Music Theory For Dummies^®, 4th Edition

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Library of Congress Control Number: 2019942839

ISBN 978-1-119-57552-8 (pbk); ISBN 978-1-119-57554-2 (ebk); ISBN 978-1-119-57551-1 (ebk)

Music Theory For Dummies®

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Table of Contents

Cover

Introduction

About This Book
Foolish Assumptions
Icons Used in This Book
Beyond the Book
Where to Go from Here

Part 1: Getting Started with Music Theory

Chapter 1: What Is Music Theory, Anyway?
1. Unearthing Music Theory’s Beginnings
2. Putting the Spotlight on Music Theory Fundamentals
3. Seeing How Theory Can Help Your Music
Chapter 2: Determining What Notes Are Worth
1. Meeting the Beat
2. Recognizing Notes and Note Values
3. Checking Out Whole (Semibreve) Notes
4. Homing in on Half (Minim) Notes
5. Considering Quarter (Crotchet) Notes
6. Examining Eighth (Quaver) Notes and Beyond
7. Extending Notes with Dots and Ties
8. Mixing All the Note Values Together
Chapter 3: Giving It a Rest
1. Getting to Know the Rests
2. Extending the Break with Dotted Rests
3. Practicing Beats with Notes and Rests
Chapter 4: Introducing Time Signatures
1. Decoding Time Signatures and Measures
2. Keeping Things Easy with Simple Time Signatures
3. Working with Compound Time Signatures
4. Feeling the Pulse of Asymmetrical Time Signatures
5. A Short Discussion about Conducting
Chapter 5: Playing with Beat
1. Creating Stress Patterns and Syncopation
2. Getting a Jump on Pick-Up Notes
3. Exploring Irregular Rhythms: Triplets and Duplets

Part 2: Putting Notes Together

Chapter 6: Music Notes (and Where to Find Them)
1. Meeting the Staff, Clefs, and Notes
2. Identifying Half Steps, Whole Steps, and Accidentals
3. Finding the Notes on the Piano and the Guitar
4. Using Mnemonics to Help Remember Notes
Chapter 7: Mastering the Major and Minor Scales
1. Following Major-Scale Patterns
2. Discovering All That Minor Scale Patterns Have to Offer
Chapter 8: Key Signatures and the Circle of Fifths
1. Understanding the Circle of Fifths and Recognizing Major Key Signatures
2. Finding Minor Key Signatures and Relative Minors
3. Visualizing the Key Signatures
Chapter 9: Intervals: The Distance between Pitches
1. Breaking Down Harmonic and Melodic Intervals
2. Looking at Unisons, Octaves, Fourths, and Fifths
3. Recognizing Seconds, Thirds, Sixths, and Sevenths
4. Building Intervals
5. Showing Major and Perfect Intervals in the C Major Scale
6. Checking Out Compound Intervals
7. The Nashville Number System
Chapter 10: Chord Building
1. Creating Triads with Three Pitches
2. Expanding to Seventh Chords
3. Looking at All the Triads and Sevenths
4. Manipulating Triads through Voicing and Inversion
5. Exploring Extended Chords
Chapter 11: Chord Progressions
1. Reviewing Diatonic Chords, Chromatic Chords, and Minor Scale Modes
2. Identifying and Naming Chord Progressions
3. Adding a Seventh Chord to a Triad
4. Seeing (and Hearing) Chord Progressions in Action
5. Applying Chord Knowledge to Fake Books and Tabs
6. Modulating to a New Key
7. Reaching a Musical Cadence through Chord Progressions

Part 3: Musical Expression through Tempo and Dynamics

Chapter 12: Creating Varied Sound through Tempo and Dynamics
1. Taking the Tempo of Music
2. Dealing with Dynamics: Loud and Soft
Chapter 13: Instrument Tone Color and Acoustics
1. Delving into Tone Color
2. Building the Band: An Acoustics Lesson

