
  
• The Insider's Guide to Technical Writing - a good overview of some basic technical writing topics.
  
  
• Every Page is Page One - I've been trying to move more towards the concepts covered in this book as I redo and update the current mess I inherited from the previous tech writer.
  
  

My suggestion is to learn on your own, and if you choose to go to college, pursue a major that has more profitable career options. Minor in music theory and invest your free time in practicing your instrument. Here is a reading list I recommend to start getting into serious music study and guitar playing:

• William Leavitt's Modern Method for Guitar - all three. buy it on amazon, this is your guitar bible
  
• Chord Chemistry by Ted Greene
  
• The Advancing Guitarist by Mick Goodrick - Seriously one of the best practice guides around. It is light on content, but explains how to practice and challenge yourself.
  
• A Real Book, for reading practice
  
• Tonal Harmony by Kostka
  
• Materials and Techniques of 20th Century Music, by Kostka
  
• The above books by Kostka will cover most of the theory content in the general undergraduate requirements for U.S. music programs
  
• Elementary Training for Musicians, Paul Hindemith - Very good book, particularly work on the sight reading material
  
• Progressive Sight Singing One of the most important skills for a well rounded musician
  
• Paul Gilbert's Terrifying Guitar Trip - Out of place with the above, but easily the best technical guide to guitar playing I have ever found. Even applicable if you don't want to play rock guitar.
  
  That was a fucking wall of text. Hopefully I didn't come off like a negative asshole or bore you to death. If you have any questions or complaints, let me know!

There's a really great scales book out there: The Complete Book of Scales, Chords, Arpeggios & Cadences. It has lots of exercises and scales to do. A good thing to note is that when folks say "doing their scales" they don't just mean actual scales ( G A B C D E F# G) they also mean Arpeggios and other exercises all of which people practice for technique.

how to archer?

You are in luck because 2 weeks ago, the new edition of Dance Music Manual came out.

http://www.amazon.com/Dance-Music-Manual-Tools-Techniques/dp/0415825644/ref=dp_ob_title_bk

You can read the reviews for the previous edition here http://www.amazon.com/Dance-Music-Manual-Tools-Techniques/dp/0240521072/ref=pd_sim_b_7

It covers like all the bases to some extent. It does not teach you how to use a DAW though.

Also all the books (Music theory|Composition|Harmony) for computer musician by Michael Hewitt are pretty good if you have no music background.

How to Archer: The Ultimate Guide to Espionage and Style and Women and Also Cocktails Ever Written

Alright, let me give you a rundown of my personal library.

Beginner:

• "Guitar World Presents: Steve Vai's Guitar Workout"
  
• "A Modern Method for Guitar: Volumes 1-4" By William Leavitt
  
• "Creative Guitar Volume 1" by Guthrie Govan
  
  Intermediate:
  
  
• "Reading Studies for Guitar" by William Leavitt
  
• "The Advancing Guitarist" by Mick Goodrick
  
• "Melody Chords for Guitar" by Allan Holdsworth
  
• "Joe Pass Chord Solos"
  
• "Charlie Parker for Guitar"
  
• "Hybrid Picking for Guitar" by Gustavo Assis-Brasil
  
• "The Jazz Theory Book" by Mark Levine
  
• "The Bill Evans Guitar Book" by Sid Jacobs
  
  Advanced:
  
  
• "The Brazilian Guitar Book" by Nelson Faria
  
• "Creative Chordal Harmony for Guitar: Using Generic Modal Compression" by Tim Miller, Mick Goodrick
  
• "The Art of Two-Line Improvisation" by Jimmy Wyble
  
• "Elementary Training for Musicians" by Paul Hindemith (not guitar specific)
  
  I'm sure others will disagree with my ranking, and obviously my library is rather genre specific. But it's a lot of quality material that will definitely improve your playing no matter the style.

There are so many different aspects to playing that you could spend time practicing.

Here are just some ideas off the top of my head:

• pick a genre and study it
  
• build a repertoire of licks
  
• practice using said licks along with backing tracks
  
• study theory (recommend the book Music Theory for Guitarists)
  
• ear training
  
• different techniques (sweep picking, hybrid picking, fingerstyle, etc)
  
• practice improvising to backing tracks with scales
  
• study songwriting
  
  Hate to plug my own site, but that is EXACTLY the problem I created the GuitarWOD (Workout of the Day) to solve.
  
  Good luck! Let me know if you need any more detail about how to go about practicing any of these or any other ideas you come up with.

Not very long at all.

https://www.musictheory.net/lessons - has very clear lessons on notation (the first stage of its theory lessons - I'm surprised you managed to study any theory without knowing notation), and also fretboard exercises to test your knowledge: https://www.musictheory.net/exercises/fretboard

The issue with guitar, of course, is that a note has just one place on notation, but can have several places on the fretboard. That's why most beginner guitarists give up on notation and stick with tab.
In fact, the choice of where to play any one note is a liberation, not a limitation. It's like losing the training wheels on your bike.

Learning the note names is relatively easy, it's reading rhythm where some people have more trouble (the above exercises don't cover that). But if you start with the basics - note duration - and work up, it's not hard.

I recommend looking for sheet music for songs you know (you can usually find page 1 online for free) so you can see how the sounds - especially melodic lines - look on the page.

If you want a book, I recommend [this] (https://www.amazon.com/Music-Theory-Guitarists-Everything-Wanted/dp/063406651X) - starts with notation as all good theory texts should. Make sure you play everything you read (or at least hear the sounds, as on musictheory.net). Theory is pointless if you don't know how it sounds.

It's a joke from this book, man. How to Archer

Book: https://www.amazon.com/Story-Substance-Structure-Principles-Screenwriting/dp/0060391685/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=STORY&qid=1572895252&sr=8-2

Came here to downvote any comments mentioning Hanon. So far we don't have any!

Back on topic: Everybody needs a good scale book. I use Scales, Chords, Arpeggios and Cadences, but there are many like it.

As an animator, I highly suggest you buy The Animator's Survival Kit by Richard Williams. It's something of a bible for most animators and contains a wealth of knowledge about the mechanics of motion and emotion. It's also entertaining as it serves as an autobiography of one of the best animators who worked in the industry.

Also, try to thumbnail your actions (draw tiny little rough doodles) of what you want to show - it makes it a lot easier when you plan out your shots, the gags, etc. so when you actually get around to doing it, you have a firm idea of what you intend to do. Plus, the bonus is you'd also be locking down your camera angles this way.

Edit: I just realized I forgot to list another important book that's also an invaluable resource, The Illusion of Life. It documents the combined knowledge of the most prolific and legendary animators who worked on Disney Films and gives you an indepth look at how to make characters "connect" with audiences through emotion. I mostly only use it for acting performances, but still - this is another important book to have.

It was the best hamburger I think I've ever made. The fried pickles are great with a beer.

I got the recipe from The Bob's Burgers Burger Book: Real Recipes for Joke Burgers

Ever since I read Chris Perkin's now largely lost blog, "The Dungeon Master Experience," I've always thought of a good campaign as being a good TV series. To summarize his thesis, each adventure is like an episode in a series that advances the overall plot of the campaign. It's often helpful to work within a basic, 3 Act Story Structure.

In Act I, something external happens--often called the "hook." The regular order of the world is upset. Goblins threaten the town. Someone has stolen a powerful artifact. A mysterious disease/curse/re-occurring event begins to affect villagers. The external event leads to some mystery or uncertainty that demands that the PCs resolve it.

In Act II, the PCs discover more information, the stakes get raised as the outcome becomes tied to the PCs personal motivations and they learn the win condition. The goblin horde isn't just any goblin horde. They're lead by a new charismatic and heretofore invincible overlord that threatens to unite all the tribes. He must be killed. The NPC who stole the artifact doesn't understand its true nature. If she continues to use it in some misguided way, it will destroy her and unleash unspeakable evil. She must see the error of her ways. The disease affects a well-loved, essential NPC (or PC) and it's only a matter of time before they die. They must assemble the cure in time.

In Act III, the PCs participate in a climatic event at the precise moment when the outcome will have the greatest impact. The leader of the goblin horde is on the verge of uniting the tribes through proving his worthiness in an act of god-like invincibility--until the PCs show up. The PCs discover the location of the secret ritual and arrive just as the NPC is about to complete it. The clock is striking midnight as PCs are rushing to assemble the last ingredients of the cure. Any superfluous action means the great NPC will surely die.

Ideally, this story structure means the PCs will own the outcome, especially when they fail. Their futile attempt to stop the charismatic overlord only further proves his invincibility. The goblin tribes now blindly follow him into battle. The PCs inability to stop the ritual means they bear responsibility and blame for the havoc the unspeakable evil wreaks. The NPC dies and leaves a power vacuum now more easily filled by evil NPCs. All of this becomes fodder for the next episode.

The best advice I've ever heard regarding Villains is that everyone is a hero in their own mind. The invincible overlord has been the victim of pain, death and destruction. It's time he ended it and showed the world who's boss. The misguided ritualist thinks she's summoning a being that will bring power or prosperity, but she's been tricked.

Here are some of the best resources I've found:

Chris Perkin's "The Dungeon Master Experience"

The Complete Book of Villains by Kirk Botula (Out of print, but I bet you can still find copies or PDFs somewhere)

The Book of Vile Darkness by Monte Cook

Story by Robert McKee (Not RPG related, but still amazing)

I'd be curious what other resources DM have been inspired by.

You'll hear "Get a teacher." on this sub a lot. This is great advice, but not always possible. That being said, check the FAQs for some really great resources for sheet music, online learning tools, and general tips and tricks.

I'd recommend getting a method book, such as Alfred's, a classical composer's 'beginner's' collections or notebooks, such as Bartok's Mikrokosmos or First Lessons in Bach, and then grab a book of scales such as this.

For future reference, if you do get a chance, please get a teacher, especially if you can swing it sometime in your first year, even if just for a few months. They can help prevent poor technique that may come up and can save time in the long run.

Edit: For poor hyperlinking on mobile.

I think the best place to start would be learning some traditional animation skills. Two really great resources are the Animators Survival Kit and The Illusion of Life. I would read the reviews to see what you think might be best. The Illusion of Life goes into a lot of Disney history and the history of animation itself. Once you get a feel for that, I'd check out Ross Plaskow's Youtube Channel. A lot of people say he has one of the best character animation tutorials. There's lots of different ways to animate characters (frame by frame, rigging with the puppet pins in after effects, rigging with duik in after effects, or rubber hose in after effects (a really easy to use way to create rubber hose style animation and my personal favorite), and adobe character animator - just to name a few. Just an FYI, I suck at character animation, I just really enjoy compiling educational resources. Anyways, I would suggest if you aren't feeling too confident, once you get the principles under your belt to invest in rubber hose if you can afford it. It's really simple to use which gets you making things faster, and I think that's one of the most important parts of learning (just having fun messing around and making stuff). School of Motion did a review on it if you wanna check that out, and Ross also shows how to use it for character animation on his channel. But just remember it's not about becoming dependant on the plugin, I just think it's a great way to get making things quickly.

Hey Atlanta! I've been waiting months, but today my book finally hits shelves!

Hide Your Wallet

Rebel Without A Crew

How does it compare to the Golden Standard of How To Spy books?

Also, more general but still super useful: The Non-Designer’s Design Book

I recommend both all the time. The multiple editions attest to the timelessness of their advice.

Read Non Designers' Design Book (https://www.amazon.com/Non-Designers-Design-Book-4th/dp/0133966151) and change the design. Your card looks ugly and unprofessional. You should: (1) use left or right alignment, (2) group items, (3) use contrast (e.g. make titles and important items bigger and less important items smaller / use colors), (4) use sentence case / not use all caps, (5) make logo more visible.
edit: and don't say people to google things. You shouldn't ask "is it legit" but confirm that it is legit and than maybe add a link to a specific site (not Google) that confirms this.

Chapters 6 and 7 of Light, Science & Magic 4e deal with metal and glass surfaces. If you can deal with lighting a polished metal sphere, most other problems seem trivial by comparison.

http://amzn.com/0240812255

Hi u/TopherTheIncel - here are my filmmaking "desert island" books:

Screenwriting

• Save the Cat! - Blake Snyder
  
  Filmmaking - General
  
  
• The Five C's of Cinematography - Joseph V. Mascelli
  
• Sculpting in Time - Andrey Tarkovsky
  
• The Reel Truth: Everything You Didn't Know You Need to Know About Making an Independent Film - Reed Martin
  
• The Total Film Maker - Jerry Lewis (You can get it free here)
  
  Editing
  
  
• In the Blink of an Eye - Walter Murch
  
  Limited Resources
  
  
• Rebel Without a Crew - Robert Rodriguez
  
• Filmmaking: Direct Your Movie from Script to Screen Using Proven Hollywood Techniques (This book was written by Jason Tomaric, who made Time and Again for less than $2000 and is now an Emmy winning Hollywood director)
  
• If you can find it, I also recommend Tomaric's The Power Filmmaking Kit: Make Your Professional Movie on a Next-to-Nothing Budget. This book is out of print, but is more of a practical "workbook" for movie production than Jason's other book.
  
• If you're on a budget and can't afford any of the other suggestions, I recommend 11 Simple Steps to turn a Screenplay into a Marketable Movie: or, How I got a $10k movie to gross $1 Million through Warner Bros - which is $0.99 for Kindle - by Vince Rocca, I have read this book - and it is worth a lot more than I paid for it.
  
  Hope this is helpful and good luck on your filmmaking journey!

I applaud your courage in posting yourself playing, but I feel that you deserve some semblance of honesty when a stranger can critique you seriously. You are not good... actually pretty bad. I noticed on your channel that you started doing the rocksmith game to learn how to play and I dig that you're trying to learn, but look up some stuff like this or this. Not trying to harsh your mellow or anything, but you deserve an honest opinion. Your amp configuration is bad, too. Check out /r/guitar and this. You also need more inflection, maybe try a different picking style. Learn how to do vibrato as that gives your notes a much warmer tone. Consider investing in some pedals if you want to get serious because some sounds just can't be created with only and amp and overdrive. I would suggest a big muff pi or any cheap reverb pedal to start out. Learn the modes, like look up "Mixolydian Mode" or "Lydian Mode" to start out. I think Joe Satriani has some tutorials for those. Look up JUSTIN GUITAR. That guy is like Jesus on wheels for learning guitar by yourself. However, after getting some chops, move on to getting some real books and maybe a teacher.

Everyone starts out shitty but you just have to keep working it.

My teacher assigned the Hanon book to me way back in the day. Works well, albeit being a tad boring.

Here's a few I like:

• Stop Stealing Sheep & Find Out How Type Works
  
• The Elements of Typographic Style
  
• Designing Brand Identity
  
• Draplin Design: Pretty Much everything
  
• Making and Breaking the Grid
  
• Graphic Artists Guild Handbook
  
• 30 Essential Typefaces for a Lifetime

I started 2 years ago, @25yo. This is how I progressed.

Step 1: I picked up Alfred's Basic Adult Piano Course: Lesson Book, Level One and played out of it for about a month. At the end of that month I felt confident enough to play for my grandmother, who inspired me to begin. She encouraged me to go go no further without the instruction of a teacher

Step 2: Got myself a teacher. We began mostly with scales and exercises, then moved on to Keyboard Musician. This book is made up of smaller pieces ranging in difficulty, and incorporates some theory.

Step 3: Practice, practice, practice. I have been at it for two years. I try to practice on my lunch break on every business day, typically for 45 minuted to an hour. Which usually means I get 3-4 days of good practice in a week. Its not enough but I have been able to make progress, and am definitely glad I made the commitment.

I am now choosing bigger pieces to play, typically spending a month or two on each, but I always have 3-4 things going at once. Here are some examples of what I am currently playing or have played: example 1 (1st movement only), example 2 (not me playing ;) ), example 3

Of course you could be looking to go a different route. Many people learn to play by ear and skip the whole reading music part. Learning to read music has been one of the hardest parts for me. Anyway that you do it, just do it. Good luck to you.

The most famous book on screenwriting is called Story by Robert McKee. He teaches workshops in Hollywood to aspiring screenwriters, and his whole thing is based in Campbell's analysis of The Hero's Journey.

How to Archer.

The American Cinematography Manual lists a lot of lamp types and phtotmetric data.

Film Lighting I find to be an interesting read.

Set Lighting Technicians handbook always comes highly recommended, but I have not personally read it.

Other resources include youtube videos or searching for images.

Story - That it's focused on screenwriting is almost irrelevant. The information in this on story structure is astounding.
45 Master Characters - This is character development down to the nth degree.

This one http://www.amazon.com/How-Archer-Ultimate-Espionage-Cocktails/dp/0062066315

just for everyone's information, that book exists

You basically need to do two things: 1) start analyzing music that you like, both its form and function (harmony, for instance), and 2) start to study the art and science of mixing. Get a good book on the subject like Mix Smart or even The Dance Music Manual and start studying.

Mixing your tracks well can turn a okay song into a serious floor-shaker simply by virtue of significantly increasing its production quality. A simple tune that sounds amazing can have a huge emotional impact on the listener, and so much the better if the music is really well written to begin with.

This, of course, is where the analysis comes in. Try to identify why you like the tracks that you like. Is it the way the songs build? Then replicate the form of the song. Is it the way the harmony makes you feel? Then learn how to play that harmony and try to understand what's happening from a theoretical point. In my opinion, you should take it upon yourself to learn basic music theory at the minimum, but if you have a good ear you probably don't need to fret about it too much. Producers that can read and write music aren't too common (the really good ones almost always do, though).

For a while, you'll probably just sound like the producers that you like, but eventually you'll begin to internalize what you've learned and your "voice" will develop. It a natural progression as an artist to mimic your heroes — don't fight it.

https://www.amazon.com/Set-Lighting-Technicians-Handbook-Distribution/dp/0240810759

Know what the lights are called, and where the power is. If you're running a generator you kind of need to know what your doing, so hopefully you're not using any lights bigger than a 2k and just running off house power. Know where the fuse box is. I can't quite remember if it's each wall has its own circuit or if it's different rooms have their own circuits but don't plug in more than 2000 ways total on one circuit if the circuits are 20amp. If their 15amp don't plug in more than 1500 watts on one circuit.

Have a set crate with zip stingers, cube taps, black wrap, clothes pins and some pre cut gels near set. If you don't have any pre cut, label them as you make them and keep em for later in the show. Have some 50' & 25' Edison cables in a crate near set, have some c stands and baby stands near set, see what fixtures the gaffer thinks he will need and have them staged near set.

Keep everything as organized as you can and clean up. If you lose the gear that's on you kind of. If you haven't yet, hire a killer 3rd electrician and he can deal with set and the gaffer, you just deal with the equipment, keep it organized and ready to go. Get the plan from the gaffer and prepare as best you can to implement it when needed.

Most importantly don't do anything you're not 100% sure about when it comes to electricity. It can be dangerous, burn down houses and electrocute people dangerous, so just use your best judgement and if anyone asks you to do a tie in, tell them to fuck off and do it themselves.

Also it seems important for BBE to be grumpy and kind of get pissed if anyone asks for something to charge their phone with. So do that too.

There are literally countless books on music theory available.

If you're looking for a specific recommendation, Tom Kolb (a fantastic educator) has a great book called Music Theory for Guitarists

It's a great place to start.

This one is my favorite. It has 2 pages dedicated to each key signature. The page will include a parallel motion scale, opposing motion, 6th interval scale, 3rd interval, cadences, arpeggios at the root position, arpeggios in first inversion, arpeggios in 2nd inversion, major 7th chords in root, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd inversions, and it goes over every chord that's within that key signature.


Then the pages for minor keys have the same thing, but they replace the 6th and 3rd interval parallel motion scales with the harmonic and melodic scales.


I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants a book on scales.


Pics: http://imgur.com/a/Eap3Ev8

Amazon link $12

http://www.amazon.com/Bobs-Burgers-Burger-Book-Recipes/dp/0789331144/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1458249163&sr=8-1&keywords=Bobs+burgers+book

Made this one for my (vegan) mom, she caught onto the project and said she'd love to try one, even if it had meat in! She loved it!

This one was super easy to make and SUPER tasty! Definitely one to try out yourself ;) You can order the book here if you want; https://www.amazon.com/Bobs-Burgers-Burger-Book-Recipes/dp/0789331144/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1486060693&sr=8-1&keywords=bob%27s+burgers

Next week we'll be going "Totally Radish"!

I posted a response to someone else recently who had the same exact question (although he was trying to shoot bongs, not shoes ha).

First: Buy a copy of Light Science and Magic

What you're trying to accomplish falls into the category of "Some of the most technically difficult lighting challenges a photographer can have" so the solution is equally technical. That book contains the foundations you need - and frankly there are no quick solutions.

Second: Definitely DO NOT use a green background. It's murder for stills and fixing the color kickback you get if you don't light things perfectly is awful.

Last: Understand that glass is clear so more light doesn't help. For reflective objects, treat it light a mirror that the camera is looking into. Show the mirror the things you want the camera to see.

Want it to see a reflection? You've got to place the lights so the mirror bounces the reflection into the lens. Most likely you are not appreciating the fact that the rounded reflective surface sees entire world, so your light source needs to be much larger than you think in order for the reflections to show up the way you are hoping for. (product photography always seems to require about 5x more working space than people expect).

Good luck!

First off, we're adults here, so you can spell out the word fucking if you'd like. Second, there are a lot of different ways to learn anatomy - you don't have to draw diagrams (unless your school requires it, in which case who gives a shit how good the drawing is?).

Everyone in this sub will give you different advice on how to study anatomy, but if you are dead set on drawing, you should consider the Anatomy Coloring Book - feels like drawing without requiring any artistic talent.

He also wrote a book about it called Rebel Without a Crew.

As a person with no education beyond high school, take all that I say with a grain of salt. I'm a pretty successful web designer and front-end developer, having working with four startups and done a year of freelancing.

It is not uncommon to hear industry peers criticize the education system as it pertains to web design because often the practices you learn are no longer the standard or relevant. I've heard of many stories where designers exit college (with no working experience, obviously) and have an incredibly difficult time finding work for the reasons I listed above.

Education has never been brought up at any of the companies I've worked or those that I've consulted with. I believe the reason for this is that I have a body of work to show along with whatever reputation I've garnered on Dribbble, say.

All this being said, it is entirely possible for you to develop your skills on your own, such as I did, and find work. I'm happy to list all the reading materials that I own that helped me get where I am now. I'll list what I remember but I'll have to go check when I can get a second:

Hardboiled Web Design
HTML5 for Web Designers
CSS3 for Web Designers
The Elements of Content Strategy
Responsive Web Design
Designing for Emotion
Design is a Job
Mobile First
The Visual Display of Quantitative Information
The Elements of Typographic Style
Thinking with Type
The Icon Handbook
Don't Make Me Think

If you invest your money in those and actually read them, you will be well on your way. Feel free to ping me. Good luck!

Hey there! :)

Your question is a VERY difficult one to answer, as it depends on a lot of variables concerning both yourself and the route you decide to take. However, the EASY answer is to say that you cannot achieve a masterful level of proficiency at the piano on your own. This does not hold true 100% of the time, but MOST of the time it's true.

That being said, you can certainly learn a lot on your own before being held back by your lack of a teacher. It will probably go slower, and take longer, and most importantly you won't know for sure if you're doing things correctly or not (this is the biggest thing) and also you won't have someone to ask questions. But it's of course better than nothing and I would never discourage you from it if it's your only option right now!

When I say that you can't know if you're doing things correctly or not, that really is a huge thing. That feedback which a teacher can provide is essential to knowing that you're learning things right. Teachers also can teach you things that will just be glossed over/skipped otherwise, they can guide you to various things that you'd never think of, and they can tailor your lesson plan to you and adjust it as needed.

Here's what you CAN do, right now:

1. Try learning songs by ear. Don't bother with anything except the melody, playing it with the right hand. Pop songs that you like are going to be the best place to start. This may be hard to do for awhile and will require persistence before you can pick up on it but it's a good skill to have. It's ear training :).
   
2. If you go on youtube, you can find all sorts of tutorials for songs. This will not teach you proper technique, nor will it teach you how to learn songs "in the real world", meaning sheet music, which is the preferred way to distribute music and learn it and preserve it. However, it will give you a way of learning songs which you like (again, pop songs are usually best) and it'll start working on your finger dexterity.
   
   The most important thing though, is that you need a lesson plan. Since you don't have a teacher to give you one, you need something to replace that. My suggestion would be to look up the Alfred's adult beginner lesson book. Click here for an amazon link to see it! You can just order it online, or find a local music store and look for it/ask for help finding it. Personally I shop at Evolas, I think they may be fairly local though (I'm in Michigan). A piano lesson book provides structured learning and will cover things that you need to know in an ordered way. Lesson books are not perfect; they don't take the time to explain things in TOO much detail because you're supposed to have a teacher going through it with you, and explaining things themselves. However they DO have some explanation of every lesson, and once you know what you're SUPPOSED to be learning about, you can always turn to google for more information about it.
   
   The lesson book is my single huge recommendation to you. It's probably your best bet. It's by no means perfect, but I don't know what you can do better. You will have to pace yourself; do your best to make sure you understand a concept completely and learn the associated song well before progressing to the next lesson. Again, this will be difficult without a teacher but it's doable!
   
   My source for all of this is that I've been playing piano for twelve years, and have been teaching for the past 3-4. I'm generally an observant, thoughtful person and this is the sort of thing that runs through my mind :). I would like to close by making you an offer... I will still maintain that you cannot do better than to get an actual teacher and take regular lessons. HOWEVER! Should you choose to seriously pursue this to the extent possible, I would like to help you as much as I can! So at ANY point, if you have ANY question whatsoever, you are free to PM me, and I will do my best to answer! I will teach you things that you're confused about or want to know more about, or anything at all that you can think of. So I'll essentially offer myself as a teacher over the internet. It's very limiting, but it may help you to have someone who you can ask those questions that hopefully you'll have :).
   
   Good luck, whatever happens!

I feel like this is another book for you...
http://www.amazon.com/Vaders-Little-Princess-Jeffrey-Brown/dp/1452118698

There is!

Fretboard Logic has been the best book I've seen that sets a great foundation and builds on that. The guitar grimoire series is good for reference, but but that's about it. It will map out any scale or chord you can imagine, but fretboard logic will give you the tools to figure it out yourself and you become better for it.

