Learn the basics of music theory in this comprehensive and easy-to-understand guide.
From classical to hard rock, and jazz to hip hop, music is constantly evolving, but many of the basics have stayed the same. Understanding these basics is key to becoming a successful musician and well-rounded music lover.
Music Theory 101 covers everything novice musicians and lifelong learners need to know,
-How to read sheet music -Understanding the construction of chords and scales -The different rhythm and time signatures -How keys are identified and organized
Full of music trivia, music history, comprehensive instruction, and visual aids of scales, music symbols, and chords throughout, Music Theory 101 is the essential guide you need for a crash course in music theory that even professional musicians would envy.
Brian Boone has contributed material to Funny or Die, The Onion, Bunny Ears, Vulture, ClickHole, RiffTrax, CBC Comedy, The New Yorker, MAD, Weekly Humorist, Looper, Someecards, How Stuff Works, and many high profile podcasts. He's the author of many children's joke books, the music trivia title I Love Rock n' Roll (Except When I Hate It) and is a longtime contributor and editor for the Uncle John's Bathroom Reader series. He lives in San Verguenza, California, with his family.
This book has two significant mistakes. First, on page 46 it says the interval from C to E flat is a diminished third. The author should have said it was a minor third. On page 50, the author claims a descending minor third for Beethoven's 5th Symphony are the first three notes. Not true. That's a major third.
I hesitate to give this any rating simply because I am not far enough in my music lessons to fully understand theory when it’s written out. I’m currently using a YouTube playlist to learn and some of this info is included but on a much easier level. I wanted to read the entirety anyway just to have a primer Incase I hear it again. Once I’ve made it further into my study I’ll pick this back up and try again.
I've been learning music for about 11 years and I am currently 21, so I have a reasonable understanding of musical theory. There have been times where I want to explain to someone something about musical theory, but I haven't been able to do it concisely or use the right words to do so. This book explains everything musical theory so incredibly well.
The book covers EVERYTHING you need to know about musical theory, and caters for the experienced and the new musician.
They reiterate everything you learn so you can easily learn and remember everything the book is teaching you.
All in all, this is the best musical theory book I've read, and I highly recommend.
As someone who has an understanding of music theory, I noticed a huge mistake on page 64 when it talks about whole and half steps and whole steps between notes using the C major scale as an example. The pattern should be WWHWWWH instead of WHWWHWW. E to F is a half step and B to C is a half step.
I really like music, but I struggle with music theory. Largely because there's soooo much math to it. My positive review of this is mostly based on the fact that this is the third time I have tried to read a music theory book and the first time I've been able to even get through one. The fact that it made some sense and I know a little more is just icing on the cake at this point.
Also jazz guitarists are not given nearly enough credit. I lost track of the number of times I read "here's the super technical detail you don't need to worry about...unless you're a jazz guitarist."
Theorists look back and try to fit all the music into a set of rules. But this is not always in your best interest. It is worth nothing that a certain sequence of chords happens over and over again, but trying to figure out why will drive you crazy. In the end, you'll understand that there are sounds associated with feelings, moods, and other things that cannot be quantified with theory. Remember: music first, theory second.
3.5 stars, good (and compact) enough to keep around for reference.
I've recently (read: 6 years ago) started playing violin after years of performing vocal music. While it's not my first instrument, it is revealing a number of holes in my music theory education, particularly as regards non-diatonic major scales. I picked this up to help fill those gaps.
It is thorough and to the point. I learned or solidified knowledge quite a bit, more in some sections than others. But the writing is tough to get through in places, particularly where music vernacular abounds. It should also come with a recommendation to read it in front of a keyboard or piano so that one can play the notes represented to hear what the author is talking about. Nearly every musician knows what the common intervals sound like, but can you "hear" chord progressions by sight reading if you don't already know them? Guitar might work almost as well if that's your instrument of choice, but single line instruments like violin won't do. There are also a couple of nice sections dedicated to jazz and blues chord progressions but I'm not sure that the author makes the case for why these should be called out and not, say, bluegrass or country or ska, etc.
On the whole, a decent reference. I just wish the writing had been a little clearer in places, as I'm still not sure that I could quickly identify many of the elements discussed here without the reference material in front of me.
