Alfred's Essentials of Music Theory: A Complete Self-Study Course for All Musicians

By Andrew Surmani, Karen Farnum Surmani, and Morton Manus

Book & 2 CDs

This practical, easy-to-use, self-study course is perfect for pianists, guitarists, instrumentalists, vocalists, songwriters, arrangers and composers, and includes ear training CDs to help develop your musical ear. In this all-in-one theory course, you will learn the essentials of music through 75 concise lessons, practice your music reading and writing skills in the exercises, improve your listening skills with the enclosed ear training CDs, and test your knowledge with a review that completes each of the 18 units. Answers are included in the back of the book for all exercises, ear training and review.

Title

Unit 1

Lesson 1: The Staff, Notes and Pitches

Lesson 2: Treble Clef and Staff

Lesson 3: Bass Clef and Staff

Lesson 4: The Grand Staff and Ledger Lines (the middle notes)

Lesson 5: Ledger Lines (low and high notes)

Ear Training for Lessons 1-5

Review of Lessons 1-5

Unit 2

Lesson 6: Note Values

Lesson 7: Measure, Bar Line and Double Bar

Lesson 8: 4/4 Time Signature and Note Values

Lesson 9: Whole, Half and Quarter Rests

Ear Training for Lessons 6-9

Review of Lessons 6-9

Unit 3

Lesson 10: 2/4 Time Signature

Lesson 11: 3/4 Time Signature

Lesson 12: Dotted Half Note

Lesson 13: Ties and Slurs

Ear Training for Lessons 10-13

Review of Lessons 10-13

Unit 4

Lesson 14: Repeat Sign, 1st and 2nd Endings

Lesson 15: Eighth Notes

Lesson 16: Eighth Rests

Lesson 17: Dotted Quarter Note

Ear Training for Lessons 14-17

Review of Lessons 14-17

Unit 5

Lesson 18: Dynamic Signs

Lesson 19: Tempo Marks

Lesson 20: Articulation

Lesson 21: D.C., D.S., Coda and Fine

Ear Training for Lessons 18-21

Review of Lessons 18-21

Unit 6

Lesson 22: Flats

Lesson 23: Sharps

Lesson 24: Naturals

Lesson 25: Whole Steps, Half Steps and Enharmonic Notes

Ear Training for Lessons 22-25

Review of Lessons 22-25

Appendix

Glossary & Index of Terms & Symbols

Unit 7

Lesson 26: Tetrachords and Major Scales

Lesson 27: The Sharp Scales---G and D Major

Lesson 28: The Flat Scales---F and B-flat Major

Lesson 29: Key Signatures---The Sharp Keys

Lesson 30: Key Signatures---The Flat Keys

Ear Training for Lessons 26-30

Review of Lessons 26-30

Unit 8

Lesson 32: The Remaining Major Scales with Key Signatures

Lesson 32: Chromatic Scale

Lesson 33: Intervals

Lesson 34: Circle of Fifths

Ear Training for Lessons 31-34

Review of Lessons 31-34

Unit 9

Lesson 35: Perfect and Major Intervals

Lesson 36: Minor Intervals

Lesson 37: Augmented and Diminished Intervals

Lesson 38: Solfége and Transposition

Ear Training for Lessons 35-38

Review of Lessons 35-38

Unit 10

Lesson 39: Sixteenth Notes

Lesson 40: Sixteenth Rests

Lesson 41: Dotted Eighth Notes

Lesson 42: Common Time and Cut Time (Alla Breve)

