Harmony and Theory: A Comprehensive Source for All Musicians (Essential Concepts (Musicians Institute).) (Paperback)

~ (Author), Carl Schroeder (Author) "Music is made up of sounds that that can be organized into three main elements: melody, rhythm, and harmony..." (more)
Key Phrases: slash chord symbol, dominant chord resolves, minor key centers, Dmi Emi (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

This book is a step-by-step guide to MI's well-known Harmony and Theory class. It includes complete lessons and analysis of: intervals, rhythms, scales, chords, key signatures; transposition, chord inversions, key centers; harmonizing the major and minor scales; and more!

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Musicians Institute Press (April 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0793579910
• ISBN-13: 978-0793579914
• Product Dimensions: 12 x 8.9 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (31 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #111,842 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

69 of 71 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent introduction to music theory, November 14, 2000

By	Lewis Brownstein (New Paltz, New York USA) - See all my reviews

I had some music theory before I picked up this volume, but had not studied it in a comprehensive manner. This book took me through the basics in a step-by-step fashion. As a result, I feel I have a firm grasp of scale structure, intervals, and chord forms. The exercises (with answers in the back) are very useful and enable you to ensure that you have understood the text. I spent two weeks with this book this past summer and am delighted that I did. Strongly recommended.

67 of 72 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Exactly what I needed!, January 26, 2004

By	Maddi Hausmann Sojourner "madhaus" (Silicon Valley, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I spent 12 years studying classical piano and I have always had a good ear for music (which means I can't sight-read ...). When I went off to college, a group of people were jamming in the big room, so I sat down at the piano figuring I'd join in. Well, despite my thinking I was such a great ear-player I hadn't the slightest idea what they were doing. It sounded like the 1-4-5 boogie woogie I learned in sixth grade, but it wasn't. They told me to stop playing because I was doing it wrong, so I slinked off in humiliation.

25 years later, my husband gave me this book. He was tired of having to explain what he thought was fairly standard chord notation, and I was frustrated that despite my years of study, I had no idea what he was talking about. I read the book through and I was back in that dorm social room... and I figured out what they were jamming on!!!!

This book explained it all, chord substitutions, variations, which keys go with others and why, what works, what doesn't, and what to call it so you can talk to other musicians. I realize the typical reader would be someone who can play but can't read or write music, but don't count yourself out just because you can. If, like me, you came from the classical world but never learned to talk rock or jazz theory, this is a great book for you. It really was a Rosetta Stone for me. And now I know what a flat-five substitution is and when to do it.

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Just enough and very well written, June 27, 2006

By	Patrick D. Goonan "www.meaningful-life.us" (Pleasanton, CA) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

I absolutely love this book. It covers essential music theory is a very short space in a well-organized manner. More importantly, it emphasizes the concepts that are most important to a musician who wants to develop their practical skills at chord substitution, improvisation, voicing chords, etc.

Although the topics in this book are covered in academic books on harmony, they aren't covered in such a powerful and concise way. Other books that targeted toward beginners don't have the same depth. However, if you are a beginner, this book will be useful to you now and down the road. Therefore, don't hesitate to buy it if you are just starting out.

I have been playing the piano and other instruments for over 25 years and played in a band for 11 of those years. I often look at this book for review purposes and it is one of the few harmony books I have kept on my bookshelf. Another good one is HARMONY by Walter Piston. However, this volume is an excellent textbook, not a concise presentation of the key essentials.