Music Theory for Non-Music Majors - Softcover

Spencer D.M.A., Peter

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0131487558 ISBN 13: 9780131487550

Publisher: Pearson, 2004

Synopsis

Written to provide a fundamental understanding of how every day music essentially works, without compromising a solid theoretical approach. It is written in a simple and straightforward manner, using the piano keyboard as a starting point for developing notational and analytic skills. Covers the basic elements of notation; major and minor scales; scale degrees, key signatures, note values, and simple meter; melodic intervals; melody; triads, compound meter, and principles of notation; seventh chords, chord symbols; and harmony and melody. For anyone who wishes to discover the basic principles of music theory.

About this title

From the Publisher:

This text/workbook is especially designed for students who are not necessarily planning to make a career out of music, but who wish to understand how most of the music they hear every day on the radio or television essentially works.

From the Back Cover:

Music Theory for Non-Music Majors is designed for the student who wishes to gain a thorough understanding of the basic principles of music theory, but who is not immediately interested in making a career out of music.

Chapters 1-4 cover the basic elements of notation, major and minor scales, scale degrees, simple meter, and melodic intervals.

Chapter 5 applies the materials of the first four chapters to analyzing and composing melodies.

Chapters 6 and 7 address triads, seventh chords, compound meter, and some basic principles of music notation.

Chapter 8 applies the materials of the entire text to analyzing and composing songs that consist of a melody with a simple harmonic accompaniment.

Because learning is best accomplished by doing, each chapter contains numerous carefully graduated exercises that follow concise text with clear musical examples, notes, and diagrams. In Chapters 5 and 8, the two pivotal chapters of the book, the exercises challenge students' imaginations in addition to their grasp of the information.

New to the third edition:

• Extra pieces for analysis in Chapters 5 and 8
• Simple exercises in ear training—with introductory text—for the aural identification of scales, intervals, triads, and seventh chords (Chapters 2, 4, 6 and 7)
• At the author's website http://mailer.fsu.edu/~pspencer
• Interactive exercises associated with the contents of Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 7
• Interactive exercises in ear training (Chapters 2, 4, 6, and 7)
• All the pieces in the text, designed for analysis, in both video and audio formats including a variety of different instrumental sounds

About this edition

• Publisher: Pearson
• Publication date: 2004
• ISBN 10: 0131487558
• ISBN 13: 9780131487550
• Binding: Spiral-bound
• Edition number: 3
• Number of pages: 320