Part 4: Musical Expression through Form

Chapter 14: The Building Blocks of Music: Rhythm, Melody, Harmony, and Song Form
1. Establishing Rhythm
2. Shaping the Melody
3. Complementing the Melody with Harmony
4. Working with Musical Phrases and Periods
5. Linking Musical Parts to Create Forms
Chapter 15: Relying on Classical Forms
1. Counterpoint as a Classical Revelation
2. Sussing Out the Sonata
3. Rounding Up the Rondo
4. Figuring Out the Fugue
5. Combining Forms into a Symphony
6. Observing Other Classical Forms
Chapter 16: Tapping into Popular Genres and Forms
1. Feeling the Blues
2. Having Fun with Rock and Pop
3. Improvising with Jazz
4. Twelve-Tone Compositions

Part 5: The Part of Tens

Chapter 17: Ten Frequently Asked Questions about Music Theory
1. Why Is Music Theory Important?
2. If I Can Already Play Some Music, Why Bother Learning Music Theory?
3. Why Is So Much Music Theory Centered on the Piano Keyboard?
4. Is There a Quick and Easy Way to Learn to Read Music?
5. How Do I Identify a Key Based on the Key Signature?
6. Can I Transpose a Piece of Music into Another Key?
7. Will Learning Music Theory Hinder My Ability to Improvise?
8. Do I Need to Know Theory if I Just Play Drums?
9. Where Do the 12 Musical Notes Come From?
10. How Does Knowing Theory Help Me Memorize a Piece of Music?
Chapter 18: Ten Keys to Reading a Musical Score
1. The Basics
2. Lead Sheets
3. Full Scores
4. Miniature Scores
5. Study Scores
6. Piano Scores
7. Short Scores
8. Vocal Scores
9. Tablature
10. Figured Bass Notion
Chapter 19: Ten Music Theorists You Should Know About
1. Pythagoras (582–507 BC)
2. Boethius (480–524 AD)
3. Gerbert d’Aurillac/Pope Sylvester II (950–1003)
4. Guido D’Arezzo (990–1040)
5. Nicola Vicentino (1511–1576)
6. Christiaan Huygens (1629–1695)
7. Arnold Schoenberg (1874–1951)
8. Harry Partch (1901–1974)
9. Karlheinz Stockhausen (1928–2007)
10. Robert Moog (1934–2005)
Chapter 20: Ten Musical Movements That Changed History
1. 800 AD — England, Gregorian Chant
2. 1100 AD — Organum/European Polyphony
3. 1649 — England, the Diggers
4. 17th Century: Italy, Opera
5. 1789-1799: The French Revolution
6. 1913 — Atonal Music and Igor Stravinsky’s “The Rite of Spring”
7. 1950-1990: Latin America and the Iberian Peninsula, “Nueva Canción” (the New Song Movement)
8. 1960s: U.S. Civil Rights Movement
9. 1980s: Estonia Singing Revolution
10. 2010-2012: Arab Spring

Part 6: Appendixes

Appendix A: Audio Tracks
Appendix B: Chord Chart
Appendix C: Glossary

Index

About the Authors

Connect with Dummies

End User License Agreement

List of Tables

Chapter 9

TABLE 9-1 Intervals from Unison to Octave
TABLE 9-2 Intervals in the C Major Scale
TABLE 9-3 Nashville Numbering System for C Major Scale
TABLE 9-4 Nashville Numbering System for A Major Scale
TABLE 9-5 Chord Alterations in the Nashville Numbering System

Chapter 10

TABLE 10-1 Building Triads
TABLE 10-2 Building Sevenths

Chapter 11

TABLE 11-1 Basic Chord Labels
TABLE 11-2 Common Major Key Chord Progressions
TABLE 11-3 Common Minor Key Chord Progressions
TABLE 11-4 Seventh Chord Labels
TABLE 11-5 Major and Minor Scale Triads and Seventh Chords

Chapter 12

TABLE 12-1 Common Tempo Notation
TABLE 12-2 Common Dynamic Notation
TABLE 12-3 Common Modifying Phrases
TABLE 12-4 Articulation Markings for Specific Instruments

