sharpening your music theory skills will allow you to understand your favorite songs on a deeper level.
It can also help you write and compose songs at a higher level.
You are reading: Music books for beginners
The key to mastering music theory is to keep the process fun and apply what you learn to your playing.
Otherwise, it’s just an intellectual exercise, and that leads nowhere.
Tapping into the right music theory books can make the learning process light and fun while giving you access to a whole new world of music vocabulary and understanding.
Let’s look at nine of the best music theory books to boost your musicality today.
the ultimate guide to music theory – hello music theory – best overall for beginners
If you’re a beginner to music theory and looking for a step-by-step tutorial on the fundamentals of reading and writing music correctly, then I recommend you check out hello music theory’s ultimate guide to music theory.
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Starting at the beginning, it teaches you the very fundamentals of music by looking at what rhythm and pitch are and not assuming you already know anything. then slowly, level by level, introduce new concepts in a thoughtful and direct way, moving through irregular time meters, complex key signatures, and much more.
It is made up of 5 different books, each of a different level that is written in easy to understand words. none of this old-fashioned jargon like a lot of old music theory books.
And what’s also great is that it’s available digitally in pdf format, which means you can download it directly to your phone or tablet and be learning wherever you are in minutes.
harmony and theory: a one-stop source for all musicians
musician institute books tend to be among the most useful because they are concise and practical and come with exercises.
harmony and theory: a complete source for all musicians carl schroeder is certainly no exception.
Like many books, there are walls of text to render in harmony and theory, but at least it dives right in with the coverage tools.
This is my preferred approach as we can only use what we understand and sometimes long academic explanations only serve to complicate things.
what are the quick wins?
That’s what matters to me as a reader.
This book is made up of three key sections: tools (notes, rhythm, scales), structures (chords and chord progressions), and variations (harmony and melody).
positive reviewers said they loved how easy the content is to understand.
They also liked that the book provided just the right amount of information to understand the basics.
however, if you don’t like working with exercises, then this book probably isn’t for you.
the musician’s guide to theory and analysis series
this is essentially a textbook series consisting of the following:
- the musician’s guide to theory and analysis.
- the musician’s guide to theory and analysis workbook.
- the musician’s guide to theory and analysis anthology of the analysis.
While these are bigger books, I don’t see why someone hasn’t thought to compile them all into one book.
anyway, this book is used in many universities in the us. uu. and to that extent it is thorough, detailed and academic.
By using this book, you should expect to get a relatively thorough education in music theory, especially classical music.
And it’s certainly getting the “best” badge it’s received on this list and others, but it might not be the most fun to work for unless you’re especially motivated to do it.
Some readers say this series of books gave them a solid foundation in music theory, while others say you shouldn’t use it without the guidance of a teacher who can give you the answers to the exercises.
Still, they did a lot more good than harm, so this book should be on this list.
music theory for dummies
The ever-popular dummies series brought over 2,500 titles (and counting) to market to help simplify complex topics and help people understand them as they navigate their way.
They rose to prominence in the 1990s with many software and programming-related titles, but since then they’ve published titles on every topic imaginable.
Music Theory For Dummies, of course, is just one title among many, written by Michael Pilhofer and Holly Day.
reportedly does exactly what it promises to do: breaks down the complex subject of music theory into smaller, more digestible chunks.
it is, however, a neat and detailed guide.
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so you better have plenty of time to get over it or you’ll lose momentum and even quit altogether.
make no mistake about it: it takes work to learn music theory.
enthusiastic customers say this book is well written and easy to use.
meanwhile, opinions are somewhat divided with customers less enthusiastic.
some say it’s not the easiest book to understand and others say it only covers the basics.
Either way, you may find this book appealing.
the book of everything about music theory
marc schonbrun’s music theory book, in my opinion, has one of the easiest to understand and easiest to read layouts of any theory book out there.
its content, however, is rudimentary.
covers intervals, the major and minor scale, key signatures, modes, chords and chord progressions, harmony and transposition.
If you think you already have a thorough understanding of each of these topics, this book may not be for you.
In the meantime, if you’re just starting out or don’t have a full understanding of the basics, this book may be helpful.
Most readers liked that it was concise and easy to understand.
some people didn’t like that there weren’t clear definitions for everything and the fact that it doesn’t include exercises, which is understandable.
again, while probably not for the advanced, it might be useful for those just starting out in music theory.
music theory, 3e (guides for idiots)
the complete series of guides for idiots is essentially the penguin gang’s answer to the series for idiots.
and they have their own interpretation of music theory written by michael miller.
