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    Intro to Music Theory: The Nuts and Bolts of Music
    Intro to Music Theory: The Nuts and Bolts of Music
    Intro to Music Theory: The Nuts and Bolts of Music
    Ebook71 pages50 minutes

    Intro to Music Theory: The Nuts and Bolts of Music

    By Roger Coleman

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    About this ebook

    A common sense approach to understanding how music works. Designed for beginners and musicians alike, it contains a step by step process for learning about different aspects of reading and playing music. Topics include: rhythm, music notation, scales, chords, key signatures, intervals. Examples and exercises appear throughout to mark your progress.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherRoger Coleman
    Release dateJul 4, 2015
    ISBN9781311733351
    Intro to Music Theory: The Nuts and Bolts of Music
    Author

    Roger Coleman

    Roger Coleman has taught Music Theory classes at the college level since 2002.This book is based upon his common-sense approach to teaching students with limited music background.By avoiding unnecessary terminology and creating step-by-step outlines, the structure and patterns in music are made more clear.Many thanks to: Qing Yu at the IT department of Montgomery College for her wisdom and knowledge in assembling all the different elements of the book.Thanks for Emmy Vickers for the cover photo.

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      Book preview

      Intro to Music Theory - Roger Coleman

      Intro to Music Theory The Nuts and Bolts of Music

      By Roger Coleman

      Smashwords Edition

      Copyright 2015 Roger Coleman

      CC BY NC

      Table of contents:

      Chapter One: Introduction - p. 4

      Chapter Two: Music Basics – p. 5

      •Rhythm

      •Melody

      •Harmony

      •Tone

      Chapter Three: Music Notation – p.7

      •Note Values – p.7

      •Rhythm Exercises; Group one – p.10

      •Rhythm Exercises; Group two – p.13

      •Rests – p.15

      •Rhythm Exercises; Group three – p.16

      •Rhythm Exercises; Group four – p.19

      •Pitch – p.22

      •The Staff – p.22

      •Treble and Bass Clefs – p.22

      •Songs to practice reading music – p.24

      Chapter Four: The Keyboard - p.27

      •The Grand Staff – p.28

      •Whole steps and half steps – p.29

      •Sharp, flat and natural signs – p.30

      Chapter Five: Major Scales – p. 32

      Chapter Six: Major Key Signatures – p. 37

      Chapter Seven: Intervals – p. 43

      Chapter Eight: Minor Key Signatures – p. 48

      Chapter Nine: Minor Scales – p. 53

      •Natural, Harmonic and Melodic minor scales

      Chapter Ten: Triads – p. 60

      •Major, Minor, Diminished and Augmented

      Chapter Eleven: Summary – p. 63

      Glossary – p. 63

      Chapter one: Intro: Characteristics of sound and practical application.

      Do you remember the first song you ever sung? Chances are it was a folk song such as Yankee Doodle or Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. You didn’t need to read music or know anything about how music is put together. You listened and sang along.

      Music elicits a natural response from people listening to it. Watch a young child when music is played. They will move and dance without inhibition or awareness of how it affects them. It just happens.

      Every person enjoys some type of music. You don’t need to have any musical training to sing, tap a rhythm or feel the effect of music. As this book covers some of the technical aspects of playing, reading and writing music, keep in mind that the end result should be the sound. All the content herein is presented with the intent of increasing your knowledge of the system of music; how it’s put together and the different parts that contribute to the sound. Put that knowledge to use at every step so that what you learn ends up creating sound.

      All musicians have to practice to increase their abilities and understanding of how music works. The knowledge of theory combined with actually playing and listening will provide a solid musical foundation no matter what type of music you’re interested in. Studying theory without applying it is purely cerebral. It’s like reading a book about pottery or ice skating or skiing without actually doing it. So please apply every unit in this book to singing or playing as you go. You may be surprised to discover how much you already know. Can you sing a major scale? (do, re, mi…) Sure! Can you tap along to a rhythm? (Boom boom ba boom) Of course you can!

      The theory will show you what musical ideas look like in printed sheet music and how to reproduce the directions on the page. Remember, the written music is just that; a set of directions. You have to sing or play to have it become music.

      This book was designed for someone with little or no musical background who wants to understand how music is put together; the Nuts and Bolts of music. The goal is to be comprehensive, covering many common aspects of music without going beyond what an average first year music student might encounter. To that end, step-by step methods are laid out with simplicity in mind. Your understanding of each step is critical before learning the

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