Music Theory For Dummies

Tune in to how music really works

Whether you’re a student, a performer, or simply a fan, this book makes music theory easy, providing you with a friendly guide to the concepts, artistry, and technical mastery that underlie the production of great music. You’ll quickly become fluent in the fundamentals of knocking out beats, reading scores, and anticipating where a piece should go, giving you a deeper perspective on the works of others — and bringing an extra dimension to your own.

Tracking to a typical college-level course, Music Theory For Dummies breaks difficult concepts down to manageable chunks and takes into account every aspect of musical production and appreciation — from the fundamentals of notes and scales to the complexities of expression and instrument tone color. It also examines the latest teaching techniques — all the more important as the study of music, now shown to provide cognitive and learning benefits for both children and adults, becomes more prevalent at all levels.

• Master major and minor scales, intervals, pitches, and clefs
• Understand basic notation, time signals, tempo, dynamics, and navigation
• Employ melodies, chords, progressions, and phrases to form music
• Compose harmonies and accompanying melodies for voice and instruments

Wherever you want to go musically — as a writer or performer, or just as someone who wants to enjoy music to its fullest — this approachable guide gives you everything you need to hear!

• Identify the building blocks of music
• Understand music when you’re playing, writing, or analyzing it
• Listen to audio tracks online

Table of Contents

Part 1: Getting Started with Music Theory

Chapter 1: What Is Music Theory, Anyway?

Chapter 2: Determining What Notes Are Worth

Chapter 3: Giving It a Rest

Chapter 4: Introducing Time Signatures

Chapter 5: Playing with Beat

Part 2: Putting Notes Together

Chapter 6: Music Notes (and Where to Find Them)

Chapter 7: Mastering the Major and Minor Scales

Chapter 8: Key Signatures and the Circle of Fifths

Chapter 9: Intervals: The Distance between Pitches

Chapter 10: Chord Building

Chapter 11: Chord Progressions

Part 3: Musical Expression through Tempo and Dynamics

Chapter 12: Creating Varied Sound through Tempo and Dynamics

Chapter 13: Instrument Tone Color and Acoustics

Part 4: Musical Expression through Form

Chapter 14: The Building Blocks of Music: Rhythm, Melody, Harmony, and Song Form

Chapter 15: Relying on Classical Forms

Chapter 16: Tapping into Popular Genres and Forms

Part 5: The Part of Tens

Chapter 17: Ten Frequently Asked Questions about Music Theory

Chapter 18: Ten Keys to Reading a Musical Score

Chapter 19: Ten Music Theorists You Should Know About

Chapter 20: Ten Musical Movements That Changed History

Part 6: Appendixes

Appendix A: Audio Tracks

Appendix B: Chord Chart

Appendix C: Glossary

Tune in to how music really works

Whether you’re a student, a performer, or simply a fan, this book makes music theory easy, providing you with a friendly guide to the concepts, artistry, and technical mastery that underlie the production of great music. You’ll quickly become fluent in the fundamentals of knocking out beats, reading scores, and anticipating where a piece should go, giving you a deeper perspective on the works of others?and bringing an extra dimension to your own.

Inside…

• Master major and minor scales, intervals, pitches, and clefs
• Understand basic notation, time signatures, tempo, and dynamics
• Employ melodies, chords, progressions, and phrases
• Compose harmonies and accompanying melodies for voice and instruments

About the Author

Michael Pilhofer, MM, holds a Master’s in Music Education with a Jazz Emphasis from the Eastman School of Music, and a Bachelor of Music degree in Jazz Performance from the University of Miami.

Holly Day’s work has appeared in Guitar One Magazine, Music Alive!, culturefront Magazine, and Brutarian Magazine.