Here is the book. I read it to my daughter last night.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1452118698?pc_redir=1395342711&robot_redir=1

First, I would highly recommend a teacher if at all possible. Piano technique is a lot more subtle than it would seem.

Get a decent piano method (I recommend the Alfred Adult Method) and some technical studies (Hanon and/or Czerny).

Buy the book: http://www.amazon.com/How-Archer-Ultimate-Espionage-Cocktails/dp/0062066315

Here are a few:
http://www.amazon.com/Set-Lighting-Technicians-Handbook-Distribution/dp/0240810759

http://www.amazon.com/Cinematography-Theory-Practice-Cinematographers-Directors/dp/0240812093

http://www.amazon.com/Digital-Cinematography-Fundamentals-Techniques-Workflows/dp/0240817915/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1410971724&sr=1-1&keywords=david+stump+ASC

http://www.amazon.com/Visual-Story-Creating-Structure-Digital/dp/0240807790/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1410971760&sr=1-1&keywords=the+visual+story

lights are almost always measured by wattage, so 12k= 12 kilowatts or 12,000 Watts.

1/2 and full white are referring to different thickness of diffusions, 1/2 white(250)= 1/2 a stop of light loss, full white(216)=full stop. most DP's Grips and Gaffers will refer to diff by its catalog number(410, 250, 216, 129, 1099)

Grids are a cloth diffusion with a grid pattern of white thread, referred to the same way as half stop and full stop.

pick up the Set Lighting Technicians Handbook its well worth it and will answer almost any question you may need answered, or talk to your best boy electric, hes probably got a copy of it in the set cart next to the fluke meter.

For a collection based book I'd recommend either Magnum or The Great Life Photographers. Either one will introduce her to important names and photographs in the craft. Instruction books are a bit more difficult since I can't imagine anything beyond what she'll already learn in the course of her studies... perhaps Light Science and Magic will give her a competitive edge.

There is a phenomenal book called "Light: Science and Magic" and I cannot stress the importance of reading it. There is so much information contained in this one volume, that it would take years to find it all on the internet. This will not only help you with your strobe photography, but it will also vastly improve the way you analyze natural lighting situations, the use of reflectors, how you control light spill, and even the angles you choose for your photographs.

Read Strobist. While it focuses on getting the speedlight off of your camera, it will still show you some invaluable lighting tricks that you can use all the time. There is some phenomenal work to be seen, and some great knowledge to be had here.

Finally, practice. Put yourself into some tricky lighting situations, put the speedlight on, and learn how to bounce the light off of objects around you to achieve the effect you desire. Remember that the zoom setting on the speedlight will control the spread, and the higher the millimeters of zoom on the strobe, the narrower the beam of light will be.

Go outside on a nice sunny day with your speedlight, practice using it at low power to provide fill for a backlit photo. Use the sun to light the back of your subject, and the flash to fill in the rest.

If you overpower your flash, you will lose all the subtle texture of your subject. It is irrelevant how small your aperture is at this point, the light just becomes too overpowering. It is about balance.

If you mess around with these basics, you can't lose. Just keep practicing.

Glad you're trying it out and putting in the effort.

I don't want to sound like I'm encouraging quitting or anything but there's nothing wrong with realizing that something isn't for you. You may need to check out more things/adjust your expectations (of yourself and of the work) before making that decision.

Don't be frustrated just because you don't understand as much as you thought. If you want to and you're dedicated, you can become even more skilled and knowledgeable than anyone on that set. These things take time and effort, of course.

Lighting isn't the easiest thing to grasp and "3-point lighting" is really just a starting point; a general way that you might decide to use to light a scene and which can work any number of ways rather than being one particular setup/ratio. The Set Lighting Technician's Handbook is very informative, if you're really interested, but there's also plenty of guides online and I'd be happy to break down a few basics if you'd like.

Light: Science and Magic, a highly instructive book on lighting.

this is an awesome book that takes lighting ANY subject to the next level.

http://www.amazon.com/Light-Science-Magic-Introduction-Photographic/dp/0240812255/ref=dp_ob_title_bk/192-4912251-9317753

Stobist 101 and if you want to dive deeper, look for "Light, Science and Magic".

With good cinematography comes great lighting. When I first started in the film industry as Grip, I literally sat on the back of the truck between takes and read Harry Box's Set Lighting Technicians Handbook. Its invaluable information as far as lighting is concerned. The Grip Book by Mike Uva is another great handbook. Generally, if you walked into Barnes and Noble, all the other books on the shelf are worth a read. "Rebel without a Crew" And "Save the Cat" are some great reads.

im not trying to be a commercial at all, but i used this book and i think it is great for anyone who wants to learn guitar
http://www.amazon.com/Guitar-Fretboard-Workbook-Barrett-Tagliarino/dp/0634049011

you can learn the fretboard easily and logically and "shred" without having to know anything but 5 patterns.

here's how you learn (very paraphrased):
there are 5 patterns that emerge up and down the fretboard.
these are the 5 different positions of root notes, essentially. for instance, using C as the root, the first pattern would be C on the first fret of the second string and including the C on the third fret of the fifth string.
now memorise that scale and fingering for the major and minor.
the second pattern would be the C on the third fret of the fifth string and the C on the fifth fret of the third string - the octaves.
memorise that and so on.
do this for all 5 patterns and you will be able to jam knowing virtually nothing.

The Illusion of Life

If you don’t own it already, get the Bob’s Burgers Burger Book

The story alone is great. And there’s some stellar burger recipes in there.

How to DJ Right: The Art and Science of Playing Records

Genuinely a really good guide.

• The Elements of Typographic Style by Robert Bringhurst
  
  
• Stop Stealing Sheep & find our how type works 3rd Edition by Erik Spiekermann, this one is a super easy read but a great book.
  
  
• Thinking with Type by Ellen Lupton, I have the 2nd Edition
  
  
• Making and Breaking the Grid by Timothy Samara
  
  
• Typographic Design: Form and Communication by Rob Carter, Ben Day, Philip Meggs. I have the 4th edition but I think most are okay. This is a good general typography textbook.
  
  
• Shady Characters: The Secret Life of Punctuation, Symbols, and Other Typographical Marks by Keith Houston
  
  I can't give suggestions on hand-lettering books yet as the few I have read weren't good...so I'm trying to find better ones. But check out Louise Fili and Jessica Hische for inspiration and of course Paula Scher and Sagmeister.
  
  There are many other books so I welcome others to chime in and add their suggestions.

You should definitely read up on typography.

http://www.amazon.com/Elements-Typographic-Style-Version-Anniversary/dp/0881792128

Here are some general rules:

• Most type is suited for body copy (unless it's a display face), so when you scale it up, the letters are further apart than they should be (because that space gets scaled up too). A good general rule to have is to tighten up the tracking slightly on larger type (if needed).
  
• Just like design elements need to breathe, so does type. The default leading (spacing between lines of text) is a bit tight on most faces. The best way is to adjust via your eye, but you can generally do around 1.5x and be ok.
  
  Note: These are not absolute rules to live by. While they will generally work for many scenarios, it's better to understand the "rules" of typography and adjust based on your design's specific needs.
  
  Overall, think more about your spacing. Give things room to breathe, as right now some pieces feel a little tight. I'm not going to tell you specifics on what to fix (I think that's a bad brand of critique that happens here), because we should all be able to look and think critically about our own work. Look over your design, see where you can help something breathe, and adjust to your own discretion.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0062066315/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_9qEtDbFKG2R28

Also agree.

I've been producing for ~6-7 years and sound design is still my biggest challenge by a huge margin.

There are two approaches that work for me:

1. Investigate and tweak the hell out of simple synth patches to create your own sounds. In time you'll learn better how your favourite synths work, and you'll also learn how certain sounds are made
   
2. Use samples and stems from remix competitions. When you can't design or think up your own melodies/etc, remix packs can give a great platform to work with. You can learn a lot about production and structure this way too (I've found anyway).
   
   The Dance Music Manual helped me too. I still refer back to it when I'm stuck.
   
   1 year isn't long at all. There are some gifted individuals that seem to get it from the go, but usually it's a lot of work.
   
   Keep at it, and as Neutr4lNumb3r said, practice!

Hey Bjeaurn,

I'm a struggling techno producer myself as well. The main source of learning will, I guess, always be already existing music. Listen carefully and try to understand what is going on in the tracks you listen to. How many instruments do you hear? What effects are there used when and where?

I cannot listen to any music without figuring out what is going on.

Also I'm reading these books at the moment. http://www.amazon.com/Dance-Music-Manual-Second-Edition/dp/0240521072
and
http://www.amazon.com/Ableton-Live-Power-Comprehensive-Guide/dp/1598639757

It's a really great help, you learn so much from it.

Also /r/edmproduction is a place you need to go.

And it's obviously important to just make music as much as you can. It's not something you are gifted to just do. You will have to put a lot of time in it.

Yeah, the Pixar list and a similar work--Invisible Ink--helped train me to "see" meta-structure in storytelling in my work and others. This was important groundwork for when I eventually buckled down and read Robert McKee's Story, which itself is the groundwork for many of these digested lists. But they were all important for me in the overall learning process and learning to abstract and adapt them to my own work.

For those curious, the Archer book actually does have this recipe included in it

dance music making manual

1. Buy a DAW -- I like Ableton Live
   
   
2. Learn Your DAW with no specific music preference in mind. -- Check out www.linda.com for a great starter course on ableton.
   
   
3. You like electro house, so buy this: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0240521072/ref=oh_o01_s00_i00_details -- This is a great introduction to electro house music. It goes great with Ableton and will teach you how to create your own synths, and understand all the tools all proper DAWs come with (compressor, EQ, synths, programming your own synths, composition, etc etc). Will make you a lot less afraid of Ableton.
   
   
4. Move into more specific tutorials on sites like www.sonicacademy.com
   
   
5. Scour youtube for tutorials for your favorite sounds
   
   
6. Buy VSTs you like (I would die without Massive)
   
   
7. ???
   
   
8. Profit.
   
   
   Also, make sure to inject your own playing around in your DAW between every step. Your biggest hurdle will be becoming comfortable with the software you choose because they are HUGE.
   
   
   ps; If you pirate something, please buy it before you release a song. Don't be a leech.

You will find more recommendations in the FAQ on the Sidebar, but a short version would be that most people recommend getting a teacher if in any way possible. If not:

• Use method books like the Alfred's Adult Basic Piano (here's a link to Book 1 on Amazon).
  
• Use the exercises on musictheory.net to learn how to read music and identify note positions on the keyboard.
  
• Start working on basic major scales, hands together in parallel motion. (Link to a good resource).
  
• For practice, you want an 88-key, fully-weighted keyboard if you do not have an acoustic piano. Specific model recommendations in the FAQ.
  
• Some people around here recommend Hanon exercises to self-taught folks. I suggest not doing it without a teacher, as bad technique with those exercises can cause bad habits at best and injury at worst.
  
  Comments on general technique:
  
  
• Fingers should be slightly bent, you want to strike keys with your fingertips. Don't lay them flat (people do this a lot with their pinkies).
  
• Relax, relax, relax. Make sure your shoulders are down and not tense. Your wrist movement should be smooth.
  
• Never push through pain. My professor says that pain is almost always because of errors in technique, and if you feel any pain you should stop and find that error so you can correct it. If you don't, you can cause permanent injury. Of course, there are a few exceptions and sometimes you will feel a light bit from muscle exhaustion if you're new. But never anything severe.
  
  If you have any questions, you can always ask us here. Cheers!

A Cintiq isn't really a Windows tablet. It's basically a screen and a drawing tablet in one. But, just like a regular Wacom drawing tablet (e.g., Intuos, Bamboo), it needs to connect to a computer to work. For someone starting out, I'd recommend starting with one of the regular drawing tablets instead. They're just like a specialized mouse that you use with a pen.

I'm also a big fan of The Illusion of Life. It's a book by former Disney animators who worked there at the beginning of the studio. It's a mix of history and a discussion of the principles they used to get the best animation. The price seems to have come down quite a bit. My copy was over $80 Canadian when I bought it several years ago and I had seen it for over $100 since then.

it's even on sale!

My two cents as a lapsed classical pianist: If you want to go old school and learn to read music a bit too, struggle your way through the Hanon exercises for piano, specifically the scales and octave scale progression through all keys.

The book is cheap on Amazon

It is boring, dry stuff. But I will be damned if I don't still remember every scale once I start off on the right note, even if I don't remember any of the classical pieces themselves. Because of that bastard Hanon and his exercises.

Here is a PDF of some general set terms

Each department will have loads of their own unique terms, sometimes several for the same thing. Clothespins (used for attaching colored gels to the barndoors of lights) are often called bullets, clothes pins or c-47. Spring clamps might be called "pony clamps" or "grip clamps" as well.

• gels - transparent, colored plastic used on lights to change the color
  barndoors - the movable wings that attach to the front of a light. used to shape the beam and attach gels.
  
• apple box - wooden box used for sitting or propping things up.
  
• pancake - flat piece of wood, often with a hi-hat attached to it.
  
• hi hat - A very low mount for a tripod head. Used for shots where the camera needs to be low to the ground, or mounted to a dolly or jib.
  
• sticks - tripod
  
• stinger - extension cord
  
  There is also slang for every type of light that you would use on set. Most of them refer to different versions of Mole-Richardson lights, the standard in the film industry for quite some time.
  
  
• mickey - 1k watt open face light
  
• mighty - 2k watt open face light
  
• baby - 1k fresnel light
  
• junior - 2k fresnel light
  
• tener - 10k fresnel
  
• senior - 5k fresnel light
  
• tweenie - 650w fresnel light
  
  Each of these lights has a larger and smaller version. The larger version is usually considered the "studio" version. The smaller versions that you will find on equipment trucks and location shoots are denoted by adding "baby" to it, except in the case of the 1k fresnel since it would be silly to call it a "baby baby".
  
  Those are just Mole-Richardson tungsten lights. There are other terms for HMIs, Fluorescent lights, light banks and even other brands of tungsten lights. There are also terms for each type of stand. The basics would be walker = stand without wheels, roller = stand with wheels.
  
  
  I really recommend The Set Lighting And Technicians Handbook. If you are working in a production crew it should be your bible.

"Light Science and Magic: An Introduction to Photographic Lighting" is a definite read, it breaks down really tricky lighting situations (glass, metal, people, etc) and explains WHY you light things a certain way. It really teaches you to see the differences in how things are lit.

To really figure this out (and or realize the limitations of what can be done), you may need a bit more education than a reply to a reddit post will get you.

In a nutshell:

Objects have different properties of how they react with light, reflection being the most important to us. Two main types of reflection are diffuse and direct. Something with mostly diffuse reflection will not show glare (think of a white piece of paper). The thing that most exemplifies direct reflection, is a mirror.

Another property is absorption, which is how we get/see colors & black etc.

So if you have something that is highly reflective, it has lots of direct reflection, and if it's black like a Darth Vader helmet, then it probably has plenty of absorption (and thus less diffuse reflection).

So when it comes to lighting something like this, we need to consider what type of reflection we want to (or have to) use. If the item is mostly black, then it probably doesn't have enough diffuse reflection or the direct reflection properties are going to be dominant.

So when lighting something that is dominated by direct reflection, we need to understand the family of angles. Basically, you will see a reflection of the light source (usually glare) when the angle between the lens, object and light all line up.

When the object is flat (or has flat sides etc) it can be easy to 'hide' the lights by placing them (or the object) where the reflections won't be visible to the camera. Of course, if the object is rounded, your family of angle will essentially be anywhere in front of the object, which can make it impossible to 'hide' the light..

However, if the object is mostly direct reflection, you may need to use that reflection glare, because there is nothing else.

So the task for the photographer then becomes getting the best looking reflection, to achieve what they want for the photo. So we would find/create the right size and shape of light, and place it carefully. A good example is wine bottles. Using a square or round light would leave a square or round glare on the bottle, which doesn't look good. So a photographer may use a strip light and align it with the bottle, so that the reflection shows up as a vertical line on the bottle.

Sometimes, the solution is to make your light source as big as possible (relative to the object). So getting something big and/or getting it really close. This is why we might use a light tent, it basically puts the light source all around the object.

So what you will likely have to do, is experiment by moving the lights around (while viewing the object from the camera position). You may find a position that makes for better looking reflections. Changing the size & shape of your lights may also help.

Read this book... Light: Science & Magic.

You should probably read How to DJ Right and the entire manual for Traktor, and the links on the right hand side under Marvelous Manuals.

I suggest you start reading before you go much further into DJing. Your question is so basic it hardly even makes sense.

An Essential Reading List For Designers

Source: www.tomfaulkner.co.uk

All books have been linked to Amazon for review and possible purchase. Remember to support the authors by purchasing their books. If there are any issues with this listing let me know via comments or pm.

Architecture

• The Phaidon Atlas of Contemporary World Architecture by Phaidon
  
• The Architecture of the City by Aldo Rossi
  
• Learning from Las Vegas by Robert Venturi, Denise Scott Brown & Steven Izenour
  
• Modern Architecture since 1900 by William J R Curtis
  
• Complexity and Contradiction in Architecture by Phaidon
  
  Communication Design
  
  
• Essentials of Visual Communication by Bo Bergström
  
• Visual Language for Designers by Connie Malamed
  
• Visual Communication: From Theory to Practice by Jonathan Baldwin & Lucienne Roberts
  
• This Means This, That Means That: A User's Guide to Semiotics by Sean Hall
  
• Practices of Looking: An Introduction to Visual Culture by Marita Struken & Lisa Cartwright
  
  Fashion Design
  
  
• Fashion Design Course by Steven Faerm
  
• Fashion Today by Colin McDowell
  
• The Fashion Designer Survival Guide by Mary Gehlhar
  
• Deluxe: How Luxury Lost it Lustre by Dana Thomas
  
• The Fashion Book by Angela Buttolph Editors of Phaidon ?
  
  Furniture Design
  
  
• Furniture Design by Stuart Lawson
  
• Eames by Gloria Koenig
  
• Design of the 20th Century by Charlotte & Peter Fiell
  
• 1000 Chairs by Charlotte & Peter Fiell
  
• The Encyclopedia of Furniture by Joseph Aronson
  
  Game Design
  
  
• The Art of Game Design: A Book of Lenses by Jess Schell
  
• Theory of Fun for Game Design by Raph Koster
  
• [Challenges for Game Designers](Challenges for Game Designers) by Brenda Brathwaite
  
• Level Up!: The Guide to Great Video Game Design by Scott Rogers
  
• Screenplay: The Foundation of Screenwriting by Syd Field
  
  Graphic Design
  
  
• Grid System in Graphic Design by Josef-Muller Brockmann
  
• The Art of Looking Sideways by Alan Fletcher
  
• A Type Primer by John Kane
  
• The Elements of Typographic Style by Robert Bringhurst
  
• The New Typography by Jan Tschichold
  
  Information Design
  
  
• The Visual Display of Quantitative Information by Edward Tufte
  
• Show Me The Numbers:Desiginingg Tables and Graphs to Enlighten by Stephen Few
  
• Envisioning Information by Edward Tufte
  
• Information is Beautiful by David McCandless
  
• Information Graphic by Sandra Rendgen
  
  
  Industrial Design
  
  
• The Design of Everyday Things by Donald A. Norman
  
• The Laws of Simplicity by John Maeda
  
• Manufacturing Processes for Design Professionals by Rob Thompson
  
• Process: 50 Product Design from Concept to Manufacture by Jennifer Hudson
  
• Universal Principles of Design by William Lidwell
  
  (cont'd)
  
  

I don't actually know why sorry. If I could find my copy of this I could maybe say:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0881792128

Best guess it has something to do with the arrangement of our eyes, but that's entirely my guess, and not a very educated one.

Good/quality design is making sure that as many aspects of a design as possible at least look intentional. In Modern/Swiss design (what most design today is based off of) this means keeping spacing/line-weights consistent, either the same, or from some sort of set/sequence. Keeping all of your horizontal lines, in the figure and the implied lines between, the same is very pleasing to the eye, and generally "looks better".

At the moment the thin slash through the middle is different enough from all the other white-spaces that it should maybe be a bit wider, though the designer should take care of that after dealing the the cross-bar on the A, just in case it's just that comparison that looks off.

Does that help?

I just got these - I ordered books 1, 2, & 3.

The reviews were good, so I thought I'd give them a shot. Anyone have their own reviews on them for a self-leaner?

http://www.amazon.com/Darth-Vader-Son-Jeffrey-Brown/dp/145210655X

http://www.amazon.com/Star-Wars-Vaders-Little-Princess/dp/1452118698

Get her this book

For those interested, this is a page from Vader's Little Princess.

There's a version for Luke too, called Darth Vader and Son.

I'd recommend Jazz Guitar: Complete Edition by Jody Fisher. It covers all the important topics in a fairly straightforward way and comes with a CD of examples and backing tracks. It's aimed at intermediate guitarists, but your experience should be sufficient.

The old standard was Mickey Baker's Jazz Guitar, but I'm not a huge fan. The learning curve is extremely steep and there's not a great deal of theory or explanation. It'd be a really useful companion to lessons with a teacher, but I think that most beginners would really struggle with it.

A good alternative to the Jody Fisher book is A Modern Method For Guitar by William Leavitt. The learning curve is fairly gradual, but it's tough going - everything is written in standard notation and there's no real instruction as such. It seems to be inspired by the Suzuki method. Everything is taught through progressively more demanding examples. You probably won't get stuck on anything, but you will need to do a bit of thinking to figure stuff out for yourself.

If you want to learn jazz theory in depth, I'd strongly recommend Jazzology by Rawlins and Bahha. It's the clearest, most elegant explanation of how everything fits together in jazz. It's not specifically written for guitar, but the theory is universal. The Jody Fisher book covers all the theory that you really need to know, but Jazzology would be a really good supplement if you like to understand things in detail.

In your jazz guitar journey, you'll probably come across The Real Book. It's an essential reference text, containing lead sheets for hundreds of the most popular jazz tunes. It's how most of us learned our repertoire and most of us still have a copy in our gig bag pocket. Today, you have a huge advantage in learning tunes because of the fabulous iReal Pro. It's an app version of The Real Book, but it can also play backing tracks for any tune in any key and at any tempo. It's an absolute boon when you're learning to play solos.

Finally, I'd suggest just listening to a whole bunch of jazz, not just jazz guitar. You should know Joe Pass, Ted Greene and Wes Montgomery, but you should also know Miles Davis, John Coltrane and Dizzy Gillespie.

If you want to really go down the rabbit hole: A Modern Method for Guitar.

1. Elements of Typographic Style by Robert Bringhurst.
   
   
2. Stop Stealing Sheep & Find Out How Type Works by Erik Spiekermann.
   
   The former is widely considered somewhat of a 'type bible,' and was referenced often in college. It's a fantastic resource, however it can be seen as less accessible for total beginners.
   
   That's where the latter comes in. If you're going the self-taught route, you'd probably love Stealing Sheep. However, unfortunately it seems to be out of stock everywhere, with only used or insanely marked up resellers. I wonder if it's going out of print, which would be a shame.

ti consiglio The Elements of Typographic Style, di Robert Bringhurst. Libro leggero e chiarissimo che copre molte basi di tipografia.

Take this and this; that's all I needed to read, play and write music.

Paying for lessons is recommended, they are a shortcut.

My advice: You have to keep your motivation alive: Watch videos of other people playing pieces you would like to play, it's as important as brushing your teeth. You require ambition but also you must acknowledge the nature of the process of learning; you will invest time, emotions and money to get there, keep that in mind.

Enjoy your journey, music is a beautiful investment.

👍

This is the fretboard logic book that I have:
http://www.amazon.com/Fretboard-Logic-SE-Reasoning-Arpeggios/dp/0962477060/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1321469011&sr=1-1

The Guthrie Govan book I have:
http://www.amazon.com/Creative-Guitar-Advanced-Techniques-Vol/dp/1860744672/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1321469051&sr=1-2

I was in a similar situation as you are, I played piano since I was young and when I took up guitar the fretboard was a bit daunting to me. It clicked for me when I imagined that each of the six strings was like its own separate piano so six dimensional if you will ;). Since each fret is a half step, its like the keys on a piano going up a half step. So the 'piano keys' on the lowest string start on E and go up by a half step, the next string is A so the 'piano keys' start on A, then go up and so on.

Once the set up of the fretboard made sense to me, it's all about memorization to know the exact locations of notes off hand. I think that this is going to be different for each person you need to figure out what makes sense to you. Memorize 'landmarks' such as each open string, the 12^th fret is an octave up, and the odd frets are good ones to start with memorizing.

I used this: http://www.guitarhabits.com/learn-the-guitar-fingerboard-thoroughly-in-16-days/ as well. I found it pretty helpful.

Also if you're looking for some books, http://www.amazon.com/Fretboard-Logic-SE-Reasoning-Arpeggios/dp/0962477060/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1313039330&sr=8-1 & http://www.amazon.com/Guitar-Fretboard-Workbook-Barrett-Tagliarino/dp/0634049011/ref=sr_1_6?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1313039376&sr=1-6 were both really good and helped me with understanding the fretboard and general mechanics of guitar.


Hope this helps! Good Luck!

I'm getting him Vader's Little Princess to help him with our little princess, and probably some other little random things. Our anniversary is the day after father's day so we'll probably combine them.

I think this is pretty well written, it's stickied in the BHO Theory subforum and covers the essentials well: common chord progressions and scales that go well in the context of the particular chord in the progression (and somebody also asks about what keys songs are in) http://www.banjohangout.org/topic/71709.

That theory subforum doesn't get a lot of threads but there is a lot of good explanations in older threads

What book/s are you using with your teacher? Most of them cover chords and scales in the context of soloing and playing backup rolls or vamping. You could look at the books by Ned Luberecki and Janet Davis and Trischka's Complete 5 string wehre they gradually introduce basic bluegrass chord progressions, pentatonic, blues and diatonic (8 notes/octave) scales.

