Alfred's Essentials of Music Theory Complete (Books 1-3)

Alfred's Essentials of Music Theory Complete (Books 1-3)
by Andrew Surmani, Karen Farnum Surmani, Morton Manus

Alfred's Essentials of Music Theory  Complete (Books 1-3)
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Book Summary Information

Author: Andrew Surmani, Karen Farnum Surmani, Morton Manus
Brand: Alfred
Edition: Spiral-bound
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 1999-06
ISBN: 0882848976
Number of pages: 120
Model: 00-17234
Publisher: Alfred Publishing Co., Inc.
Product features:
  • Book Pages: 120
  • By Andrew Surmani, Karen Farnum Surmani, and Morton Manus
  • Format Book

Book Reviews of Alfred's Essentials of Music Theory Complete (Books 1-3)

Book Review: Alfred's Utterly Confusing Line of Music Theory Books
Summary: 5 Stars

This is a good series if you are trying to learn music theory. The material is well organized, and clearly explained. Anyone can learn the essentials of music theory from these books.

Unfortunately, the material is available in so many formats, you can get lost trying to figure out which version to buy.

1st up, you can buy 3 separate books. Since each book is only about 40 pages long, this really doesn't make that much sense. Also, you are going to want the ear training CDs. There are only 2 CDs for the 3 books. and you have to buy them as a complete set.

So, you want to buy all the material at once. That brings us to this collection, which contains the text from all three books, but lacks the CDs.

As I mentioned, the CDs are available separately, but if you could buy the book plus the CDs as a single package, you could save a little bit over purchasing both items separately.

But, where is this all-in-one package? You might expect this to be called "Alfred's Essential of Music Theory Complete (Books 1 - 3 plus Ear Training CDs)."

Alas, it is not. It's called "Alfred's Essentials of Music Theory: A Complete Self-Study Course for All Musicians (Book & 2 CDs)", and you can find it on Amazon here:
http://www.amazon.com/Alfreds-Essentials-Music-Theory-Self-Study/dp/0739036351/ref=sip_rech_dp_10

This version also appears to have the Answer Key (which you would have to purchase separately, for even more money, if you wanted to check the answers to the quizzes). I say "appears" because I foolishly purchased this version of the product, along with the separate CDs. But glancing at the Table of Contents of the other edition has convinced me that it includes the Answer Key as well.

To summarize: this material is well worth buying, but there are too many ways to purchase it. Do yourself a favor, and buy the Complete Self-Study Course, not this edition.

Summary of Alfred's Essentials of Music Theory Complete (Books 1-3)

Alfred's Essentials of Music Theory is designed for students of any age, whether listeners or performers, who want to have a better understanding of the language of music. In this all-in-one theory course, you will learn the essentials of music through concise lessons, practice your music reading and writing skills in the exercises, improve your listening skills with the available ear-training CDs (sold separately), and test your knowledge with a review that completes each unit.

The Student Complete Book includes Books 1-3 in a spiral-bound format.

Book 1 (Lessons 1-25):
Staff, Notes and Pitches
Treble & Bass Clefs
Grad Staff & Ledger Lines
Note Values
Measure, Bar Line and Double Bar
2/4, 3/4 & 4/4 Time Signatures
Whole, Half & Quarter Notes/Rests
Dotted Half & Quarter Notes
Ties & Slurs
Repeat Sign, 1st & 2nd Endings
Eighth Notes & Rests
Dynamic Signs, Tempo Marks & Articulation
D.C., D.S., Coda & Fine
Flats, Sharps & Naturals
Book 2 (Lessons 25-50):
Tetrachords & Major Scales
Key Signatures
Chromatic Scale
Intervals, Circle of Fifths
Perfect, Major & Minor Intervals
Augmented & Diminished Intervals
Solf?ge & Transposition
Sixteenth Notes & Rests
Dotted Eighth Notes & Eighth Note Triplets
Common Time & Cut Time
3/8 & 6/8 Time Signatures
Pick-up Notes & Syncopation
Primary & Major Triads
Scale Degree Names
Dominant 7th Chord

Book 3 (Lessons 51-75):
1st & 2nd Inversions of Triads
Inversions of V7 Chords
Figured Bass
Major Chord Progressions
Minor Scales, Minor Triads
Augmented & Diminished Triads
Primary Triads in Minor Keys
Minor Chord Progressions
Modes
Harmonizing a Melody in Major and Minor Keys
Broken Chords & Arpeggiated Accompaniments
Passing and Neighboring Tones
Composing a Melody in Major and Minor Keys
12-Bar Blues Chord Progression & Blues Scale
Basic Fo

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