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

• Amazon Sales Rank: #37545 in Books
• Published on: 1998-04-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 160 pages

Customer Reviews

Harmony and Theory
This was a very useful book for teaching theory and harmony to adult students. It is clearly explained and contains vast amounts of information. Not for use with children under 12...too complicated for them.

Absolute Rubbish
Well, it looked good when I ordered it, but don't try to actually learn anything from it.

I'm returning to music after many years away, and I really need some good material to refresh my memory and sweep out the cobwebs. This book couldn't teach a humming bird to hum, and in fact, when finished, the bird would be a completely confused and dysfunctional musician.

Example: Chapter 17, exercise 1. Gmi6/9 chord. The "answer" is G - D - Bb - E - A. Now, depending on the scale used, this might or might not be correct. Yes, if you are using the melodic minor scale, then E natural would be correct as the 6th. (And perhaps this is simple stuff for some, but for someone trying to re-learn this stuff, a bit of clarity goes a long way). Nowhere, that I could find, is it explained what scale is used to construct these chords.

In exercises like this, they often ask for the chord to be written in
"root" position. The answers are always confusing, and never match what my idea of "root" position is, which is fine, but again, NOWHERE in the book does it really explain what is expected when "root" position is requested. In the example above, for example, what would be wrong with G - Bb - D - E - A ? There is nothing wrong with moving the third above the fifth, but is having the third in between the first and fifth a wrong answer, or is it a matter of the desired voicing that determines where you put the third? (as I think it should be). Again, no explanation.

This is just a couple of examples, but there are many more. The whole presentation of the information is very often confusing and anything but straight-forward. Music is just not this difficult, and perhaps if the book included a live-in professor to explain it (and even then I'm sure the professor would replace this book), I would walk away from it.

It's about as clear as mud - and especially if you want to study by yourself.

I can't yet recommend an alternative becuase I'm still looking, but when I find one, I'll let ya'll know.

Don't bother!

Excellent book!!
This book is excellent, well organized and with very clear explanations. In addition, there are plenty of exercises that are crucial to actually learn the theory discussed. It gave me a solid background to learn more advanced material. The reason why I am not giving it five stars is that it lacks a CD and a subject index at the end. Mention is made to Ear Training, another book by the same authors that comes with two CDs. However, Harmony & Theory should come with a CD of its own so that one could listen to what is explained. Anyway, I highly recommend this book.