Product Description

This classic, self-paced, auto-instructional introduction to music fundamentals allows users to work independently through a programmed format. From the wealth of clearly laid-out lessons and exercises, learners receive continual feedback and reinforcement as they work through the sequence at their own pace. Chapter topics cover the basic materials of music: time and sound, the notation of pitch, time classification, note and rest values, time signatures, intervals, the basic scales, the major scale, minor scales, key signatures, and triads. For private music studio teachers, and anyone involved in the teaching—and learning— of the basic fundamentals of music.

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Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #228026 in Books
• Published on: 2005-07-08
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 400 pages

From the Publisher
This item is a book only. There is an optional CD that is available separately (ISBN 0130993360).

From the Back Cover
Hands-on in approach, this “classic”, two-volume book thoroughly covers the concepts and techniques of music fundamentals and is completely self-instructional. From the wealth of clearly laid-out lessons and exercises, readers receive continual feedback and reinforcement as they work through the sequence at their own pace. A Review of Seventh Chords and Dominant Seventh. Nondominant Seventh Chords. Altered Nonharmonic Tones and Secondary Dominants. Modulation to Closely Related Keys. Borrowed Chords. Augmented Sixth Chords. The Neapolitan Sixth, Altered Dominants and Diminished Seventh Chords. Chromatic Third-Relation Harmony. Modulation to Foreign Keys. Ninth, Eleventh and Thirteenth Chords. For anyone wanted to master, quickly and thoroughly, the core of knowledge essential for the serious study of music theory.

About the Author

Dr. Paul O. Harder (1923-1986) received a Master of Music degree in Music Theory from the Eastman School of Music, University of Rochester, where he performed as oboist with the Rochester' Philharmonic Orchestra. Later, as a fellowship student at the University of Iowa, he received his Ph.D.' in Music Composition. He studied composition with Mlle. Nadia Boulanger at the École des Beaux Arts de Fountainbleau, France, and at the Royal Academy of Music in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Dr. Harder held the post of Chairman of Music Theory at Michigan State University before becoming Assistant Vice President and Professor of Music at California State University, Stanislaus. He was a Professor Emeritus at Michigan State University.

In addition to approximately fifty compositions for a variety of media including orchestra, band, chorus, and chamber groups, Dr. Harder was the author of Harmonic Materials in Tonal Music, Parts I and II, through the fifth edition; Basic Materials in Music Theory, through the sixth edition; Music Manuscript Techniques, Parts I and II; and Bridge to Twentieth Century Music, through the first edition.

Dr. Greg A Steinke (b. 1942) holds a Bachelor of Music degree from Oberlin Conservatory, a Master of Music degree from Michigan State University, a Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of Iowa, and a Doctor of Philosophy degree from Michigan State University.

Dr. Steinke retired in June 2001 as Chair of the Art and Music Departments, Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies, and holder of the Joseph Naumes Endowed Chair in Muise at Marylhurst University in Oregon. Formerly, he was Dean of the College of Fine Arts and Professor of Music at Millikin University, Director of the School of Music and Professor of Music at Ball State University, Assistant Director of the School of Music at the University of Arizona, Chairman of the Music Department at San Diego State University, Director of the School of Music at the University of Idaho, Chairman of the Music Department at Linfield College, and a faculty member at Northern Arizona University, The Evergreen State College, California State University, Northridge, and the University of Maryland. Currently, he is a freelance composer, writer, oboist, and conductor.

Dr. Steinke is the author of numerous articles, has done the revisions to Paul Harder's Basic Materials in Music Theory (seventh through ninth editions), Harmonic Materials in Tonal Music, (sixth through ninth editions) and Bridge to Twentieth Century Music (revised edition). He holds membership in a number of professional organizations and served for nine years (three terms, 1988-97) as the President and National Chairman of the Society of Composers, Inc. Professor Steinke is active as a composer of chamber and symphonic music with a number of published works, as a speaker on interdisciplinary arts, and as an oboe soloist specializing in contemporary music.

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Customer Reviews

A fine first text providing the core elements of musical grammar
I was blessed to be able to use an early edition of this text with Paul Harder, the original author, as the teacher during my freshman year studying music at Michigan State University. He was a wonderful man and this text is quite useful. It provides you with a very basic overview of the most core concepts of Western Music's grammar. You can use it to get your incoming freshman on the same page. These students come from a wide variety of backgrounds and while they may understand some concepts well, they likely have gaps in other areas. Harder and Steinke provide a common basic language and the core concepts the student needs to begin studying basic music theory.

The 11 chapters take you through the basic properties of sound (pitch, intensity, timbre, and harmonics), basic musical notation, time classification (meter), note and rest values, time signatures, intervals, basic scales including modes, major scale, minor scale, key signatures, and triads.

You don't need to be a student taking a class to use this book. Because it is a programmed course you can teach yourself very easily. Each chapter is divided into frames and you cover the left side of each page, read a frame and then answer the question or do the simple exercise asked of you in each frame. By uncovering the left side for that cell you are given the correct answer and can see that you got it right or figure out why you missed it. As you accumulate the information in small pieces your understanding grows and you end up having a solid grasp of the material covered. Just to be sure each chapter has some mastery frames so you can check your understanding. If you need extra work there are supplementary activities, assignments and some have ear training activities which use the CD that comes with the text.

I recommend this book heartily. Obviously, if you have been trained in music theory you won't need a basic text like this. However, if you love music and have a desire to become literate about how it works, this is a great way to get started. If you jump into, say, a text on harmony or counterpoint without the grounding something like this text provides, you will have the same kind of problems you would have trying to study the concepts of language and literature without a grounding in the alphabet and basic grammar.

I both thank and congratulate Greg Steinke for keeping this text up to date and useful and Pearson for keeping it in print.

Harder and Steinke also have two texts on the theory of basic harmony that follow this one. You can find them here:

Harmonic Materials in Tonal Music: A Programed Course, Part I (9th Edition)

Harmonic Materials in Tonal Music: A Programed Course, Part II (9th Edition)


Reviewed by Craig Matteson, Ann Arbor, MI

music theory
This is a great book to teach both basic and advanced levels of music theory. It is well-worth the purchase price.

An Excellent Programmed Text for Basic Music Theory
I found this book to be a great beginning text for understanding music theory. It is very easy to follow. While I sometimes find programmed texts to be tiresome, this book found the right balance between repetition and progress.