Also if you play guitar i remember Kolb's book being good: https://www.amazon.com/Music-Theory-Guitarists-Everything-Wanted/dp/063406651X

[This book is great IMO]
(http://www.amazon.com/Music-Theory-Guitarists-Everything-Wanted/dp/063406651X/ref=pd_sim_b_4/191-7497975-6024957?ie=UTF8&refRID=111254SQ76TZK81AYP3R)

https://www.amazon.com/Scales-Chords-Arpeggios-Cadences-Complete/dp/0739003682%3FSubscriptionId%3D06KMPSHEDSXXQMQVT482%26tag%3Daskcom05-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3D0739003682

If you are interested in Animation, there is a book that you just MUST have. It was written by some Disney animators in the 50's or so, and then put out there for sale later. It's called Illusion of Life. It talks about the 12 basic principles of animation

Start with Eric Goldberg's book "Character Animation Crash Course!"

http://www.amazon.com/Character-Animation-Crash-Course-Goldberg/dp/1879505975

It reads a lot less like the stereo instructions that is Richard Williams's "Animator's Survival Kit" providing for a much more accessible and lighter introduction to animation. If, after you've read through it, you find that animation is still for you then absolutely 110% get Richard Williams's book.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/086547897X/ref=pd_aw_fbt_14_img_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=0MV2H6MZNC3HHHH1ED43

Another must have is "The Illusion of Life".

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0786860707/ref=pd_aw_fbt_14_img_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=1S91BNCH9AFXPJQCA1HH

Always keep in mind that the word animate means "to give life to." You are bringing a character to life be it a drawing or a 3D model. Before even touching paper and pencil (because you thoroughly plan your scene out that way first before touching the mouse ;-) ask yourself "what is the character thinking?" Get inside that character's head. Sketch out exploratory poses. They don't have to be gorgeously rendered drawings. They are your visual notes and can even be stick figures just so long as you can read them. Get away from your desk and physically act out what your character has to do or hit up YouTube for research. Shoot reference with your smartphone (use an app like ProCamera which lets you shoot at 24fps) and analyze how long it takes you to perform an action. Don't sweat the software just yet. That's the technical stuff that comes later. Animators are actors and it's important to understand acting first. That being said, this book is great for learning Maya.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0415826594/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1453026213&sr=8-1&pi=SY200_QL40&keywords=how+to+cheat+in+maya+2015&dpPl=1&dpID=51IrWwVyubL&ref=plSrch

This book combines learning to animate in Maya while simultaneously teaching the 12 principles of animation. The very best of luck to you in the beginning of your animation journey. Take your time and practice everyday. Think of animation as a muscle. You have to workout everyday for it to get stronger even if you only work on something for 15 minutes a day.

http://www.amazon.com/Bobs-Burgers-Burger-Book-Recipes/dp/0789331144

This is it. Currently on sale on Amazon for 13 dollars

https://www.amazon.com/Bobs-Burgers-Burger-Book-Recipes/dp/0789331144/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1541652219&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=bob%27s+burgers+cookbook&dpPl=1&dpID=51zbLTMAIbL&ref=plSrch

The Bob's Burgers Burger Book: Real Recipes for Joke Burgers. It’s a cookbook with recipes for all the burgers of the day.

For anyone else looking. They sell the Holy Grail on [Amazon] (https://www.amazon.com/Bobs-Burgers-Burger-Book-Recipes/dp/0789331144/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1479306262&sr=8-2&keywords=bobs+burgers) for $12.

Hanon exercises are great for strength and independence of fingers.

The Virtuoso Pianist by Charles-Louis Hanon. It's not fun or musically interesting, but if you purely want to improve speed and technique, it's exactly what you need.

Start playing around, learn what you can do with your new hardware! Don't worry about technical skill yet, just learn some verbs.

Load up a track you like and play with it. What can you do with it, and how do you do it on that controller? Speed it up? Slow it down? Play it backwards? Set it so it plays from a certain point in the track when ever you want it to? Loop a section of the track?

How about another track? Maybe you can get them to play at the same time? See if you can get the timings matched up? Try playing one track, then playing another before it's done and see if you can transition smoothly with the crossfader. Take a dance track with lots of drums on the intro and outro and see if you can transition from its ending into its beginning.

Once you're comfortable with that a bit, I'd say start soaking up tutorials and learning from others. This book really helped me: How to DJ Right. If you have any friends who can teach you how they do it, they will be your most valuable asset.

This is all general advice, I've never played with an S4 before, but I can't imagine it'd be different than learning any other cool new music thing. Best of luck!

I used to view films in the same way. I now to think of them as a way to find life, rather than escape it. Interpret it as you like.

Btw, I paraphrased this from the introduction to Story.

I'd start with Save the Cat because it's a fun read and does a great job of laying down the basic structure without over-complicating things.


After you've got that down I'd move on to something a bit more theoretical. I would highly recommend The Art of Dramatic Writing by Lajos Egri. It's about playwriting but the structure is similar and it really impressed upon me the importance of structuring a plot around a character and not the other way around.


I'd also recommend The Sequence Approach as a supplemental structure to the traditional 3 Act structure. The book basically breaks a screenplay into a number of goal-oriented sequences that help guide you towards a satisfying resolution.


I'd keep Story by Robert McKee and Screenplay by Syd Field around for references, but they are more like text books for me and not really inspiring.


One of my professors in grad school wrote a book called The Story Solution based on his own interpretation of story structure. Similar to the sequence approach, he breaks out a screenplay into 23 'hero goal sequences' that keep your story grounded and moving forward, while ensuring that your hero is making progress and completing his character arc.


Also, in answer to your beat question: A beat is the smallest block of measurable plot. a collection of beats make a scene, a collection of scenes makes a sequence, a collection of sequences make an act, a collection of acts make a narrative. Every beat of your screenplay needs to serve the premise in some way or you end up with a bloated script that will drag. Many times writers will actually write 'a beat' into their script to show that there is silence or a pause that is significant to the plot. An example might be a brief pause before a character lies to another character.

UK


US

Looks like [The non designer's design book] (https://www.amazon.fr/gp/aw/d/0133966151/ref=dp_ob_neva_mobile) by Robin Williams is what you are looking for!

Great book, straight to the point with lots of practical examples and simple steps to improve your designer's eye!

Music Theory for Computer Musicians & Dance Music Manual in books. You could use Musictheory.net to learn the basics.

I started DJing first then have recently been doing some production. Here's my recommendation in priority order:

1. Get decent headphones. Spend most of your budget on this.
   
   
2. Don't buy tutorials or sample packs. There is more free stuff out there than he will ever possibly need. If you're going to spend money on learning material, buy the Dance Music Manual (2nd Edition). http://www.amazon.com/Dance-Music-Manual-Second-Techniques/dp/0240521072 It teaches you all of the foundations of EDM Production.
   
   
3. Pirate Ableton as you said. I use Reason but that's just because it's what I learned. Many many people use Ableton so there are more modern tutorials out there for it (in my experience) and there are a wealth of VSTs. If I had to start again I'd start with Ableton.
   
   
4. For DJ gear, stick with what he has and get some CDJs and a cheap 2 channel mixer when you have more money.
   
   Finally just a word of advice: stick with it, take your time and believe in yourself. Try to resist copying whatever is the most popular and make what you like the sound of. Find your sound and your DJing style. :)

http://www.amazon.com/Dance-Music-Manual-Second-Edition/dp/0240521072

http://www.audio-engineering-courses.co.uk/audio-mixing.php

http://www.vintagesynth.com/resources/glossary.php

http://www.markwhite.com/vsp/glossary.html

http://www.sweetwater.com/expert-center/glossary/

http://www.sequencer.de/synthaudio/synthesizer-basics.html

http://www.scribd.com/doc/11435645/Glossary-of-Audio-Mixing-Terms

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synthesizer

http://www.wannaplaymusic.com/get-started/keyboard-terminology

Set Lighting Technician's Handbook by Harry C. Box

Fellow Columbia Alum here, this book is an indispensable resource as well. Won't exactly tell you "how" to light your scene, but covers all the gear and how it works.

The Set Lighting Technician's Handbook

That lens is made specifically for the Nikon 1 series of smaller cameras—it's kinda odd that you would have honed in on this lens in particular, since it's a bit more niche, we don't hear about that often. In any case, it is not compatible with the Nikon D3300 body.

Anyway, you don't need something remarkable for the camera/lens, considering you're doing still subjects (easier to work with stuff that doesn't move) of medium-sized objects (that is, not "small" that would require a special lens). What you will want, in terms of hardware, is a tripod.

So the equipment is not a major concern here. Product photography is a rather technical expertise, so you'll want to learn about the tricks of the trade—how to light things, especially in this case many will have reflective surfaces galore. You may want a good size sheet of black plexi for that sweet reflection under the computer case...

And then these rays of light above the case, that's added in post.

You're not photographing the object itself, you're photographing the reflections/refractions. Check this out. And this. If you want a book, Light Science and Magic is the one.

I photographed a gem a while back. You can see how I did it, here.

Algebra is pretty important. In the clinical setting, you'll be using math formulas to figure out certain drug preparations. Not so much for the combat aspect as those drugs are largely already good to go. So, while I wouldn't say you need to be an expert in algebra before you ship out, it's going to come up in your career and you should probably know it before you leave.

It's good to have a math background for a lot of the things you do in the military in general. Pathfinder ops is almost entirely math. Long Range Marksmanship has a lot of math(You probably won't deal with this, but depending on the unit, you might). So it's good to have a solid grasp of math.

Anatomy is going to be your bread and butter, and not a lot of medics know it inside and out. With the more advanced schools, I'd say 75-80% of the failures are because medics don't have a great understanding of A&P. This thing is going to be your best friend. Pay attention to the "Frequently bought together" thing and get those as well. You're going to have good pay and not a lot of expenses, so it shouldn't be a problem having a few of those on hand while you're in.

Also, pick up a copy of the Special Operations Forces Medical Handbook 2nd Edition. Not the red one, The one that came out in '08. Have a medical dictionary on hand to look up anything you don't know.

Your first couple of years in, you need to be studying after work every single night. Medic school doesn't teach you everything, and you need to be in charge of your own knowledge.

We’re the exact same hahaha. I highly recommend getting an anatomy coloring book if you want to keep your memory going without the excessive stress. I use this coloring book and it’s really helpful and keeps me busy without stressing me out.

link

Also, add a couple of anatomy coloring books to your wish list if you want to go to nursing school. Those things work and I'd be happy to get them for you. this is a good one

There are a lot of great books on film out there. Don't listen to other possible saying watch YouTube or wrote your own screenplay. Well, do those things too, but learn some wisdom from some of the masters while you're at it.

You are going to want to read the following:

Hitchcock by Truffaut (http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0671604295). One of the greatest directors of all time, interviewed by another of the greatest.

In the Blink of an Eye by Walter Murch (http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1879505622/ref=aw_d_detail?pd=1), one of the greatest editors ever. A pretty great director too.

On Directing Film by David Mamet (http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0140127224). A great book on directing by one of the great writer/directors.

Rebel Without a Crew by Robert Rodriguez (http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0452271878). He wrote this after El Mariachi, before he went on to big budgets. It's one of the most inspiring books you'll ever read-- you'll want to make a film tomorrow. Basically, how to make a movie wit nothing but enthusiasm.

You need a method, not random bits of knowledge. You may use Justin's, or you may look for a book.

The secret here is structure, which is only provided by a method. Otherwise you'll always feel your knowledge is scattered all over the place and hence barely usable.

A good method should at least:

• give you tools for identifying the notes on the fretboard. I highly recommend this book, in addition to whatever method you choose.
  
• the CAGED system - essential knowledge. Once you master this, you'll easily be able to play: the chord, the arpeggio, the major scale and modes for each of these five shapes, anywhere on the fretboard.
  
• accent the role of the major scale (the Ionian mode of the diatonic scale), because if you know its shapes in all five (CAGED) positions, you already have the shapes for all other modes, and using modes becomes simply a question of choosing the respective harmony, not learning new shapes. Also, by simply removing certain notes from it, you automagically get the pentatonic scale. You get the idea, most common use scales and modes may be played using the major scale patterns.
  
• teach you intervals and how to build chords, which are simply intervals stacked on top of each other
  
• point out the use of arpeggios in soloing, as opposed to scale soloing only, this makes a world of difference if you want your solos to be interesting
  
• teach you rhythm and how to play in time, even (or perhaps especially) when soloing
  
  Once you have a structure, the Internet truly becomes an awesome resource, because now you can research the issue at hand with a better sense of purpose and more specifically.
  
  So don't fret, this isn't a stupid question, it actually shows you are ready and willing to progress, you'd be amazed how many people become dismissive at this stage, and think they've achieved mastery, because it's "all feel and talent, man," and don't even see how much there is to learn and improve.
  
  TL;DR: get a method by trying several, then stick to the one you choose.

Step 1. Buy this book

Step 2. ?

Step 3. Fretboard mastery

Seriously though, that book is the best thing you could ever work through. I've been playing years, but never got the notes down. 3 months working through that and now I'm an expert.

The [Guitar Fretboard Workbook](http://www.Guitar.com/ Fretboard Workbook https://www.amazon.com/dp/0634049011/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_Ejz.AbBA1QA0S) is what I started on, and I can't recommend it enough if you like the workbook format. It takes you from knowing absolutely nothing about theory to understanding scales, triads, extended chords, modes, and how all of it applies to the fretboard in shapes and patterns.

No. If anything, just get a book on music theory. Most guitar lesson books are just a collection of tabs with a few unhelpful paragraphs thrown in.

Here is a good music theory book written by a instructor at Musicians Institute (arguably the best guitar school in the U.S.). It won't teach you how to play, but it will give you a firm grasp on music theory that will aid in your learning.

Hope this helps...

If your looking to get into cinematography, you should check out "Cinematography" and "Motion Picture and Video Lighting" by Blain Brown. Anything from Kris Malkiewicz is worth a read too. "The Grip Book" by Michael Uva, "Set Lighting Technician's Handbook" by Harry Box and "The Camera Assistant" by Doug Hart are all excellent books for more trade specific people.

Edit for links:

http://www.amazon.com/Cinematography-Practice-Edition-Cinematographers-Directors/dp/0240812093/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1333841096&sr=8-1

http://www.amazon.com/Motion-Picture-Lighting-Second-Edition/dp/0240807634/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1333841096&sr=8-3

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_2_7?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=kris+malkiewicz&sprefix=Kris+ma%2Caps%2C359&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Akris+malkiewicz&ajr=0

http://www.amazon.com/The-Grip-Book-Fourth-Edition/dp/0240812913/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1333841229&sr=8-1

http://www.amazon.com/Lighting-Technicians-Handbook-Fourth-Edition/dp/0240810759/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1333841229&sr=8-4

http://www.amazon.com/The-Camera-Assistant-Complete-Professional/dp/0240800427/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1333841294&sr=8-4

"Set Lighting Technician's Handbook." This is the one.

As many cameras as there are, there are countless numbers of lights. Many of these "must have" lights like a basic 1.2HMI run many thousands of dollars which is beyond the scope of purchase for most users (as it should be). Lights at even a mid range production level are rented because you need so many of so many different types based on what, when, and where you're shooting (as well as what you're shooting on).

The scope is massive and beyond the capabilities of the sub. Fortunately, there is already a fairly affordable reference in The Set Lighting Technicians Handbook (as mentioned by /u/itschrisreed).

Buy a copy of Light Science and Magic. It'll walk you through exactly how to do it.

The technical term is polarized reflections. ...vs. direct reflections (which will not be reduced by a polarizer). This is a fantastic book if you want to know some science behind what you're seeing.

If you understand the science, it bolsters your artistic control, because you'll know how to effectively capture the vision in your head or manipulate what you're already seeing with your eyes.

It is a tough industry in many ways, and built around some very specific cities. One decision you should make is what exactly you want to do in film. If you want to be an artist and create your own films, you don't necessarily need to go to film school or even work your way up in the industry. There is lots of cheap gear available. Chances are you have more than enough film making gear right now in your phone and PC, more than you could have dreamed of affording 20+ years ago- when film was film.

So if you want to work in the industry, it will mean 'paying your dues' and might mean never getting to make a film on your own - schools, training programs, etc... are a good idea. You might be poor for awhile, you might have a job so busy and high pressure that at the end of the day more film work (even on your own dream projects) might be the last thing you are interested in doing. Another approach is to come up with a solid day job outside of the industry so that you can pursue your own creative pursuits on the side until such time as they pay off. If you have to count on film making to pay the bills, you would be very fortunate to direct corporate videos and cooking shows and stuff you might not really feel. You will be so close to your dream, but so far away at the same time and that can be frustrating - depending on your goals. If you want to make films on your own terms, you can and should start right away. Don't feel bad if the first 5 or 10 of them are terrible. You are working the bugs out. Read Lumet, a bit of Mamet, and some Rodriguez. Watch a lot of Making of docs on Youtube.

​

Robert Rodriguez wrote El Mariachi with a bit of a brilliant approach. He listed all the interesting ('expensive') things he had access to through his friends (a pit bull, a bus) and incorporated those in his script so it looked a little more big budget. If you write a helicopter landing on a bridge, you would have to pay for it. If your grandma has access to a tennis court and your uncle has a dirt bike - write that instead, and you could pull it off for free. Don't get caught up buying gear, use what you have. You don't need to use lacking gear as an excuse for not making something, and don't need to use buying gear as a replacement for being creative. I have seen that a lot in film, photography, and music. You could hypothetically make a great film for free as a flip book on a pad of paper, and if you do you could show that to people that would help pay for more gear if you need it. Anyway, ramble ramble - free advice is usually worth what you pay for it. Good luck!

The same way you learned the E string, you can learn the A string with A-shape barre chords. (Then you can learn the C, G and D shape barres.;)

I have spent some time using just about anything I could find for help with learning the fretboard. I use a little trainer app on my phone, and I also used this book. The author uses a system based on five patterns for finding all positions of any given note on the fretboard. ("Pattern 1 has roots on the second and fifth strings, two frets apart.")

In addition, as cthrubuoy says, knowing about the octaves is very useful.

Try learning just the natural notes, or try drilling yourself regularly. Put your finger behind a fret and then identify the note. Or pick a note and find all of them. 10 minutes of this a day can be a HUGE help.

I also memorized a few landmark notes on the fretboard. Places where E, F, B, and C are stacked on top of each other, for instance, helps to learn the notes around them. Also, knowing that in standard tuning the nut (open), the 5th, 10th, 12th, and 17th frets are all natural notes could be useful.

In the end, what works best is consistently applying yourself to getting it. Until I started working at it every day (a few months ago) I could pretty much tell you the E string, and some of the A string, and anything else I would have to count out.

It’s cool to play, but you also have to practice. Sounds like you are just playing and never practicing with a specific focus in mind. Learn music theory and the fretboard.

I bought this Guitar Fretboard Workbook book in the recommendation of another Reddit user and feel like I always have something to be practicing. He mentioned to work through it slow and it should take at least six months to a year to complete. I am roughly a month in and only on chapter three and have done the exercises over and over but on the side I am also learning music theory so I am working on what I learned there too.

So this is a pretty awesome contest idea!

Here is my list:
Something I want - A gift card was the only thing I would decide on for this category. Why a gift card? I'm indecisive!
Something I need - This soldering tip is something I very much need.
Something ^^(for ^^my ^^cat) to wear - This bow tie would be hilariously awesome on my cat Lovey.
Something to read - This book on music theory is something I want to read to learn a bit from.
Something to watch - The Big Lebowski is one of my favorite movies, and I don't own it!
Something to listen to - This is the new Modest Mouse album I have been waiting (literal) years for!

Here is your clue:
It's time to relax, it's time to kick back,
It's no longer time to hold back!
Let loose the gates, release the hounds,
And grab a chair to sit around.
It's in the air, it's in my head,
And soon my opinion will be set.
I like it, I hate it, I want more of it!

But in the end, my thirst is fed,
And nothing more than thanks can be said.

I tried! :D

As a classical musician already, I suspect this would be a good place to start, for you more so than for non-musician beginners like me. I read a lot of recommendations for this book so I got it.

Think this is exactly what you're looking for, also aviable as an eBook.


Scales, Chords, Arpeggios and Cadences: Complete Book (Alfred's Basic Piano Library)

If you’re new to music in general this book is awesome. even for adults.

This one is another good resource for scales and chords.

This is super cool stuff, don't get my wrong! I guess what i'm saying is principles of animation apply regardless of software. It's simply a matter of applying animation techniques using whatever software you have available! Don't be shy looking into other software tutorials (For 2D, Flash, AE, toonboom, etc) even if you're not using it. Alot of what you'll find will translate quite easily and you can start building a toolset of your own!


Also, if you're into animation, especially 2D, I would highly suggest picking up "The Illusion of Life." It's considered the bible in animation and even though it was written by old school Disney animators, literally everything in it applies today.



Cool stuff!

The Illusion of Life

The Animator's Survival Kit

The Bob's Burgers Burger Book: Real Recipes for Joke Burgers
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0789331144/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_VZK-zbBZFDWKY

25/M

He loves to cook so I was thinking about getting him themed recipe books. Since almost everyday he says he doesn't know what to make I was initially going to send him this cookbook. After searching I realized that some of the recipes require ingredients you wouldn't see on a day to day basis (and him not having the right ingredients to cook with is something complains about lol). So in the end I'll be sending him this cookbook instead since he loves bobs burgers and the recipes look reasonable :)

a; a minor; b; b minor; c; c minor; d; d minor; e; e minor; f; f minor; g; g minor
Then there's flats and sharps.

You can buy a hannon book for $3 or $4 http://www.amazon.com/Hanon-Virtuoso-Exercises-Complete-Schirmers/dp/0793525446/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1457979356&sr=8-3&keywords=piano+scales

Since you are just starting out, your emphasis right now needs to be on developing a solid basis of technique, . For the next 2 years I recommend you alot your practice time as follows:

• 1/3 to scales and arpeggios
  
  
• 1/3 to exercises - Hanon is the classic starter book. Czerny is a more challenging and interesting addition.
  
  
• 1/3 to pieces
  
  After 2 years, once you have built up your dexterity, then you can begin alotting a greater portion of your time to practicing pieces.
  
  Please note that this time estimate is based on my experience, playing for 3 hours/day during my formative training years. If you are practicing less, it may take longer for you to build your dexterity.

https://www.amazon.com/Hanon-Virtuoso-Exercises-Complete-Schirmers/dp/0793525446

Ask your teacher about Hanon before buying, many don't care for his exercises while many might prefer to give exercises to you individually rather than having you practice from a book. Nevertheless progress slowly through the book, play the exercises slowly and steadily over quickly and unconfidently. Vary the exercises' rhythm as an exercise(For example you can make every other tone dotted while halfing the duration of the others). Follow the fingerings written out and get help from your teacher if something hurts or feels tense/wrong rather than just powering through it and lastly remember that Hanon exercises are NOT a substitute for other content such as learning pieces you're interested in. Hanon exercises lack in musicality and other elements that you need to learn through learning actual pieces of music that you enjoy.

listen to lots of music and learn the tunes.

If you have no prior musical training, it helps to read up on some basic music theory - counting, time signatures, musical structure, harmony, phrasing.

You don't have to get too deep into it as DJing is fairly simplistic when it comes to music theory, but getting the basics down will help considerably.

You might want to read up a bit on some basic audio engineering theory as well like EQ theory, and a bit on gain structure and how audio chains work.

Also, read this book: http://www.amazon.ca/How-DJ-Right-Science-Playing/dp/0802139957

> i've tried to find the book "How to DJ right" but I just couldn't.

Did you maybe try looking on Amazon?

Well I'd highly recommend snagging a copy of this book as well as checking out /r/Beatmatch.

That book has helped me with loads. It covers beat and phrase matching among lots of other things.

• How to DJ Right: The Art and Science of Playing Records is my go to book for referencing.
  
  
• Safety issues. Going deaf is a serious issue.
  
  
• Gear knowledge. Maintenance, proper use, etc. (probably group gain staging in here)
  
  if using vinyl proper handeling of record, platter, and pitch
  
  
• Simple understanding of music structure. Bars, measures, phrases, and how to count them.
  
• Beat/phrase matching (I personally think these should be taught hand in hand)
  
  
• Go over simple does and don'ts for gigs. (such as playing all your big club bangers when you are opening for someone else the entire set, checking your levels before you begin your mix and constantly check them periodical after)
  
  
• Finally understand that being a DJ and playing out is a business. You need to make the connections for getting gigs, and you need to do your own promotion. Just like a lot of businesses the same moto applies "its not what you know its who you know".
  

How to DJ Right.
Tremendously helpful to me, not only do i feel more confident in my ability to play for people now, but I also believe it helped me with my production, even though its not a book on production.
https://www.amazon.com/How-DJ-Right-Science-Playing/dp/0802139957/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1505229521&sr=8-1&keywords=how+to+dj+right

Don't worry about it and just go mix more. When I was first getting into it I was lost as what to do. get "how to Dj right"

http://www.amazon.com/How-DJ-Right-Science-Playing/dp/0802139957/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1375237654&sr=8-1&keywords=how+to+dj+right

Just spin more, love what you are doing, record what you do, listen to it. post stuff here get feedback. Heck I said I would listen to you stream some music. If you want I can give you some 1 on 1 coaching.(not that I am some super awesome DJ)

A Modern Method for Guitar by William Leavitt is what you are talking about.

if you can read sheet music decently I'd recommend William Leavitt's Modern Guitar Method - It's fairly tough for new guitar students because most of them don't know how to sight read, but if you can do that then this is a really great resource and will teach you scales and chords in different areas all over the guitar. This book doesn't hold your hand, so go in expecting that it's dense and might take time a long time to get through.

Outside of working through books, it sounds like you want to know the fretboard notes more than anything, so I'd recommend learning in this order:

• Memorize the notes on the low E string and the A string. (playing e minor and a minor scales vertically [up one string] are useful for this so you don't have to worry about accidentals much yet)
  
  playing vertically is important to know but isn't very efficient
  
  
• Memorize the notes on the 5th fret (ADGCEA) and come up with an acronym to speed things up and to be able to find notes between 5th and 12th frets much faster - A Dog Got Caught Eating Apples for example
  
  
• Check out an app (also an online version) called [Tenuto] (https://www.musictheory.net/exercises) and practice Fretboard note identification, and eventually interval training (learning chords tricks you into doing this too). I especially like this on mobile because you can learn the fretboard pretty well when you're on the bus or taking a dump or whatever. Use the test mode and you'll see yourself getting way faster over time and eventually you'll start to see frets as letters instead of numbers.
  
  
• My biggest advice to most guitarists who want to be well rounded is to learn chords. Chord knowledge is super useful on guitar - you can start to see intervals/arpeggios/scales really well by knowing chords on guitar - they're like the skeletons that outline scales and arpeggios.
  
  my advice for this is to learn E shape, A shape, and D shape barre chords, assuming you already know CAGED+F open chords. That paired with a good knowledge of the E and A string and you are off to a great start. Guitar takes a lot more work than piano in order to see chords and be able to move around efficiently.
  
