Many people grimace at the sound of music theory. It can conjure up bad memories of grade school music classes, rattle the brains of college students, and make self-taught musicians feel self-defeated. Music Theory may seem tedious and unnecessary, especially since not many people can read music.

Luckily, Music Theory for Dummies shows you the fun and easy way to understanding the concepts needed to compose, deconstruct, and comprehend music. This helpful guide will give you a great grasp of:

• Note value and counting notes
• Treble and bass clefs
• Time signatures and measures
• Naturalizing the rhythm
• Tempo and dynamic
• Tone, color, and harmonics
• Half steps and whole steps
• Harmonic and melodic intervals
• Key signatures and circles of fifths
• Scales, chords, and their progressions
• Elements of form
• Music theory’s fascinating history

This friendly guide not only explores these concepts, it provides examples of music to compliment them so you can hear how they sound firsthand. With a bonus CD that demonstrates these ideas with musical excerpts on guitar and piano, this hands-on resource will prove to you that music theory is as enjoyable as it is useful. Don’t get discouraged by the seemingly complicated written structure. With Music Theory for Dummies, understanding music has never been easier!

Note: CD-ROM/DVD and other supplementary materials are not included as part of eBook file.

Introduction.

Part I: Rhythm: Keeping the Beat.

Chapter 1: What Is Music Theory Anyway?

Chapter 2: Counting Out Notes.

Chapter 3: Giving It a Rest.

Chapter 4: Time Signatures.

Chapter 5: Naturalizing the Best.

Chapter 6: Tempo and Dynamics.

Part II: Melody: The Part You Hum.

Chapter 7: The Musical Staff.

Chapter 8: Instrument Tone and Color.

Chapter 9: Half Steps, Whole Steps, Sharps, and Flats.

Part III: Harmony: Fleshing It Out.

Chapter 10: Intervals.

Chapter 11: Key Signatures and the Circle of Fifths.

Chapter 12: The Major and Minor Scales.

Chapter 13: Building Chords.

Chapter 14: Chord Progressions.

Chapter 15: Cadence.

Part IV: Form: How It's Shaped.

Chapter 16: The Elements of Form.

Chapter 17: Classical Forms.

Chapter 18: Popular Forms.

Part V: The Part of Tens.

Chapter 19: Six Most-Frequently Asked Questions About Music Theory.

Chapter 20: Ten Cool and Useful Resources.

Chapter 21: Nine Music Theorists You Should Know About.

Appendix A: How to Use the CD.

Appendix B: Chord Chart.

Appendix C: Glossary.

Index.

Michael Pilhofer teaches music theory and percussion at McNally Smith College of Music in St. Paul, Minnesota, where he serves as department head of the Ensembles Department. He has worked as a professional musician for more than 18 years and has toured and recorded with Joe Lovano, Marian McPartland, Kenny Wheeler, Dave Holland, Bill Holman, Wycliffe Gordon, Peter Erskine, and Gene Bertoncini.

Holly Day has written about music for numerous publications internationally, including Computer Music Journal, ROCKRGRL, Music Alive!, Guitar One, Brutarian Magazine, Interface Technology, and Mixdown magazine. Over the past couple of decades, her writing has received an Isaac Asimov Award, a National Magazine Award, and two Midwest Writer’s Grants.  Her previous books include The Insider’s Guide to the Twin Cities (3rd^, 4th, and 5th Editions), Shakira, and Behind the Orange Curtain: A History of Orange County Punk Rock.

Helpful hints on melodies, chords, and music development

The fun and easy way to read, write, and perform any style of music

Need to grasp music theory? This hands-on guide explains the concepts in plain English — from scales, intervals, and tempos to chord progressions, phrasing, harmonizing, and arranging — and shows you how to apply them in compositions ranging from pop and rock to jazz and classical. It's also packed with musical examples you can hear on the CD!

Discover how to:

• Read notes and understand tones

• Keep proper rhythm

• Master major and minor scales

• Build chords and cadences

• Write in popular musical forms

Demonstrations of music theory concepts

Musical examples performed on both piano and guitar

Distributor: John Wiley & Sons
Publication Date: 04-02-2007
Pages: 360
Measurements: 234.89mm X 187.89mm X 18.5mm X 20.16oz