What's a good book/ way to learn theory?

[silentrage]

Sorry If this is the wrong forum to ask this.
But can someone recommend a good book or website or something to learn music theory from?

I'm contemplating applying to berkelee or GIT in a few years and I think I'm going to have to get a solid grasp of music theory if I'm going to have a chance.

But I won't be able to go to school because of work, so I'll have to do this at home or maybe get private tutors.

Any help or advice on what I should do would be just hugely appreciated.
I'm thinking some websites and books would at least get me through the beginning > intermediate stages of theory stuff.
And if I pour all my spare time into it for the next, oh i don't know, 5 years, I might be ready.

Plz point me in the right direction. :)

[TwilightOdyssey]

The BEST way is to study with a qualified instructor; you will progress light years faster than trying to do it on your own.

The best way to learn theory is first to learn the C Major Scale, and how it relates to all 8 scale positions on the guitar (These are the 8 patterns you can play on guitar which have different fingerings but the identical notes). Also start sight reading violin studies -- Start with Wolfhart's 60 Etudes for violin.

After the major scale and once you start sight reading every day, you need to learn about scale mechanics and intervals. Ear training then comes into the picture.

From there you learn chord theory, the minor scales, and finally modes. That will put you solidly in the intermediate level of musical theory knowledge.


As far as I know there is not a single book that can break it all down to you, as teachers, methods, and students all vary.


I like the book Guitar Lore by Dennis Sandole; however, it's more of a supplement than a replacement to studying with a good teacher.


Regardless, you will need a LOT of patience and expect it to take a couple of years, minimum, until you get it all down.

Good luck!

[Crazy_Joe]

yeh get a teacher

[Davey]

the Troy Stetina books are pretty damn good as far as exerices go and it's a very good foundation to base your skills upon, but you have to get a teacher to advance beyond that.

[silentrage]

Damn, I was hoping I wouldn't need a teacher until I'm at least intermediate level or so. Mainly because I'm broke, but I have a bit of free time on my hand, but what do you guys think would be good to start me off in the right direction at least for now? I will get a instructor when I get a job but I could get a head start right now.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0130993336/ref=ord_cart_shr?%5Fencoding=UTF8&v=glance
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/013033197X/ref=ord_cart_shr?%5Fencoding=UTF8&v=glance

I thought these seemed pretty good for a start, from the reviews they appear to be equivalent to college level text books.

Any thoughts on those?

@Davey
I've read quite a few books on guitar techniques, so I think it's safe to say that I have a lot more knowledge about that than I do about actual music theory.(not that I know a lot about techniques), so I'd like to catch up a bit on that side.

[badgermark]

First learn how to read music, and while your at it, learn where all the notes are on your fretboard. Then learn stuff like what each chord is made from, the notes and intervals.

Getting started on that would be prudent, then get a proper teacher when you can afford it.

[JDC]

http://www.musictheory.net/ is really good and puts it into an easy to understand way (unlike wikipedia)

it gets advanced as 7th chords, more advanced things will make your head explode

[JJretroTONEGOD]

http://www.musictheory.net/ is really good and puts it into an easy to understand way (unlike wikipedia)

it gets advanced as 7th chords, more advanced things will make your head explode

+1

this site helped me achieve grade 8 theory a few years back.

advanced theory is not difficult. Work on ALL your skills TOGETHER, that's the key! theory, aural, practical, improvisation, transcription. Biggest leap is to learn to read music, this book is my favourite:

sight reading for guitar by Bob Owensky

The other is called:

Harmony and Theory by Keith Wyatt & Carl Schroeder, published by Hal Leonard.


This 2 books are absolutley essential, all guitarists should own them.

[silentrage]

Cool!
Thanks for all the suggestions guys, I think I've got enough to get going!
Next thing you know I"ll be posting stuff I arranged and recorded on here! :D
(in a few years)

[silentrage]

http://www.musictheory.net/ is really good and puts it into an easy to understand way (unlike wikipedia)

it gets advanced as 7th chords, more advanced things will make your head explode

+1

this site helped me achieve grade 8 theory a few years back.

advanced theory is not difficult. Work on ALL your skills TOGETHER, that's the key! theory, aural, practical, improvisation, transcription. Biggest leap is to learn to read music, this book is my favourite:

sight reading for guitar by Bob Owensky

The other is called:

Harmony and Theory by Keith Wyatt & Carl Schroeder, published by Hal Leonard.


This 2 books are absolutley essential, all guitarists should own them.

I tried to find Sight Reading for Guitar by Bob Owensky on google and amazon but to no avail, think maybe you got the name or author mixed up?

[JJretroTONEGOD]

http://www.musictheory.net/ is really good and puts it into an easy to understand way (unlike wikipedia)

it gets advanced as 7th chords, more advanced things will make your head explode

+1

this site helped me achieve grade 8 theory a few years back.

advanced theory is not difficult. Work on ALL your skills TOGETHER, that's the key! theory, aural, practical, improvisation, transcription. Biggest leap is to learn to read music, this book is my favourite:

sight reading for guitar by Bob Owensky

The other is called:

Harmony and Theory by Keith Wyatt & Carl Schroeder, published by Hal Leonard.


This 2 books are absolutley essential, all guitarists should own them.

I tried to find Sight Reading for Guitar by Bob Owensky on google and amazon but to no avail, think maybe you got the name or author mixed up?

yes, totally my fault!

It's actually called Music Reading for Guitar (the complete method) by David Oakes, I was nowhere near! I got it confused with another book on mixing lol

have a good new year!

[Scott674]

The BEST way is to study with a qualified instructor; you will progress light years faster than trying to do it on your own.

The best way to learn theory is first to learn the C Major Scale, and how it relates to all 8 scale positions on the guitar (These are the 8 patterns you can play on guitar which have different fingerings but the identical notes). Also start sight reading violin studies -- Start with Wolfhart's 60 Etudes for violin.

After the major scale and once you start sight reading every day, you need to learn about scale mechanics and intervals. Ear training then comes into the picture.

From there you learn chord theory, the minor scales, and finally modes. That will put you solidly in the intermediate level of musical theory knowledge.

Excellent advise here.  I've owned a guitar for several years.  I bought it back in high school.  The only thing I ever did is play tabs.  I was awful and eventually quit playing, because I couldn't play anything.  I sparked my interest again for some reason and picked up the ol' strat last summer.  Again to find that I couldn't play anything.  Then I found a worthy instructor.  I told him my position (I can read tabs, play some chords, know the very basics...) and what I want to learn (Theory, scales, improv, etc..)  and the first day he sat me down with the C Major and it's modes...  I've since learned a ton in a couple of months.  Playing guitar has never been so much fun.  Scales, chords, keys, etc... They're like building blocks...  Once you know how it all works, it's pretty easy to come up with stuff and just jam/improv.  These chords work with this scale, and these pentatonics will go pretty well there too, etc...  It's really alot of fun.  I'd recommend an instructor and/or learning the theory to all.

[JamesHealey]

Get a teacher, not only will you learn more but they should explain why you need to know each part of theory and how you can use it more effectively.

eg, why a subdominant is a subdominant, why you can use secondary dominants, how to modulate using the circle of 5ths etc..

You can read all the tools to understand this on the net, but none of it explains it as clear and concise as a tutor would.

It doesn't have to be a guitar tutor either.