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Barbed Wire Kiss · Post by **Barbed Wire Kiss** » Mon Nov 21, 2005 4:40 pm

Hi

Any suggestions for someone who's realised they really are gonna have to bite the bullet, and learn something about music theory?

Garry.

snooky · Post by **snooky** » Mon Nov 21, 2005 4:42 pm

it's all in your mind...

vurt · Post by **vurt** » Mon Nov 21, 2005 4:44 pm

the complete idiots guide to music theory is pretty good for beginners,its where i started out when i first got into the idea that theory could help,even if i dont use it in my personal compositions.im not saying im now a virtuoso or anything but i can have actual conversations now about theory with a couple of my mates who are in the orchestra

before when they chatted i used to put my walkman on

androidlove · Post by **androidlove** » Mon Nov 21, 2005 4:46 pm

is this the start of a huge debate?

any good books on talent?

vurt · Post by **vurt** » Mon Nov 21, 2005 4:47 pm

androidlove wrote:
any good books on talent?

one or two yes...

Barbed Wire Kiss · Post by **Barbed Wire Kiss** » Mon Nov 21, 2005 4:53 pm

vurt wrote:
androidlove wrote:
any good books on talent?

one or two yes...

That's quite useful. Fourth down is a book on dnb. It's 'Jungle Book' by some guy called Rudyard Kipling.

I'm really need to learn something, after I read the theory pages for Chordspace and was lost from pretty much the second sentence.

Thanks for the suggstion Vurt.

DWb · Post by **DWb** » Mon Nov 21, 2005 4:58 pm

If you look around charity shops you'll very often find cheap books on harmony, which give you the basic definitions and terms, which are handy, and then a lot of the theory of baroque counterpoint, which is a beautiful and fantastic thing to study but probably not too applicable to 'popular' music.

But that might be a reasonable start.

nuffink · Post by **nuffink** » Mon Nov 21, 2005 5:07 pm

Give my theory stuff a go. If you don't get along with it, there are some links to other theory sites.

Ildon · Post by **Ildon** » Mon Nov 21, 2005 5:12 pm

I second The Idiot's Guide to Music Theory. I studied that book for a good four months, because there's a lot of information there. Also pick up the book "Theory and Harmony," because it'll cover some subjects (such as song form) that The Idiot's Guide skips over.

Barbed Wire Kiss · Post by **Barbed Wire Kiss** » Mon Nov 21, 2005 7:46 pm

nuffink wrote:Give my theory stuff a go. If you don't get along with it, there are some links to other theory sites.

Yeah, I unfortunately forgot your links so I'll certainly do return to them.

Thanks for the couple of suggestions - the "Theory and Harmony" is another Idiot's Guide right? - but if anyone has any more just keep 'em coming. I was once given some good advise with text books: Find a section that you already understand, and if what's written is makes sense to you, then it's likely a good book. So more the better.

Edit: I think I've found "Theory and Harmony" book. Is it Harmony and Theory: A Comprehensive Source for All Musicians by Keith Wyatt?

Ildon · Post by **Ildon** » Mon Nov 21, 2005 11:40 pm

Barbed Wire Kiss wrote:
nuffink wrote:Give my theory stuff a go. If you don't get along with it, there are some links to other theory sites.
Yeah, I unfortunately forgot your links so I'll certainly do return to them.

Thanks for the couple of suggestions - the "Theory and Harmony" is another Idiot's Guide right? - but if anyone has any more just keep 'em coming. I was once given some good advise with text books: Find a section that you already understand, and if what's written is makes sense to you, then it's likely a good book. So more the better.

Edit: I think I've found "Theory and Harmony" book. Is it Harmony and Theory: A Comprehensive Source for All Musicians by Keith Wyatt?

That might be a good choice, but this is what I'm talking about: http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASI ... 85-6790046

LBN · Post by **LBN** » Tue Nov 22, 2005 4:13 am

I also recommend the Complete Idiot's Guide to Music Theory. It's a good way to get up to speed from zero or little knowledge and then understand what your options are in pursuing further studies. Likewise, Complete Idiot's Guide to Songwriting makes a good companion piece.

k-bird · Post by **k-bird** » Tue Nov 22, 2005 4:21 am

Onlinewise the Ravenspiral Guide is fairly good and it doesn't force you to read music to get something out of it.

On the other hand, Harmony and Theory by Wyatt/Schroeder be a berry good booky indeedo. I could follow it pretty well.

If you're still not satisfied after Harmony and Theory you can go somewhere like Mark Levine's The Jazz Theory Book afterwards, but for that book you'll need to know how to read music (which Harmony and Theory covers).

Barbed Wire Kiss · Post by **Barbed Wire Kiss** » Tue Nov 22, 2005 9:38 am

God! How many books are there with a permutation of Harmony and Theory in the title?

Yet again thanks for all the suggestions. I'm at work so I'm very tempted to print out the Ravenspiral Guide.

Edit: the Ravenspiral Guide is so cool, it's mentions not only Mozart and Beethoven, but also the Amen break and My Bloody Valentine.

herodotus · Post by **herodotus** » Tue Nov 22, 2005 1:13 pm

Barbed Wire Kiss wrote:God! How many books are there with a permutation of Harmony and Theory in the title?

More than anyone could possibly read in ones lifetime.

Personally, I think if you just want to buy one book, the Harvard Dictionary of Music is the way to go. It has long, detailed entries on most theoretical subjects.

Its a good place to start your quest, and you will never outgrow it. Sometimes just looking up a few terms can make complex stuff comprehensible

Music Theory Books for Beginners (Idiots!!!)?