Music Theory for Non-Music Majors

by Spencer, Peter, D.M.A.

• ISBN13: 9780131487550
• ISBN10: 0131487558
• Edition: 3rd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2004-07-08
• Publisher: Pearson

Summary

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.

Table of Contents

Preface	ix
The Keyboard and Basic Elements of Notation	1	(22)
Introduction	2	(1)
Note Names and the Piano Keyboard	2	(1)
Basic Notation	3	(2)
The Grand Staff	5	(1)
Exercises	6	(17)
Major and Minor Scales	23	(26)
Introduction	24	(1)
Whole Steps and Half Steps	24	(1)
The Interval of the Second	25	(1)
Tetrachords	26	(1)
The Major Scale	27	(1)
The Natural Minor Scale	27	(1)
The Melodic Minor Scale	28	(1)
The Harmonic Minor Scale	28	(1)
Written Exercises	29	(1)
Aural Exercises	30	(19)
Scale Degrees, Key Signatures, Note-Values, and Simple Meter	49	(40)
Introduction	50	(1)
Scale Degrees	50	(2)
Key Signatures	52	(4)
Note Values	56	(1)
Simple Meter	57	(2)
Exercises	59	(30)
Melodic Intervals	89	(38)
Introduction	90	(1)
Intervals and the Major Scale	90	(1)
Minor, Diminished, and Augmented Intervals	91	(3)
Intervals and Their Inversions	94	(1)
Compound Intervals	95	(1)
Written Exercises	96	(1)
Aural Exercises	97	(30)
Melody	127	(52)
Introduction	128	(1)
Elements of Melody	128	(2)
Analysis of Au Clair de la Lune	130	(2)
Analysis of Auld Lang Syne	132	(3)
Glossary of Tempo and Dynamic Markings	135	(1)
Exercises	135	(44)
Triads, Compound Meter, Principles of Notation	179	(28)
Introduction	180	(1)
Triad Structure	180	(1)
Triad Quality and Scale Degrees	181	(3)
Compound Meter	184	(1)
Flags and Beams	185	(2)
Triads with Accidentals	187	(1)
Written Exercises	188	(1)
Aural Exercises	188	(19)
Seventh Chords, Chord Symbols	207	(20)
Introduction	208	(1)
Seventh Chords	208	(1)
Chord Symbols	209	(3)
Written Exercises	212	(1)
Aural Exercises	212	(15)
Harmony and Melody	227	(66)
Introduction	228	(1)
Harmonic Cadences	228	(3)
Harmonizing the Melody	231	(1)
Harmonization of Au Clair de la Lune	232	(2)
Harmonization of Sweet Betsy from Pike	234	(1)
Writing a Melody When the Chords Are Given	235	(7)
Exercises	242	(51)
Appendix A: Additional Pieces for Analysis	293	(8)
Appendix B: International Acoustic Society Note Designations	301	(1)
Appendix C: Tempo, Dynamic, and Expression Marks	302	(1)
Index	303

Excerpts

Music Theory for Non-Music Majorsis a text/workbook for students who are not necessarily planning to make a career out of music, but who wish to reach an understanding of how most of the music they hear every day on the radio or television essentially works. Using the piano keyboard as the starting point, the author systematically introduces the various elements of notation and related concepts that culminate first in the analysis and writing ofMelody(Chapter 5), and second in the analysis and writing ofHarmony and Melody(Chapter 8). To this end, the chapters are organized in a similar manner. Following an introduction that lays down the groundwork for each chapter, the author combines concise text with clear musical examples and diagrams in preparation for several carefully graduated exercises that test the students' knowledge and understanding of the subject matter, and that gradually sharpen their technical and creative skills.Throughout the text, the author does not compromise a solid theoretical approach for one that allows easy gratification but delivers little substance. On the contrary, he firmly believes that the subject matter must be made accessible through a sound pedagogy; otherwise, students' attention soon wanders and their interest consequently wanes. He believes, also, that tounderstand and enjoymusic more thoroughly, even at a relatively elementary level, its fundamentals must be absorbed by the amateur generally in the same way as they are by the professional, for the musical language is the same for both. The difference lies largely in the breadth of the vocabulary, and in the complexity of the syntax.The page layout ofMusic Theory for Non-Music Majorsis designed to take full advantage of the text/workbook format. The pages are perforated so that students may tear out their exercises for grading. However, to prevent any loss of information, exercises and text are not printed back-to-back on the same page. Furthermore, to allow for rapid feedback and reinforcement, exercises are printed on one side of the page only (on the reverse side there are spaces for the student's name, class, date, and instructor's comments), enabling the student to hand in exercise pages one at a time. The instructor, therefore, has the opportunity to correct and return them with the minimum of delay. Even more immediate feedback is available to students through several of the exercises in which a "mirroring" technique is employed. These exercises, which are designed to be self-graded, involve matching of one kind or another, so that in the first group one part of the matching is given, and in the second group, the other. These mirrored exercises may be found in the following chapters: Chapter 1: Exercises A and B Chapter 2: Exercises A and B Chapter 3: Exercises A and B -- C and D Chapter 4: Exercises A and D -- B and E -- C and F Chapter 6: Exercises A and B Chapter 7: Exercises A and B -- C and DMusic Theory for Non-Music Majorswas conceived for a course of the same name that is a component of the undergraduate liberal studies sequence at Florida State University. There is no reason, however, why this book should not serve as the text for an introductory theory class in high school, for a similar class in an adult continuing education program, or even for a theory class in a private music studio. This text, although initially intended for the undergraduate non-music major, may be of benefit to anyone who wishes to discover the basic principles of music theory.Although the third edition includes extra pieces for analysis in Chapters 5 and 8, the two most significant additions are: (1) 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); (2) online m