Appendix A

TABLE A-1 Track Listing

List of Illustrations

Chapter 2

FIGURE 2-1: The whole (semibreve) note has a head; the quarter (crotchet) note h...
FIGURE 2-2: You can write eighth (quaver) notes with individual flags, or you ca...
FIGURE 2-3: These three groups of sixteenth (semiquaver) notes, written in three...
FIGURE 2-4: Like eighth (quaver) notes and sixteenth (semiquaver) notes, you can...
FIGURE 2-5: Each level of this tree of notes lasts as many beats as every other ...
FIGURE 2-6: A whole (semibreve) note is a hollow oval.
FIGURE 2-7: When you see three whole (semibreve) notes in a row, each one gets i...
FIGURE 2-8: Hold a double whole (breve) note for eight counts.
FIGURE 2-9: Hold a half (minim) note for half as long as a whole (semibreve) not...
FIGURE 2-10: A whole (semibreve) note followed by two half (minim) notes.
FIGURE 2-11: These four quarter (crotchet) notes get one beat apiece.
FIGURE 2-12: A mixture of whole (semibreve), half (minim), and quarter (crotchet...
FIGURE 2-13: You hold an eighth (quaver) note for one-eighth as long as a whole ...
FIGURE 2-14: You hold a sixteenth (semiquaver) note for half as long as an eight...
FIGURE 2-15: You hold a thirty-second (demisemiquaver) note for half as long as ...
FIGURE 2-16: You hold a dotted half (dotted minim) note for an additional one-ha...
FIGURE 2-17: Two quarter (crotchet) notes tied together equal a half (minim) not...
FIGURE 2-18: Exercise 1.
FIGURE 2-19: Exercise 2.
FIGURE 2-20: Exercise 3.
FIGURE 2-21: Exercise 4.

Chapter 3

FIGURE 3-1: Each level of this tree of rests lasts as many beats as every other ...
FIGURE 3-2: A whole (semibreve) rest looks like an upside-down hat.
FIGURE 3-3: You’ll rarely encounter the double whole (breve) rest.
FIGURE 3-4: The half (minim) rest lasts half as long as the whole (semibreve) re...
FIGURE 3-5: A whole (semibreve) note, half (minim) note, and half (minim) rest.
FIGURE 3-6: A quarter (crotchet) rest, written like a kind of squiggle, is like ...
FIGURE 3-7: Two quarter (crotchet) rests tucked between notes.
FIGURE 3-8: An eighth (quaver) rest has a stem and one curly flag.
FIGURE 3-9: A sixteenth (semiquaver) rest has two curly flags.
FIGURE 3-10: A thirty-second (demisemiquaver) rest is very rare and has three cu...
FIGURE 3-11: Hold a dotted half (minim) rest for a half (minim) rest plus one-ha...
FIGURE 3-12: Exercise 1.
FIGURE 3-13: Exercise 2.
FIGURE 3-14: Exercise 3.
FIGURE 3-15: Exercise 4.
FIGURE 3-16: Exercise 5.

Chapter 4

FIGURE 4-1: Three typical time signatures, which you read as “three-four time,” ...
FIGURE 4-2: Given the 3/4 time signature, each measure contains three beats, and...
FIGURE 4-3: Each level of this tree equals every other layer, and multiple notes...
FIGURE 4-4: A time signature of 4/4 satisfies the requirements of simple time.
FIGURE 4-5: A time signature of 3/4 satisfies the requirements of simple time.
FIGURE 4-6: A time signature of 3/8 satisfies the requirements of simple time.
FIGURE 4-7: In 2/2 time, the half note gets the beat, and each measure contains ...
FIGURE 4-8: Exercise 1.
FIGURE 4-9: Exercise 2.
FIGURE 4-10: Exercise 3.
FIGURE 4-11: Exercise 4.
FIGURE 4-12: Exercise 5.
FIGURE 4-13: A time signature of 6/8 is a compound time signature.
FIGURE 4-14: Compound time divides notes into groups of three.
FIGURE 4-15: Accent the first note of each set of three eighth notes in a compou...
FIGURE 4-16: A time signature of 9/4 is a compound time signature.
FIGURE 4-17: Exercise 1.
FIGURE 4-18: Exercise 2.
FIGURE 4-19: Exercise 3.
FIGURE 4-20: In this example of 5/4 time, the stress is on beats one, three, one...
FIGURE 4-21: In this example of 5/8 time, the stress is on beats one, three, one...
FIGURE 4-22: In this example of 7/4 time, the stress is on beats one, four, one,...
FIGURE 4-23: In this example of 7/8 time, the stress is on beats one, four, six,...
FIGURE 4-24: When a conductor uses this pattern, the band is to play in 2/2 time...
FIGURE 4-25: When a conductor uses this pattern, the band is to play in 3/4 or...
FIGURE 4-26: When a conductor uses this pattern, the band is to play in 4/4 time.

