Music theory

AK · Regular Member Joined: 03 Feb 2002 Posts: 72

Does anyone know of a good book to get to begin learning music theory?

Thanks

beacondeacon2 · New Member Joined: 03 Mar 2003 Posts: 1

I don't know if it's still out, but The Bugs Bower Chord book used to be about as thorough as you could get, including 9th, 11th, and 13th chords. Book 2 spent more time with inversions and progressions. If you don't use those, you may have to get a college text (I recommend Howard Hanson, only because it's the one I had).

deacon

dales · Posted: Sat Mar 08, 2003 2:32 pm Post subject:

_Scales, Intervals, Keys, Triads, Rhythm, and Meter_. Subtitled "A Programmed Course in Elementary Music Theory, With an Introduction to Partwriting," by John Clough, Joyce Conley, and Claire Boge. It's published by Norton and includes a CD. It'll run about $47.50. This is the book my trumpet teacher recommended when I asked about a self-study music theory book.

_trumpetgod_02 · Posted: Sun Mar 09, 2003 8:16 am Post subject:

A book titled "Tonal Harmony"..... great stuff. Don't know who publishes it or who the authors are... I forgot all of that stuff.

Nick
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isabelle · Regular Member Joined: 29 Jul 2002 Posts: 41

Can't say I know any good books, but check out http://www.musictheory.net. It's a great website to get you started with music theory.

~Isabelle

RGale · Heavyweight Member Joined: 28 Dec 2002 Posts: 2818

I would recommend musictheory.net, and Chase Sanborn's book Jazz Tactics, and Mark Levine's the Jazz Theory book if you want to get hardcore. For Classical Theory Musictheory.net will cover some of it at least and it's free.

MPWall1 · Posted: Tue Mar 18, 2003 6:21 am Post subject:

TONAL HARMONY with and Introduction to Twentieth-Century Music

written by Stefan Kostka and Dorothy Payne

McGraw Hill

I used this in college and I use this with my hs theory class. It comes with a workbook and CD that play the examples. It's pretty solid.

All the best,
Michael Wall
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Michael Patrick Wall, Ed.D.
Independent Researcher in Music Education

_trumpetgod_02 · Posted: Tue Mar 18, 2003 7:01 am Post subject:

THAT'S IT. THANK YOU. I USED THIS BOOK IN H.S. AND IT WAS GREAT. THANK YOU AGAIN

Nick
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www.trumpetherald.com

jonnydb · Posted: Tue Mar 18, 2003 7:17 am Post subject:

I have just recently finished my last semester of tonal music theory in college. I don't want to bragg by I was far ahead of the class due to a few things.

1. I had learned jazz theory, through aebersold books and playing through the New Real Book (The only fakebook I had for a long time, thankfully my Dad bought it or else I would still be stuck listening to rock.). This helped me get a grasp on the true basics like how chords and melodies worked and scales and such.

2. I practiced transcribing pieces. Not just jazz solo's. I transcribed a few orchestral excerpts, full instrumentation (or as best as I could get it). This really helped me tie in what I was hearing to the sheet music and really showed me how things worked.

For basic music theory, I wouldn't start my self off learning from Alwell and Shacter's "Harmony and Voice Leading" which is what we used in class, but I would get hold of the first volume of the Aebersold books and learn basic chord symbols and scales. Then get yourself a fakebook (The New Real Books by Chuck Sher are great because they are legal and also have a large variety of musical styles.

Once you learn and can hear how these tunes work, then you can move on to the classical theory and voice leading. Personally, I think you will be happier and more productive if you follow this way. The most important thing you can do though is to train your ears. Listen to a lot of music and transcribe solo's, tunes, symphonies... whatever you want. You can check them with other sources.

Also, once you have learned your basic theory, I suggest taking some classes at a local college with the more advanced classical theory and voice leading or I assure you, you will not understand it. Then you will lose interest and go the rest of your life without knowing it and that would be terrible

. Some of it gets really complicated and you will need the guidance.

Good luck,
Jon

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The more you sweat in peace, the less you bleed in war.

[ This Message was edited by: jonnydb on 2003-03-18 10:18 ]

badebop · Posted: Thu Jan 01, 2004 10:55 am Post subject:

If you're just beginning your theory adventure, might I suggest:

"Master Theory" books by Charles S Peters & Paul Yoder.

Kjos used to publish them, but I don't know if that's the case now. You're local educational music store can order them. They are six workbooks with exercises and assignments. They take you all the way from note values to composition. These are great books if you don't have a teacher and you are disciplined enough to do it. One could do a page a day and finish it in a year. Very easy to understand even if you haven't had any theory experience. They take you through the steps very gently. If you finish, you will breeze through the first two years of college theory.

trump_it · Veteran Member Joined: 16 Mar 2003 Posts: 319

"Practica Musica" is a great computer program for learning Music Theory. It pushes you to excel, but also allows you to move at your own pace. We use it quite often in Music Theory class at school.

musicemt · Veteran Member Joined: 04 Jan 2004 Posts: 419

The Yoder books are good. I took a "beginning" music theory course my senior year in HS to boost my GPA. My band director ran me through all six books in that semester, and coerced me into taking the AP music theory test. I made a 5 on it, and now I'm taking Theory 4 here in my freshman year. The Master Theory books are really, really, REALLY good!

Ben
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badebop · Posted: Mon Jan 19, 2004 3:44 pm Post subject:

Great to hear the books were successful for you, Ben! It's to bad our trumpet brothers are not more aware of them. I think they would be highly useful for those searching for a grounding in theory. Just because the name "Yoder" is involved shouldn't scare anyone away

SPITTY · Posted: Tue Jan 20, 2004 11:04 am Post subject:

I would also strongly recommend Mark Levine's Jazz Theory Book - it is an invaluable reference that I keep in my practice space at all times! Everything in the book is taken from recordings of the greatest artists in jazz.

Even if you go with another book get this one too!

Cheers,
Spitty