Music Theory Made Easy New Edition (Reference) [Paperback]

David Harp (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 1992

The easiest theory book ever covers scales and chord structures for folk, blues, rock, country, and jazz, with emphasis on composing your own songs.

Product Details

• Paperback: 80 pages
• Publisher: Music Sales America; 2nd edition (January 1, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0918321999
• ISBN-13: 978-0918321992
• Product Dimensions: 12 x 4.6 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #410,132 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #33 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Entertainment > Music > Reference > General

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

71 of 71 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Title says it all. And don't let the low price fool you., March 8, 2001

By 

Bill M. "bill_m1" (MA, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Music Theory Made Easy New Edition (Reference) (Paperback)

I firmly believe that a knowledge of music theory is an indispensable tool for any musician, regardless of what instrument or style they play. Sadly, I see lots of guitarists who don't learn anything beyond downloaded tablature, and even some orchestra musicians who only know how to play what's written in front of them. But in music, just like any other field, it's easy to learn new things and communicate with others once you know the language. Which brings me to this book...

This book is really cheap, skinny enough to fit in a guitar case, good for any instrument, has some funny illustrations, and (best of all) is written very clearly without going against convention. The author starts with some information on the science of sound, a brief history of music development, then looks at notes, scales, chords, progressions, applications to various music styles, and in the end some helpful suggestions on writing songs and jamming with other people. Granted, it's not the complete guide to music theory, and he does get some of the history of Pythagoreas wrong. But it's the perfect introductory book for the many musicians who haven't learned much, if any, music theory (and don't worry -- you don't need to know how to read sheet music to understand this book). If you want to learn the basics of music theory in an inexpensive, straight foward, yet fun way, then buy this book.

41 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Better, faster, cheaper than almost any other theory book, March 19, 2004

By 

C. Green "CJ Green" (Albuquerque, NM United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Music Theory Made Easy New Edition (Reference) (Paperback)

Although this book is obviously not geared towards those undergoing heavy-duty classical music training, if you just want to learn what chord construction, chord progression, scales, and a little of what jazz and rock styles are all about, this is the book for you. This is, hands down, the best theory book for the player who just wants to play an instrument well enough to jam with his/her friends or to learn and play songs from a fake book. Even an accomplished musician who knows little about theory (and yes, those people do exist) can benefit from reading this plainly-written, enjoyable, and inexpensive little book.

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Music Theory Made Easy, May 5, 2004

By 

C F McDonough (Connellsville, PA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Music Theory Made Easy New Edition (Reference) (Paperback)

This book is great! I'm an adult who loves music but whose education was neglected in the field of music theory. This explained all of those "mysteries" and helped me understand that music is simply another language and not just a "gift". The style is clear and easy enough for my 4th grader to understand. It enervated me and made me feel not-so-hopeless and that, yes, someday with practice I can play an instrument and understand why music does what it does.