Chapter 5

FIGURE 5-1: A measure with syncopation.
FIGURE 5-2: These measures may look complicated, but they don’t show syncopation...
FIGURE 5-3: This music shows two places where the note placement creates syncopa...
FIGURE 5-4: The quarter note standing alone in the first measure is a pick-up no...
FIGURE 5-5: The last measure of the song “picked up” the remaining two notes fro...
FIGURE 5-6: When a quarter note in 4/4 time is divided into three equal notes, t...
FIGURE 5-7: A piece of music using both quarter notes and triplets.
FIGURE 5-8: Each duplet gets the same time value as the dotted note it replaces....

Chapter 6

FIGURE 6-1: The two primary staves: the treble clef staff (left) and the bass cl...
FIGURE 6-2: The treble clef always tells you that G is on the second staff line....
FIGURE 6-3: The notes of the treble clef.
FIGURE 6-4: The two dots of the bass clef surround the F note on the staff.
FIGURE 6-5: The notes of the bass clef.
FIGURE 6-6: The grand staff contains both the treble and bass clefs, connected b...
FIGURE 6-7: Notice how moving the position of middle C changes the position of t...
FIGURE 6-8: Half steps are identified here to the left and right of the E key on...
FIGURE 6-9: Going from G natural to G flat/F sharp on the guitar.
FIGURE 6-10: Going from G flat/F sharp to G natural on the guitar.
FIGURE 6-11: Moving one whole step, or two half steps, to the left of E on the p...
FIGURE 6-12: Moving one whole step, or two half steps, to the right of E on the ...
FIGURE 6-13: A sharp looks like a pound, or number, sign.
FIGURE 6-14: A sharp, the black key to the right of the A, is a half step up fro...
FIGURE 6-15: E to E sharp.
FIGURE 6-16: A flat looks a bit like a lowercase b.
FIGURE 6-17: A flat, the black key to the left of the A, is a half step down fro...
FIGURE 6-18: E to E flat.
FIGURE 6-19: A double sharp looks kind of like an X, whereas a double flat is ju...
FIGURE 6-20: A natural cancels out an already established sharp or flat.
FIGURE 6-21: The piano keyboard, matched up with the notes from the grand staff....
FIGURE 6-22: The first string position is called open, meaning no fret is...
FIGURE 6-23: The notes of the 4th through 8th frets.
FIGURE 6-24: The notes of the 9th through 12th frets.

Chapter 7

FIGURE 7-1: The C major scale, like all major scales, follows the WWHWWWH patter...
FIGURE 7-2: This major scale pattern works up and down the guitar neck.
FIGURE 7-3: The A natural minor scale on the piano.
FIGURE 7-4: Playing the minor scale on the guitar.
FIGURE 7-5: The A natural minor scale on the guitar.
FIGURE 7-6: An A harmonic minor scale on the piano.
FIGURE 7-7: Notice how the guitar pattern changes when you add a half step to th...
FIGURE 7-8: An A harmonic minor scale on the guitar.
FIGURE 7-9: An A melodic minor scale going up the piano.
FIGURE 7-10: Notice how the pattern changes when you add a half step to the 6th ...
FIGURE 7-11: An A melodic minor ascending scale on the guitar.

