Music Theory Workbook for All Instruments, Volume One: Vol 1 - Softcover

Arnold, Bruce E.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1890944467 ISBN 13: 9781890944469

Publisher: Muse-eek Publishing, 2001

Synopsis

This book uses extremely simple language to explain the basics of music theory. Exercises require the student to write out examples using staff notation. Exercises include simple interval to highly complex chords.

About this title

From the Author

This theory workbook is designed to teach you the basic building blocks of music theory. You should play each exercise on your own instrument in order to ingrain the information in your head and your hands. Each exercise will ask you to write the notes contained in the intervals or chords on a music staff. The answers for each exercise can be found in the back of the book. Remember that memorizing the notes contained in each chord presented combined with knowing where these notes are on your instrument, will open up a whole new understanding of music. As stated in the Foreword, applying this knowledge to your instrument will give you the ability to create music with greater flexibility, coherence, and confidence.

In order to help you apply the information presented in this book I've created a small booklet that can be downloaded for free at the muse-eek.com website. This booklet gives you exercises specifically designed to help you apply the theory information to your instrument.The "member's area" also contains other educational files that can help you in your musical studies.

Background theory information needed to complete each exercise is presented in easy to understand language. A piano keyboard diagram is used to demonstrate certain music theory concepts. It is important that you also play each example presented in the background theory section. This will help you to directly involve your instrument with the process of learning. The theory section is followed by exercises for learning intervals and triads, 7th chords (4 note chords) and chords with tensions. After you check your answers in the back of the book be sure to play each example on your instrument.

A total beginner should keep in mind that there is a lot of information presented here and it can get overwhelming after a while. It is important for you to pace yourself. If you take on to much information in "one gulp" you will end up with learning fatigue, so divide your work into sensible amounts. For example, once you have read up to page 6, do the "Basic Intervals" exercise on page 16 while this information is fresh in your mind. Refer back to pages 1-6 as you do the "Basic Intervals" exercise on page 16 if you need help in remembering the chromatic scale or how many half steps are in a particular interval. As you work further through this book you will find that over time you will start to remember many of the concepts presented in the theory section just from using them so many times. I've also included a blank sheet in the back of the book if you feel you want to redo certain pages.

Whether you are a beginner, or an advanced student seeking to improve your music theory knowledge, the only way you will make music theory a coherent natural process is by working with it repeatedly until it becomes as automatic as speaking in your own language. Music schools raise students to this ability by giving them the same information presented in the music theory section, and then spending 1 to 2 years giving them theory assignments in order to ingrain the information. This book does the same thing by giving you 100 pages of exercises. It's not enough to understand how each chord and interval is built; you need to do all the exercises. That is how you will gain a command over the information and will be able to instantaneously say what the notes in a chord are in any key. At that point, your proficiency with music theory becomes a reflex and is very much like speaking. You don't think of every word when you say a sentence, yet you could easily stop and explain any word that you are using. This is the same process that happens when you master the music theory information presented in this book.

About the Author

Born in Sioux Falls South Dakota, Bruce began his music training at the University of South Dakota. After three years of study he transferred to the Berklee College of Music where he received a Bachelor of Music degree in Composition. While doing undergraduate work at Berklee College of Music Bruce received the Harris Stanton award for outstanding guitarist of the year. He continued with further study in improvisational and compositional methods with Charlie Banacos and Jerry Bergonzi. Bruce received the outstanding teacher of the year award at Berklee in 1984 and went on to teach at the New England Conservatory of Music, and Dartmouth College.

Upon moving to New York City, Bruce found himself preoccupied with the possibilities of applying the twelve tone theoretical constructs of Schoenberg and Berg to American improvised music. His first CD, Blue Eleven contained the seeds of those ideas he was to develop further in his following critically acclaimed works: "A Few Dozen" and "Give ?Em Some." In this vein, his music is remarkably tonal, and the results give proof that inventive improvisation is possible within this format.

Bruce currently plays with his own band, "The Bruce Arnold Trio" and with "Spooky Actions" a jazz quartet that performs his transcriptions of Webern. In addition, Bruce has performed with such diverse musicians as Gary Burton, Joe Pass, Joe Lovano, Randy Brecker, Peter Erskine, Stuart Hamm, Boston Symphony Orchestra, and The Absolute Ensemble under the baton of Kristjan Järvi.

Bruce currently teaches at Princeton University, New York University and the New School. Upon his arrival at NYU he set about to improve the music education program, and instituted NYU?s first sight-reading program for jazz guitarists. He started writing music education books to fill a need he perceived in formal jazz education.

As an author, Bruce has written 42 books on music education. These books cover many of the important aspects of mastering high performance skills for both the advanced music student with professional goals, and the dedicated beginner.

Edition details

• Publisher: Muse-eek Publishing
• Publication date: 2001
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1890944467
• ISBN 13: 9781890944469
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 208