Customer Reviews

Elements of Music, 2nd Edition (Text only)

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
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1 star:		(1)

 

 

Elements of Music by Joseph Straus is arguably the best textbook currently available for the course it is designed for (i.e. Music Fundamentals for music majors as a pre-theory review course, as well as for non-music majors). It covers topics in a comprehensive progressive manner - pitch recognition, rhythm and meter, scales, intervals, triads and 7th chords, introduction to 4-part harmony and music organizations - and at the same time leaves the instructor and students a great degree of flexibility. The 2nd edition varies little from the 1st, but the improvements are noticeable and welcomed: larger font sizes, rearranged music examples in certain exercises (in accordance with the level of difficulty), and the addition of a self test at the end of each chapter.

This book taught me quite a lot about the fundamentals of music, it is very good in its explanations, and they are quite short, so you can learn even quicker. No complaints here.

This book is great not only for experts but for anyone who wants to get into playing music. It's detailed but sometimes doesn't explain things more than one way, but if they did..it would be like, a million pages long! For the most part, you're getting just as the item describes. I wanted to know if it will provide me with some sheet music to practice with and to help me brush up on the basics again, as I've been rusty for quite some time now. I got the book and it does start from the beginning with a diagram of a keyboard and also provides some exercises like, speed exercises to help advance your skills.

It provides a few pages of sheet music to help you get started; the pieces vary from two pages to even five, you know, to help you get going. I reccomend this book to anyone who would like to start with music or advance in it; with good lessons and a little test, you'll be playing music in no time!

The book is in well conditions; however more than 10 pages are missing. I need to do my homework and the book is missing half a chapter...