Chapter 8

FIGURE 8-1: The Circle of Fifths shows the relationship between major keys and t...
FIGURE 8-2: The Circle of Fifths tells you how many sharps and flats are in the ...
FIGURE 8-3: The sharps are arranged in the key signature going “up.”
FIGURE 8-4: The flats are arranged in the key signature going “down.”
FIGURE 8-5: The C major key signature and scale.
FIGURE 8-6: The A natural minor key signature and scale.
FIGURE 8-7: The G major key signature and scale.
FIGURE 8-8: The E natural minor key signature and scale.
FIGURE 8-9: The D major key signature and scale.
FIGURE 8-10: The B natural minor key signature and scale.
FIGURE 8-11: The A major key signature and scale.
FIGURE 8-12: The F sharp natural minor key signature and scale.
FIGURE 8-13: The E major key signature and scale.
FIGURE 8-14: The C sharp natural minor key signature and scale.
FIGURE 8-15: The B major and C flat major key signatures and scales.
FIGURE 8-16: The G sharp natural minor and A flat natural minor key signatures a...
FIGURE 8-17: The F sharp major and G flat major key signatures and scales.
FIGURE 8-18: The D sharp natural minor and E flat natural minor key signatures a...
FIGURE 8-19: The C sharp major and D flat major key signatures and scales.
FIGURE 8-20: The A sharp natural minor and B flat natural minor key signatures a...
FIGURE 8-21: The A flat major and F natural minor key signatures and scales.
FIGURE 8-22: The E flat major and C natural minor key signatures and scales.
FIGURE 8-23: The B flat major and G natural minor key signatures and scales.
FIGURE 8-24: The F major and D natural minor key signatures and scales.

Chapter 9

FIGURE 9-1: A harmonic interval is two notes played simultaneously.
FIGURE 9-2: A melodic interval is two notes played one after the other.
FIGURE 9-3: The five lines and spaces in this interval’s total quantity indicate...
FIGURE 9-4: The fact that the first note is F sharp doesn’t affect the quantity ...
FIGURE 9-5: Melodic intervals in order from left to right: unison, second, third...
FIGURE 9-6: A compound interval with a total quantity of ten and is called a ten...
FIGURE 9-7: All these intervals are fifths, but the various qualities of the fif...
FIGURE 9-8: These two E notes are a perfect octave.
FIGURE 9-9: These two notes make an augmented octave.
FIGURE 9-10: These two notes make a diminished octave.
FIGURE 9-11: Fourths as seen on the staff with the special (augmented) case of t...
FIGURE 9-12: On the keyboard, every natural fourth is a perfect fourth (except f...
FIGURE 9-13: Adding accidentals to both notes in a perfect fourth interval doesn...
FIGURE 9-14: You can see on a keyboard the same principle shown in Figure 9-13.
FIGURE 9-15: Fifths have an interval quantity of five lines and spaces.
FIGURE 9-16: These three sets of notes are all seconds.
FIGURE 9-17: The interval between E and F is a minor second, because it only con...
FIGURE 9-18: The interval between F and G is a major second, because it contains...
FIGURE 9-19: Turning a major second into a minor second.
FIGURE 9-20: Major seconds.
FIGURE 9-21: Minor seconds.
FIGURE 9-22: Turning a major second interval into an augmented second.
FIGURE 9-23: Turning a major second interval into an augmented second on the pia...
FIGURE 9-24: Thirds are located on adjacent lines or spaces.
FIGURE 9-25: Major and minor thirds on the staff.
FIGURE 9-26: Turning a major third into a minor third.
FIGURE 9-27: Turning a minor third into a major third.
FIGURE 9-28: Turning a major third into an augmented third.
FIGURE 9-29: Turning a minor third into a diminished third.
FIGURE 9-30: Harmonic sixth intervals.
FIGURE 9-31: Harmonic seventh intervals.
FIGURE 9-32: Octaves of the note G (spanning the two clefs, with middle C indica...
FIGURE 9-33: Figuring out the quantity needed to build a perfect fifth above A f...
FIGURE 9-34: Flatting the second note to match the first makes a perfect fifth.
FIGURE 9-35: Building an augmented fifth below A starts with finding the quantit...
FIGURE 9-36: Adding the accidental makes the interval augmented.
FIGURE 9-37: Adding the accidental makes the fifth diminished.
FIGURE 9-38: Simple intervals in the C major scale.
FIGURE 9-39: Major compound intervals in the C major scale.
FIGURE 9-40: The original compound interval of unknown quantity and quality.
FIGURE 9-41: Reducing the compound interval into a simple interval.
FIGURE 9-42: Another way to reduce the compound interval into a simple interval....
FIGURE 9-43: Sheet music for the first four measures of “Mary Had a Little Lamb....
FIGURE 9-44: Guitar tablature for the first four measures of “Mary Had a Little ...

