Good books and material on music theory

[7 Dying Trees]

I want to learn some music theory as I now very very very little about it so I would like to know if anyone has any good book recomendations? Preferably ones which relate material learnt or being learnt to a guitarists perspective. I am not interested in websites and the like as I rarely have the net on at home which is where my axes are, and I don't have a printer. A book however, I can read on the way to work as well

Another pluspoint for any books is that they treat me like a moron, or at least have very good explanations and examples. Not that I am completely stupid, but I find it helps to be baby stepped through everything as it accelerates learning and gives you the basics without delving to deep which can be done later when i understand the basic concepts

So, any recommendations? I am as good as an absolute beginner, although I probably already use quite a lot of concepts already so I should be able to relate some stuff to my playing

Also, any other tips etc would be cool , as well as opinions on actually getting a teacher to run through the concepts

Fire away!

 

[Ultima Ibanez Overlord]

Well, when you study at grade level (GCSE to A-Level) and even at university level, the book that's most commonly recommended and the one I found most helpful myself is Eric Taylor's AB Guide to Music Theory. It comes in two parts, but it's only about 6 quid each part.
This book is endorsed by the Associated Board, who run most of the exams in the UK.
It's also published by the Royal Academy, one of the foremost music schools here.
It's written very nicely, with a great glossary. The first thing it deals with is time signatures, and it uses some great metaphors to explain it.

Secondly, there's a book called Scales over Chords, written by two guys called Randy Lee Vradenburg and Wlbur M Savidge (good names, eh? ), Praxis Music Publications.
It's very good and takes you from step one of theory as applied to the guitar. It also comes with a CD, but I got my copy second hand, but then I still found the book useful.

Also, the Musician's Institute (the one based in California) produce a book that's a step by step guide to learning theory, but I haven't read it, although a friend of mine bought it and has said it's really cool.

Lastly, once you get a bit more acquainted with theory of harmony, I higly recommend a book called Jazz & Popular guitar, written by Arnie Berie, AMSCO Publications.
The book covers from basic harmony through to more complicated ideas, like inversions, subsititutional rules, and chord progressions (how to think in numbers, rather than chord names).

This last book is maybe a little overwhelming at first, so I'd begin with one of the other three (probably the first). But the last book is a must if you want to understand what II, V, I means, and how you can flatten the fith note of the V chord and build a new dominant V chord from that and use it as a passing chord.

 

[the alumnus]

how much theory do you know? can you read music? if not then there is a book called "how to read music" by roger evans that starts at the very beginning.

 

[7 Dying Trees]

I know no theory whatsoever and can't read music (yes, I am a dumbass )

@Ultima Ibanez Overlord: DO I need to be able to read music for the above books?

 

[Ultima Ibanez Overlord]

No, Eric Taylor's AB Guide and the MI book will teach you how to read standard notation, though. You'll be surprised at how easy it is to learn, once you set yourself to it. Scales Over Chords uses tab, standard notation, chord diagrams. And Jazz and Popular Guitar use chord diagrams and some standard notation. That's why I think you should tackle another first.

 

[Feanor IV]

Hi there,

Be sure, though, that if you want to work on harmony and arrangements etc you'll definitely need to learn reading music........

 

[Mattias the Bitch Boy]

Originally posted by Feanor IV
Hi there,

Be sure, though, that if you want to work on harmony and arrangements etc you'll definitely need to learn reading music........

Why's that?

 

[morbid obsession]

in my opion theory is overated.yes you need to know the names of the notes basic cords ect.but most people that get caught up in theory end up sounding boring ala dream theatre or any mit or berkley band some is good but.......what you need to do is sing EVERY note you play. it is the best thing you can do it will make you a better more expressive well rounded musician.you will be able to play the music in your head wich is probally why you want to learn theory in the first place its hard to put theory to use when your not really hearing what your playing.you ear is the most important thing you have when it comes to music. in a short amount of time you will be able to figure out by ear anything you wish to play so please just sing every note you play sounds simple but so true if you cant sing now you will soon be able to sing. you ear tells you when to flat a 5 alter a cord ect. theory will only confuse you and belittle your faith in your musical ability. train your ear first . with a developed ear you will have way less need for scales ect.think of the fret board as your canvas the tones your colors your ear as your inspiration.theory will not tell you what to play only what is possible since you probally listen to music you ear already knows what is possible. train it to free the music that already exists within you.that is where the magic comes from.theory does not create a good musician honest expression does.

 

[Mattias the Bitch Boy]

Originally posted by morbid obsession
in my opion theory is overated.yes you need to know the names of the notes basic cords ect.but most people that get caught up in theory end up sounding boring ala dream theatre or any mit or berkley band some is good but.......

AAAARRGH SHUT IT! Damn you people who can't understand talented music! Don't encourage him to take the lazy "ooH My FaVe BanDz nO noTHIn BouT THeORY sO i NeED NoT 2!!! n ThoSE bAnDz WhO kNoW ToeRY hAVe noO SOuLL ThEOry RuiNED tHEm!!!" path.

And you mean Berklee, and MIT isn't a friggin music school!

DAMMIT!! Theory is underrated! One must learn theory AND train the ear. Not just chose one of them.

 

[morbid obsession]

musicians intsitute of tech. mit git bit in hollywood you know where paul gibert taught. i love tech music im an yngwie freak holdsworth dimeola ect..my point is for someone starting out when to play a dominant 7 arppegio is fucken pointless.most guys just want to sound good, play a simple blues solo or just play something period. most tech sounding stuff is just simple patterns 7 notes per sting sequences ect..alan holdsworth played by ear and created his own theories of what sounded good and it is correct every scale you need to know can be thought of as some alteration of a pentatonic scale 5 simple notes yet very expressive understanding pythagoris's theory will not make you a better musician creating you own theory based upon what you hear makes you individual i had alot of friends that went to berkley and they all came out great but similarsounding always making things more complex than they need to be.the basic rule is that if it sounds good play it if it sounds bad dont a book cant tell you what sounds good. there is nothing wrong with theory it just seems to discourage more people than it helps music is expression not math

 

[Strigoi]

Personally I think you can't be a true guitarist until you've studied Schenkerian analysis. Then you can unleash the fjooking fjury!

 

[morbid obsession]

schenkerian? as in shenker scorpions?

 

[morbid obsession]

schenkerian? as in shenker

 

[morbid obsession]

schenkerian? as in the scorpions?

 

[Mattias the Bitch Boy]

Originally posted by morbid obsession
musicians intsitute of tech. mit git bit in hollywood you know where paul gibert taught.

Oh, doh! Should have guessed that since I'm studying there right now. It's just abbreviated MI though (just musicians institute, no tech in the name), and GIT, BIT etc. for all the departments.

Anyway, to express yourself well you need some kind of knowledge. It's like expressing yourself through words, you need some bad ass mothafucking vocabulary skillz. Like mine for example!

Well whatever, peace!

 

[Strigoi]

Heinrich Schenker. Maybe he is related to the Scorpions.

 

[morbid obsession]

never heard of him ill do a search

 

[Strigoi]

...

 

[morbid obsession]

ok the composer

 

[the alumnus]

1. schenker he is referring to is not the scorpions guy.
2. mit is a school of music. http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/nr/2000/shass2.html
one of the best in the nation, i might add. you thought all they did there was engineering.
3. music theory is a tool for music just as literacy is a tool for authors and poets. learning theory will not make you a good musician just as learning grammar will not make you a good poet or author. but how many poets complain that learning to read has diminished their creativity?