  Tl;dr get the app Tenuto, also available on pc here and work through William Leavitt's Modern Guitar Method (i'm in no way affiliated with either - I'm a professional musician and teacher and they're both tools that I use daily)

The Elements of Typographic Style by Robert Brinhurst is what you're looking for.

Hermann Zapf said “I wish to see this book become the Typographers’ Bible,” and Hoefler & Frere-Jones consider it "the finest book ever written about typography".

The Bringhurst Bible

James Victore's book is amazing. It's a quick read but is packed with inspiration.

Envisioning Information is great for info design.

Megg's History of Graphic Design


The rest of these I haven't read yet, but here is a list of things I currently have on my amazon wish list:

Some People Can't Surf by Art Chantry

Saul Bass: A Life in Film and Design by Jennifer Bass

Seventy-Nine Short Essays on Design by Michael Bierut

Damn Good Advice by George Lois

How To Be A Graphic Designer Without Losing Your Soul by Adrian Shaughnessy

How To Think Like A Great Graphic Designer by Debbie Millman

The Design of Dissent by Milton Glaser and Mirko Ilic

Iron Fists: Branding the 20th Century Totalitarian State by Steven Heller

Highsmith's Inside Paragraphs is a great introduction. It's 100 pages and it reads like a comic book. It is very short and incredibly specific: it is only about paragraphs. I make all my typography students read it, working from the idea that good typography starts with good text typography. In other words, if you can master text type, display type is easy.

Lupton's Thinking with Type is a good general beginning text. She has a lot of the info on her website.

I also find Speikermann's Stop Stealing Sheep quite good for an intro text.

Bringhurst's The Elements of Typographic Style is the classic text that is worth having in your library. Mine is fairly well-thumbed with plenty of post-it flags and lots of favorite passages underlined. It is a bit much for the beginner, but definitely worth having as a reference. You'll grow into this one, and likely never outgrow it. It is a reference book that reads like poetry.

The best way I found so far is to do this guys lessons in order : https://www.youtube.com/user/Lypur

I supplement with
http://www.amazon.com/Alfreds-Basic-Adult-Piano-Course/dp/0882846167

Get Fretboard Logic SE from Amazon or somewhere else. It's a book that teaches you how to memorize & navigate the fretboard easily. It's all broken down very well and very easy to understand. It doesn't have any biases toward a specific genre.

The best part is that it teaches you how to understand the fretboard in a logical way, so it's not just hard memorization of an abstract concept.

http://www.amazon.com/Fretboard-Logic-SE-Reasoning-Arpeggios/dp/0962477060/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1322260893&sr=8-5

Fretboard Logic goes over the CAGED system quite a bit. And I think it gets into scales too, but my copy is packed away somewhere so I can't verify.

Very good method. I suggest checking out the book called Fretboard Logic.

http://www.amazon.com/Fretboard-Logic-SE-Reasoning-Arpeggios/dp/0962477060

>I've only very recently decided that I wanted to go into film making for a career ...

Start with the basics then. Read Save the Cat, Story, Screenplay, and The Screenwriter's Bible.

Ask yourself what your five favorite films in the world are, that you could watch over and over again. Buy them on Bluray, and find a copy of their shooting script. This website is a good start, although you may have to buy them from somewhere. Watch the movies, then read the scripts, then repeat.

Then, with both the theory and the execution in your mind ... start to think of conflict, of drama, of characters and themes and story arcs.

Bluntly, it sounds like you're putting the horse well before the cart.

Sidney Lumet's book, Making Movies, covers most of the spectrum and is simply a great read.

As for other books, they are generally more technical. For screenwriting, there's McKee's Story; for editing, there's Reisz and Millar's Technique of Film Editing; for cinematography, there's Blain Brown's Cinematography Theory and Practice. And Lumet's book would complete this tetralogy, being a book essentially about directing.

How to Archer: The Ultimate Guide to Espionage and Style and Women and Also Cocktails Ever Written

A Practical Guide to Racism

How to Archer is a fun read! I read it entirely in H.Jon's voice as well.

Ha! This one's better

https://www.amazon.com/How-Archer-Ultimate-Espionage-Cocktails/dp/0062066315

The Non-Designer's Design Book

A combination of using old decks as well as content from this book: https://www.amazon.com/Non-Designers-Design-Book-4th/dp/0133966151/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1486226887&sr=8-1&keywords=Graphics+Design+for+Non+Designers

Dear guy in the first half of this note,

Here's your fucking problem, asshole: you're a self-centered shitheel who only writes for himself. Want to know how I know this? Because you're bitching about the one aspect of editing that requires the least amount of patience and provides the greatest benefit to readability: spelling and punctu-fuck-you-ation.

Grammar Nazis, jerks or not, are providing a public fucking service. I'm glad you're pissed off. You should be. However, if you're getting a complex, it's not because they're Nazis, it's because you're a shitty student.



Dear guy asking for help,

Great to hear you're interested in improving your ability to communicate. On one hand, it is as easy as having a conversation. On the other, it's really not. Without non-verbal cues and cliches to communicate your meaning and subtext, it becomes easy to write in a way that feels stilted or transmits ideas you don't intend. I recommend continuing to read the authors you like, but start keeping an eye on syntax and structure. That's really the best way to keep sharp. You'll be able to learn which rules persist because they work well (using dashes rather than parentheses, for instance) and which can be broken for the sake of an aesthetic or readership (i.e., Cormac McCarthy's phobia about double-quoting dialog). The rules aren't as strict as you might have been led to believe, but you'll find in time that you respect those stronger rules more for a simple reason: they just work, no matter what you're communicating.

For composition, I recommend William K. Zinsser's On Writing Well. It's a pleasurable read and useful for all but the very best and most experienced writers (and maybe them as well).

For story craft, I recommend Bob McKee's Story and Stephen King's On Writing. The former is nigh fucking indispensable; the second, just gratifying to read.

For spelling, Merriam-Websters and practice.

For punctuation, just be sufficiently considerate of your readers to google the rule you're not sure about.

Thanks for posting this. I hope my 2 cents help.

Estudei cinema em 2010, na época um dos livros indicados no curso era o Power Filmmaking Kit, o livro é um overview de toda produção cinematográfica, eu recomendo. Um mais recente que segue a mesma linha, e mais bem avaliado na amazon é o The Filmmaker's Handbook, porém esse eu não li.

Sobre roteiro, um dos mais indicados é o Story do Robert Mackee, o cara tem cacife em Hollywood, tem uma cena no Adaptation, onde o personagem do Nicolas Cage está com writer's block e vai numa palestra do Robert Mackee pra tentar resolver o problema, é um dos meus filmes favoritos, recomendo tanto quanto o livro. Tem também os livros do Sid Field, que também são bem influentes quanto a roteiros.

Sobre edição, In the Blink of an Eye: A Perspective on Film Editing, do Walter Murch.

Sobre atuação e direção, da uma lida sobre o Stanislavski, que desenvolveu o Método(já ouviu falar em atores metódicos? foi daqui que saiu), Stella Adler que estudou com o Stanislavski e escreu sobre atuação/direção também.

This one is still required reading for film school students:
https://www.amazon.com/Story-Substance-Structure-Principles-Screenwriting/dp/0060391685/

Here are some resources that have helped me.

First Time Director

Story

How to Win Friends & Influence People

Dov Simens 2 Day Film School


Dov Simens might come off as a horrible/ tacky salesmen but his 2 day course you can get on DVD is great, he breaks the process down better than I've seen elsewhere. Some stuff may be dated but it could get you started.

Take this approach to study.

Find a Director who's work you love, watch everything you can find of theirs. Watch all the behind the scenes you can find, then start copying them until you have learnt the rules and are able to recreate something almost as they would. Then with that experience start trying new things.

Also Gnomon Workshop and Digital Tutors are very helpful for the post side of things.

Here are some resources I’ve found interesting and/or useful.

Books

There are over 10,000 results for “screenwriting” when you search for books on Amazon.com, and at least one new screenwriting book is published every week.

Here are some “how to” books I recommend:

• How to Write a Movie in 21 Days
  
• Screenplay (Syd Field)
  
• Story (McKee)
  
• Writing for Emotional Impact
  
• Save the Cat (series)
  
• The Screenwriter’s Bible
  
• My Story Can Beat up Your Story
  
  There are also good books about the screenwriting life. Some of my favorites are:
  
  
• What Happens Next: A History of American Screenwriting
  
• Adventures in the Screen Trade: A Personal View of Hollywood and Screenwriting
  
• Which Lie Did I Tell?: More Adventures in the Screen Trade
  
• Just the Funny Parts: … And a Few Hard Truths About Sneaking into the Hollywood Boys’ Club
  
• The First Time I Got Paid For It: Writers’ Tales From The Hollywood Trenches
  
  

  Software
  

  
  Some of the most popular screenwriting format programs include:
  
  

• Celtx (free; upgrades available)
  
• Highland (free, with $49.99 pro upgrade)
  
• Final Draft ($249.99 for Final Draft 11; considered over-priced and widely-loathed, but also the industry standard)
  
• Movie Magic ($99.99 for version 6)
  
  More options are discussed here, and you can find about 40 screenwriting programs at The Writer’s Store.
  
  Most programs have free trials, so you can see which one you like best before you commit.
  
  Having screenwriting software is necessary (IMHO) but not sufficient to write a properly formatted screenplay. The software will let you designate dialogue as V.O. (voice over) or O.S. (off-screen), but it won’t explain when you use which. For that, and for many other things, you need to read something that gets into the details of formatting, like The Screenwriter’s Bible.
  
  Many format programs have lots of bells and whistles including:
  
  
• virtual index cards that can be moved around on virtual cork boards,
  
• text-to-speech (so you can hear robots read your screenplay out loud), and
  
• collaboration functions (which are actually useful if you and your writing partner are in different locations or don’t want to crowd around the same screen).
  
  There are also specialized software programs that supposedly help with plotting and structure, character development, etc., but I’ve never used any.
  
  

  Screenplays
  

  
  You can often find screenplays for produced movies by googling the name of the movie along with “PDF.”
  
  Scott Myers has collected a list of 100+ scripts made available by studios and production companies here.
  
  Scripts often appear online around awards season (roughly the three months before the Oscars) but they may disappear later. So if you find a copy of a script you really want to study, it’s a good idea to download and save it.
  
  You can also try Simply Scripts, The Internet Movie Script Database (IMSDb), and Drew’s Script-O-Rama.
  
  Many libraries and bookstores carry published scripts, but often the format will be somewhat different from the original version.
  
  

Doesn't seem like you're as interested in getting help with writing as you are in getting help with illustration.

Still, regarding writing, I strongly recommend reading Scott McCloud's two seminal books on comic books: Understanding Comics and Reinventing Comics.

I learned as much about comics from reading those two books as I learned about film from reading Story, by Robert McKee.

I.e., my appreciation and understanding of both media forms increased exponentially.

You should see if you can't get the barcode to scan as something. Maybe the How to Archer book or something like that.

This book will tell you all you need to know.

I WANT IT! Where do you get it at?

Nvm Found it:
http://www.amazon.com/How-Archer-Ultimate-Espionage-Cocktails/dp/0062066315/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1335809692&sr=8-1

What about something like this?

This book was recommended here the other day.

The Non-Designers Design Book

I've seen a lot of RPG designers talk about The Non-Designer's Design Book as a way to learn the basics of layout.

You don't need to 'learn photoshop' - you need to learn design fundementals. Luckily for you the basics can be groked in a couple of hours, so grab some beers and read this https://www.google.fr/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.amazon.fr/Non-Designers-Design-Book-Robin-Williams/dp/0133966151&ved=2ahUKEwjwpd_o4cLeAhVBgRoKHeElB4kQFjAMegQIABAB&usg=AOvVaw0b1sBWhk6SnyR5MjCHlPR-


And then read Don't make me think and then https://www.google.fr/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.amazon.com/Elements-Typographic-Style-Robert-Bringhurst/dp/0881791326&ved=2ahUKEwjV1cSU4sLeAhUJdxoKHdOEC8cQFjANegQIAhAB&usg=AOvVaw03o7FI9eojlwYKvoUQNx0z

A Word of Caution on Inspiration Galleries

Seeking inspiration (ideas) is perfectly acceptable, but it must be done so cautiously. Too often, people fall into the trap of simply copying the sources of inspiration because it looked nice.

Instead, it's helpful to study the source of inspiration. Which components are interesting? Why were they used? What problem was the designer attempting to solve with them? Once you understand why those components were used, then you are better positioned to decide if they help solve your design problem.

It's also helpful to remember that no two design problems are the same. Sure, you're a bank and we're a bank, but we have different needs, target different audiences, have different value propositions, different brands, and so on. Thus, our design solutions will necessarily differ.

Some Helpful Resources

As for helpful resources, I would start with a video from Flint McGlaughlin on the inverted marketing funnel. You're probably already familiar with the funnel concept from marketing, but he describes it as fulfilling a sequence of "micro yes" points. If you have a good understanding of how the user moves through these "micro yes" moments, then it can help you decide where to choose and place elements on a page. For example, should your call-to-action be above the fold? Do you need pictures? Are stock photos okay? And so on.

Going more in-depth, I would recommend looking to The Elements of User Experience by Jesse James Garrett. You can find lecture videos from him on YouTube covering the ideas.

Another book on the essential reading list is Don't Make Me Think, Revisited by Steve Krug. It's a fantastic book on usability and user experience.

For a slightly more graphic design bent, although still applicable, I would recommend The Non-Designer's Design Book by Robin Williams. It will help you understand the basic components of graphic design which can be applied to web design.

What all these resources do is give you a basic framework through which you can make better design decisions.

Design is fundamentally about problem solving. You are not creating a design simply for the sake of the "design." You are creating a design to accomplish some goal. This is true of graphic designer, web design, user experience design, interaction design, and even industrial design.

Thanks for the reply! I can safely say I would like to focus on web/digital. I've started collecting/bookmarking resources to the principles you mentioned but is there any particular path you would recommend? I don't mind throwing down some money for a learning resource (such as Lynda) and some books. My current list of books I have in my cart:

• Thinking with Type
  
• Don't Make Me Think
  
• The Non-Designer's Design Book
  
  Also, since you're a designer and developer, what is the ratio of work like for you at your current job? Do you end up doing more development or design?

> Also, go through some RPG books you consider beautiful and look at them as a page designer

I came here to mention this. but also, check out The Non-Designer's Design Book – its advice is much more general than rpg manuals, but the concepts and tools are worth every penny.

The Non-Designers Design Book is pretty wonderful. It breaks down the basic rules and tenants of graphic design in a very easy-to-understand way, with lots of pictures and before/after.

I find that many designers become designers because they were artists when they were kids and wanted to continue making art for a living. This book is great for those people, too. It's sets some structure around making your design easy to look at and/or use. Without getting too complicated, it delves into the neuropsych-based rules that help us make clean and easy designs.

I've purchased that book as a gift more than any other, and make my company buy it for everyone who works in my department.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0133966151/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_1?pf_rd_p=1944687622&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=0321534042&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0ZA58Z7W2DV09C2C0C6Q

How to make a noise is a great free ebook to start you off learning synthesis. The dance music manual is another great book with a section on ambient and chill-out

Rick Snoman's Dance Music Manual

Also check out his Dvd courses, he's a brilliant teacher!
Learned more here, than 4 years of Youtube tutorials, reading articles, and lurking forums.

http://www.dancemusicproduction.com/

Read this book.

Read this book.

Read this book too.


These will give you a good basis to build knowledge/experience from.

http://www.amazon.com/Set-Lighting-Technicians-Handbook-Distribution/dp/0240810759/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1397498684&sr=1-1&keywords=set+technicians+handbook

This is a good place to start. Also check local gigs, prepare for application to the local union.

It's sometimes embarrassing to have a DSLR because DSLR filmmakers show up to a pro set looking like Blankman.



I'm trying not to be too critical but Flourescent bulbs aren't exactly sought after for their CRI, flicker characteristics, and inability to be dimmed well. Sure, they output a LOT of light, but you need to be careful because they pulse like mad, have a REALLY strange color cast, they can't be dimmed, AND are really noisy if you get dimmable ones.

Just get a PAR64 as a direct light through diffusion or build a softlight with some bare studio bulbs for softboxes and (the only good idea in the whole tutorial) that crazy cake pan reflector painted white. Either idea would probably only cost slightly more (for the REAL bulb receptacles) and put out A SHITLOAD more light (and a better quality/CRI of light).
Also, it's not that hard to build film lights with spare parts. There's even a section that starts on page 144 of the Harry C Box Set Lighting Technician's Handbook that teaches you how to make quality lights for the same amount of money or slightly more. The coop light that they recommend is REALLY good and isn't an embarrassing blankman invention. Clients actually do respond negatively to cheap equipment.

Also, you can build a kino flo if you have the time. All you need is coreplast (corrugated plastic), some fluorescent shoplights with ballasts, and real kino bulbs (since they have a much more acceptable CRI and are more rugged by a factor of 100).

It boggles my mind how people are so scared of real film lights even though they are commonly hand-built for specific purposes in the pro parts of the industry I'll get off my high horse. I'm just getting really tired of DSLR shooters kludging everything together just because they're scared of real film equipment.

this is what I started with.

this is what I use now.


Edit: thank you for the gold /u/dethswatch

https://www.amazon.com/Music-Theory-Guitarists-Everything-Wanted/dp/063406651X/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1478698332&sr=8-2&keywords=guitarist+music+theory

This is the greatest music book I have ever used.

My advice is to buy some books. There's a lot of info on the internet, but it's all spread out and often chopped up into pieces, which can make it a bitch to make sense of. If you're going to go the internet route, though, check out guitarlessons365.com (not affiliated in any way). The vast majority of the lessons are free and the music theory section is completely free, not to mention very good.

http://www.guitarlessons365.com/lessons-archive/music-theory-lessons-archive/

Regarding books, this is a great, easy to read book on music theory that won't hurt your head. I'd start either here or with guitarlessons365.

http://www.amazon.com/Everything-Music-Theory-Book-understanding/dp/1440511829

For guitar books, Fretboard Logic is a must read. Definitely buy this. It focuses on the 5 position system (CAGED). If you're interested in learning the 7 position system for the major scales and other 7 note scales, check out guitarlessons365.

http://www.amazon.com/Fretboard-Logic-SE-Reasoning-Arpeggios/dp/0962477060/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1348759781&sr=8-1&keywords=fretboard+logic

After that, I'd check out this as well.

http://www.amazon.com/Music-Theory-Guitarists-Everything-Wanted/dp/063406651X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1348759708&sr=1-1&keywords=guitar+theory

Worth checking this out as well.

http://www.amazon.com/Guitar-Fretboard-Workbook-Barrett-Tagliarino/dp/0634049011/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1348759937&sr=1-3&keywords=guitar+theory

Here's another important book. I'd probably buy this last, though.

http://www.amazon.com/Jazz-Theory-Book-Mark-Levine/dp/1883217040/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1348760257&sr=1-1&keywords=jazz+theory+book+by+mark+levine

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/063406651X/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1485268950&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=guitar+theory&dpPl=1&dpID=51c94gsdGUL&ref=plSrch

• Hal Leonard, Music Theory for Guitarists: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know But Were Afraid to Ask (Guitar Method)
  by Tom Kolb
  
  
• Guitar Theory For Dummies: Book + Online Video & Audio Instruction
  by Desi Serna
  
  
• Music Theory For Dummies
  by Michael Pilhofer et al.
  
  ---
  Read some/all of some/all of the following resources to help yourself with music theory. /r/musictheory also exists to help those with theory questions.
  
  http://academic.udayton.edu/tobyrush/theorypages/
  
  http://www.musictheory.net/lessons
  
  https://www.basicmusictheory.com/
  
  http://www.learnmusicfree.com/
  
  http://www.oolimo.com/en/course.php
  
  https://www.musictheoryforguitar.com/scalesandmodesguitarlessons.html
  
  https://mymusictheory.zenler.com/
  
  http://www.popularmusictheory.org/index.htm
  
  ---
  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glossary_of_musical_terminology

Piano is actually very easy. You just need to pick up the fundamentals to a functional level. Alot of the rest can be picked up if you have a decent ear. Much like anything there's a learning curve. You dedicate yourself to slog through the initial frustration of the curve and the rest comes pretty easy.

Pick up this book and work through it:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0739003682/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_U.UbAb21EDKZK

This book has helped me out tremendously and I recommend that everyone should have it.

The book "Scales, Chords, Arpeggios and Cadences: Complete Book" gets posted here a lot. Does the book contain some information not easily available somewhere else, or is its major selling point only having everything printed in a nice format? I don't see the value of having e.g. C major scale with fingerings printed out, compared to simply having "RH 1231234, LH 1432132" written on a paper/tablet screen/whatever.

It doesn't really sound like you want a theory book, but rather a book to help you identify and practice scales, chords, etc. For that, you might want to check out this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0739003682/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It has a twenty page intro explaining some theory and then goes on to list all of the major/major scales, arpeggios, etc., in an easy to practice format.

I guess he means The Illusion of Life: Disney Animation

>Do it myself

Great idea. Learn to be an animator. There's software (Flash/Photoshop/other) to both draw your animations and then generate sprite sheets, so the process shouldn't take weeks. Here's a list of resources I recommend for animation:

• The Animator's Survival Guide
  
• The Illusion of Life
  
• Draw with Jazza
  
  >but artists (understandably) don't usually donate their time for internet strangers with the promise of a payout down the road
  
  This wasn't true in my case. I posted an ad on /r/gamedevclassifieds as a coder and got three talented artists emailing me with work they've done.

K there are a couple of thing wrong here. First off, unless you licensed the visual rights to Pixar's Cars, I suggest you change your car models in the game as well as the trailer to the boxier car models you already have. You don't want your product to be confused with Disney, so this change will save you from having to deal with legal trouble with Disney. Second, you can also lose the first 20 seconds of the trailer. You're not showing anything important to the viewer. Does the user even care that the Car is performing in a circus? Is the car upset that he's performing in the circus? Why does he run away and the cops immediately chase him? I highly recommend picking up the The Illusion of Life: Disney Animation and Shot By Shot. Both of these books go over in detail the art of making something entertaining and interesting.

edit: grammar and spelling

And done!!!

1. Blue the best for obvious reason.
   
   
2. Summer what’s better than beer pong? Pool beer pong.
   
   
3. Usual Food the best because it’s a local thing.
   
   
4. Gift for another for my love of Disney animation.
   
   
5. Book to read great insight into the human race.
   
   
6. Cheap because yummy.
   
   
7. For the doge because adorable.
   
   
8. Useless yet so awesome.
   
   
9. Movie because it’s my favorite.
   
   
10. Zombie to destroy their brains.
    
    
11. Life changing to adapt to in work life.
    
    
12. Add on because my kids are always getting sick.
    
    
13. Fandom because it’s an awesome show and these are in apparently.
    
    
14. Pricey for when the lights go out.
    
    
15. Sharks because it’s badass and my daughter would love it.
    
    
16. Good smells one of my favorite scents.
    
    
17. Childhood feels spent so many playing games on this.
    
    
18. Writers was helpful for me once upon a time.
    
    
19. Obsessed my life of Disney is strong right now.
    
    
20. Weird because lol.

Starting out is an awesome advantage; not yet set in your ways you can find your own style.

While it is true some complex styles can take a lot of time, pixel art can be super simple and often less is more - like lessmilks's games

Working from something is easier than all at once so keep iterating - i.e. start with your current squares and add just squash and stretch to anticipate motion, or eyes to indicate move direction.

Pedro Medeiros has some great pixel art tutorial gifs

An free browser based sprite editor

Using a dedicated program with layers, pallettes and lighting control makes it much easier - this list of pixel art programs might help (Asesprite is great)

At the other extreme if you need lots of animation use a pixel art shader for blender3D
Or use some of the multitude of Free and Open Source pixel art at OpenGameArt and mod it for your needs.

Submit your stuff to /r/pixelart and request constructive criticism.

The Animator's Survival Kit is a great book (& on youtube)on the art of making drawings come alive as is The illusion of life

Look at spritesheets to see how others break animation down into frames.

Jan Willem of Vlambeer has a great talk on tricks to 'juice up your games'

Animation is an art and good animation requires a strong understanding on how things move. A good resource for making both convincing and interesting animation is the Disney Bible: https://www.amazon.com/Illusion-Life-Disney-Animation/dp/0786860707/ and another: https://www.amazon.com/Animators-Survival-Kit-Principles-Classical/dp/086547897X/. But realistically it takes years to understand and make good animation. That's outside of the learning required with tools (such as Maya).

If he doesn't know the principles of animation he should learn them and then your critiques should be focused around 1) does the animation meet the intention -- ie is it usable and 2) how can the animation be improved to make it more interesting and believable.

It's actually very funny because Southpark uses Maya (a pretty highend animation suite originally for silicon graphics that's now owned by Autodesk) for animating their 'simple' stuff.

To second Hennell - blender would probably be a great place to start. It's free, but not shabby at all in it's capabilities. And while I'm echoing him, yea - learn the basics of character animation before committing to a project - start doing small tests, pencil tests, etc.

I know you're not going to make the next pixar film, but really: if you want to get into animation the RIGHT way, read
"THE ILLUSION OF LIFE" - it'll teach you about the principals of character animation better than anything. This book plus practice = a good grounding in animation.

Haha, awesome! I was howling when I saw the spatchcock episode.

I feel like you need the official cookbook...

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0789331144/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_jN8FAbH8CK4XR

Yes.

didn't know that was a thing !
https://www.amazon.com/Bobs-Burgers-Burger-Book-Recipes/dp/0789331144

This book?

https://smile.amazon.com/Bobs-Burgers-Burger-Book-Recipes/dp/0789331144

If you like the joke burgers of the day, there is a cookbook.

Bruh. A blog has been out for a while and a book is coming out in a few months.

Second the recommendation of scales and arpeggios, in all keys, major and minor. You can start off with just a few, the easiest ones (go in order of the circle of fifths if you want), and continue to add on. Start slowly and, most importantly, EVENLY, building a good foundation for speeding it up later and applying it to technical passages. But there's no real recommendation anyone can give you for "X amount of times," because scales and arpeggios are things you'll continuously practice no matter how high of a level you get to. At a higher level once you've mastered them, you may not have to do the entire set every day, but you can then apply them to pieces by choosing from your arsenal certain exercises that practice the techniques needed in a tricky section of Rach or such.

