Any recommendations for learning music theory?

ichadwick

ichadwick

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I'm looking for a book or courses to learn music theory. I already understand the rudiments, but want more of a formal appreciation and knowledge.

Any recommendations? Downloadable books and PDF files are very welcome!
 
Me too! Something along the lines of "Music Theory for Dummies" would be perfect.
 
"Music Theory for Dummies" is a reasonably survey of music theory. It covers all the rudiments (notation, intervals, scales, key signatures, circle of fifths, triads/chords, terms) and has brief sections on harmony, musical forms and historically important music theorists. Overall, it looks like a good place to start, and it seems well written and not too boring.

However, if you already know notation, scales, key signatures and triads, there won't be much new or of interest to you. This book does not go into harmony or voice leading in any meaningful way. If you are interested in these subjects, you'll have to go to something like "Harmony and Voice Leading" by Aldwell and Schachter - I used this text in my music theory courses at University; it is very expensive ($100+) and is not particularly accessible.


Ian and others, what were you looking to get out of your new book/studies? I have some knowledge about this and would be more than happy to share.
 
JamieFromOntario said:
"Music Theory for Dummies" is a reasonably survey of music theory. It covers all the rudiments (notation, intervals, scales, key signatures, circle of fifths, triads/chords, terms) and has brief sections on harmony, musical forms and historically important music theorists. Overall, it looks like a good place to start, and it seems well written and not too boring.

However, if you already know notation, scales, key signatures and triads, there won't be much new or of interest to you. This book does not go into harmony or voice leading in any meaningful way. If you are interested in these subjects, you'll have to go to something like "Harmony and Voice Leading" by Aldwell and Schachter - I used this text in my music theory courses at University; it is very expensive ($100+) and is not particularly accessible.


Ian and others, what were you looking to get out of your new book/studies? I have some knowledge about this and would be more than happy to share.
Click to expand...

I know very little about any music theory, so just the basics to get me started...sounds like the "For Dummies" one will suit my needs, thanks for the info!
 
Ian, you might want to give this one a try. It's called Edly's Music Theory for Practical People. It's pretty user friendly and I think will take a little deeper dive into it than 'Music Theory for Dummies', although I'm not sure because I haven't read that one. I have read Edly's though and it's pretty good.

http://www.edly.com/mtfpp.html
 
I've spent the morning downloading PDfs of music lessons and theory. Hope they'll get me started on the way to knowledge. After I've waded through them, I'll look at the books recommended here. Thanks. The free stuff is good for now (I'm in the midst of a bit of a cash crunch anyway...).

Funny thing, after playing music by ear for 40+ years, you'd think you really understood it. Well, I've learned a lot, but it's all surface stuff, no depth. A friend dropped by for the weekend to play. He gave me a copy of the Hal Leonard book "The Chord Wheel" and that got me started on trying to learn the stuff behind the music.
 
+1 music theory for dummies - it's pretty sound
 
I highly recommend the Bruce Emery "Skeptical Guitarist" books -- they'll really help you understand how chord progressions work and why certain types of patterns are so prevalent in Western music. Great mix of easy-to-understand theory and real-world application.

They're guitar-oriented but assuming most of us play at least a bit of guitar as well, and the uke being so closely related...

Music Principles for the Skeptical Guitarist Vol. 1
 
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Book knowledge of theory ain't everything though. I did my time in theory and ear training, and I still have to think through chords and voice leading and what not. My husband is trained up just by ear, and he knows this stuff without knowing he knows it. I remember confusing him with the circle of 5ths, but it turns out that he already knows it and to think of it as some complicated chart circle thing is just silly for his brain. Like if I think D, I'm thinking about a staff with a treble clef and a D at whatever octave. He's thinking automatically DF#A. I have to think about that still. Grrrr...

ichadwick said:
I've spent the morning downloading PDfs of music lessons and theory. Hope they'll get me started on the way to knowledge. After I've waded through them, I'll look at the books recommended here. Thanks. The free stuff is good for now (I'm in the midst of a bit of a cash crunch anyway...).

Funny thing, after playing music by ear for 40+ years, you'd think you really understood it. Well, I've learned a lot, but it's all surface stuff, no depth. A friend dropped by for the weekend to play. He gave me a copy of the Hal Leonard book "The Chord Wheel" and that got me started on trying to learn the stuff behind the music.
Click to expand...
 
Yes, but not from this computer. Will gather them from the upstairs computer later this week. Most were found by Google searches on music theory and related terms (like fundamentals, rudiments, lessons, pdf, etc).
 
I'm 99.9% sure I had that same Harmony and Voice Leading book. It's excellent. You need a good teacher to bring it to life though. If only you got a free Dr. Hughes with every purchase.

Whenever I think of rudiments, I think of "drum scales." Like flams and paradiddles, and all that stuff that drummers learn. They're also called rudiments.
 
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