Music Theory For Dummies, with Audio CD-ROM
by Holly Day, Michael Pilhofer
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Book Reviews of Music Theory For Dummies, with Audio CD-ROM
Book Review: An Excellent Reference
Summary: 5 Stars
Music Theory for Dummies is the best of both worlds for those of us interested in learning music theory for the first time or refreshing our musical memories. As a child music student I was inundated with music terms which meant little or nothing to me. I faked my way along, despite my ignorance of proper theory or terminology, never thinking it might pertain to me. Only as an adult, who has now written a few songs with the desire to share them, has it occurred to me that I need to know how to write music others can read rather than trying to express myself by humming my songs out. Music Theory for Dummies is a necessity for anyone who wants to truly understand the basics of music, or anyone who already does but needs an excellent reference for refresher or support in learning or comprehending the more difficult aspects of music theory. Music Theory for Dummies is essential for all students, be they beginners, or the more advanced, in need of a simplified backup source for more difficult concepts. Additionally, the drawings and CD are simply a delightful topping on a very solid foundation.Book Review: Very good, but lots of typos and errors
Summary: 2 Stars
Overall, the book is very good. I've never had music theory but had piano and band as a child and am learning guitar as an adult. The best parts of the book explain a lot of things together (major/minor key signatures and associated sharps/flats, chord realtionships/progressions, scale structures, and so on). Things are seeming to click in the ol' gray matter and I WOULD have given it a "5" for the coverage of the subject matter, BUT...
...there are typos/errors throughout the WHOLE book. There are incorrect references to table numbers (trivial mistakes) and there are errors on a few of the example music measures and, in at least one instance, on guitar notes on a fret chart. The editor of this book did a horrible job. I know enough to say "yeah, that's not right" as I read through the book, but the number of errors is appalling.
Book Review: Takes You From Basic to Advanced
Summary: 5 Stars
I ordered this book with some skepticism. I could read music before I go this book but I guess at a very rudimentary level. I have looked through other music theory books and have been left a little bewildered about musical keys, cord construction and such. This book demystifies these and many other musical concepts. I now understand musical keys and many other things that had always seemed very mysterious to me. The book starts off very basically and slowly advances as it introduces you to more advanced concepts by adding more information about how music is constructed. Someone with a firmer background in music may be board by the pace but for others of us it is just right. I recommend it if, like me, you always wanted to understand music but never found someone who could describe it in an understandable way.Book Review: A good introduction and a solid foundation
Summary: 5 Stars
Being an obsessive music listener, music theory is something I have always thought I should know more about, but it's a subject I have never seriously approached before reading this book. The author does a good job of gently leading you through the door, and also introduces more challenging ideas in a readable style. The chapters on building chords and chord progressions gave a nice glimpse into the construction of even quite complex music, something that had previously seemed impenetrable. The examples used were well chosen, and were written without any condescension. As a way to ground the more abstract ideas, I especially appreciated the commentary by modern composers and musicians. Recommended for anyone wanting a good introduction and a solid foundation from which to build.Book Review: More than a Dummies Guide
Summary: 5 Stars
While I have been a musician for most of my life, I don't know much about music theory (including sight reading). It would be difficult for me to pick my favorite chapter in this book, since I learned something new about music theory in every chapter, but Chapter 10 (Intervals) was probably the biggest bang for the buck in my mind. The later chapters that described the use of the intervals were reinforcement, but the explaination of the qualities of major, minor, diminished, and augmented intervals was a breakthrough for me. Chapter 13 (Building Chords) was almost as valuable to me, since it built on the same concepts.
This is a textbook that I will be referring to for years. I strongly recommend it to anyone who is struggling with music theory.