Music Theory

[phantom power]

I know this is slightly off topic. Only slightly since I want to learn some theory to help the recordings I work on. Anyway, I was wondering if anyone knows of a good(readable) music theory book? I have been playing guitar for about 12 years and I feel like I probably know alot of this stuff already. I just want to be able to put it it into use in a communicable (if that's a word) way. Any recommendations would be appreciated. Thanks- AE

[pandafresh]

i have a book called "music theory for idoits"
i think the name says it all. i didnt know any theory before. i have not read the whole book yet. but now i know more. im sure its pretty basic stuff. but it sure is usefull..

-trevor

[SpaceCad]

I've read several books and would recommend anything written by the National Guitar Workshop and Berklee Press. You can also pick up supplemental theory books that accompany music lessonbooks.

If you are a guitar player the first two might work best for you. Otherwise, I found the piano to be a great tool to use when learning theory because it is all laid out for you - 12 notes in series that repeat.

Also, go to the public library. They are a great resource for this material.

[I'm Painting Again]

read ancient greek sources

[Rob Christensen]

I second the recommendation of "The Complete Idiot's Guide To Music Theory." I'm self-taught via "Teach Yourself Guitar" type books & having to come up with arrangements while home recording. The Idiot's Guide confirmed a lot of my suspicions and answered some of my questions about theory. It's got a friendly tone and yet it is informative.

Rob C.

[meblumen]

I haven't read the Idiots guide but I would suggest taking a look at some of the things put out by the Berklee press. I'd also recommend Music in THeory and Practice by Bruce Benward and Gary WHite. Its more of a textbook directed toward beginning music theory students but I have had great sucess using it with some of my students (I teach guitar, bass and piano). I would also suggest you go online, I've found some great websites (sorry I don't have any links to post, but if I think of any specific ones later, I'll add some). Lastly, I was curious what instruments, if any you play. I started as a guitarist very young but I quickly began playing the piano because it is much easier to visualize many of the theoretical concepts used in music. You can then simply take that knowledge (which you can comprehend on a piano better) and transpose it over to any other instrument, so if you have a keyboard use it, and if you don't buy or borrow a cheap one or a USB midi controller cuz I guarantee it will help alot. Hope this helped.

[kristopher612]

hey , since we're on this topic, is the fretboard logic series any good, or is it total crap? seems like a lot of money for someone that knows theory already, but i wanna get more into theory than i am right now. also, is there any good way of memorizing notes on the fretboard? other than just playing single notes until it's a memory function rather than something to think about?

[SpaceCad]

Fretboard Logic is a great series that teaches you how a guitar "works" musically. I don't think it even talks about theory until the last book. It's more of a roadmap for getting around the fretboard.

I think this series would help you get an eye for where certain notes are, but I don't think it's neccessary.

One good way to learn notes up and down the fretboard is to play octaves on the 6th and 4th strings, 5th and 3rd strings..... Doug Martsch does a lot of this in Built to Spill stuff.

[cwileyriser]

Jamey Aebersold's Jazz Handbook is great and what makes it even better is that it's free. It's online at:

http://www.jazzbooks.com/jazzhandbook/Default.htm

You can also order one for free.

Also, his workshops that he does in Chicago and Louisville each summer are wonderful. They're cheap as hell (about $400 includes a weeklong program and a dorm room) and as long as you can put up with the high school and college kids (most of whom are tolerable because they're good musicians) that make up 80%+ of the attendees, you'll learn a hell of a lot and you'll get to work with some great musicians, both faculty and students. When my 6-piece combo (I was on upright bass) played at the week-end concert, I had Rufus Reid listening and critiquing my bass playing (on a 300+bpm version of Impressions - I was DYING when we finished).

Although you'll work on jazz all week, you'll learn stuff that will apply across the board in all styles, including a lot of really useful theory. I do mostly "alt country" type stuff and I use the things I learned from Aebersold's books and workshops every day. He also puts out a killer series of play-along jazz and standards CDs.

[kristopher612]

you'd figure as a built to spill fan i would have noticed this, but i've never really tried to figure out what's going on in their songs. just been a listener. sounds like that might be cheaper, but i guess it never hurts to study stuff. anyone out there gotten into the guitar grimoire? i've got the scales book, and the chord book. im thinking of getting the improve/progressions book and the other two. are any of them helpful in memorizing things?

[phantom power]

Thanks for the replies fellas. I'll check out some of those books. Just as a side note: I saw Built to Spill last night at The Great American in San Francisco. Doug was sick so his voice was kinda all over the place. But, every time his voice fucked up he would just play more guitar. It was great. He and the other guitar player(I don't know his name, but he was really good) were both using the Line6 delay modeler and setting loops in the middle of the song. It was great. They played a cover of Elton John's "Daniel" and it gave me goose bumps. Anyway thanks again for the replies. -AE

[SpaceCad]

I saw Built To Spill on Tuesday night and I could tell that Doug's voice was going out. He would keep coughing in between vocal lines. But I thought they sounded fantastic in that room. They ended Tuesday's show with Neil Young's "Cortez the Killer" and jammed it out into a delay freakout. What a great show - and the opening band Draw was really cool too. The cello was amazing.

I saw My Morning Jacket at Slim's last night. What a bunch of rockers - from my home state of KY. If you haven't heard them yet, you must check them out. They are a fine mix of Neil Young, southern rock with late 80's stadium rock attitude.

Two of the best shows I've ever seen. I'm so tired.

[markpar]

I saw My Morning Jacket at Slim's last night. What a bunch of rockers - from my home state of KY. If you haven't heard them yet, you must check them out. They are a fine mix of Neil Young, southern rock with late 80's stadium rock attitude.

I saw MMJ open for Guided By Voices last summer and for their last song, they turned off all the stage lights and did a cover of "Black Sabbath". Man, that rocked.

-mark

[Brian Brock]

This topic has died down, but I couldn't help mentioning my all-time favorite harmony book. I have looked at a lot of Theory books, aimed at both guitar players and general, and never could stand any of them because, I think, they're overly intellect-oriented - all words and numbers. I understand things primarily by grokking a principle which I can use to open up practical effects.

So, the book I like is called Harmonic Experience, by W. A. Mathieu. Its primary value is that he developes music theory (both pure intonations and equal temperament) from singing pure intervals. This is a completely foundational approach to music theory, like a Principia Mathematica but beautiful. At about fifty bucks it's only for the determined, but it packs a punch!

Or, just buy a tamboura tape (indian classical drone) and sing with it for thrity years or until you understand all music, whichever comes second.


Brian