Chapter 10

FIGURE 10-1: Two stacks of thirds, one on the lines and the other in the spaces....
FIGURE 10-2: The root of a C chord (either C could be the root).
FIGURE 10-3: The root and major third of a C major chord.
FIGURE 10-4: The root and fifth of a C major chord.
FIGURE 10-5: C major triads.
FIGURE 10-6: C major on the keyboard.
FIGURE 10-7: The key signature for F major.
FIGURE 10-8: Add the F major triad.
FIGURE 10-9: The A flat major triad.
FIGURE 10-10: C minor on the keyboard.
FIGURE 10-11: C minor on the staff.
FIGURE 10-12: The F minor triad lowers the third one half step.
FIGURE 10-13: The A flat minor triad lowers the third one half step.
FIGURE 10-14: C augmented on the keyboard.
FIGURE 10-15: C augmented on the staff.
FIGURE 10-16: The F augmented triad.
FIGURE 10-17: The A flat augmented triad.
FIGURE 10-18: C diminished on the keyboard.
FIGURE 10-19: C diminished on the staff.
FIGURE 10-20: The F diminished triad.
FIGURE 10-21: The A flat diminished triad.
FIGURE 10-22: C major triad.
FIGURE 10-23: C major seventh (CM7 or Cmaj7).
FIGURE 10-24: C minor triad (Cm or Cmi).
FIGURE 10-25: C minor seventh (Cm7).
FIGURE 10-26: C dominant seventh (C7).
FIGURE 10-27: The root and minor seventh of a C minor 7 flat 5 chord.
FIGURE 10-28: C diminished triad.
FIGURE 10-29: C minor 7 flat 5 chord.
FIGURE 10-30: C diminished seventh (Cdim7).
FIGURE 10-31: C minor triad.
FIGURE 10-32: C minor-major seventh (Cm/M7).
FIGURE 10-33: A triads and sevenths.
FIGURE 10-34: A flat triads and sevenths.
FIGURE 10-35: B triads and sevenths.
FIGURE 10-36: B flat triads and sevenths.
FIGURE 10-37: C triads and sevenths.
FIGURE 10-38: C flat triads and sevenths.
FIGURE 10-39: C sharp triads and sevenths.
FIGURE 10-40: D triads and sevenths.
FIGURE 10-41: D flat triads and sevenths.
FIGURE 10-42: E triads and sevenths.
FIGURE 10-43: E flat triads and sevenths.
FIGURE 10-44: F triads and sevenths.
FIGURE 10-45: F sharp triads and sevenths.
FIGURE 10-46: G triads and sevenths.
FIGURE 10-47: G flat triads and sevenths.
FIGURE 10-48: C major chord with close voicing.
FIGURE 10-49: C major chord with open voicing.
FIGURE 10-50: C major chord in first inversion, close and open voicing.
FIGURE 10-51: C major chord in second inversion, close and open voicing.
FIGURE 10-52: C major 7 chord in third inversion, close and open voicing.
FIGURE 10-53: Inverted chords.
FIGURE 10-54: Rearranging the inverted chords into stacks of thirds.
FIGURE 10-55: CM9 chord.
FIGURE 10-56: Ninth chords for all the major scales.
FIGURE 10-57: Minor ninth chords for all the major scales.
FIGURE 10-58: The major ninth chords of the major scales.
FIGURE 10-59: The ninth augmented fifth chords in all the major scales.
FIGURE 10-60: Ninth flatted fifth chords for every major scale.
FIGURE 10-61: Seventh flat ninth chords.
FIGURE 10-62: Augmented ninth chords.
FIGURE 10-63: Eleventh chords for all the major scales.
FIGURE 10-64: Augmented eleventh chords.
FIGURE 10-65: Thirteenth chords.
FIGURE 10-66: Thirteenth flat nine chords.
FIGURE 10-67: Thirteenth flat ninth flat fifth chords.