Good intro to music theory. - Completeness: The book covers all the fundamental components of music theory: notes, scales, chords, chord progression, and music notation; plus 2 chapters on jazz and Blues. - Concision: It's amazing that all the above topics can be covered in this small book! The writing is concise and to the point but is not dry; in fact, the writing tone is conversational and somewhat humorous. - Presentation: Well structured, clear fonts and spacing, good illustrations.
Because of its condensed contents, this book should be used as reference, like a handbook; probably not a good one for absolute beginners (who never study music before).
I found this book really helpful for those who know a bit about theory but cannot organize music knowledge in a proper way.
I learn piano by myself and quite understand the basics but cannot really understand how it works e.g. not understand do scales or chords come first, do you sing within the chord or scale ( some of you may understand chords, scales but don't know how to arrange them )
This book explains in concise and easy to understand. starts from interval to scale, chord then harmony.
Overview: "Music Theory 101" by Brian Broon is an insightful introduction to the basics of music theory. The book covers essential concepts like notes, rhythms, scales, and harmonies in a way that is accessible and engaging for beginners and those looking to refresh their knowledge.
What I Enjoyed: Broon’s writing style is approachable and conversational, making complex ideas easy to understand. The book is filled with practical examples and exercises that encourage readers to apply what they learn. I particularly enjoyed the clear diagrams and visual aids that help illustrate key concepts, making the material more engaging.
What I Disliked: While the book covers a lot of ground, some topics may feel a bit rushed, leaving out deeper explanations that could benefit more advanced learners. Additionally, a few of the musical examples might not resonate with all readers, depending on their musical preferences.
Recommendation: I highly recommend "Music Theory 101" to anyone interested in music, whether you're a student, a budding musician, or simply curious about how music works. It’s suitable for all ages and levels of experience.
Conclusion: Overall, "Music Theory 101" by Brian Broon is a fantastic resource for anyone wanting to delve into the world of music theory. It provides a solid foundation and makes learning about music both fun and accessible!
This book is comprehensive, yet accessible to a beginner in music theory like me. Some aspects went over my head, and I think I would benefit from re-reading this book in a couple of years when my musical skill and knowledge has increased. Still, I this book helped me face some of the aspects of music theory that are anxiety-inducing for me as a beginner, making them less frightening through straight-forward, accessible explanations.
En temel muzik terimlerini gunluk dilde, “layman� ya da tembele anlatir sekilde anlatmis. Cogunlukla bildigim seylerin turkce karsiliklarini gormus, ve armoni modlari ve jazz armonilerini kabaca tanimis oldum. Hic muzik teorisi bilmeyen insanlara okumalarini, ama sadece bunu okuyarak cok bir sey anlayamayacaklarini soylemek isterim.
This is good book for beginners and those that want to refresh their memories. I recommend reading this in bits and pieces as if you reading this for a class because then you can sit with the material and fully grasp it.
When I tried to learn music theory from this book alone, I couldn't keep it up. Taking a course helped me understand the concepts, but I will keep this book as reference.
3-Stars because the book itself is likely doing its best given that it's trying to explain music via ink on paper
This book taught many aspects of music theory from the basics of time signatures and note values to more advanced topics such as modes and to more obscure topics like articulations and symbols. This book is great for getting beginners quickly up to speed with the fundamentals of music theory.
a clear, concise overview of the basics of music theory. Everything is explained thoroughly and succinctly. As someone who's been playing music for years as a hobby, I wish I had this when I started, and I'll definitely be rereading parts of this to refresh whatever it is I've forgotten.
Guter Überblick für den ersten Einstieg. Nicht zu schwer, mit einigen Themen habe ich mich jedoch schwer getan, so etwa Jazz und Blues, fand es ein wenig zu knapp gefasst. Insgesamt aber ein gutes Werk zum Einstieg.
I would say a good intro for explaining music theory, though I got lost when it starting talking about triads.. I think overall more explanation would help since I had trouble grasping the more advanced concepts.
Was using this as a quick review of basics before my music Praxis. In some cases, it was a good refresh, and in other cases I saw mistakes (like the tempo bpm differentiations were inconsistant to most known/common differences).
This book is great for music students who need a quick review of basic music theory content. The language is easy to understand and presented in an organized and logical framework.