A good resource for other technique exercises is the book of Hanon exercises. It's been used for many decades, and includes lots of scale/arpeggio-type exercises, and you can work your way through them. Be aware, though, that they're VERY tedious (literally just pattern building through each key), but it sounds like you have the ability to self-motivate yourself. Be careful not to treat these just as exercises, though, and go through them robotically and monotonously, because it's very easy to see them as such. They're just tools developed to help finger agility, speed, and recognition of patterns so you can apply them to full-blown pieces. It's like a tennis player who practices a certain type of grip for 50 serves a day. Great if she can do it through the exercise, but if she reverts to her old grip when she starts playing a game (putting it into action), the grip practice was wasted. Application of theory into pieces is sometimes the hardest thing to do.

I know this has been a giant essay, but lastly, none of us can really give you an individual recommendation. It seems like you've got the self-motivation to learn yourself, but if you are interested in really getting a structured routine, get a private teacher, if only for a few lessons, to help you develop what kinds of things you need to work on.

The Hanon book might be what you are looking for. But your best bet is to get a good, dedicated teacher and see what he/she thinks you need.

Buy a Hanon's exercise book. I'm 22, and was given my grandfather's copy (from the 1930's) when I was around 11-12, and it really makes a difference in technical sections. Even though I've been playing them forever, I still use them as a tune-up when I feel a little slow. Recently just used them to prepare for a Bach obsession I'm in

edit: Here's actually the PDF of the book

Do you live in the Los Angeles area by any chance? I host a DJ meetup on Wednesday nights for beginners and we've all been learning together on my DDJ-SZ.

Learning with people has helped me make strides in my progress.

Also this book is amazing: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0802139957

I like where your heart's at, but honestly books just aren't going to help you much for what you're after. Everything you said you wanted to learn is stuff you learn by just doing it and seeing other people do it. Time to get your butt out on set! And if there's no set, it's time for you to buy some cheap lights and fuck around with them endlessly!

If you really want a book for the technical stuff in lighting, buy the Set Lighting Technician's Handbook. That's the industry standard reference manual for lighting.

I second this. The ASC is a wonderful resource, also subscribe to their newsletter they usually have links to relevant articles that didn't make the magazine along with info about upcoming events/expos.

I also found these helpful:

"Lighting for Cinematography: A Practical Guide to the Art and Craft of Lighting for the Moving Image" https://www.amazon.com/dp/1628926929/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apap_J5uen5Oey5Orz

"Master Shots Volumes 1,2,&3" https://www.amazon.com/dp/1615931546/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_Ez-4ybHE81VH1

And "Set Lighting Technician's Handbook: Film Lighting Equipment, Practice, and Electrical Distribution" https://www.amazon.com/dp/0240810759/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_tA-4yb18WDJFC

Set Lighting Technician's Handbook is a popular one.

I'd just like to point out that I'm not a film maker in any way shape or form so it would be nice if somebody could verify what I'm about to say.

I've been watching a lot of videos by FilmmakerIQ.com on Vimeo and have learned a lot from them. Anyway, they have a list of recommended books that I haven't checked out yet but would like to. I'll just list them out here:

Painting With Light

Save The Cat! The Last Book on Screenwriting You'll Ever Need

The Hollywood Standard: The Complete and Authoritative Guide to Script Format and Style (Hollywood Standard: The Complete & Authoritative Guide to)

Set Lighting Technician's Handbook: Film Lighting Equipment, Practice, and Electrical Distribution

Master Shots: 100 Advanced Camera Techniques to Get an Expensive Look on Your Low-Budget Movie

Cinematography: Theory and Practice: Image Making for Cinematographers and Directors

The Camera Assistant's Manual

The Makeup Artist Handbook: Techniques for Film, Television, Photography, and Theatre

Special Makeup Effects for Stage and Screen: Making and Applying Prosthetics

Grammar of the Shot (Media Manuals)

Rebel without a Crew: Or How a 23-Year-Old Filmmaker With $7,000 Became a Hollywood Player

Cinematic Storytelling: The 100 Most Powerful Film Conventions Every Filmmaker Must Know

The Five C's of Cinematography: Motion Picture Filming Techniques

http://www.amazon.com/Light-Science-Magic-Introduction-Photographic/dp/0240812255

Aye carumba, you've got quite a task ahead of you! To improve your studio photo skills, you'll need a solid understanding of lighting. When I was first starting out, I found this book extremely helpful: http://www.amazon.com/Light-Science-Magic-Fourth-Introduction/dp/0240812255

In particular, it explains the family of angles--something you'll need to get a good grasp on--as well as giving you a solid foundation of understanding for things like managing reflections and lighting ratios.

1. Best Business Practices for Photographers, Second Edition
   
   
   
2. Magnum Contact Sheets
   
   
3. Light Science and Magic: An Introduction to Photographic Lighting

What you want is this book.

Basically: you're going to want to identify the exact paths of light which are causing problems, and block them. if it's glare from the lights going directly into your camera, you need a black flag between the lights and the camera. If it's a specular highlight on the object you're photographing, you're going to need to change how you light the object; dpeending on the problem, this might be as simple as putting black tape on the background, or it might mean something more complex, like controlling the highlights with multiple layers of diffusion material.

It's mostly about lighting. When you have complete control, the camera and lens become nearly irrelevant. You'll get the greatest return from learning how light interacts with objects, regardless of whether or not it's in a studio setting. Personally, I highly recommend Strobist's Lighting 101 and Lighting 102, and Light Science and Magic by Fuqua et al. They helped me greatly.

http://strobist.blogspot.com/2006/03/lighting-101.html

and

Light: Science & Magic

For photographic lighting, check out Light: Science and Magic. I am still in the process of reading it, but I already learned plenty half-way through.

The Netter Book is the authoritative anatomy book and is chock-full of information. However it's also chock-full of a high price (it's a serious academic book, used in a ton of medical/paramedical classes) so it may be a bit much. You'll use this as a reference book forever, though. Muscles, what they do, where they attach, what innervates them, and so on, it's all here in glorious detail.

A cheapo possibility which also covers all the bones and muscles is The Anatomy Coloring Book. This is used a lot in beginner's courses that require anatomy (the Kinesiology 101 type classes) and it's serious business, not juvenile like "Coloring Book" might suggest. And who cares if it's juvenile, because wheeeeee colouring! But you won't really learn a lot about the body, just where the bits are and what they are called.

I really do recommend the Netter book if you can swing it with the colouring book as a aid to memorization if that's important to you.

Something seems to be going wrong with your studies, you have to figure out what that is.

How much interest do you have in what you're learning? Do you know how you take in information best? I have friends who would record lectures and replay them in the car. I don't do auditory, I need to be doing something. I liked A&P coloring books (https://www.amazon.com/Anatomy-Coloring-Book-Wynn-Kapit/dp/0321832019). What works for you? How are you doing in other classes? Are you having a lot of testing anxiety? Maybe you need to address test-taking strategies and work on how to reduce anxiety which helps you think more clearly.

Your Homework: What works for me?

Good luck!

It's a colouring book.
Fun fact: THERES A FUCKING KINDLE VERSION

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Anatomy-Coloring-Book-Wynn-Kapit/dp/0321832019

The thing I saw people struggle with the most was anatomy. Not only are you learning anatomy you are also learning a new language. This Book is one I suggest for people who have never had an A&P class before.

The Anatomy/Physiology Coloring book is pretty great especially for self-study: http://www.amazon.com/The-Anatomy-Coloring-Book-Edition/dp/0321832019

The absolute best in anatomy diagrams is Netter's Atlas of Human Anatomy, I prefer the flashcards: http://www.amazon.com/Netters-Anatomy-Flash-Cards-Student/dp/0323185959

Also... Get this book http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0321832019?pc_redir=1409112222&robot_redir=1

it's worth every cent.

Robert Rodriguez's book Rebel Without a Crew has some good info on indie filmmaking in it.

You can find it on Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/Rebel-without-Crew-23-Year-Old-Filmmaker/dp/0452271878

Alright dude, here's some good books I've come up with for you:

First, Rebel Without a Crew and Either You're in or You're in the Way which are both books about young unknowns scraping together their resources and getting a movie produced and released. Robert Rodriguez (Rebel) is pretty famous, if you haven't heard of him he did the Mariachi Trilogy, Predators, Spy Kids, Machete, and a few other big ones. The Miller Brothers (Either You're in) pretty much just did their one movie, and it was only okay, but the book is a great read.

What They Don't Teach You in Film School is a great book about the production side of things

as is Make Your Movie

Shaking the Money Tree is a hugely popular book about fundraising for filmmaking

and The Digital Filmmaking Handbook is good for some modern production techniques (I don't remember how technical it gets though, a lot of it could be outdated but it's still a solid read)

The next two books aren't so much about production but just the way the industry works in general, and I highly recommend them-- they're really entertaining

Adventures in the Screen Trade and Which Lie Did I Tell? are both by William Goldman (Princess Bride, Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid) and have a lot of great, hilarious insight into the industry

Definitely check out your library before you pick any of these up though. Good luck!

i always recommend robert rodriguez "rebel without a crew" to people, it made a big impact on me in high school - how he made his first movie ("el mariachi") for $7,000 with no training, no film school, no connections, and launched an entire career off an idea and hard work (and some luck!) http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0452271878 - nick

This is a really short description of each, but hopefully will help.

CAGED system is a way of knowing how to play chords all over the neck. If you know the notes of the fretboard and where the root note is in each chord shape, then you can use that to play any chord, in any position using only the C, A, G, E and D chord shapes. If you're looking for a C chord near the 13th fret, there's an C on string 2 fret 13. The D shape has the root note on the 2nd string, so if you play a D chord shape at the 12th position (which uses the C root note on the 2nd string), that'll be an C chord. Alternatively, you could think about it this way... if a D chord is at the 14th position, slide a full step down to the 12th position and you'll have a C chord.

Next, if you know the scale positions and the root note within each, you can combine the CAGED system with scale positions and blend them.

The keys to understanding this are 1) understanding the CAGED system, 2) knowing scale positions (you mentioned pentatonic and mixolydian - just pick one scale type for a start), and 3) knowing the notes of the fretboard. Once you have a solid understanding of those, a bit of practice will get you over the hump with combining them.

The thing that helped me put all of this together (apart from hours of practice with backing tracks), was a book called Guitar Fretboard Workbook. The exercises are short and helped with memorizing note positions on the fretboard, and it has a good explanation of the CAGED system as well.

I hope this helps.

Edit: corrected chord name.

I found this book " Guitar Fretboard Workbook" to be helpful.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0634049011/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1501090842&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=guitar+fretboard+workbook&dpPl=1&dpID=51zV7bok4fL&ref=plSrch

Guitar Fretboard workbook by Barrett Tagliarino
I picked it up a few months ago and have made great progress using that and taking private lessons.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0634049011?ie=UTF8&force-full-site=1&ref_=aw_bottom_links

"Music Theory for Guitarists" by Tom Kolb is popular. http://www.amazon.com/Music-Theory-Guitarists-Everything-Wanted/dp/063406651X/

The above-mentioned Fretboard Logic is good, but it isn't quite what you're asking for, if you were to buy only one book.

The above Mikrokosmos is a classic, but aimed specifically at piano. For some people that's not an issue, it can be a plus. For other people it is off-putting or confusing.

I really couldn't say what the best non-instrument-oriented music theory book is; there are so very many of them -- and I've got a whole bunch, just not one in particular that I think is an absolute must-read. There are a lot of topics even in basic music theory, and lots of approaches (very formal and academic versus casual writing style, for instance).

The one you found seems to cover a lot of the important topics, and is well-rated by 37 reviewers on the U.S. Amazon site, too, in addition to the 6 on the U.K. site.

You could always combine that one with the guitar-centric one.

I really recommend you checking this book out. It is actually very informative and helps with all the basics.

how to DJ right

and for more historical perspective: Last Night a DJ Saved My Life.

Same authors, good reading

If you don't mind reading a bit, the book [how to dj properly ](How to DJ Right: The Art and Science of Playing Records https://www.amazon.com/dp/0802139957/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_7JRjyb8361T41) is a great jumping off point

There are a lot of areas that need work here... (Obviously because it's your first mix)

There's nothing wrong with varied genres, but you have to connect songs together with something. It could be a vocal line, complementary melodies, or a matching vibe. Mixing in a song that is the complete opposite mood to the previous track can also sometimes work as a surprise. Songs have to relate! Learning to beatmatch helps you find these connections because as you cue your next track and mix it in you start to hear what works and what doesn't. Your song choices have absolutely no flow. They're not beatmatched or in key and the filter use throughout them is irritating...

The two Toro Y Moi songs and "Get Lucky" share a similar vibe. You could mix those, then move to a darker tone with "Addiction" followed by the Metronomy song. That may or may not work but it's worth a shot... Since you are using Ableton you have the luxury of pre arranging your mix ahead of time, so you should make sure it works perfectly.

As a beginner I highly recommend this book: How To DJ Right It's definitely not Ableton specific (it was written in the era of turntables) but it will help you through your initial stages.


And you should watch this video for some basic mixing techniques: 5 Basic Mix Techniques

I thinks you've got a good start with your taste in music but take the time to practice the fundamentals!

Modern Method for Guitar is great for learning to sight read. It's a hefty tome, coming in at 424 pages it's the largest book on my music stand right now.

It's got a lot of stuff to read and practice, and all of it is aimed at guitar (whereas some music theory books may be for Piano or Violin, the music in this book is primarily written for Guitar).

The author notes the book can be supplemented with others, it's primary purpose is to teach you how to read music and apply it to the guitar mechanically.

There are lessons, exercises, along with some nice melodies which are mostly duet (here is the first song after the first 4 Exercises for example).

My advice would be to focus on learning music theory, and applying said theory to your play. Everyone here loves to recommend justinguitar.com, and I'd agree. I'd also check out Steve Stine on YouTube (index of playlists). Best theory teacher I've seen in a long while. I'd also absolutely recommend musictheory.net.

Lastly, the Berklee guitar method books will simultaneously teach you to read music and to play your instrument. These books are the single best thing I did to progress my guitar skills.

Reading music helps greatly with understanding theory. Despite what you may hear from old-timers, reading music is extremely useful.

Another very useful skill to practice is ear training, which when combined with your theory knowledge, allows you to play music by ear. I'd suggest playing back some slower jazz guitar tunes on YouTube and figuring them out measure-by-measure. There's also Matt Warnock's Play Jazz Guitar group on Facebook which combines all of the above. Matt has a doctorate in Jazz Guitar Performance. He picks a tune each month, and everyone in the group works on it throughout the month, starting with the melody, to comping chords, to improv soloing. There are players of all skill levels, and I mean all. He provides excellent, free critique to everyone. I'm going to throw him a bone and buy a few of his books shortly since his excellent group has helped me so much.

Edit: I'd like to add as well that I don't really consider myself a jazz player; it's just that jazz skills are very useful and may be applied to virtually any genre.

[Modern Method for Guitar.](https://www.amazon.com/Modern-Method-Guitar-Volumes-Complete/dp/0876390114/](https://www.amazon.com/Modern-Method-Guitar-Volumes-Complete/dp/0876390114/)

Pro-tip: take it to Kinkos and get it spiral bound.

I learned from this when I was a teenager, and it stuck with me to this day: A Modern Method For Guitar Volume 1

This is such an important (and IMO urgent) question for so many.

Sadly, the vast majority of guitar instructional material is either a) written for the unserious learner or b) written to not scare away the up-until-now-unserious learner.

That's why you see so many books and blogs on understanding theory (or playing jazz) that are full of TABs––in order to get the now-serious student to buy the book (or sign up for the course, etc) you first have to reassure them that everything is tabbed out and they won't have to read music, as if TAB and theory weren't at odds with each other.

Kudos to /u/igotthejack for this:

> While doing this focus on the note names while you play so by the time you're done you've also memorised all the notes on the fretboard.

And Ben Levin's youtube series is one of the few instructional pieces that doesn't make me want to stab myself in the face with one of the many pointy ends on a shredder's guitar.

Other quality standouts include:

First, Learn To Practice by Tom Heany

Music Reading For Guitar By David Oakes

Modern Method For Guitar Vols 1, 2, & 3 by William Leavitt

The Real Easy Ear Training Book by Roberta Radley


But there's good news in this too:

Because the vast majority of talented guitarists are so busy chasing their tails trying to figure out how to sweep pick faster or two-handed tap in the LandoCalrissian mode, even reasonably talented players with mediocre reading skills and a halfway decent knowledge of practical music theory get hired to play really great gigs.

That's my experience anyway. And getting hired for those gigs put me in contact with so many world-class players, which a) did as much as anything else to make me a "real" player, and b) helped me realize how so many of the things in the guitar-teacher-circle-jerk-echo-chamber are unimportant.

I think if you can get your practicing organized, fall in love with the metronome, record yourself (and listen back) often, and train your ear, you will be one badass player in a reasonably short time.

And if you learn the instrument in a way that lets you communicate with other non-guitarist musicians, you set yourself up to get actual paying work (and music theory gets waaaaaay easier).

My suggested order is:

1. Names of notes (to the point you prefer them to TAB coordinates: that's not the 8th fret of the 3rd string, it's Eb)
   
2. What notes go together in keys (ie know the Circle of Fifths so well you're never in doubt as to whether it should be called D# or Eb)
   
3. Understand how chords are built (so you're unfazed by something like | Fm7b5 Bb7b9 | Ebm9 | even if you've never played it before).
   
4. Understand how chords get built into progressions. (so when you glance that last example, you immediately think "oh, ii-V-i. Eb harmonic minor.)
   
5. Rhythmic notation (I'd say at least 80% of the guitar charts put in front of me on a paying gig are chords with rhythmic hits and no further melodic notation to read.)
   
6. Chart reading (knowing what "DS al Coda" and "second system" and "tag" and "ritard" mean, and what musician slang like "football" and "trashcan" and "railroad tracks" and "split the difference" mean.)
   
   Shameless plug, but I built a system that teaches these in a tiny daily lesson delivered by email. 1-4 are done, 5 & 6 are on their way soon. Free for now, just sign up for the first one (Note Names) and it'll walk you through all 6 in order (I'll be done with 5 & 6 by the time you finish 4).
   
   After that, read through the David Oakes & William Leavitt books mentioned above and you'll be 80% of the way to professional musicianship. A dedicated student (who already has a fair amount of technical proficiency) could pull that off in 6 months.
   
   TL:DR - The fact that you are even asking a question like this leads me to believe that you'll do just fine. Good luck!
   

https://www.amazon.com/Modern-Method-Guitar-Volumes-Complete/dp/0876390114

This is a great book. If you can, buy it and devote a little bit of time to it every day. It will keep you busy for quite a while.

Is it this one?
It certainly looks like something that might be able to help me, I'll probably get my hands on a copy! Thanks for the input!!

On typography:

• The Elements of Typographic Style, the Bible of Typography.
  
• Thinking with Type, a nice overview of how type works.
  
• Detail in Typography, on the finer points of type.
  
  On grids:
  
  
• Raster Systeme, by the eminent expert of the Swiss School.
  
• Making and Breaking the Grid, a modern update on the timeless grid.
  
  On colour:
  
  
• The Art of Color, a classic on color.
  
• Interaction of Color, another classic text on color (theory).
  
  On usability:
  
  
• Don't Make Me Think, a classic on web usability.
  
• The Design of Everyday Things, a general usability Urtext.
  
• Understanding Comics, a great primer from an unlikely field.
  
  On information design:
  
  
• The Visual Display of Quantitative Information, the master at work.
  
  On inspiration:
  
  
• How to Think Like a Great Graphic Designer, inspiration from the field.
  
• How to Be a Graphic Designer without Losing Your Soul
  
  On theory:
  
  
• What is a designer, philosophical musings, existential questions.
  
• Graphic Design Theory: Readings from the Field, theoretical backgrounds on the craft.
  
  On history:
  
  
• Meggs' History of Graphic Design, a canonical classic.
  
• Graphic Design: A New History, an alternative narrative.
  
  Monographs:
  
  
• From Lascaux to Brooklyn, the inimitable Paul Rand.
  
• Saul Bass: A Life in Film & Design, the art of Saul Bass.
  
• Tibor Kalman, Perverse Optimist, the exceptional work of Mr Kalman.

I'm a type nerd :)

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0881792128/ref=aw_ls_5_3?colid=3RG1SRKEB21KE&coliid=I3JBV4YELX1GPP

Do you want to play jazz? The real book is a lead sheet book that lists chords and has single melody lines. This will not help you to read sheet music.
Start with a primer book like Alfreds. This will work you up through reading.

Alfred's Basic Adult Piano Course: Lesson Book, Level One https://www.amazon.com/dp/0882846167/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_N3cgAbNWPYG4M

In order starting with the book on the top left:

http://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Keyboard-Chord-Piano-Method/dp/0793551447

http://www.amazon.com/Alfreds-Essentials-Complete-Training-Workbook/dp/0882848976

http://www.amazon.com/MIDI-Book-Syntharts-Steve-Furia/dp/0881885142

http://www.amazon.com/The-Total-Keyboard-Performing-Electronic/dp/1586637037

http://www.amazon.com/Practical-Theory-Volume-Sandy-Feldstein/dp/0882842161

http://www.amazon.com/Alfreds-Basic-Adult-Piano-Course/dp/0882846167

http://www.amazon.com/Welshs-Synthesizer-Cookbook-Programming-Universal/dp/B000ERHA4S

http://www.amazon.com/Alfreds-Basic-Adult-Piano-Course/dp/0882846167

If you click the Look Inside link here you can see the table of contents. On page 18, you start learning chords.

If what you really like is classical Indian music, why not learn the sitar? Although I don't know much about sitar playing, it may have all of the things you hated about the guitar. There are other Indian instruments though.

If you have a pretty low drive, I don't see how you'll get anywhere self teaching. Doesn't your low drive mean you need a teacher pushing you to practice every day, etc?

start small and work your way up. Elementary Rudiments of Music. Learning theory is about learning music, not just guitar. http://www.amazon.ca/Elementary-Rudiments-Music-Barbara-Wharram/dp/1554400112

For learning guitar, I like fretboard logic.

And as a reference guide and rut breaker the Guitar Grimoire

My wife got me these. I have a little girl they are great

http://www.amazon.com/Darth-Vader-Son-Jeffrey-Brown/dp/145210655X

http://www.amazon.com/Vaders-Little-Princess-Jeffrey-Brown/dp/1452118698

If anyone wants to learn about DJing or is a beginner, this book is absolutely necessary in my opinion. It teaches the science and theory of what is actually happening at every given moment.

A good DJ feels the crowd and massages them in the direction that they unwittingly want to go. An audience has an endurance that varies. One sign of a good DJ is that they understand this and balance the peaks and troughs of excitement. "DJs" that record a mix and then play it live are like obnoxious travelers abroad that assume the local culture will praise them and bend to their will. One size does not fit all when playing live. You must watch their faces, listen to their voices, and feel what they feel in order to lead them to new heights.

If you want to do art where you splatter green, blue, red, and brown all over an ungessoed canvas then go ahead. If you want to be respected for it, I suggest you study your history and actually be able to tell what the difference is between genres.

Watch this..

If you understood how challenging it is to make a great mix with one genre, one tone and a solid curation for the perfect moment in time, you would not be bored. Dig deeper.

Read this

Trust me, you'll notice how much better things get when you actually take the time to understand this art. I'm not writing this to give you shit, I just want you to be a better DJ. You should want that too.

Depends on what you like. I was big into metal and hard rock when I was starting out. Black Sabbath is easy enough that you could be playing songs within the first couple months, if not just weeks.

If you're interested in actually learning guitar and not just memorizing songs I'd recommend working through these as well:

• Fretboard Theory
  
• A Modern Method for Guitar
  
  You'll want to take the Berklee book someplace to get it spiral bound. Also note that it's not a tab book. You'll have to read standard notation. It starts off super easy and gets progressively harder, page by page. A looper pedal for the duets will be helpful.

I've been playing for 11 years and had classical training before that. What I've been using to learn sheet music (finally after all of these years) is the Berklee Modern Method for Guitar.

http://www.amazon.com/Modern-Method-Guitar-Volumes-Complete/dp/0876390114/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1318729831&sr=8-2

A link to amazon for you.

The Bill Leavitt books are also great for learning to read. Some of the music sounds a little old-fashioned now, but these books really helped me when I was studying music at college years ago: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Modern-Method-Guitar-Volumes-Complete/dp/0876390114/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Modern+Method+for+Guitar&qid=1566384088&s=books&sr=1-1

Best $23 you'll ever spend on learning material A Modern Method For Guitar. Teaches guitar playing as well as music reading.

>tailored more to someone wanting to make music instead of just read it.

GAS and obsessing over gear is a bigger problem for guitarists than reading music or sitting on abstract knowledge about music. (Not sure which you meant.)

>Preferably something that is more specific to guitar playing instead of just general music theory

You ever seen Gooby, the 2009 Canadian film about a kid in a comfortable living situation being helped through some growing pains by a giant imaginary teddy bear when his family moves from one suburban neighborhood to another? When you learn "guitar theory" (or most "theory" directed at a specific instrument; even "piano theory" is pretty awful) rather than music theory proper, it's like replacing an original trilogy Star Wars film with a Gooby.

Anyway, when I was a youngun, I bought The Guitar Grimoire because it looked cool and had little dots for where to put my fingers. I also went through a good chunk of Ted Greene's Jazz Guitar Single Note Soloing, Volume 1 because it had "jazz" in the title and had little dots for where to put my fingers. William Leavitt's guitar method is solid in that it doesn't make many theoretical mistakes (doesn't actually do much theory though), but its strength is really in building technique, musicianship and reading.

This is the one to start with, I'd say: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0876390114/

Might have a bit of redundant theory for you, but should get you going technique-wise, at least.

Also of note : https://www.amazon.com/dp/0881885894/

and

https://www.amazon.com/dp/3892210195/

Se vuoi imparare a suonare bene uno strumento il primo consiglio che posso darti è quello di studiare lo strumento stesso e parallelamente di studiare la musica.

Quando io cominciai mi trovai molto bene con questo libro
(Qui la versione PDF del primo volume)

If you wanna learn to read music try this book!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Modern-Method-Guitar-Volumes-Complete/dp/0876390114

Super helpful and recommended by a lot of people! Helped me a ton

Sounds like you're at a good place to learn a little music theory to help with composition.