What may surprise you about this book is that it covers a lot of ground.
In addition to the main topics you’d expect to see in a music theory book, transcription, accompaniment, transposition, harmony and counterpoint, chord substitutions and changes, composition, arrangement, and more are also covered. .
some readers liked the thorough nature of a book and noted that it contains everything you need for a long time.
What some readers didn’t like is that the author is self-promoting and some of the content is far from idiot-proof.
If you’re curious, you can take a look.
alfred’s fundamentals of music theory: a complete self-study course for all musicians
alfred music is a well-known publisher, especially among pianists.
Written by Andrew Surmani, Karen Farnum Surmani, and Morton Manus, Alfred’s Basics of Music Theory is a reference guide for those looking to learn music theory.
This book includes two listening training CDs, which can help you better understand the concepts and put your knowledge into practice.
The content is organized into easy-to-digest units and there are lots of examples and visual illustrations (it’s basically a workbook).
excessive walls of text are few and far between and the reader is better off for it.
Many readers liked its concise nature, but it proved to be a double-edged sword, as some felt it was too short.
It may not be too much fun to work with and it may not be fun for the uninitiated either.
but if you want to go from theory to application, this is a good book to check out.
Music Theory Remixed: A Blended Approach for the Practicing Musician
It is fair to say that music theory is steeped in a rich tradition.
And while studying how it originated and came together is of some use, it doesn’t necessarily give you an idea of where it’s headed or how it’s applied and implemented today.
kevin holm-hudson’s music theory remixed is the kind of book that should be available, and to be fair, there’s more now.
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certainly, we can talk endlessly about the classical tradition and early composers; Like I said, there’s value in that.
But music has come a long way since then, with many modern genres and approaches.
Sure, it may be based on some of the popular works of well-known composers, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have its own merit.
In Remixed Music Theory, in addition to the classics and greats, you’ll find rock, pop, and jazz analysis.
Readers liked that it was easy to follow and the fact that it is a new version of a previous topic.
reviews of any substance are few and far between, proving that this is a good book to dig into.
music theory for guitarists: everything you always wanted to know but were afraid to ask
I thought it might be worth covering a couple of books that apply specifically to guitar players.
if you play a folk instrument, then it’s fair to say you should be able to find a method book that applies to your instrument as well.
music theory for guitarists, by tom kolb, begins by analyzing the fretboard before going into the basics of the theory.
What follows is an explanation of several theoretical concepts you’d expect from most books: scales, key signatures, intervals, triads, and the major scale.
then explores the kind of theory many guitarists would find specifically useful: blues harmony, pentatonic scales, modes, other scales, arpeggios, chord substitution, and reharmonization.
what buyers liked best was the fact that it covers the essentials for beginners and is concise.
the book also includes good exercises.
what some didn’t like is the fact that it doesn’t cover everything you’d want to know about music theory.
some found more value in it as a reference guide than a workbook.
There are certainly other guitar music theory books, but this one is worth checking out.
the practical guide to modern music theory for guitarists: the complete guide to music theory from a guitarist’s point of view
Learning music theory as a guitarist is a bit different than music theory for other instruments.
The fundamentals certainly don’t change.
but the practicality and usability of the concepts yes.
the practical guide to modern music theory for guitarists promises to solve this problem by delving into very useful concepts.
key content includes a look at the construction of major scales, chords and harmony followed by scales and arpeggios.
Then, each major scale mode (Doric, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian, and Locrian) is delved into.
There are a lot of rave reviews for this book, though some felt it was a bit challenging.
If you don’t understand the basics of music theory, this book can be a bit difficult.
Otherwise, it’s a great place to start.
best music theory books, final thoughts
While there are many excellent music theory books out there for beginners, if you want the best chance of learning without all the complex jargon, I highly recommend choosing The Ultimate Guide to Music Theory.
As we all know, everything worthwhile doesn’t come without a fight.
Learning music theory can be a challenge, if for no other reason, because it can be a dry subject.
Fortunately, there are many books on the subject, so you can choose the one that appeals to you the most.
That’s the most helpful advice I can give you: find a book that interests you.
Having done that, hold on.
study theory for 15-30 minutes a day and keep doing it until you get what you need to get out of the book.
If you’re also looking to build a career from your music, you should also check out our recommended music business books.
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