Jan-Peter Herbst

Elena Bos
"Overall, the volume manages to fulfil its promise of »providing a broader scope and an overview of metal music studies« (3). Readers will gain a sense of the diversity within metal as a distinct music culture, but also of the broad range of disciplinary approaches and perspectives in metal research. Contributions mostly provide a sound recapitulation of established theories within the field, and, along with the annexed bibliography, which encompasses most of the important recent secondary literature, invite further reading. […] the volume demonstrates the nuanced and constructively critical thinking prevalent in this academic niche, which makes it an essential reading both for established as well as new metal studies scholars and will hopefully inspire more innovative research." (original review)

Dr Reinhard Kopanski:
"The study 'Gear Acquisition Syndrome: Consumption of Instruments and Technology in Popular Music' by Jan-Peter Herbst and Jonas Menze addresses these almost limitless possibilities for upgrading one's own equipment. The authors present […] a first comprehensive academic study on the 'Gear Acquisition Syndrome' in which the phenomenon is explored in a multi-method manner. […] All in all, Gear Acquisition Syndrome is a thoroughly entertaining book, but one with a lot of (methodological and theoretical) requirements and demands a certain affinity for music technology as well as a basic understanding of sound designing and engineering practices. Theoretically and methodologically, the study is well done." (original review)

Dr Dennis Schütze:
Translation: "The author has made guitar distortion, an essential albeit underrepresented feature of rock music in musicology and education, the main subject of his book. Based on different methodical approaches, he describes and analyses the issue extensively, and presents his results on more than 400 pages. [...] Herbst has done excellent work. He seriously approaches the somehow intangible subject, and achieves a high level of academic rigour. His methods are contemporary and always highly transparent. In doing so, he makes a very concrete, accessible and thus welcome contribution to the academic discipline of popular music studies." (original review)

PD Dr Knut Holtsträter:
Translation: "In conclusion, the importance of this work for the scientific examination of the electric guitar cannot be overestimated, precisely because it attempts to bridge the gaps between experimental research, empiricism and aesthetics."

Praxis des Musikunterrichts:
Translation: "With his far-reaching investigations, the author informs musicians about distortion's influence on popular music. His readers are encouraged to reflect on fundamental differences between the distorted electric guitar and its acoustic counterpart. Distortion features other challenges to playing but also offers new ways of expression. […] The book supplies valuable historical, aesthetic and analytical insights into this fascinating instrument. Irrespective of any pre-existing knowledge, it is recommendable for all readers interested in the guitar and in rock music."

Musik & Unterricht:
Translation: "The book is useful for scientifically interested readers as well as for practitioners who would like to get to know alternative educational possibilities of teaching popular music with a special focus on perception and feeling, musical design, culture and external contexts of application."