The 12 best FREE music guides

Around Christmas in Iceland it is traditional to sit inside eating lots of chocolate and reading books. But to be honest if it was that cold outside where I lived, I’d probably do that too…

No matter where you are in the world, this list of the 12 best FREE music guides are all must-reads for any independent artist.

In the lead up to Christmas we’ve given you the 12 best free VST plugins to make music, the 12 best free promotional tools to get your music out there, and now last but not least, we have the best online guides on a range of topics from songwriting to mixing, music theory and more.

So grab a *insert hot drink of choice here* and settle down in *insert preferred reading spot here* and educate yourself as an artist with these informative guides.

1. How To Be Creative – Hugh MacLeod

Inspirational illustrated advice book to spur you on to finish your tracks

Link: http://changethis.com/manifesto/show/6.HowToBeCreative

2. Music Marketing – Shaun Letang

Link: https://www.musicindustryhowto.com/get-your-free-music-marketing-ebook/

3. The Head Voice and Other Problems – D. A. Clippinger

Free your voice to do even more with this book

Link: https://www.gutenberg.org/files/19493/19493-h/19493-h.htm

4. The Mechanism of the Human Voice – Emil Behnke

Learn how to use your voice

Link: https://www.gutenberg.org/files/30889/30889-h/30889-h.htm

5. Understanding Basic Music Theory – Catherine Schmidt-Jones

Learn about the basics of music theory

Link: https://www.e-booksdirectory.com/details.php?ebook=1189

6. Learning to Read Music – Peter Nickol

Whether you want to learn how to play an instrument, or just refresh your existing capability, whether you sing in a choir, or would simply like to follow scores while listening, this book will help you achieve your aim, letting you read music with ease.

Link: https://www.e-booksdirectory.com/details.php?ebook=3059

7. Guide to Mixing – Nick Thomas

Learn how mix your own tracks

Link: https://ebooksgo.org/free-music-ebooks.html

8. Free Piano Sheet Music – Edward Weiss

Put your skills to the test and learn how to play one of these tracks

Link: https://ebooksgo.org/free-music-ebooks.html

9. Ultimate Guitar Sheet – Hal Leonard Coroporation

Piano not your instrument? No problem, here are some guitar chords for you to strum your heart out

Link: https://archive.org/details/Ultimate_Guitar_Chord_Chart

10. Songwriting on a Shoestring: Writing, Producing and Promoting Your Own Songs – Mary Wheelan

Written by a songwriter for songwriters wanting to produce good music without going broke, drawing upon her experience in an effort to help songwriters save money while producing quality songs.

Link: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/12884

11. Take the Oath: A Practical Pocket Guide for the Career Indie Musician – Don Harrison

This book is a first hand account on what has worked not only for the author, but for other artists he personally knew who were making a money from performing music. Step by step, detail by detail, laid out in a simple, easy- to-understand language

Link: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/515718