Music Theory For Beginners

by R. Ryan Endris, Joe Lee (Illustrator), Carmen-Helena Tellez (Foreword Author)

Music Theory For Beginners was developed for anyone interested in learning to read and write music, a task that can be quite daunting for novices. This text, however, will allay any fears and set you on the path to learning what all those dots, lines, and symbols actually mean. It provides the necessary scholarly muscle to entice and inform the reader, yet it does not require any prior knowledge of music or force the reader to wade through hundreds of pages of jargon and details. Whether your goal is to gain a cursory understanding of music, become fluent in reading music again, or start composing your own music, this text will provide everything you need for a solid foundation in music theory.

Genres: Music, Nonfiction

136 pages, Paperback

First published October 20, 2015

Reviews

[Leeanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a music teacher, I'm always looking for new material to present to my students. Although this book is a little advanced for my students (I teach K-6), I definitely think this is perfect for middle school, high school or adult. I like the images and little musical jokes throughout and things are clearly outlined. My only thought is that there is no where for the reader to try out a few things. I think it would be great if it came with some blank staff paper at the end or at the end of each section. There could also be little mini quizzes along the way. I won this book in the Giveaways.

[Byron Wright · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've been taking piano lessons for a couple of years and read this book with the intent to understand more about the system underlying the music. I can look at 4/4 and 3/4 time to understand what to do, but wanted to understand more of why. I also wanted to understand more about chords and variations of them.

I found that this book introduced a lot of concepts but didn't do a very good job in teaching any of them. Lots of stuff was listed and defined, but dealt with too quickly and without enough additional explanation to really understand it. Based on what I already knew, the first half of the book had some tidbits that I found useful. However, the second half of the book where it started getting in scales and variations of scales was not useful for me.

Overall, this book felt like a condensed version of a very detailed book rather than selected essential concepts. The attempt to do too many things in a small book left me wanting better explanations and more examples.

[ANGEL ALEXANDER · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my introduction to music in the context of composition and actual theory... I expected more but if you are starting to like beats and music composition I fully recommend it.

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

I used to know this stuff and felt the need to brush up on it. This book is a nice brisk way to do that.

[Allie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick overview for beginners! I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a quick refresher on basic theory or to those seeking to start expanding their theory knowledge.

[William Yip · Rating 3 out of 5]

Many of the drawings did not relate to the topic being discussed. It was a short book and I spotted a wrong fact and several typos. That said, this book does successfully teach the basics of music theory to complete novices though there are better intro books.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've always had an appreciation for music. I love how it sets a mood, gets you moving gives you something to sing along with during the times I'm not swearing under my breath at other drivers on the highway (don't worry -- no road rage here -- really!)... As an extremely mediocre childhood piano player, recorder tooter and flautist (I learned the vocabulary a lot better than the instrument), I have an even greater appreciation of those who play music. After reading Music Theory for Beginners, I have, perhaps, the greatest appreciation for those who compose music. Wow -- there is a lot to know!! Endris does a great job of breaking everything down into bite-sized pieces. I especially liked the fact that he often compares music theory to more commonly understood subjects, such as basic grammar, or uses well known songs to illustrate his points. Mary Had a Little Lamb is definitely something I can wrap my head around. The book is also filled with whimsical drawings that further illustrate, emphasize or just amuse. I don't know if I will ever gain a working knowledge of the workings of a symphony, pop tune or what makes Jazz and Blues so special, but it is certain that Music Theory for Beginners gave me a great introduction to the subject. Now, I think I'll leave the theory to the professionals and go and enjoy the wonderful music they make possible.

Thank you to R. Ryan Endris and For Beginners Publishing for providing me with a copy of this book to review. This in no way altered my review.