I've been doing roughly the same thing having had (and still having) the same experience as you. I can play technically difficult music, but cannot create something more than a short passage, or add a chorus/bridge/verse to whatever I've created.

I picked up the Modern Method for Guitar by Leavitt:
http://www.amazon.com/Modern-Method-Guitar-Volumes-Complete/dp/0876390114/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1374083268&sr=8-1&keywords=modern+method+for+guitar+william+levitt

And this started pushing me to the limits of my playing. I realized I couldn't sight-read, couldn't read music, and it was keeping me from improving in a totally different direction that I was used to. So I started learning how to read, and started picking up on some music theory.

So I'm still working on music theory, and sight reading, and technical challenges, and in the meantime I've noticed my ability to create has improved. It's not a huge improvement, but very noticeable to me.

I've been stuck in a rut for over 10 years because I've never sought to expand my horizons musically and try new things. I wasn't going to learn a chord if it wouldn't be useful in some riff I was trying to learn, and I certainly wasn't going to learn to sight read when I could teach myself with tab.

Anyway, my suggestion is to push yourself and learn new things. Learn some weird chords, learn how to put them together with some theory, record yourself playing some chords and then play the notes in those chords over top of them as a lead. The more knowledge you have of music and the guitar, the larger a pool you have to pull from.

I am currently using this. It has been very good for me so far, but I don't know if you will learn "tough" sheet music in a month. I have played the piano for nearly 20 years, so I definitely understand standard music notation. This book doesn't go on and on about notation, it just gives a brief explanation and makes you go at it. Since Christmas, I feel pretty comfortable sight reading individual note lines, somewhat comfortable with intervals, and pretty good with the chords that they use most in the first 50 or so pages.

So yeah, my overall opinion is that it's effective. It's not the most exciting music to play and you might have to spend quite a lot of time on it if you hope to read notes from the whole fretboard (after almost 50 pages, I'm still only in the first 5 frets).

The Berklee Method books are highly praised. They have a lot of great information about learning theory and sight reading. Alternatively if you dont want to buy them you can just download the PDF here

Of course having an instructor to really guide you along is the best way to learn.

Is this it?

Get this book
http://www.amazon.com/Modern-Method-Guitar-Volumes-Complete/dp/0876390114

In truth, I'd try to add sight reading somewhere in there, perhaps subbing out the initial use of your music theory flashcards. For one, most music theory you'll want to learn will be in notation. Learning theory in the absence of how it immediate relates to your instrument will stall learning.

If you focus on working out of something like Modern Method for Guitar for the first six months, not only will you be compounding a lot of good practice technique, but you'll start providing yourself a strong foundation to play the theory that you learn.

http://www.amazon.com/Modern-Method-Guitar-Volumes-Complete/dp/0876390114

Used by many universities for guitar students. $20 for the same education you'd get for thousands.

I've heard good things about The Modern Method to Guitar. I haven't actually bought it but it's on my wish list.



Edit: Fixed Link. My Reddit markup really needs help, I keep messing up. Sorry about that Dream_on

I started about a year ago with justinguitar. I was kind of losing focus so I up picked Rocksmith for PS3 which made just playing more fun rather than like a class. I recently picked up A Modern Method for Guitar which goes the other direction but will hopefully have me reading sheet music and understanding theory in a few more months.

The biggest thing for me was just being consistent in playing as much as possible.

I wanted to improve my sight reading so I got this book and worked through it. Highly recommended and I think it will work better than an app.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0876390114?keywords=%26%2334%3Ba%20modern%20method%20for%20guitar%26%2334%3B&qid=1453607443&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1

I like these books as a starting off point.

Thinking with Type by Ellen Lupton

The Elements of Typographic Style by Robert Bringhurst

The Language of Graphic Design by Richard Poulin

Megg's History of Graphic Design

A list of some of my favorites so far..

Interactions of Color by Josef Albers

[The Elements of Typographic Style] (https://www.amazon.com/Elements-Typographic-Style-Version-Anniversary/dp/0881792128/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1485894924&sr=1-3&keywords=typography+book) by Robert Bringhurst

[Don't Make Me Think] (https://www.amazon.com/Dont-Make-Think-Revisited-Usability-ebook/dp/B00HJUBRPG/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1485895055&sr=1-1&keywords=dont+make+me+think) by Steve Krug (More of web design, but I loved the book. It can apply to all design.)

Logo Design Love by David Airey

Designing Brand Identity by Alina Wheeler

The Design of Everyday Things by Don Norman

These are just a few that I have really enjoyed.

https://www.amazon.com/Typographie-Manual-Design-Emil-Ruder/dp/3721200438/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1491666411&sr=8-1&keywords=emil+ruder+typographie

https://www.amazon.com/Elements-Typographic-Style-Version-Anniversary/dp/0881792128/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1491666331&sr=8-5&keywords=typography+book

https://www.amazon.com/Grid-Systems-Graphic-Design-Communication/dp/3721201450/ref=sr_1_27?ie=UTF8&qid=1491666365&sr=8-27&keywords=typography+book

https://www.amazon.com/Thinking-Type-2nd-revised-expanded/dp/1568989695/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1491666463&sr=8-1&keywords=typography+book

In almost every GD class I took at the California College of the Arts this book was required reading. its a great reference for beginners and really reasonable in price compared to my tuition.

Well, the most important books that I read when learning design were:

• Grid Systems
  
• The Visual Display of Quantitative Information
  
• The Elements of Typographic Style
  
• Making and Breaking the Grid
  
  All of those would be a good start.

> What are some good fonts?

Very hard to answer unless some context ist given.
If you wish to make a qualified decision yourself,
I recommend the Bringhurst for an introduction:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0881792128

I think it might be helpful to start from the beginning and learn the principles and hierarchies behind the bells and whistles of Adobe CC.

• The Interaction of Color
  
  
• Grid Systems In Graphic Design
  
  
• The Elements of Typographic Style
  
  
• Trademarks and Symbols
  
  
• The Design Of Everyday Things
  
  Each of these I was instructed to read cover to cover when I first began designing and here I am three years later with an extremely successful design career, large in part due to these readings.
  
  Take the time to do it the right way, and the rest will follow naturally.
  
  

The Elements of Typographic Style is a classic, one of the best typography books around.

Zero experience?

If you have no experience in typography or design, I recommend learning typography as a starting point. Letterpress printing is a fascinating pursuit on its own, but you'll get much more out of it if you prepare yourself with a strong foundation in typography.

The cool thing about learning typography as it's more often practiced today is there's plenty of carryover from the metal type of a letterpress. Terms like leading and uppercase have meanings that transcend the physical medium, but relate to the history of applying typography with metal type. That's the best way to look at letterpress printing — it's a specific form of applied typography.

To learn how to use a letterpress without learning general typography is to learn penmanship without knowing a written language.

To get started, I recommend reading an introductory typography book:

http://www.amazon.com/Designing-Type-5th-Edition-Typography/dp/0823014134/

Practice a bit, then make your way through Bringhurst:


http://www.amazon.com/The-Elements-Typographic-Style-Anniversary/dp/0881792128/

Much of Bringhurst will be review, but you won't fully appreciate it without already having a basic comprehensive understanding.

Any learning you can do before touching a machine should be done. I recommend this path because working with a letterpress is time consuming and potentially expensive. If you jump straight into producing letterpress work without a typographic background, it will be of poor quality. You can learn the basics much faster digitally, while also gaining the eye that will help you when you move into letterpress printing.

I can only choose one?!

User-experience design. I'm a web developer/designer, so much my work is to make websites intuitive and easy to use. As it turns out, doing this is quite difficult; UX design is almost a science in itself.

If you'd like to read a superb book on the subject, check out a book titled The Design of Everyday Things.

If you're still thinking "how complicated could it be?", check out this new edition to my bookshelf: The Elements of Typographic Style: a ~400 page treatment on typography alone. Very few notice the good/bad about the typography of a website or publication, if it looks nice, and less do anything more than just notice. Yet if it doesn't look so great, everyone will notice.

The mark of a good UX designer is that the user barely notices his design at all.

Or maybe number theory. If you let me, I'll lecture you about things like information theory, Euler's works, or my favorite math problems all day. :)

If you're serious about typography.

The Elements of Typographic Style

I would also recommend this book , Elements of Typographic Style

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0881792128/ref=mp_s_a_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1494081534&sr=8-9&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=typography

Sounds awesome, thanks for the tip. Is it this one? https://www.amazon.com/Alfreds-Basic-Adult-Piano-Course/dp/0882846167

As a pianist, that's so cool! I wonder if she might be cool if you gave her something like this: https://www.amazon.com/Alfreds-Basic-Adult-Piano-Course/dp/0882846167/

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Alfreds-Basic-Adult-Piano-Course/dp/0882846167/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1322842729&sr=8-1

this book is a good place to start and it's not too expensive.

I'm 26 and started playing piano 2 months ago! I can't stress the impact a teacher has had on my learning!

I've been going through Alfreds Basic Adult Piano Course Music and Theory and have found it a great introduction.

This has also been supplemented with additional pieces from my tutor (I've just finished learning Motzart Minuet in F K2 and am nearly finished with Bach Minuet in G minor, BWV Anh. 115 ) which I though were challenging but fun pieces to learn :)

I guess I could have picked these books up and learnt myself, but I'd say my progress would have been a lot slower. I'd be happy to answer any questions you may have as I am in a similar situation?

Are you trying to work on reading music? If so, it's just like reading words. Remember when learning to read how you did it? Taking it slow, like first recognizing 26 letters and the sounds they make, then you sound out groups of them called words, then groups of words for sentences, etc. You get better the more you do it. There may be tips/tricks promising quick results, but even with them, you just have to do it over and over.

I would suggest adult beginner piano books.

Amazon Link

Example PDF

They don't go painfully slow like kids beginner books, and taking it from the beginning is nothing to be ashamed of. Having a solid foundation will make future skills more stable. Best wishes!

> courses or apps for electronic artists who want to learn how to play

To be honest, piano is piano no matter the genre. I want get really good at jazz piano, but you still gotta develop the same foundation as pianist from every other genre. I went with one of those boring old Hal Lenoard or Alfred books for adults, and grind out the absolute basics. Learn your major and minor scales and how chords are built, and you pick up the basics to how to read music on the way. It's gonna suck, and you should experiment on the side as you're grinding this out. Once you got that down, you'll be in a really good place to go on to more difficult and style-based topics.

Most piano teachers will give you this book to start:

http://www.amazon.com/Alfreds-Basic-Adult-Piano-Course/dp/0882846167

I spent a long time learning as a child, went back to teachers a couple of times as an adult to get a refresher. If you can get through book 1 and book 2 in the series, you can pretty much play any pop song, and holiday type song and it allows you to start to gauge tracks at an intermediate level. From there it's how much you want to practice.

1 hour a day every day for 2 years will do more for your ability than any number of lessons. Teachers are a guide, it's all about your willingness to work at a new skill. If you can't do an hour, do 30 minutes, or even 15. But daily practice is the key. If you can't commit to 15 minutes a day, you should consider what else you're prioritizing if you really want to learn to play.

Also, the whole 10,000 hours to mastery is especially true for any kind of music. an hour a day means 30 years to mastery. 8 hours a day means 5 years. This is why musicians typically get really good in high school - by around 6th grade most people are crossing over from hobby to passion, and then start committing real time to their passion before real world problems get in the way ( like work, marriage, kids, etc.).

Start off with a cheaper electric keyboards with less keys at first and then move on to larger ones as you get better. I also recommend Alfred's Basic Piano Library. I started on this book here: Alfred's Basic Adult Piano Course: Lesson Book, Level One https://www.amazon.com/dp/0882846167/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_CJgpybB2GKRD4

I hope this helps.

I'm so sorry to hear that. I hope you get your accordion in top form soon!

Alfred's books are the ones my teacher recommended to me and all her students. I liked it a lot. They have multiple books for different levels, so read few pages and pick the one right for you!
http://www.amazon.com/Alfreds-Basic-Adult-Piano-Course/dp/0882846167

They also have a complete book of scales and arpeggios that I highly recommend.

There was a thread like this I think just yesterday. I was also in the same boat and one guy mentioned this book

http://www.amazon.com/Fretboard-Logic-SE-Reasoning-Arpeggios/dp/0962477060

I bought it just yesterday because it got such amazing reviews :D
Bought it off ebay though.

If you really feel more comfortable with a physical book, Fretboard Logic may be the way to go. I've been going through it and I'm not too deep into it, but there's a lot of functional theory in it. This book helped connect a lot of dots for me already.

I've heard a lot of great things about Fretboard Logic.

this book here? http://www.amazon.com/Fretboard-Logic-SE-Reasoning-Arpeggios/dp/0962477060

I recently bought Fretboard Logic, and I'm still towards the beginning but I really like its approach so far. He teaches "CAGED" theory in it, if you've heard of it.

I highly recommend Fretboard Logic SE by Bill Edwards. It teaches the CAGED system for chords and scales in a very natural and intuitive way. No prior music theory knowledge is necessary for the book, it starts from the ground up. It isn't very long, you should be able to get a solid grasp on the foundation of the ideas it teaches within a week, but you'll be going back to back to it to learn more for a while to come. I was simply astonished at how much better I understand the guitar after a short time with this book. Before the book I was in the same position as you, played guitar but only knew chords through rote memorization and learned solos by copying others, after I was able to begin writing my own music and I felt comfortable and ready to go deeper into the music theory rabbit hole.

The book teaches the CAGED system, and I know there are resources online that teach it, so if you don't want to drop the money on a book, you can find those and they'll teach the same concepts as Fretboard Logic. However, Bill Edwards does a great job at easing the reader in to the ideas and makes them very easy to understand. Plus, it's nice to have a physical book to reference the diagrams inside of it.

Fretboard Logic was an absolute game changer for me.

CAGED is a system for understanding and navigating the guitar's fretboard and arises from the standard tuning of the guitar. It's based on the five basic moveable chord forms C, A, G, E and D.

These five chord forms create a pattern of notes up the entire fretboard providing a mechanism for finding and naming chords and scales.

For example, C form in the open position connects to the A form in the 3rd position. The A form in the 3rd position connects to the G form in the 5th position. G form connects to E form in the 8th position. E form to D in the 10th position. Each of the forms in their respective positions results in a C Major chord.

Also, being moveable forms, playing C form in the open position will give you a C Major chord. Playing C form in the 5th position will give you an F Major chord and so on.

I suggest checking out Fretboard Logic for an excellent introduction to the CAGED system.

Being a beginner, and having purchased Fretboard Logic SE, http://www.amazon.com/Fretboard-Logic-SE-Reasoning-Arpeggios/dp/0962477060/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top, would this be supplementary or complimentary to it?

Fretboard Logic!

Get fretboard logic by Bill Edwards. It's the only theory book I've found that doesn't treat the guitar like a fucked up piano.


http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0962477060?pc_redir=1398751849&robot_redir=1

[Fretboard Logic] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0962477060/ref=mp_s_a_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1506520316&sr=8-6&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=CAGED+guitar).
Changed my level of competence in days, if not hours.

Use your force to try and not laugh. Go ahead, just try. These are real, and from the bits I've seen, they are funny. :)

I love Star wars! You totally need this. I got it for my niece...but then I kept it for myself.


I prefer a gift card because I am going to try to save up for a couple things.

Vader's Little Princess.

Even after all he did for her when she was younger

Make me smile, Rasta!

http://www.amazon.com/Star-Wars-Vaders-Little-Princess/dp/1452118698/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pd_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=29UJUS22L3YR4&coliid=I2HZ8XCKGW5VJT

I need this to make my little girls smile.

You should create a darker humor Darth Vader and Son, Darth Vader's Little Princess and Goodnight Darth Vader

Definitely a lot of nerdiness on my wishlist but two of my favorites are a Star Wars baby book and a pop up Harry Potter book

I'm not sure if you or he are Star Wars fans, but there are these cute little kid books of Darth Vader with Luke and Leia. There's one specifically about each and one joint. Maybe buy the one that matches baby's gender? Boy and girl. :) They have them at Target and probably any book store.

Other than that, gendered onesies or socks!

edit: also, congratulations!!

I got my daughter the follow up Vader's Little Princess for her birthday. She loved it.

You need this and this

http://www.amazon.com/Darth-Vader-Star-Wars-Chronicle/dp/145210655X

http://www.amazon.com/Star-Wars-Vaders-Little-Princess/dp/1452118698/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_y

by Jeffrey Brown

Darth Vader and Son

Vaders Little Princess

Ordered!

Hal Leonard Guitar Method Music Theory

Here are two books that helped me exponentially:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0634049011?pc_redir=1413778480&robot_redir=1

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/063406651X?pc_redir=1413771056&robot_redir=1

The first book helped me visualize the fretboard a lot faster, and also taught me how to form really complex chords using interval knowledge. The second book gets into some really advanced stuff like modal interchange, chord substitution, and playing with modes over extended and altered chords. I'd suggest you start with the first book as the second book ramps up really quickly and it's easy to get lost if you haven't figured out the basics yet. Oh, and there are tips on how to use the harmonic and melodic minor scales as well, which is super helpful if you want to get into jazz.

At the same time, I still use a lot of lessons from justinguitar.com because that guy is amazing at relating complex concepts to others in a simple and coherent manner.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/063406651X/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?qid=1419216756&sr=8-2


Just got that book and it makes it vary easy to understand. I would definitely recommend it. Even has quizzes too

I haven't seen a (free) scale and arpeggio manual online, but a complete training book is available for $5 at amazon. You may as well buy one because it will last a lifetime and it will give you a rock solid foundation to build your repertoire upon.

For free sheet music the best place I have found is the Petrucci Music Library at imslp.org. Best of luck on your piano journey.

Alfred in particular has a good guide with various forms of scales/cadences/arpeggios for every key. If you're interested in learning to play pop/jazz piano, learning to comfortably play inversions of every chord is very important as well.

Here you go.

Whoa, I started with those exact 3 songs when I started learning the piano almost 10 years ago! Anyway, I suggest you start with this book to learn some fundamental music theory. I like this book because it has multiple scales and lists the chords and arpeggios for each key signature and goes through the circle of 5ths. You don't necessarily have to go through this book in order, just make sure you follow the fingering patterns carefully and play the scales, chord progressions and arpeggios slowly so you can internalize them and familiarize yourself with the layout of the keyboard.

If you'd like to become a proficient sight-reader (which I highly recommend, being good at sight-reading will help you in the long run), start practicing with reading some simple pieces. Go through the Alfred's book and see how well you can read through those pieces on the first run. If you feel like you need more sight-reading practice, the Mikrokosmos books will provide you with plenty of material to sight read. I also like this book of hymns. Remember, if you can't play it nearly perfectly (at least in terms of getting the notes right) on the first run, it probably means you should work on reading through that piece. So keep practicing!

If you have the money, you might be interested in investing in this series of books. Each level contains Baroque, Classical and Romantic pieces, as well as etudes and music theory, which really helps with building up a well-rounded foundation. But then again, the best use of your money would be ideally spent on a good teacher.

If you'd like a song at a similar level to what you're currently learning, I also learned this version of Canon, Ballade Pour Adeline, A Thousand Miles (because it's a fun piece and why not :)), and Summer by Joe Hisaishi during my early piano years.

But to be honest, I don't recommend learning any of the pieces I just listed above, because they will take you too long to learn. In the same amount of time you spend learning those songs, you could be progressing much faster if you focused on learning fundamentals and picked much easier pieces. And I mean pieces as simple as Minuet in G major and Minuet in G minor, maybe even simpler.

I feel obligated to write all of this since you're starting from a similar place that I was when I first began learning piano. Jumping into pieces that sound beautiful or amazing isn't the most efficient method of learning. Take this from me who went from being fixated on learning the entire Fur Elise → River Flows in You → Canon in D → Rondo Alla Turca and other songs wayyyyy beyond my level, to dropping all of it in and just starting from the very basics because I realized I sounded like utter ****, even if I could play the notes and it sounded fine to my family/friends who didn't play piano. I also wasn't making much progress in terms of learning, since each new piece would take me foreverrrr to actually learn. Building up your fundamentals is the way to go, because once you get to the level where you can actually play those beautiful pieces, the learning process will be so much faster. I know starting from the bottom and working your way up can be a slow and sometimes even tedious process, especially when you have to go through all these pieces that seem really easy or boring, but trust me, it will be worth it and far more rewarding in the end. :)

This book helped me a lot during my first 30 days.

Who does an AMA and doesn't answer all the questions??? Too many people! ...but NOT ME :) This is the book that is a must to develop your technique: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0739003682/?coliid=IVJTCFYTABUQ9&colid=UEHNYEAL44KE&psc=0&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it


...and I can't stress this point enough: You MUST employ a teacher expert in technique development if you really want to excel as a pianist. While at UMKC conservatory, I had a mean old German fraulein who would literally rap my knuckles when I kept repeating the same mistakes until fear and pain forced me to put the practice time in to remedy the problem. I can't stress the importance of how seamless your left-hand thumb under technique must be for scales and arpeggios. Funny how all scales begin with they key of C - which is actually, IMHO the MOST difficult key of all to play! People think "no sharps or flats, but be easy, right?" Wrong. Playing the black keys is easier because there's actually more physical distance between them and, given the fact that they are raised above the white keys, they are easier to strike. UNLIKE C major, which has only the narrower white keys to play making execution significantly more difficult. I'll take the key of Cb over C any day!

Did he start learning about scales and arpeggios ? If not, she will most probably start soon, so this book could be an option.

If she was my mother, I would get her a nail-clipper as she has to constantly cut her nail, so they don't make any sound when she hits the piano keys.

If she loves her nails, she hates the fact that she has to cut them to be able to practice "probably'.

Are you looking for something such as Alfred's complete book of scales, chords, arpeggios and cadences? I bought it after reading about it here and I am not disappointed.

I am just learning starting about two weeks ago, and I know all of my major scales and arpeggios and I am working on the natural minors, from this book.

I was in the same boat a couple of moths ago, went to musical school from ages 6-13, stopped when I moved to another country. Haven't touched piano for 6 years. Decided to get back into it, bought a digital piano 2 months ago.

For key signatures, I recommend practicing scales and arpeggios, acquiring this book can certainly help. For music theory, I highly recommend checking out Dave Conservatoire. He has made a bunch of videos about general music theory.

Sight reading is something you pick up with experience, a good exercise is to sightread absurdly easy pieces (start with grade 1). I was never much into sight reading, but I do have this PDF which might be helpful. There should be plenty of sight reading exercises on the web.

I am not sure what you mean by this, is it training relative pitch or improvising on spot and playing exactly what you have in mind you want? I seem to improve both of these things while transcribing music into a score. I guess composing could work as well. I started out painfully slowly, (took me 5 hours to transcribe first 20 seconds of Come on Eileen). But, just like any skill, you will get better at it with experience. The software I use for ranscribing is called Sybelius, but if you can not afford it (or if you do not support pirating) there are free alternatives.

Arguably, the most important thing is staying interested. Playing scales, learning music theory, listening to the same song 50 times because you can not figure out a chord or timing can be extremely boring at times. So playing a piece that truly challenges your hands will reward you much more than practicing tedious scales.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0739003682?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0739003682/


This book is the answer to your troubles.

This book has all the scales in it, with fingerings. Fairly easy to print that information out yourself but if you don't have access to a printer or want a bound copy, it might be worth getting: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0739003682/

This one has a variety of classical pieces. They're all pretty easy arrangements, but unfortunately I don't think they're ordered by difficulty:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0486410927/

The illusion of Life - Disney art book. Always gets people flipping through.

Go pick up this.

Draw from life, focus on learning anatomy, you will need line weight control, mastery of form, and a million hours drawing and animating.

This is good for Disney's rules, which can apply across the board to any animation, but in the end you will have to learn 3d, too. Understanding 2d will help you immensely more than not understanding it.

Just draw 24/7, always focus on what's around you and what you see, stay out of what's inside your head. Animation is all about imitating life, stick to that and stay away from imaginative work until you are solid on accurate proportions and physics.

The Illusion of Life is animation focused, but an essential read regardless.

http://www.amazon.com/ILLUSION-LIFE-DISNEY-ANIMATION/dp/0786860707

Most of the resources I'm readily familiar with that are specific to cel animation are books. Toon Boom has a great YouTube Chanel full of tutorials specific to their programs, which have become the standards in the industry. There’s plenty of good third-party YouTube tutorials for Harmony as well.

However, here are two links specific to the Disney 1990s processes: the 1986 executive summary for Disney's CAPS (Computer Animation Production System), developed for them by Pixar, and a 1994 article giving an overview of the digital production process.

http://alvyray.com/Pixar/documents/CAPS_ExecSummary_AlvyToPixar_4May86.pdf

https://groups.google.com/forum/m/#!topic/rec.arts.anime/WOkkuV0Yr7w

They’re outdated now, both these two books are great texts for how to do cel animation circa 1999-2002. The principals haven’t changed much if one is looking to do the traditional style:
The Animation Book: A Complete Guide to Animated Filmmaking--From Flip-Books to Sound Cartoons to 3- D Animation https://www.amazon.com/dp/0517886022/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_chBoDbV9YV5XM

Producing Independent 2D Character Animation: Making & Selling A Short Film (Focal Press Visual Effects and Animation) https://www.amazon.com/dp/0240805135/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_rjBoDb11GA302


These books are more foundational; all animators regardless of technique are recommended to study them:

The Illusion of Life: Disney Animation https://www.amazon.com/dp/0786860707/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_2kBoDbAQ057T9

The Animator's Survival Kit: A Manual of Methods, Principles and Formulas for Classical, Computer, Games, Stop Motion and Internet Animators https://www.amazon.com/dp/086547897X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_ClBoDbS90NX97

A Light Box is a relatively inexpensive one. The link for that one is above your $30 limit but lots of craft stores have holiday coupons. I bought a large light box from Hobby Lobby for only $40 that was usually $90.

Books are also good gifts that might fit your price range. here are my 2 favs (the Used versions are under $30):

The Illusion of Life

The Animator's Survival Kit

Your skills to 'show, not tell' will become more essential. As the previous comment said, you are going to lose most of the 1st person POV prose accommodates (and even if some of it is retained....compare something like Fight Club the novel, to Fight Club the movie or Fight Club 2 the graphic novel....still considerable differences once visuals come into play.). Even dialogue can be a bit of a sticking point - it depends on the genre you're writing for as how much room you have before audiences start to get bored.

