Music Theory Essentials: A Streamlined Approach to Fundamentals, Tonal Harmony, and Post-Tonal Materials

Description

Music Theory Essentials offers an antidote to music theory textbooks that are overly long and dense. Focusing on the essentials, this text provides a clear-cut guide to the key concepts of music theory. Beginning with no assumptions about music theory knowledge, the book covers the core elements of music fundamentals, diatonic and chromatic harmony, post-tonal theory, and popular music in a single concise volume. Emphasizing critical thinking skills, this book guides students through conceptualizing musical concepts and mastering analytic techniques. Each chapter concludes with a selection of applications designed to enhance engagement: Exercises allow students to apply and practice the skills and techniques addressed in the chapter. Brain Teasers challenge students to expand their musical understanding by thinking outside the box. Exploring Music offers strategies for students to apply learned concepts to the music they are currently learning or listening to. Thinking Critically encourages students to think more deeply about music by solving problems and identifying and challenging assumptions. A companion website provides answers to book exercises, additional downloadable exercises, and audio examples. Straightforward and streamlined, Music Theory Essentials is a truly concise yet comprehensive introduction to music theory that is accessible to students of all backgrounds. Cover Half Title Title Page Copyright Page Dedication Contents Preface Acknowledgements PART I: FUNDAMENTALS Chapter 1 Pitch and Notation Pitch The Notation of Pitch Accidentals Applications Chapter 2 Intervals Classifying Intervals Recognizing and Labeling Intervals Enharmonic Intervals Compound Intervals Applications Chapter 3 Scales and Melody Scales The Major Scale The Minor Scale Scale Degree Names Melody Applications Chapter 4 Keys Major Keys Minor Keys Determining the Key of a Musical Work Parallel Keys The Circle of Fifths Applications Chapter 5 Chords Triads Seventh Chords Diatonic Chords and Roman Numerals Chord Position and Inversion Symbols Labeling Diatonic Chords Spelling Diatonic Chords Chord Symbols Applications Chapter 6 Musical Time Beat Tempo Duration Guidelines for Notating Durations and Rhythms Meter Time Signatures Irregular Meters Rhythm Applications Chapter 7 Introduction to Voice Leading and Counterpoint Motion Between Two Voices Counterpoint Applications PART II: DIATONIC HARMONY Chapter 8 Four-Part Voice Leading Four Voices in the Grand Staff (SATB) Chord Voicing Four-Part Voice Leading Labeling Chords in SATB Voicing The Fundamental Progression: I–V–I Applications Chapter 9 Nonchord Tones Nonchord Tones Involving Two Steps Nonchord Tones Involving One Step and One Unison Incomplete Neighbors: Nonchord Tones Involving One Step and One Leap Other Nonchord Tones Identifying Nonchord Tones Applications Chapter 10 Tonal Function, Syntax, and Prolongation Tonal Function Tonal Syntax: T–PD–D–T Prolongation Techniques of Prolongation Applications Chapter 11 Triad Inversions First Inversion Second Inversion Applications Chapter 12 Seventh Chords The Dominant Seventh Chord (V[sup(7)]) The Leading-Tone Seventh Chord (vii[sup(Ø7)] and vii[sup(O7)]) The Supertonic Seventh Chord (ii[sup(7)] and ii[sup(Ø7)]) Other Seventh Chords Applications Chapter 13 Motive, Phrase, Cadence, and Period Structure Motive Phrase Cadence Period Structure Phrase Group Applications Chapter 14 Harmonic Sequences Fifths Sequences Descending Thirds Sequence Parallel [sup(6)][sub(3)] Chords Applications PART III: CHROMATIC HARMONY Chapter 15 Secondary Dominants and Tonicization Secondary Dominant Seventh Chords Secondary Leading-Tone Seventh Chords Applications Chapter 16 Modulation I: Phrase Modulation and Diatonic Pivot Chords Closely and Distantly Related Keys Phrase Modulation Diatonic Pivot Chord Modulation Recognizing and Analyzing a Modulation Applications Chapter 17 Modal Mixture Modal Borrowing Quality Conversion Spelling Mixture Chords Chromatic Mediants Applications Chapter 18 The Neapolitan and Augmented Sixth Chords The Neapolitan Chord (bII[sup(6)]) Augmented Sixth Chords (+6) Chromatic Predominant Chords and Prolongation Applications Chapter 19 Modulation II: Chromatic Pivot Chords, Enharmonic Reinterpretation, and Common-Tone Modulation Chromatic Pivot Chords Enharmonic Reinterpretation Common-Tone Modulation Applications Chapter 20 Dominant Ninth Chords, Altered Dominants, and Embellishing Chords Dominant Ninth Chords (V[sup(9)]) Altered Dominant Chords (V+, V[sup(7)] +, V[sup(07)]) Embellishing Chords (CT[sup(O)]7 and CT+[sup(6)]) Applications PART IV: POST-TONAL AND POPULAR MATERIALS Chapter 21 The Dissolution of the Tonal System Progressive Tonality Ambiguity Unresolved Dissonance and Implied Tonality Dissonant Prolongation Suspended Tonality Applications Chapter 22 New Pitch Collections The Diatonic Collection The Pentatonic Collection The Octatonic Collection The Whole-Tone Collection The Hexatonic Collection Applications Chapter 23 Centricity and Harmony Centricity Harmony Applications Chapter 24 Set Theory Pitch-Class Sets Transposition and Inversion of Pitch-Class Sets Set Class and Prime Form Segmentation Analysis Applications Chapter 25 Serialism Twelve-Tone Rows Row Transformations The Twelve-Tone Matrix Analysis Serialism: Beyond Pitch Advanced Topics for Further Exploration Applications Chapter 26 Introduction to Jazz and Pop Harmony Sus Chords Sixth Chords Seventh Chords Extensions: Ninths, Elevenths, and Thirteenths ii–V–I Chord Substitution Form and Progression in Pop and Jazz Applications Appendix: List of Set Classes Credits Index of Musical Examples Index of Terms and Concepts