The_Complete_Idiot%27s_Guide_To_Music_Theory

Part 1, “Tones,” gets you started with reading music. You’ll learn about the
notes on a piano, the intervals between different notes, and how those notes
combine into different scales. You’ll also learn about clefs and keys—both major
and minor.
Part 2, “Rhythms,” shows you how to arrange your notes sequentially in
space. You’ll learn how to count and how to notate your music, using whole
notes, half notes, quarter notes, and more. You’ll also learn about different time
signatures, and about tempo, dynamics, accents, and other musical effects.
Part 3, “Tunes,” helps you combine tones and rhythms to create your own
melodies. You’ll learn how melodies and chords are constructed; you’ll also
learn about chord progressions and different song forms.
Part 4, “Accompanying,” shows you how to make more out of your basic
melodies. You’ll learn how to write down the songs you hear on the radio, how
to accompany simple melodies on piano or guitar, and how to add harmony and
counterpoint to your songs.
Part 5, “Embellishing,” goes beyond basic theory to present advanced music
notation and show you how to transpose music to other keys. You’ll also learn
how to spice up your music by substituting more sophisticated chords in your
arrangements.
Part 6, “Arranging,” presents real-world advice for taking your music public.
You’ll learn how to create lead sheets and scores, use music notation software
to create sophisticated arrangements, arrange for groups of instruments and
voices, and get your music performed. You’ll even learn the right way to wave
the baton when you conduct a choir or orchestra!
In addition, you get four appendixes and a bonus audio CD. The appendixes
include a glossary of musical terms, a chord reference, the answers to this
book’s exercises (found at the end of each chapter), and a guide to the shiny little
compact disc that accompanies this book.
What’s on the CD
The CD that comes with this book is a fun bit of business all by itself.
Pop it into your CD player and you’ll find that it contains The Complete
Idiot’s Guide to Music Theory, Second Edition, Ear Training Course, a selfpaced
audio guide to improving your musical hearing. Work through the examples
and exercises on the CD to learn how to recognize scales, intervals, chords,
and rhythms. It’s a great way to learn how to understand and transcribe the music
you hear. (And you can check your answers against those supplied in Appendix D.)
While you don’t need to listen to the CD to learn from the book, I’ve tried to
tie the ear training lessons in with the content presented throughout the book.
For example, when you read Chapter 2, “Intervals,” you can listen to Lesson
Two on the CD (track #11), which lets you hear what all those intervals actually
sound like. Look for the Ear Training CD icon, like the one here, at the beginning
of a chapter to discover which track of the CD corresponds to the information
being presented.
Introduction
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