Chapter 11

FIGURE 11-1: The A minor scale, including harmonic and melodic mode steps.
FIGURE 11-2: Tonic triads in the C major scale.
FIGURE 11-3: Triads contained within the key of C major.
FIGURE 11-4: Triads contained within the key of E flat major.
FIGURE 11-5: Possible triads within the key of C minor.
FIGURE 11-6: Possible scale degrees used in C minor.
FIGURE 11-7: This symbol means the chord is a minor 7 flat 5 chord (half-diminis...
FIGURE 11-8: Sevenths in C major.
FIGURE 11-9: Seventh chords in C minor.
FIGURE 11-10: First seven measures of “London Bridge.”
FIGURE 11-11: ”London Bridge” returns to the I chord.
FIGURE 11-12: Lead sheet for “Scarborough Fair.”
FIGURE 11-13: A sample lead sheet.
FIGURE 11-14: Guitar tab for an E major chord.
FIGURE 11-15: A perfect authentic cadence (PAC).
FIGURE 11-16: Difference between a PAC and an IAC.
FIGURE 11-17: A plagal cadence in “Amazing Grace.”
FIGURE 11-18: Two more examples of plagal cadences.
FIGURE 11-19: Deceptive cadence.
FIGURE 11-20: Half-cadences don’t sound quite finished.

Chapter 12

FIGURE 12-1: Allegro means the music would be played at a brisk pace.
FIGURE 12-2: The dynamic markings here mean you would play the first bar very so...
FIGURE 12-3: The crescendo here means play gradually louder and louder until the...
FIGURE 12-4: The diminuendo, or decrescendo, here means play gradually softer an...
FIGURE 12-5: Slurs over groups of notes.
FIGURE 12-6: Pedal dynamics show you which pedal to use and how long to hold it ...

Chapter 14

FIGURE 14-1: In the arch contour, the pitch of notes goes up and then down.
FIGURE 14-2: In the wave contour, pitch goes up and down and up and down, like w...
FIGURE 14-3: In the inverted arch contour, the pitch starts out high, goes down,...
FIGURE 14-4: The pivotal contour revolves around a certain pitch.
FIGURE 14-5: A simple melody line in the key of C.
FIGURE 14-6: Harmony for a melody line in the key of C.
FIGURE 14-7: Note the phrase line in the bass clef.
FIGURE 14-8: A musical period is made of linked phrases.

Chapter 15

FIGURE 15-1: Example of counterpoint from J.S. Bach’s “Aus meines Herzens Grunde...
FIGURE 15-2: Excerpt from the opening theme, first part, of Beethoven’s Sonata i...
FIGURE 15-3: Excerpt from the second part of Sonata in C Minor, Opus 13, which i...
FIGURE 15-4: Excerpt from the second part, or development, of Beethoven’s Sonata...
FIGURE 15-5: Excerpt from the third part of Beethoven’s Sonata No. 8. Sonata in ...
FIGURE 15-6: Excerpt from the A section of Mozart’s Rondo Alla Turca.
FIGURE 15-7: Excerpt from Bach’s Fugue in C Major.
FIGURE 15-8: Bu-bu-bu- BUM… .

Chapter 16

FIGURE 16-1: First tone row, or prime row (P-form).
FIGURE 16-2: Inversion form, or I-form.
FIGURE 16-3: Retrograde pattern, or R-form.
FIGURE 16-4: Retrograde inversion, or RI-form.

Introduction

What do you think of when you hear the phrase music theory? Does the image of your elementary school music teacher eyeing you from behind the piano pop into your head? Or perhaps you have flashbacks to a later image of fellow college students in theory classes determinedly trying to notate theremin whistles? If either of these ideas is anything close to your own perception of what music theory is, hopefully this book will be a pleasant surprise.

For many self-taught musicians, the idea of theory seems daunting and even a little self-defeating. After all, if you can already read guitar tabs and play some scales, why would you want to muddle what you already know with theory?

Even the most basic music theory training gives you the information you need to expand your range and abilities as a musician. A decent amount of note-reading ability enables you to play a particular type of music, whereas some basic knowledge about chord progressions can help you write your own music.

About This Book

Music Theory For Dummies, 4th Edition, is designed to give you everything you need to know to become fluent at knocking out a solid beat, reading musical scores, and learning to anticipate where a song should go, whether you’re reading someone else’s music or writing your own.