If you're writing for film/animation - consider learning about basic camera movements and shot framing (ie ECU, CU, WS, rules like the 180 degree rule). Watch videos on film analysis, one of my favorites is the Every Frame a Painting channel on YT, but there are other series/videos out there that aren't completely boring (and some that go very extensively into worldwide film history, such as A Story of Film: An Odyssey which is streaming on Hulu at the moment, used to be on Netflix)

Animation is a little trickier as a lot of writing is actually done in the storyboard phase (so is more art oriented), but a classic there is Disney's The Illusion of Life book as a starting point even for non-artists.

If you're writing for graphic novels: My favorite beginner reference is the DC Comics Guide to Writing Comics, with Will Eisner being another classic author on the genre. Brian Michael Bendis did a book that's pretty good too.

Likewise, stage plays, radio plays, have their own sets of tips and industry tricks, but I'm not as knowledgeable on those topics to offer suggestions. Good luck and have fun!

Okay, first thing to know is that you're not alone. Animation is a pretty time-consuming and daunting skill to try and learn at first, but everyone has to start somewhere - and honestly, drawing skills aside, I think that animation is one of those things where with enough practice you can get the hang of fairly quickly.

I'm guessing you probably aren't out to hear the typical "just keep practicing and you'll get better" so I'll try and stray away from that.

Speaking as a current animation student, the best thing you can do for yourself is to view as many animations from skilled and professional animators as you can.
And I'm not talking just "watching" animations; Sit down and try and critically analyze a piece of animation. Find something where the movement is interesting to you and try and reverse engineer how that animator may have constructed that scene.
After sitting through a bunch of those, find animations from more amateur or beginner animators, could be of your own animations or someone else's. Compare and contrast between what makes these professional animations work and look good, and why these other ones just don't seem to match up.

I've also taken a look at some of your animations and I don't think they're totally awful. It's clear that you're making an effort to show movement and life in the characters, despite your minimal technical understanding.

​

So, educate yourself on the technical side of things.

Read up on the principles of animation, essentially the core rulebook many industry professionals follow when creating animations. Here is a video which has a pretty thorough look at each concept, and here is a considerably shorter summary of each principle with short examples.

The Animator's Survival Kit is one of the most popular books people recommend to people just starting out in animation - it lays out a lot of the key parts of the 12 principles in deeper detail and focuses a considerable amount of the book to timing and walk cycles.
Here's also a playlist to the book in, more or less, a simplified video form.

Some other books you might want to look into are Cartoon Animation by Preston Blair, and The Illusion of Life: Disney Animation by Frank Thomas.

​

As for the program you're using, I found that Adobe is one of the more simpler and intuitive platforms to use when first learning animation that's still considered an industry standard.
Pushing through and learning the program will help you considerably if/when you decide to move on to a more advanced program.

However, if the difficulty of the software is what's keeping you from animating, I'd recommend using flipbooks and indulging in more traditional forms of animation.
Not only will you be developing a skill in an area of animation not many people today seem to be very skilled in, but it'll keep you from being distracted by all the flashy buttons and options on some digital programs.

​

Hang in there man, and keep animating.

So many things. I was never a competent pixel artist because once I got to semi-proficient I looked at the skill curve and realized that I wasn't making it through all of that.

I really recommend frequenting these two sites:

http://pixelation.org
http://pixeljoint.com

Someone mentioned the classic Disney animator bible:

https://www.amazon.com/Illusion-Life-Disney-Animation/dp/0786860707

It can't be understated how essential this book is to learning the essentials of animation. Further than that there were the Loomis books that were called out time and again as a great art education (palette selection becomes incredibly important in low resolution art). Those books are hard to come by-- scratch that, they used to be now they're just on Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1845769287

There's a lot to dive in to. If all of this seems like too much, cribbing from OpenGameArt's better assets is a cheap and easy way to start.

Hey there!

Glad to hear there is another potential animator/artist in the world :)
A lot of your question depends on your budget as tablets can get very expensive very quickly based on size and quality. For instance buying something that lets you draw directly on the screen is going to run you several hundred dollars for the lowest tier models (Wacom Cintiq's are currently considered the gold standard but their monitors and tablets start at over $1000 new so that is out of the question for most people and definitely not worth it for a beginner). So if she's just wanting to explore, a drawing app on a samsung galaxy tablet is a cheaper option that works great for beginners and allows them to work directly on screen. Plus is she loses interest you'll still have a tablet to use for other things.

However most people start with something like a Wacom Bamboo tablet. They are high quality, very responsive, and made by Wacom (the current industry leader) for a much more reasonable price. However you're drawing on a tablet placed on a desk while watching your work on a separate monitor and this can take some serious getting used to. Once you've got it figured out though they're great (they come in various sizes and are used by professionals throughout various industries)!

As for software consider these:
Art/Drawing - Sketchbook Pro

Animation - Anime Studio 10
keep in mind animation programs can be tough to learn so she'll definitely need to watch tutorials online. However this is an awesomely priced option with a lot of great features to make jumping-in easy



If she really catches the animation bug there are two books that are wonderful (although they are thick and may be better for when she is a little older? Up to you but they could make great future gifts):
Animator's Survival Kit by Richard Williams

and

The Illusion of Life by Ollie Johnson and Frank Thomas - Two of Disney's original master animators known as the Nine Old Men

Anyway that's a quick rundown of where equipment and resources stand. If I were you I'd probably go for the bamboo tablet and Sketchbook Pro to get started (for drawing) + Anime Studio 10 if animation is definitely something she wants to explore as all these items are an outstanding value for what they offer.

If things get super serious as she gets older prices begin to jump up very quickly (especially on the software side) but I believe the items listed above should suit her perfectly for at least through all her high school years. As she improves and explores you'll naturally learn what all the tools and options are on your own, as well as what her preferences are.

3D animation as a whole is a different beast that is very computer/technical heavy with a steeper learning curve. So if she wants to start trying that it becomes a whole different realm as you'll need a solid PC and a lot of time and patience when it comes to learning one of the various computer graphics programs out there.

Hope this helps at least a little! Good luck, and feel free to PM any time :)

throwthespoon had excellent advice. if you want to read about the philosophy of animation definitely check out this book by the original Disney animators.

Although you will probably have a different style than them in this day and age, the principles it teaches will still apply.

If he really wants to learn to actually animate, this is still the bible of the industry for character animation and definitely the best place to start. If he is interested more in stuff like quick flash animation, then going the route mentioned below by u/daebro is probably better.

Great starting place, I would also check out this book - http://www.amazon.com/The-Illusion-Life-Disney-Animation/dp/0786860707

Some history of early Disney animation, and an anecdotal development of all of the principles. Helped me out a lot when I was just getting started.

I’m educating myself through a few different resources ranging from books to online tutorials:

The Illusion of Life (BOOK)


The Animators Survival Kit

Jason Ryan’s fundamentals series of webinars.

Workbench on YouTube

And lots of observation and study. Just look at how things move and behave in the physical world. The dynamics of movement in real life are pretty fascinating.

Found it on amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0789331144/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_5WAIyb2A2QF4J

Goofy Share The Magic Plush

The Noble Collection Hogwarts Wax Seal

Sleepy Mountain 'I Always Wanted To Be A Tenenbaum' Pin

Roald Dahl Book Worm Sweater

Beauty and the Beast Be Our Guest Serving Platter

Winnie the Pooh Classic Plushie

Buffy the Vampire Slayer Complete Box Set

The Art of Kiki's Delivery Service

Koi 24 Watercolor Palette

Kingdom of Hearts

The Bob's Burger Book: Real Recipes for Joke Burgers

ATLA Fire Nation Tee

La Belle Sauvage: The Books of Dust Vol. 1 HC by Philip Pullman

AsterozeaStudio Sailor Moon Usagi Print

Tom Ford Lipstick in Sable Smoke

Harry Potter & The Prisoner of Azkaban Illustrated Edition

Fantastic Beasts & Where To Find Them Illustrated Edition

Harry Potter Don't Let The Muggles Get You Down Mug

Anthropologie Marble Stacking Pinch Pots

Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind HC Box Set

Toy Story Buzz & Woody Remote Control Car Set

Someone on this sub recommended this Hungarian cookbook to me, and her recipes are super legit.

I also have been having a blast with the Bob's Burgers cookbook.

Yep!

BONUS: Bob's burgers Soundtrack!

Hell yeah there is!

Yes! The Bob's Burger's Cookbook!

There's a book you'll want

We've been going through this book, and DAMN it's been fun and delicious.

That's a Bob's Burgers recipe, and if you want more click that link, there's an entire book!

It depends on what you are trying to do.

Definitely scales, major and minor, hands together, four octaves up and back.

Definitely arpeggios, of both major and minor, triads and sevenths.

If you are trying to do improvisation, learning pentatonic scale exercises are really important. I do one like:

1235 2356 3561 5612 6123

Up the piano separately as well as hands together, major and minor.

(Going down would be: 5321 3216 2165 1653 6532)

(And those are scale degrees, not fingerings.)

And then there are classical exercises such as this and this

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.amazon.com/Hanon-Virtuoso-Exercises-Complete-Schirmers/dp/0793525446&ved=0ahUKEwiKosmdlMzNAhWLOSYKHU0YDTUQFghxMAk&usg=AFQjCNFdItV_cTSzTFwtY_uszIdXP2pM5w

That's an exercise book by Hanon. As far as I know, it's pretty well known. The begining exercises are super easy, but towards the middle and end, they are good at making your fingers do paterns and things they don't commonly do. I'll pick one out and do it as a warm up kind of thing regularly. They are good for flexibility and dexterity. I would recommend, especially if you don't have a piano teacher making you do runs, arpeggios and everything else.

Two of my three piano teachers have recommended Hanon exercises to me. The basic idea is that you play the simple patterns as evenly as possible (all notes the same volume and the rhythm constant).
I found that they really help to build muscles in your fourth and fifth fingers, which tend to be the weakest, and help to control your thumb which tends to be overly strong.
There may be other places to get the exercises without buying the full book. I never actually progressed further than the first few exercises, but they made a huge difference to controlling each finger individually.
Hope this helps!

Playing evenly requires strengthening your finger muscles. Like the other comment mentioned, each finger has different strength depending on your usage. Hanon books are usually very good for practice. Another very good book is the Hal Leonard Schirmer's Library "Scales & Finger Exercises". Each exercise tells you which fingers it's focusing on. I honestly don't believe in the tapping on table method.

I think it's pointless to keep tapping one finger to strengthen it over and over again. You need to move that finger in a context with the OTHER fingers as well because usually it's 'alternating' between fingers that demands the most control. You can develop the muscle memory for a particular finger but when you alternate/change it become even more challenging. Hanon and the book I mentioned have the same idea. They focus on strengthening your weaker fingers alongside neighboring ones.

Link to the book:

https://www.amazon.com/Scales-Finger-Exercises-Schirmer-Schirmers/dp/149500547X/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_1?keywords=Scales+and+Finger+Exercises%3A+Schirmer+Library+of+Classic+Volume+2107+%28Schirmer%27s+Library+of+Musical+Classics%29&qid=1557982300&s=books&sr=1-1-fkmrnull

​

https://www.amazon.com/Hanon-Virtuoso-Exercises-Complete-Schirmers/dp/0793525446/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?keywords=Scales+and+Finger+Exercises%3A+Schirmer+Library+of+Classic+Volume+2107+%28Schirmer%27s+Library+of+Musical+Classics%29&qid=1557982300&s=books&sr=1-1-fkmr0

​

Bach pieces or Handel are usually also very good exercises :)

Goodluck!

Buy the Hanon book, it's a really good exercise/method book for 6 dollars. Every pianist has a copy of this.

Piano teacher for 5 years here. This is more or less a directly copy and paste from a previous comment of mine.

Obviously, I'm going to recommend you find a teacher as soon as is possible if you really want to advance. BUT there are a lot of things you can do on your own to learn effectively.

• First, do not practice to the point of frustration. This may sound odd, but 20-30 minutes spend at the piano at the same time each day is much more effective then an hours on end. It more about building up patterns of behavior that are conducive to learning. Set a pattern that you follow every day and be sure to set aside extra time to experience more piano music. Listen to jazz, classical, pop, broadway, film scores, anything that is mostly piano and is recorded by a professional. This ear training will be much more valuable then hours at the keyboard.
  
  
• Secondly, aim a little lower at first. There are tons of method books out there and all of them have value. At this point in your education note reading and ear training are the most important to focus on. Get books that you can easily understand (even if they are children's books!) and read, read, read! the more you read, the better you'll get! Think of how you learned to read when you where a child. At first everyone reads small books with three or four letter words and they read a hundred of them. Then they move on to pop-up books and read hundreds of those. Then short stories, also in the hundreds. This processes is not up for debate, it's how we learn. Apply that to you piano study! The pieces you have already learned are great but have obviously left a few holes to fill in your education. Don't be discouraged, it takes years to become proficient at music reading but you can do it if you put in the effort!
  
  
• Third and finally, learn your scales. There are a few books used by almost all piano teachers to teach basic technique and dexterity. I like to use Hanon: The Virtuoso Pianist in Sixty Exercises and start with #32, 33, and 34. Then move on to #39, which is all the major and minor scales. I start my kids on this after a year or two, and my adult students as soon as possible. You will also benefit greatly from learning the fist twenty or so. Those focus solely on the practical study of hand coordination and dexterity, rather then the more theoretical study of major and minor keys. Another is Czerny: Art of Finger Dexterity for the Piano. There are also few others I'm not super familiar with. I would NOT recommend the Czerny without a teacher! that book is an asskicker and could seriously hurt your wrist/forearm without proper guidance.
  
  I hope this helps a little. Remember that you have just started and you have to crawl before you can walk. Take it easy and make sure you understand everything before moving on to the next step. Good luck and have fun!!

That's good that you recognized it. It's always tempting to rush past tough fingerings, but you get the most out of practice when you can isolate a technique, break it down, and focus on it.

Check this video out: http://youtu.be/AoLvhHjacMw?t=56m14s
It's Valentina Lisitsa working on a brand new piece (to her).
Here she repeats a single section repeatedly until it's almost 100% before moving on. Even the top pianists have to replay sections until it's in their fingers. Hold yourself to a similar high standard when you practice. Really try to get at least get one solid pass without mistakes, even if it's at a much slower tempo. Here's a story about Rachmaninoff practicing a Chopin etude so slow it was unrecognizable: http://www.practisingthepiano.com/enjoying-ultra-slow-practice/

Also, I recommend you get Hanon: The Virtuoso Pianist in Sixty Exercises. Lots of good exercises. Even Rachmaninoff recommended them. Good luck.

I'd agree with all of this, I honestly can't remember how I learned the notes myself. I think it just came naturally from playing.

In terms of finger exercises a really good book I have is "The Virtuoso Pianist" by Charles-Louis Hanon. As you can see by that link it seems to have a good few criticisms but I found it really good myself. I'd say you should go over them with your piano teacher now and again just to ensure you aren't drilling them incorrectly. A possible way you could learn the notes as well could be by saying them out loud as you are doing the exercises.

You can check it out on IMSLP here anyway and decide for yourself, or if you'd prefer a hard copy of it there are plenty on amazon too.

There's a Hanon book of exercises, I used it when I was taking lessons. It will help primarily with dexterity, but it can help you learn to read music as well.

edit: http://www.amazon.com/Hanon-Exercises-Acquirement-Independence-Schirmers/dp/0793525446

cheap, worth it.

Give YouTube a shot. If she is musically inclined and puts in the time they might do the trick. I was surprised by the number of quality, free lessons out there.

I also recommend this book. Follow the directions exactly, put the time in, and the results will come. http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0793525446

I have learned with that guy ellaskins but another user posted that, besides that i'd recomend to listen to other DJs of the genres you like, obtain the tracks of those mixes, listen to the tracks you like and put close attention to how that DJ mix those songs and at least for EDM mixes there is not too much you can learn or teach.
Also this book is a good inside to DJ topics, is a bit too swallow but at least i enjoyed reading it
How to DJ Right

https://www.amazon.ca/How-DJ-Right-Science-Playing/dp/0802139957

There are a lot of translatable concepts here, even for digital DJs.

My personal opinion here, but I think this is one of those things where people should learn by trial and error. There are so many free resources out there now days, that if you really have the desire and dedication to learn, you will do it on your own. You will crash and burn, but god damnit, you will come back and try again time after time after time. Sure, you can take a lesson from someone to learn a new technique or whatever, but you should have basic skills going in. I've been doing this for 15+ years now. I've met many "I am going to pay this guy to teach me to DJ!" people. Not a single one has ever made it anywhere.

As funny as it sounds, I've given this book to a countless number of people. To some as a gag gift and to others as a subtle hint....

https://www.amazon.com/How-DJ-Right-Science-Playing/dp/0802139957

There's a book called, "how to DJ right" https://www.amazon.com/How-DJ-Right-Science-Playing/dp/0802139957 that I read a longggg time ago but I think explains how to manually sync records the old fashioned way. Quick google search found this, which breaks down all the random info pretty well. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I86wv3WcDgg

Pretty much all vinyl. It's the most fun. But, despite having spun a few parties, it's just a hobby for me, which makes it way easier to justify the format (and a big part of the fun is digging for old house and disco records, and finding gems in the dollar bins).

Ellaskins was pretty helpful when I was starting although I think that just as helpful as his actual videos is his takeaway message, "practice and enjoy" - just gotta stick with it and get the feel for it. Also, I had the book How to DJ Right which helped me visualize some things early on.

As for BPM, I finally got around to putting BPM stickers on my disco collection because the BPMs are so all over the place that I got tired of thinking "oh yeah this track would go great next" and it turns out to be like 20 bpm slower once I start attempting to mix it. I haven't bothered with my house collection because it's all in a similar range and I just have a good idea of which records are "slower" (like 115-120bpm) "medium" or "fast" (closer to 135), and so as long as you are not grabbing an outlier, with practice, you should be able to figure out about how much quicker or slower the new record you're trying to mix in is, and you just get a feel for pitch slider position. I also generally try not to go over/under about 4% on the pitch slider especially if the track has vocals (for something more like, say, techno, I think this matters less). I'm sure lots of people have different opinions on that, just giving you mine.

I actually had a friend who's been DJing for ~7-8 years sit me down and explain it to me. Since then though he's lent me this book, which breaks it down in the same way that he did.

http://www.amazon.com/How-DJ-Right-Science-Playing/dp/0802139957

The book is pretty old and very DJ focused, but track structure is hugely relevant to DJs so this should be really helpful. There's no real focus on trap or hip hop, but the same concepts are applicable to almost all genres of electronic music.

For me this was better than any DJ course or a video.

https://www.amazon.com/How-DJ-Right-Science-Playing/dp/0802139957

Listening to a lot of mixes is certainly a great idea, I didn't even think about DJing for years, I just love music so much, I realized after a while I had a serious collection going and people seemed to like my taste in music.

I started using Virtual DJ without a controller for a LONG time, just putting together mixes with a mouse and keyboard (painful, but it works). I'm always listening to music, always looking in various places for music new and old. Beatport is a great finger on the pulse of electronic music, but certainly don't limit yourself to one place. Did you hear a song, a band or producer you like? Type that shit into pandora and have a listen, you won't find gold every time, but it's a good way to discover new stuff.

My buddies in the IRC channel (look how to access this room on the right hand nav bar dealie, we'd love to talk to you about getting into DJing) are usually linking this book and this one as well to newcomers. I haven't read them myself though.

Your passion for music will drive you forward, just keep listening and do some practice transitions, keep mixing, all the time. The different styles and techniques you can employ in your DJing can be overwhelming, but just focus on the basics. Learn your style, your niche, your SOUND, work on blending tracks and whatever else you want to do will.. present itself in time. Good luck homie and I hope to see you in #r_djs!

Best to start with the basic theory there is a good book [how to dj right] (https://www.amazon.com/How-DJ-Right-Science-Playing/dp/0802139957) got mine used from the market place for like 3€. Though doing all that with no hardware is little fun but i guess enough to get a taste and see if you really want to pursue it

If you're looking to get into DJing, I highly recommend this book

I watched what DJs were doing a lot, I googled a lot, I read shit tons of forum posts and I wasn't afraid to ask questions. I know people who swear by this book.

Feel free to ask me about junk.

As for actually improving as a DJ rather than tech stuff, here's a few tips.

• Listen to mixes, preferably ones with video, and try and work out what the DJ is doing
  
  
• Try and experiment with different ideas, timings and techniques
  
  
• Record your mixes and listen to them the next day. Work out what sounded good and what didn't. Often you'll be surprised!
  
  
• Practice! Don't get bogged down, thinking about gear or promotion. Actually DJing is how you improve, not by making midi mappings or picking the next mixer to buy.
  
  
• Keep it fun. Mixing should be fun and you should be doing it for your pleasure first and foremost. :)

https://www.amazon.ca/Screenplay-Foundations-Screenwriting-Syd-Field/dp/0385339038/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1474698495&sr=8-2&keywords=screenwriting

https://www.amazon.ca/Story-Structure-Substance-Principles-Screenwriting/dp/0060391685/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1474698472&sr=8-1&keywords=story

https://www.amazon.ca/Save-Cat-Last-Screenwriting-Youll/dp/1932907009/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1474698480&sr=8-1&keywords=save+the+cat

https://www.amazon.ca/Writing-Movies-Fun-Profit-Billion/dp/1439186766/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1474698488&sr=8-1&keywords=writing+for+fun+and+profit

Buy all 4 read them in the above order, The first 3 will teach you everything you need to know. The last one gives great insight into actually making money off of it.

I often see questions like “How do I become a screenwriter?” or "How can I write a screenplay?"

So here’s an answer you can read in five minutes or less.

Read at least two screenwriting “how-to” books

For example, you could try:

• How to Write a Movie in 21 Days
  
• Screenplay (Syd Field)
  
• Story (McKee)
  
• Writing for Emotional Impact
  
• Save the Cat (series)
  
• The Screenwriter’s Bible
  
• My Story Can Beat up Your Story
  
  I think it’s a good idea to read more than one book because you don’t want to get the idea that there’s only one right way to write a screenplay. Different authors have different approaches that you may find more or less useful.
  
  TAKE NOTES ON WHAT YOU LEARN.
  
  

  Read at least five professional scripts
  

  
  You can often find them by googling the name of the movie along with “PDF.”
  
  You can also try Simply Scripts and The Internet Movie Script Database (IMSDb).
  
  Your reading list should include scripts for movies that have been made in the past five years, so you can see what styles are current.
  
  TAKE NOTES ON WHAT YOU LEARN.
  
  One thing you should notice is that professional scripts have certain things in common. For example, they almost all have sluglines that look something like this:
  
  EXT. RAIN FOREST – DAY
  
  Some writers put sluglines in bold (which is a current fashion), and some don’t.
  
  You should also notice that other things are different. For example, some writers use CAPS for objects and sounds a lot more than other writers do. Some writers write long, detailed descriptions of locations; others don’t.
  
  One reason for this exercise is to get a sense of what a professional script looks like – what’s “standard,” and what’s more a matter of individual taste/style.
  
  Another reason to read a lot of scripts (especially award-winning ones) is to get a feel for what “good” looks like.
  
  Think about how these pro scripts follow (or not) the “rules” in the books you’ve read.
  
  

  Follow along in the script as you’re watching the movie
  

  
  Notice how words on a page translate into sights and sounds on the screen.
  
  Notice how much detail is written out by the screenwriter, and how much is left to others (like the costume designer, set designer, or fight choreographer).
  
  

  Come up with a screenplay idea/story
  

  
  A good source for help with developing commercial story ideas is Selling Your Story in 60 Seconds.
  
  Or read this blog: https://lauridonahue.com/fantastic-ideas-and-where-to-find-them-stps-5/
  
  It can be helpful to put your idea into logline form. One basic model for loglines is:
  
  >[Type of person or group] must [do or overcome something] in order to [achieve some goal].
  
  You can also add details about where and when the story takes place, if relevant.
  
  For example:
  
  >A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, a restless farm-boy must rescue a princess and learn to use his supernatural powers in order to defeat an evil empire.
  
  

  Create a beat-sheet
  

  
  A beat-sheet is a short (1-2 page) outline of what happens in your script.
  
  For example, you can use the famous/infamous Blake Snyder “Save the Cat” Beat Sheet.
  
  The books you’ve read may have other models for this.
  
  Some people don’t like outlining. They just like to jump right into the story and start writing. How you work is up to you. But you may find that having an outline will let you know if you’ve got enough story (or too much), keep you on track, and save you from wasting time.
  
  

  Write a treatment or a scriptment
  

  
  A treatment or scriptment is a longer kind of outline.
  
  Again, you may prefer just to dive in. It’s up to you.
  
  

  Try to write a screenplay
  

  
  It’s a good idea to get script formatting software, like Celtx or Highland or Final Draft. If you try to write a script in Word or another standard word processing program, you may drive yourself nuts dealing with format issues, and the end result may not look professional.
  
  Or, just can write your first draft in a notebook, and do your second draft using formatting software. (I decided I wasn’t going to spend money on Final Draft until I proved to myself I could finish a first draft by hand.)
  
  If you finish, congratulations. You’re now a screenwriter. Most wannabes never make it to that point.
  
  However, your script probably isn’t very good. Most first scripts are awful.
  
  What if you want to be a GOOD screenwriter?
  
  Then you’ve got a lot more work ahead of you.
  
  

  Put the script aside
  

  
  Don’t work on it for at least a week. You want to be able to see it with fresh eyes.
  
  Don’t show it to anyone yet, however much you want people to tell you how awesome it is.
  
  This would be a good time to start working on your next script.
  
  

  Rewrite
  

  
  Look back at your notes from the screenwriting books and scripts you read. Think about what makes a script good.
  
  Compare your script to the professional scripts, in terms of format, structure, dialogue, pacing, description, action, etc.
  
  Re-read the chapters on revisions in the books you read.
  
  Read a book like Making a Good Script Great and apply what it suggests.
  
  Rewrite again and again and again until your script is as good as you think you can make it.
  
  

  Get feedback
  

  
  Do NOT get feedback on your first draft. Get feedback on your BEST draft.
  
  So where do you get feedback?
  
  

• You could try Zoetrope.com for free (swapped) peer feedback or pay a screenwriting consultant (like me, ScriptGal, or Screenplay Mechanic, or check Sites, Services, Software, & Supplies) or put your script on The Black List.
  
