Theory Book from basic and up

[fingerguy]

There is just too much I don't understand sometimes actually a lot of the times my teacher talks over my head. I need a book that REALLY BREAKS IT DOWN from the beginning to a certain point so for example I can understand such things as this:

chord tones are the musically safest bet, as they sound harmonically consonant, while scale tones add a touch of light dissonance when heard against an underlying chord. The more chromatic notes that are used, the more dissonant the line becomes, as these notes momentarily clash with the prevailing chord. Whether this is a good thing or not is up to your discretion and instincts.

Then when people talk about the 7th and 5th to the 3rd and so on.

Also, please don't try to explain the examples for they are just examples. I believe theory is much like everything else much like my career, you need to understand the foundation and build from there. For instance when I got into IT I was getting pieces of info here and there but none of it made sense till one day I learned the base and that tied it all together and all of a sudden I had an understanding that was beyond words. That is what I need in regards to theory. I want to read from the beginning to x-level for it does get to a point it hits a level that I might not need to reach.

Also, to emphasize I would prefer a book and prefer Amazon. I was doing searches but too many with no reviews so not sure what would be a good choice: hopefully you know.

[Wyllys]

Look for something more than theory. APPLIED THEORY should be more beneficial. Having the theory keyed to readily available, listenable "standard" material would be the way to go.

So much of the theory and systems are "post mortems" of actual music, mere dissections of the corpse of what was once a living thing...

Good luck. I wish I had a specific recommendation other than working with the Real Book and recordings, but I don't.

[Mandobart]

I mean no offense, but those "for dummies" books can be really helpful:


Music Theory For Dummies

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Music Theory

[rick-slo]

Yep, dummy books are usually pretty good intros. I have bought a number on various subjects.

[fingerguy]

Originally Posted by Mandobart

I mean no offense, but those "for dummies" books can be really helpful:


Music Theory For Dummies

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Music Theory

Originally Posted by rick-slo

Yep, dummy books are usually pretty good intros. I have bought a number on various subjects.

No offense taken. I have to agree those books are a good way when you are clueless on the topic. I might just go that direction. Thanks!

[Arthur Blake]

Originally Posted by fingerguy

There is just too much I don't understand sometimes actually a lot of the times my teacher talks over my head. I need a book that REALLY BREAKS IT DOWN

I get the feeling it's not just one book. I've got several, and it's coming slowly, but here's a post on AGF I found helpful, and it starts with simple ideas:
~~~~~~~~~
Here's the link -- it's post #5 by JonPR

He starts by explaining why there are marks on the finger board at the 5th and 7th and 12th frets, because they represent a string divided into half, two thirds, and three fourths.

http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/f...d.php?t=414852
~~~~~~~~~

[islandguitar]

You may find the book series "The Skeptical Guitarist" by Bruce Emery helpful. Several books in the series and it's available through Amazon. I tend to take on little "bites" of theory here and there with the help from AGF and some supplemental reading. This series may be helpful to you.

[Arthur Blake]

Originally Posted by islandguitar

You may find the book series "The Skeptical Guitarist" by Bruce Emery helpful. Several books in the series and it's available through Amazon. I tend to take on little "bites" of theory here and there with the help from AGF and some supplemental reading. This series may be helpful to you.

I'm only part way through this interesting overview, but since I've got some theory books already, wondering if Vol. 2 might be a more interesting place to start. He does a good job of describing what is in the books.

https://youtu.be/VRhSxvTcuL8

[amyFB]

Originally Posted by fingerguy

There is just too much I don't understand sometimes actually a lot of the times my teacher talks over my head. I need a book that REALLY BREAKS IT DOWN from the beginning to a certain point so for example I can understand such things as this:



Then when people talk about the 7th and 5th to the 3rd and so on.

Also, please don't try to explain the examples for they are just examples. I believe theory is much like everything else much like my career, you need to understand the foundation and build from there. For instance when I got into IT I was getting pieces of info here and there but none of it made sense till one day I learned the base and that tied it all together and all of a sudden I had an understanding that was beyond words. That is what I need in regards to theory. I want to read from the beginning to x-level for it does get to a point it hits a level that I might not need to reach.

Also, to emphasize I would prefer a book and prefer Amazon. I was doing searches but too many with no reviews so not sure what would be a good choice: hopefully you know.

Once I was ready to acquire the knowledge, I've found it easier to learn theory by deconstructing the chords that I had learned to play.

I started by grokking the concept of simple major chord triads (3 note chords) and their construction as the I, 3 & 5 notes of the scale.

Then I started to train my self to look at, recognize and think about the chord tones as numbers with an assigned place in the scale , or chord.

A little bit at a time, builds up a store of information that one day is going to become a lightbulb that glows brighter and brighter with every new little bit you master.

It can be a lot of fun. Last night at our ladies jam we had a collective pat on our shoulders as we leveraged our combined knowledge to figure out what note we needed to add to the D7 chord to convert it to a D7-9.

[Howard Klepper]

Originally Posted by fingerguy

There is just too much I don't understand sometimes actually a lot of the times my teacher talks over my head.

Find a teacher who does what you are paying for.

[Clallam]

Originally Posted by Mandobart

I mean no offense, but those "for dummies" books can be really helpful:


Music Theory For Dummies

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Music Theory

Originally Posted by islandguitar

You may find the book series "The Skeptical Guitarist" by Bruce Emery helpful. Several books in the series and it's available through Amazon. I tend to take on little "bites" of theory here and there with the help from AGF and some supplemental reading. This series may be helpful to you.

+1 on these suggestions. I have both the Dummies and Idiots books and both of the Skeptical Guitarist theory books since I'm one of those people who learns better if I know why I'm doing something. I found all four have their strengths and weaknesses but if I didn't understand something in one book one of the others would explain it better so I could understand it.