Each chapter is as self-contained as possible. In other words, you don’t have to read every single chapter to understand what the next one is talking about. Reading the chapters consecutively does help, though, because knowledge of music builds from simple concepts to complex ones.

We cover a lot of territory in this book, from discovering the basics of note values and time signatures to dissecting lead lines and adding harmony to a melody to studying the standard forms that much of popular and classical music follow. So if you’re new to the world of music theory, pace yourself while reading this book. Read it while you’re sitting at your piano or with your guitar or whatever instrument you’re working with next to you, and stop every couple of pages to practice the information you read. If you were taking a music class, this book would cover several years’ worth of information, so if you don’t learn everything in one or two months, you should refrain from self-flagellation.

Foolish Assumptions

We assume that if you’re reading this book, you love music, you want desperately to understand music and everything about it, and you’re a nut for the complicated dance of perfect timing and arrangement of tones. At the very least, we assume that you have a couple of books of sheet music lying around that have been frustrating you, or you have an old piano in the corner of your house that you’d like to mess around with.

This book is written for the following types of musicians (which, frankly, covers the gamut):

The absolute beginner: We wrote this book with the intent that it would accompany the beginning musician from his very first steps into note reading and tapping out rhythms all the way into his first real attempts at composing music by using the principles of music theory. Beginning musicians should start with Part 1 at the beginning of the book and just keep reading until reaching the back cover. The book is organized to follow the lesson plan that college music theory classes offer.
The music student who drifted away: This book can also be helpful for the musician who took instrument lessons as a child and still remembers how to read sheet music but who was never exposed to the principles of building scales, following basic improvisation, or jamming with other musicians. Many folks fall into this camp, and, luckily, if you do, this book is designed to gently ease you back into the joy of playing music. It shows you how to work outside the constraints of playing from a piece of music and truly begin to improvise and even write your own music.
The experienced performer: This book is also intended for the seasoned musician who already knows how to play music but never got around to working out how to read sheet music beyond the basic fakebook or lead sheet. If this description sounds like you, start with Part 1, because it specifically discusses the note values used in sheet music. If you’re already familiar with the concepts of eighth notes, quarter notes, and so on, Part 2 may be a good starting point. In that part of the book, we lay out the entire music staff and match it to both the piano keyboard and the guitar neck for easy reference.

Icons Used in This Book

Icons are handy little graphic images meant to point out particular types of information. You can find the following icons in this book; they’re conveniently located along the left-hand margins.

This icon highlights time-saving advice and information that can help you understand key concepts.

When we discuss something that may be problematic or confusing, we use this icon.

This icon flags information that’s, well, technical; you can go ahead and skip it if you want to.

When we make a point or offer some information that we feel you should keep with you forever, we toss in this icon.

This icon points out audio tracks that relate to the topic currently being discussed in the book. You can access the audio tracks at www.dummies.com/go/musictheory.

Beyond the Book

In addition to the information and guidance about music theory that we provide in this book, you get access to even more online at Dummies.com. Check out this book’s online Cheat Sheet for handy info regarding US and UK note names, time signatures, chord progressions, and more. Just go to www.dummies.com and search for “Music Theory For Dummies Cheat Sheet.”

Where to Go from Here

If you’re a beginning music student or want to start again fresh, plow through Part 1. If you’re already familiar with the basics of rhythm and want to simply find out how to read notes, head to Part 2. If you’re a trained musician who wants to know how to improvise and begin to write music, Part 3 covers the basics of chord progressions, scales, and cadences. You can also check out Part 4, which discusses a variety of musical forms you can start plugging your own musical ideas into.

Relax and have fun with your quest into music theory. Listening to, playing, and writing music are some of the most enjoyable experiences you’ll ever have. Music Theory For Dummies, 4th Edition, may have been written by teachers, but we promise, no clock-watching tyrants will show up at your door to see how fast you’re making your way through this book! We hope you enjoy reading this book as much as we did writing it. Sit back, read, and then start your own musical adventure.

Part 1

Getting Started with Music Theory

IN THIS PART …

Get to know music theory basics.

Understand notes and rests.

Read time signatures.

Figure out beat patterns and rhythms.