• Some screenwriting contests, like the Nicholl and Austin, also offer feedback – but you may have to wait quite a few months to get it.
  
• You could take a screenwriting class – in person or online – and get feedback from your teacher and classmates.
  
• You could form or join a screenwriting feedback co-up and swap notes with fellow writers.
  
  Whatever you do, don’t be a douche about the feedback you get. Accept it with THANKS and graciously, even if you think the reader is an idiot for failing to recognize your genius.
  
  And before you ask anyone for free feedback, read this – and don’t be that guy.
  
  

  Rewrite again and again and again
  

  
  Again, in between rewrites and while you’re waiting for feedback, put your script aside and work on more scripts.
  
  You could experiment with different formats (feature, TV, short, webisode, etc.), genres, and styles. Discover where your strengths and interests lie.
  
  

  Get more feedback; revise; repeat
  

  
  Repeat as needed until people who know what they’re talking about (not your buddies, not your mom) say it’s good, and/or you start placing in contests like the Nicholl and Austin and/or getting 8s and up on The Black List.
  
  Keep in mind that it may take years, and many drafts of many scripts, before you get to this point… if you ever do. (Most people don’t.)
  
  If you do make it that far – congratulations again!  You’re now a pretty good screenwriter.
  
  
  (If you like this, please subscribe to my blog: https://lauridonahue.com/how-to-become-a-screenwriter-in-five-minutes-or-less-stps-4/)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Edit: this isn't mine it's Seshat_the_Scribe but it should help

Hi u/Calicox,


Brandon Sanderson has a series of lectures he did at Brigham Young University when teaching a creative writing class there. Here's his lecture on character, but the others I've seen are also worth your time.

You may find the following books helpful:

This
This
This
This
This
This
This


Best,

DR-M

You might want to check out Story: Substance, Structure, Style and the Principles of Screenwriting

Story

Seconding Robert McKee's Story. Just reading a few pages makes me want to dash off and write the rest of the day.

I'm starting too. Here's the list of resources I am planning on working my way through. No promises that you will know how to write after you are done, but it's a place to start. I haven't read/watched everything on this list yet (I'm just starting Brandon Sanderson's lectures, I have read On Writing, I have read some of Chuck Palahniuk's essays, and I went to a lecture on plotting that was largely based on Save the Cat), it's just the list of what I am planning on checking out.

Brandon Sanderson's Creative Writing Lectures

Chuck Palahniuk's Essay on Writing

On Writing by Stephen King

[Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott]
(https://www.amazon.com/Bird-Some-Instructions-Writing-Life/dp/0385480016/)

Story by Robert McKee

Save the Cat by Blake Snyder

This thread also has additional resources.

Oh, also, this is a funny resource, but I like reading Query Shark because one of the things that comes up over and over again is boiling a story down to three questions: who is your main character, what do they want, why can't they get it? I think when you are writing, you want to keep those questions at the core of your story and a lot of her comments on the blog are about cutting through all the extra stuff and getting to that core.

Edit: I missed that you said you already watched the Brandon Sanderson lectures. Sorry!

I read Robert McKee's Story and found it super insightful.

Story, by Robert McKee?

Possibly (and I personally have issues with his attitude and viewpoints on filmmaking) but that's beside the point. The point is a lot of young filmmakers found/find this book inspiring and empowering, even though it's probably outdated for the Youtube generation.

And to be fair to my housemate (he's a screenwriter, which is what the OP is interested in), it took him a while to come up with a book that he can recommend and at the same time not too technical, after I shot down a couple of other titles (like this, this and this.)

Story by Robert McKee

Watch your favorite movies and break down the structure. Define the external and internal goals that move the plot forward. What is the movie saying (theme)? Strive for great subtext in your dialogue. Get in a scene as late as possible and leave as early. Use Final Draft. Don't put camera angles or shots in your script: don't direct!

Resources:

• Script-o-rama
  
• IMSDb
  
• Script Shadow
  
• McKee's Story
  
• John August
  
• Act Four
  
• Formatting Help
  
• Story Fanatic
  
• Wordplay
  
• Screenwriter's Utopia

1. Done.
   
   
2. I've learned almost everything worth knowing from my mother, cooking, cleaning, taxes, how to treat a girl right, everything school never teaches.
   
   
3. Sterling Archer
   
   
4. Hey Bean!

It's right here.

It's calling out to me... whispering "You'll totally get free shipping. Go for it."

I do find this quite reasonable

My fun fact about me: I know more about luggage than any person should.

Rød grød med fløde

There is this

Sterling Archer wrote a book that is so funny, i was laughing the entire read. Quick read, easy read but hilarious.
http://www.amazon.com/How-Archer-Ultimate-Espionage-Cocktails/dp/0062066315

http://www.amazon.com/How-Archer-Ultimate-Espionage-Cocktails/dp/0062066315/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1452221425&sr=8-1&keywords=archer+book

Item which would most make you seem like an old posh Englishman

Most geeky item

Item which would most help you achieve a goal

Most phallic looking item

Most "oh god, I would never be seen with this in public" looking item

Best item to bring to a deserted island

If you want deep design knowledge - https://greatdesignbooks.com/

If you want a TLDR - https://www.amazon.com/dp/0133966151

If you want specific instruction about webpages - just go find inspiration

• https://onepagelove.com/
  
• https://dribbble.com/
  
• https://www.behance.net/search?field=102&content=projects&sort=appreciations&time=month
  
  If you want to learn about web-design teams at larger companies.
  
  
• https://www.uxpin.com/studio/ebooks/
  
• https://atlassian.design/
  
• https://www.designbetter.co
  
• https://webflow.com/blog

The principles described in the book "Non-designer's Design Book" are surprisingly simple and robust. Although intended for non-designers, as the title suggests, I think it's a solid introduction for anyone to learn design.

The author talks about only four principles:

• Contrast - Elements that aren't the same should be very different so they stand out. Making them slightly different confuses the user into seeing a relation that doesn't exist.
  
• Repetition - Repeat styles for a cohesive feel. If you style related elements the same way in one area, continue that trend for other areas for consistency.
  
• Alignment - Everything needs to be visually connected to something else. Nothing should be out of place or distinct from all other design elements.
  
• Proximity - Proximity creates related meaning. Elements that are related should be grouped together, whereas separate design elements should have enough space in between to communicate they are different.
  
  Also makes for an easy-to-remember acronym.

Hey man,

For starters, go pick up and read The Non-Designers Design Book by Robin Williams. It's a great little book that should give you a lot of the mental tools really quickly. Once you've got a good bead, you can expand from there.

Now, you say you wanted it friendlier. I don't see that. The original is kinda clobbery, and the background is no good. It's dark and mysterious and a little menacing. It's also CAPS LOCK shouting. It's all a little much, and it doesn't invite you in. So, in comparison, the white background you used still isn't very inviting; it's more like a form or questionnaire. Colours, okay, use them if you want, but these colours are, like, airport signage. I'd imagine pastels or something might be a little friendlier. Icons: your circles don't match your line weights. Small text blocks like this I would kern. You've done nothing different with the title except used a smaller font which needs better leading. You have lots of negative space, but each individual block needs to be balanced better. If you took the top one out, and looked at it on its own, you can see it isn't balanced. Most of all, you've changed the copy, and you should never do this unless instructed. The diamond in the original "I want to take someone out" does not mean the same as your diamond "Take me out". The original copy is friendlier.

That may have sounded a bit harsh, and I don't intend it to be harsh, but just a rough overview of the things I see that you might consider. If you're going to round your edges -- which is great, make it a bigger move. Also consider not rounding them all for a more contemporary feel.

Two possible resources: the book 'Non-Designer's Design Book', which has a 4th edition out soon: http://www.amazon.ca/Non-Designers-Design-Book-4th/dp/0133966151/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1409784109&sr=1-2&keywords=non+designer%27s+design+book

And the Lynda.com website has a lot of courses if you want more specific tool-based resources. It might fit your need of something more structured but at a lot lower cost...

> I know I can't master it (and I don't have to)

You're already limiting yourself there. Anyone can learn anything!

For beginners I like recommending this book: https://www.amazon.ca/Non-Designers-Design-Book-4th/dp/0133966151

Buy it, check it out at your library... whatever. If you get through it go to /r/web_design and ask for more suggestions.

Also check out this online course: https://hackdesign.org/

I haven't gone through it but looks really promising. If anyone has taken it please leave a review here :P

I'm a full time college student who is getting a graphic design degree, but wants to do full time photography when I graduate. Honestly the best way is to practice making stuff using the programs. Whenever you can't figure something out look up how to do it online. That's essentially the basis of what you'd be doing in classes anyhow (other than learning graphic design principles).

This book is a pretty decent start on learning graphic design principles. It's super short and I found it to be helpful. There is a lot of stuff to learn, but just learning to use the programs and practicing are two important steps you could easily take to improve.

> https://hackdesign.org/

I'd add the "The Non-Designer's Design Book" by Robin Williams as another brilliant resource for programmers trying to make their designs look a bit more professional.

It looks like you're overusing Photoshop brushes/textures in the latter two, and it's not adding anything to the aesthetic. Why the random black spots in Horizon Storms? I'm also not getting any sense of different levels of headings (H1, H2, etc.). Finally, in my opinion, you don't need to combine paragraph indents with spaced between paragraphs. They serve the same purpose. Pick one.

You may want to check out the Non-Designer's Design Book for some introductory principles on graphic design, typography, etc.

This is also some invaluable advice on typography: http://thevisualcommunicationguy.com/2014/07/01/18-rules-for-using-text/

And some basics on Graphic Design (but you'll need to Ctrl-+ to read them): https://www.behance.net/gallery/3737327/Rules-of-Graphic-Design-poster-series

There's some exercises mixed in, if I recall correctly. But it's definitely not a book to structure a class around.

And the fourth edition claims "more quizzes and exercises and updated projects":

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0133966151/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_2?pf_rd_p=1535523722&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=0321534042&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=12Y57J5GCD2ZW2J8MTYC

Also, I saw the Head First design book on Amazon. I have not used their design book, but I did use their HTML book. According to Amazon, the HTML book is 768 9.3" x 8" pages - and at the end of it, you have a very basic website. So I would not recommend any of those books.

How did I get into it? I started as a DJ. Next logical step I suppose.



Advice/tips?



Read up. Here are some of my favorites, and I do recommend buying them as you will probably refer to them often.


This would be my top pick: http://www.amazon.com/Dance-Music-Manual-Tools-Techniques/dp/0240521072


This is one on psychoacoustics, which I've found had some helpful knowledge: http://www.amazon.com/How-Music-Works-David-Byrne/dp/1938073533



And this is one on the history of electronic music, which I personally LOVED reading. Great information, and if you truly respect the scene as a whole, you should 100% read this: http://www.amazon.com/Last-Night-DJ-Saved-Life/dp/0802146104/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1419810859&sr=1-1&keywords=last+night+a+dj+saved+my+life



As far as software goes, they are all kind of a personal thing. Some offer things that others don't. My recommendation is to try before you buy, especially considering production software is expensive.




In addition, there is also a large choice of hardware you can use for production. You should look into getting a keyboard and some good monitor speakers at a bare minimum. If you stick with it, I would suggest you buy yourself a drum machine/step sequencer. My personal recommendation is Native Instruments 'Maschine.'



EDIT: A word.

Okay, in that case you should check out /r/Beatmatch and /r/edmproduction. I'd also recommend you look into this book, which covers everything you'll need to get started producing and then some.

Wait_What_Happened is right about electronic music being difficult to get into, since there are just so many different skills that you have to master, like how to program synths, EQ your sound, and compose music in the style you wish to produce. It's going to be incredibly frustrating at first, but the only way to get better is to keep practicing.

I also want to be a DJ/Producer. My biggest goal in life would be to play at a festival like Ultra.

I suggest you start by learning as much as you can about your DAW, head over to /r/edmproduction if you haven't, watch many tutorials in Youtube (you'll learn a lot with just practice), and read this.

This book is just awesome to learn all that stuff!

Search for it in this subreddit, you'll find a copy of it if you can't afford to buy it

DO NOT GIVE UP


if you enjoy the process of doing music, and like what you are doing, continue with it. i think you should read some technical resources, to get a better understanding on how things work and how they related with each other.

I highly recoment [this book] (http://www.amazon.com/Theory-Computer-Musicians-Michael-Hewitt/dp/1598635034), and [this] (http://www.amazon.com/Dance-Music-Manual-Tools-Techniques/dp/0240521072). You can find booth on torrent, but buy if you can. they tottally worth the price.

one thing i read from a skrillex interview: "everyone starts making shit music. continue making bad music until they start to sound good"

This! I got the Dance Music Production one and it's fantastic

[Amazon] (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dance-Music-Manual-Tools-Techniques/dp/0240521072/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1376289177&sr=1-1&keywords=dance+music+production)

It's really got nothing to do with the camera you're using. It's about lighting.

Light the scene to your and then add one or two flicker gags -- essentially, have someone dim the light up and down to simulate the flicker of a candle (it can be your key or an additional light or whatever, but use your eye to find what's most effective).

For bigger budgets there are plenty of "flicker boxes" that you can plug the lights into that will automatically do the dimming, but I've seen it done the simple hand dimmer way hundreds of times.

This book is your best friend:
http://www.amazon.com/Set-Lighting-Technicians-Handbook-Fourth/dp/0240810759/ref=dp_ob_title_bk

Set lighting technicians handbook

Excellent book that is good starting out, and at an advanced level.

You might mean 'cube tap' instead of 'cub tap'. It's a small cube-like plug that allows you to make 1 Edison receptacle into 3.

I'd recommend picking up a copy of Set Lighting Technician's Handbook…), best $40 you can spend for this sort of info.

Set Lighting Technician's Handbook

edit- added link

If you like reading, this book is a great resource. It covers lots of big lights (and how to use / troubleshoot them,) the calculations most commonly needed for power draw and genny balancing, different kinds of electric setups and all the special connectors like bates and camlok, etc. It's (IMO) one of the most valuable resources in the industry by far: https://www.amazon.com/Set-Lighting-Technicians-Handbook-Distribution/dp/0240810759

Set Lighting Technician's Handbook: Film Lighting Equipment, Practice, and Electrical Distribution https://www.amazon.ca/dp/0240810759/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_apa_i_lOYVDb10S7M6K

This book is primarily for Film Lighting, but it is a great resource. It is THE film lighting book, including Dimmers, LEDs, moving lights, everything. It should be in every electricians inventory, theater or film.
Harry Box's Set Lighting Handbook

Multitool
crescent wrench,
phase tape (colored electrical tape),
copy of this http://www.amazon.com/Set-Lighting-Technicians-Handbook-Distribution/dp/0240810759/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1376759311&sr=8-1&keywords=set+lighting+technician%27s+handbook,
a few 1" spring clips,
utility knife,
sash cord,
trick line,
alcohol wipes,
BURN CREAM,
6 cube taps,
sharpies,
pens,
notebook,
hammer,
screw gun

I'd recommend reading Light Science and Magic, as the book talks about how to properly shoot black on black product photography. Basically you need rim/kicker lighting. The black tube blends right into the background.

The odd thing though, it appears you composited a reflection with rim lighting into your final image?

Photography!

Anything in particular you want to know? I think people fall into two categories with photography:

1. People who have "the eye", but lack the technical knowledge of their equipment to take full advantage of their natural ability.
   
2. People who have learned technical knowledge and artistic concepts, but who lack artistic intuition.
   
   Of the two the first kind of people are the best raw material, but anyone can make a career out of photography with enough work, and the most important component is perhaps not how good your photography is, or how much of a natural you are, but how well you market your work.
   
   I, too, considered going into professional photography when I was younger. When I got my work printed for the first time I was told that it looked much better than the professionals who frequently came to get their stuff printed. I say that not to brag on myself, but to demonstrate how essential marketing is. No one knew about my work and I wasn't bothering to market it. So, does it matter if mine's better if no one knows about it? I ended up pursuing a different career path because at that time in life I knew I lacked the experience and discipline to wake up each morning and essentially run my own company.
   
   Have you identified your weak points/areas for growth? What are you doing to attack them? Personally, I'd say steer clear of school. You do not need to drop money on school for photography. You just need equipment, knowledge and experience/practice. Do you know how to shoot glass? Metal? In mixed lighting situations? Do you know how to work with artificial lighting to create a scene from scratch? Do you have an established post-processing workflow? Are you tagging your photos in Lightroom/Aperture so you can find them again?
   
   What kind of photography do you want to do? If it's wedding/portrait, there's money in that, but some of us (me) hate those types of photography. If you want to do nature/macro, then it'll be tougher to make a living off of that. You might need to build an extremely large portfolio of very high-quality stock photography, most of which is shot at daybreak or sunset.
   
   Going back to education for a moment, knowing how to recreate very specific lighting scenarios is nice (Rembrandt lighting, "high key" lighting, "butterfly" lighting, soft vs. hard lighting), but the most important thing is understanding how to identify and control light itself. So, when looking for books, it's arguably more important to find books that explain the nature of light (polarized vs. unpolarized, angles, reflections, shadows, etc.) than it is to find books that show you a photo and tell you exactly how to recreate that specific scene. If you know the concepts and techniques, you don't need to know how to recreate a scene step-by-step; you can figure it out yourself. This book does a better job of explaining light than most formal education will and for a very reasonable price.
   
   Try to build your portfolio however you can. This might involve shooting for free. I worked at a summer camp for pennies on the dollar to build mine, but ended up with a robust array of kid shots to fill out that area of my portfolio. You could shoot music shows to learn how to deal with low-light and unpredictable lighting... You might be surprised how thankful some starving artists would be to have someone shoot 'em with nice equipment. Just try not to let people take advantage of you. If you're doing it for you, great. If someone needs some headshots and it's not going to help your portfolio, consider setting the precedent of getting paid.
   
   Oh yeah, and get insurance for your gear. Some lowlife can literally steal your business by taking your stuff. My 40D and 24-70mm f/2.8L got stolen out of my house a few years ago. Took me about a year and a half to save up and get new equipment.
   
   Please let me know if you have any additional questions. I can't speak much about photography as an industry as I've never done it "professionally", but I have done a lot as a hobbyist, and as someone who, at one point, considered going pro. Finally got a 6D recently to replace my stolen gear. Might get into a little astro or night photography down the road now that I've finally joined the full frame club.
   
   Wish you the best

The book "Light: Scrience and Magic" may help you to understand how to control light.

http://www.amazon.com/Light-Science-Magic-Introduction-Photographic/dp/0240812255/

It will teach you the "how" of lighting and a little bit of the "what". Once you have those tools in your mental toolbox, so to speak, it will be much easier to understand what lighting helps with and why.

Among other things, that book talks about how the light from a softbox and a bare bulb differ and why. It also talks about the various techniques and issues with lighting glossy surfaces (like car bodies) and glass. Even the sections on lighting portraits may provide you with some techniques applicable to cars.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Light-Science-Magic-Introduction-Photographic/dp/0240812255

This book was a game changer for me. It was all about putting aside the camera for a bit and remember that it's all about light.

Also, being obsessed with seeing as many photos as I could find and adoring them enough to see similar situations. I think photography is like writing, imitation is part of the process of finding your own style.

If you're the book reading type, I can highly recommend 'Light Science & Magic'. It'll help you grasp the fundamentals of light and how it works and can be manipulated.

Non affiliate Amazon Link

Do you have any modifiers over your bulbs or can you place the light further away? That might help distribute the light more before it hits the painting. The usual 45° advice might not be sufficient if you're trying to avoid glossy highlights and you're using a relatively wide lens.

There was a really good discussion of how to do exactly this in this book: https://www.amazon.com/Light-Science-Magic-Introduction-Photographic/dp/0240812255. In particular, there's some good advice on how to use rake-lighting to accentuate texture in your art.

Light Science and Magic, Fourth Edition: An Introduction to Photographic Lighting is also very good.

I highly recommend Light Science and Magic. It will help you understand lighting from the ground up.

Marfan's is a mutation at FBN1, leading to decreased or absent fibrillin in connective tissue. Arterial vasculature, particularly the aorta, is subject to extremely high pressures that are typically resisted by the elastic connective tissues. Aortic aneurysm and cardiovascular failure are almost always the most contributory cause of death. Modern medicine has significantly improved the prognosis beyond death by 40, but with increasing lifespan comes more complications.

It sounds like your anatomy class is just getting under way, because - at least for me - connective tissue is one of the earlier topics discussed. Hang in there! The musculoskeletal stuff is tedious as hell, but just remember that everyone who's taken anatomy had to put up with it too. Because of that, there are very helpful online resources to remember the more meticulous parts.

Side note, my mom got me The Anatomy Coloring Book as a joke but it seriously saved me. May not be for you, but it just goes to show how vast the resource pool is.

I've just finished my first year and I bought myself an anatomy colouring book part way through the year.

It's great when you want something interactive and not too intensive. I'm a visual learner so found it really really helpful.

You can buy them on amazon :
The Anatomy Coloring Book https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0321832019/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_Ru.yDbR0F93H4

I was talking about the Pearson coloring books. This is the book we used for assignments in my freshman biology class and This is the book we used in my Anatomy and Physiology class. I actually asked for this one for my birthday not realizing it was the same line of books.

[here it is] (http://www.amazon.com/The-Anatomy-Coloring-Book-Edition/dp/0321832019/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1395982382&sr=8-1&keywords=anatomy+coloring+book)!!!

Seconding coloring books. Coloring books are a thing for med students. It's kinda fun, actually. I like this one.

It should be this one!
https://www.amazon.com/Anatomy-Coloring-Book-Wynn-Kapit/dp/0321832019/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?keywords=anatomy+coloring+book&qid=1568003892&s=gateway&sr=8-1

You might consider this to help her along. It's the little details that artists think are "good enough" that pop other people out of suspension of disbelief.

Personally, I recommend https://www.amazon.com/dp/0321832019/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_HN5FzbFMXJYJZ

Not OP but this is the one I used.

If you are having difficulties remembering the anatomy, you may want to try an anatomy coloring book. I have dyslexia and was having a really difficult time picturing where all the structures were in relation to each other, remembering all the muscle origins and insertions, etc. The textbook wasn't helping me. A friend suggested an anatomy coloring book and I was really skeptical at first - but desperate, so I tried it. It helped me so much! The one I got was this one: https://www.amazon.com/Anatomy-Coloring-Book-Wynn-Kapit/dp/0321832019/ref=sr_1_3?crid=2A5BR4YIRUMCI&keywords=anatomy+coloring+book&qid=1571851777&sprefix=anatomy+col%2Caps%2C350&sr=8-3. There are other ones available, though, too. Best wishes.

I wonder if he might like the ever-popular Anatomy Coloring Book?

https://www.amazon.com/Anatomy-Coloring-Book-Wynn-Kapit/dp/0321832019/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1480813814&sr=1-1&keywords=the+anatomy+coloring+book

This is the most recent edition of the one I got my sister. Says it is 384 pages long!

And if you're not up on the basic components, get one of these: http://www.amazon.com/The-Anatomy-Coloring-Book-Edition/dp/0321832019/

I had a friend in high school in a similar situation. She ended up majoring in medical illustration and now works generating graphics for companies, patents, and trials. She gets to work with scientists and constantly learn new science while still doing graphic design and illustration. My other friends who went with pure graphic design are not really working within their fields (this is >10 years after BFA or MFAs).

When I studied anatomy & physiology I aced every exam thanks to an anatomy coloring book (they have a ton of options now). A nice set of colored pencils and one of these books might be a way to introduce her to the possibility of melding her interests and gifts :)

Maybe you can encourage her to get a science minor and join an engineering/science club. Building things in engineering is so much like creating things in art. College interns in my lab who had crafty hobbies growing up (mostly girls) far outshine those who didn't. Since she's already tutoring she might enjoy getting involved in science outreach to elementary/middle schoolers. Most STEM clubs have a component of outreach. Once she's spending some time with science majors things might click for her, or maybe she'll see that science is more of a hobby interest. If nothing else a minor will help her get graphic design jobs her peers can't.

Since you are in STEM yourself, you could try doing a project together for something like Intel Science Talent Search. The winners generally intern in ridiculous university programs, but even having entered a project is a huge huge accomplishment. She could research the question of science in art history, make a display for a local museum, make her own polarized light art, etc.

The important thing, I think, is that she knows she is capable in STEM, so she can always return to it after whatever other career paths she explores.

Hope that all helps a bit and good luck :)

For inspiration and a look into the recent past and the culture that spawned us: Arnold's Encyclopedia of Modern Body Building

For cool tricks to help clients with mobility issues: Relax into Stretch by Pavel

On the philosophy of training: 5/3/1 by Jim Wendler, Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe, Easy strength (or intervention) by Dan John

On the business side of things: Ignite the Fire by J. Goodman

For anatomy there's some good charts online, I like this book although it does seem kinda patronizing http://www.amazon.com/Anatomy-Coloring-Book-4th/dp/0321832019/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1425361588&sr=1-1

Overall the NSCA CPT or CSCS textbooks are both really good primers on how training works and you could probably get a copy used pretty cheaply.

Best of luck!


ps. Pronunciation tips: there is no 't' in biceps and only one in triceps, "lah-tiss-ih-mus door-sigh", 'lat' can mean lateral as in lateral raises, or lats as in lat pulldown (for the latissimus dorsi), Here's some people always forget and come up a lot on tests: Serratus Anterior (under the shoulder blade), Sartorious (helps you 'cross your legs'), TFL (this is the muscle that goes with your IT band), Quadratus Lumborum (lumbar spine, not in the legs)

This is what I had for a recent A&P course, it's a great text - Introduction to the Human Body

There's also the more in-depth version by the same authors - Principles of Anatomy and Physiology

And of course the colouring book is amazing too.

Start here.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0321832019/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1498358577&sr=1-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&dpPl=1&dpID=51L5N3u3NOL&ref=plSrch

And here
https://www.youtube.com/user/khanacademy

These two things will get you going in the right direction if you're wanting to learn something and keep busy.

I can totally relate! I've actually been eyeing this anatomy one here! I'll probably start off with crayola and maybe venture off to the prisma ones later on.

Also, some books you need to read"

The independent filmmaker's handbook
(I'll verify the title in the morning. Have it on my shelf, but I'm too lazy to get up and turn the lights on to verify the title)

Rebel without a crew


$30 film school


EDIT: The name of the book is: "Independent Feature Film Production"