Music Theory, 3E (Idiot's Guides) by Miller, Michael -- Read -- Imperial Library of Trantor

Index

Title Page Copyright Page Introduction Part 1: Tones

1 Pitches and Clefs

Understanding Musical Tones Tones Have Value

Tuning Into a Frequency Play by Numbers Do Re Mi

Tones Have Names

Learning the ABCs Notes on a Piano Keyboard Notes on a Staff Above—and Below—the Staff

Different Clefs

The Treble Clef The Bass Clef The Grand Staff Specialty Clefs The Percussion Clef

Exercises

2 Intervals

Be Sharp—or Be Flat Steppin’ Out A Matter of Degrees

First Things First Major and Minor Intervals Perfect Intervals Augmented and Diminished Intervals Beyond the Octave Intervals and Half Steps

Mod-12 Exercises

3 Scales

Eight Notes Equal One Scale Major Scales Minor Scales

Natural Minor Harmonic Minor Melodic Minor

In the Mode

Ionian Dorian Phrygian Lydian Mixolydian Aeolian Locrian

Exercises

4 Major and Minor Keys

Keys to Success

Using Key Signatures Determining the Key Signature Major Keys Minor Keys

The Circle of Fifths Accidents Will Happen Changing Keys Exercises

Part 2: Rhythms

5 Note Values and Basic Notation

Taking the Measure of Things Taking Note—of Notes

Whole Notes Half Notes Quarter Notes Eighth Notes Sixteenth Notes

Taking Count Taking a Rest Taking a Note—and Dotting It Taking Two Notes—and Tying Them Together Taking the Beat and Dividing by Three Exercises

6 Time Signatures

Measuring the Beats

Quarter-Note Time Eighth-Note Time Half Time

Changing the Time Grouping the Beats Exercises

7 Tempo, Dynamics, and Navigation

Taking the Pulse

Beats per Minute Italian Tempo Terms

Speeding Up—and Slowing Down Hold That Note! Getting Loud—and Getting Soft

Dynamic Markings Changing Dynamics Play It Harder

Finding Your Way

Repeating Sections Repeating Measures Repeating Notes Repeating Rests

Exercises

Part 3: Tunes

8 Melodies

Combining Tones and Rhythms Common Melodic Techniques

Dvořák’s New World Symphony Bach’s Minuet in G “Michael, Row the Boat Ashore” Pachelbel’s Canon in D

The Building Blocks of Melodic Form

The Motif The Short Melodic Phrase The Long Melodic Phrase

Composing Your First Melody Exercises

9 Chords

Forming a Chord Different Types of Chords

Major Chords Minor Chords Diminished Chords Augmented Chords

Chord Extensions

Sevenths Other Extensions

Altered, Suspended, and Power Chords

Altered Chords Suspended Chords Power Chords

Inverting the Order Adding Chords to Your Music Exercises

10 Chord Progressions

Chords for Each Note in the Scale Creating a Progression It’s All About Getting Home One Good Chord Leads to Another Ending a Phrase

Perfect Cadence Plagal Cadence Imperfect Cadence Interrupted Cadence

Common Chord Progressions

I-IV I-V I-IV-V I-IV-V-IV I-V-vi-IV I-ii-IV-V I-ii-IV I-vi-ii-V I-vi-IV-V I-vi-ii-V7-ii IV-I-IV-V ii-V-I Circle of Fifths Progression Chromatic Circle of Fifths

Singing the Blues Chords and Melodies

Fitting Chords to a Melody Chord Writing Tips Writing a Melody to a Chord Progression

Exercises

11 Phrases and Forms

Parts of a Song

Introduction Verse Chorus Bridge Ending

Putting It All Together Exercise

Part 4: Accompanying

12 Transcribing What You Hear

Training Your Ear Listening—Actively Developing Super Hearing

Hearing Pitch Hearing Intervals Hearing Rhythms Hearing Melodies Hearing Keys Hearing Chords and Chord Progressions

Writing It All Down Exercises

13 Accompanying Melodies

What’s the Score?

Working from a Lead Sheet Working from a Chord Sheet Working from a Melody Working from Nothing

Working the Form Playing the Part

Block Chord Accompaniment Rhythmic Accompaniment Arpeggiated Accompaniment Moving Bass

One Good Strum Deserves Another Exercises

14 Transposing to Other Keys

Move Your Notes Around Why You Need to Transpose Four Ways to Transpose

Step-Wise Transposition Degree-Wise Transposition Interval-Based Transposition Software-Based Transposition

Exercises

Part 5: Embellishing

15 Harmony and Counterpoint

Two Ways to Enhance a Melody Living in Harmony

Voicing and Inversions Making Harmony Parts More Melodic Voice Leading

Making a Point—with Counterpoint

Keys to Successful Counterpoint Creating Your First Counterpoint

What to Avoid Exercises

16 Chord Substitutions and Turnarounds

Extending a Good Thing Altering the Bass Two Chords Are Better Than One One Good Chord Can Replace Another

Diatonic Substitution Major Chord Substitutions Minor Chord Substitutions Dominant Seventh Substitutions Functional Substitutions

Turnarounds Exercises

17 Special Notation

Throwing a Curve

Ties Slurs Phrases

The Long and the Short of It

Tenuto Staccato

When Is a Note More Than a Note?

Grace Notes Turns Trills Glissandi Arpeggiated Chords

Getting Into the Swing of Things Getting the Word Exercises

Part 6: Composing and Arranging

18 Musical Genres and Forms

Classical Music

Classical Music Through the Years Classical Forms

Blues and Jazz

The Blues Jazz

Popular Music Exercises

19 Composing Your Own Music

How to Become a Composer

Different Approaches to Composition Learning How to Write Your Own Music

Composing with Chords

Using Chord Leading Establishing a Harmonic Rhythm Fitting Melodies to Your Chords

Making Memorable Melodies

Center on a Pitch Make Sure You End Up at Home Go Pentatonic Find the Hook Create Variations Make It Move Take Small Steps Stay in Range Set Up—and Resolve—Tension Follow the Words

Fitting Chords to a Melody

Try the Obvious Use the Melodic Outline Work Backward

Exercises

20 Arranging for Voices and Instruments

Vocal Arranging

Voice Characteristics Vocal Ranges

Instrumental Arranging

Instrument Characteristics Transposition Good Keys and Bad Keys

Choosing Instruments for an Arrangement Common Ensembles

Choir Symphonic Orchestra Chamber Orchestra String Orchestra String Quartet Concert Band Marching Band Big Band (Jazz Band) Rock Band (Rhythm Section)

Exercises

21 Lead Sheets and Scores

Follow the Rules Take the Lead Make It Simple

Chord Sheets The Nashville Number System

Sing It Loud Jazz It Up for Big Bands Strike Up the (Concert) Band Make the Big Score—for the Symphonic Orchestra Use the Computer Exercise Coda

Appendixes

A Glossary B Music Theory Ear Training Course C Answers to Chapter Exercises

About the Author

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