Ear Training for Lessons 39-42

Review of Lessons 39-42

Unit 11

Lesson 43: 3/8 and 6/8 Time Signatures

Lesson 44: 3/8 and 6/8 Time Signatures at Fast Tempos

Lesson 45: Eighth Note Triplets

Lesson 46: Incomplete Measures (Pick-up Notes) and Syncopation

Ear Training for Lessons 43-46

Review of Lessons 43-46

Unit 12

Lesson 47: Triads

Lesson 48: Primary and Major Triads

Lesson 49: Scale Degree Names

Lesson 50: The V-7 (Dominant 7th) Chord

Ear Training for Lessons 47-50

Review of Lessons 47-50

Appendix

Glossary & Index of Terms & Symbols

Unit 13

Lesson 51: Triads---1st Inversion

Lesson 52: Triads---2nd Inversion

Lesson 53: V-7 Chords---1st, 2nd and 3rd Inversions

Lesson 54: Figured Bass

Lesson 55: Major Chord Progressions

Ear Training for Lessons 51-55

Review of Lessons 51-55

Unit 14

Lesson 56: Minor Scales

Lesson 57: Natural, Harmonic and Melodic Minor Scales

Lesson 58: Minor Triads

Lesson 59: Augmented and Diminished Triads

Ear Training for Lessons 56-59

Review of Lessons 56-59

Unit 15

Lesson 60: The Primary Triads in Minor Keys

Lesson 61: Minor Chord Progressions

Lesson 62: Modes Related to the Major Scale: Ionian, Mixolydian, and Lydian

Lesson 63: Modes Related to the Minor Scale: Aeolian, Dorian, Phrygian, Locrian

Ear Training for Lessons 60-63

Review of Lessons 60-63

Unit 16

Lesson 64: Harmonizing a Melody in a Major Key

Lesson 65: Broken Chords and Arpeggiated Accompaniments

Lesson 66: Passing and Neighboring Tones

Lesson 67: Composing a Melody in a Major Key

Ear Training for Lessons 64-67

Review of Lessons 64-67

Unit 17

Lesson 68: Harmonizing a Melody in a Minor Key

Lesson 69: Composing a Melody in a Minor Key

Lesson 70: 12-Bar Blues Chord Progression

Lesson 71: The Blues Scale

Ear Training for Lessons 68-71

Review of Lessons 68-71

Unit 18

Lesson 72: Basic Forms of Music---Motive and Phrase

Lesson 73: AB (Binary) Form

Lesson 74: ABA (Ternary) Form

Lesson 75: Rondo Form

Ear Training for Lessons 72-75

Review of Lessons 72-75

Appendix

Glossary & Index of Terms & Symbols

Unit 1

Lesson 1: The Staff, Notes and Pitches

Lesson 2: Treble Clef and Staff

Lesson 3: Bass Clef and Staff

Lesson 4: The Grand Staff and Ledger Lines (the middle notes)

Lesson 5: Ledger Lines (low and high notes)

Ear Training for Lessons 1-5

Review of Lessons 1-5

Unit 2

Lesson 6: Note Values

Lesson 7: Measure, Bar Line and Double Bar

Lesson 8: 4/4 Time Signature and Note Values

Lesson 9: Whole, Half and Quarter Rests

Ear Training for Lessons 6-9

Review of Lessons 6-9

Unit 3

Lesson 10: 2/4 Time Signature

Lesson 11: 3/4 Time Signature

Lesson 12: Dotted Half Note

Lesson 13: Ties and Slurs

Ear Training for Lessons 10-13

Review of Lessons 10-13

Unit 4

Lesson 14: Repeat Sign, 1st and 2nd Endings

Lesson 15: Eighth Notes

Lesson 16: Eighth Rests

Lesson 17: Dotted Quarter Note

Ear Training for Lessons 14-17

Review of Lessons 14-17

Unit 5

Lesson 18: Dynamic Signs

Lesson 19: Tempo Marks

Lesson 20: Articulation

Lesson 21: D.D., D.S., Coda and Fine

Ear Training for Lessons 18-21

Review of Lessons 18-21

Unit 6

Lesson 22: Flats

Lesson 23: Sharps

Lesson 24: Naturals

Lesson 25: Whole Steps, Half Steps and Enharmonic Notes

Ear Training for Lessons 22-25

Review of Lessons 22-25

Appendix

Glossary & Index of Terms & Symbols