The Complete Idiot''s Guide to Music Theory

Part 1: Tones
1
1
Pitches and Clefs 
3
Understanding Musical Tones ............................................................4
Tones Have Value ..............................................................................5
What’s the Frequency, Kenneth? ........................................................5
Play by Numbers ..............................................................................6
Do Re Mi ..........................................................................................7
Tones Have Names ............................................................................8
Learning the ABCs ..........................................................................8
Notes on a Piano Keyboard ................................................................9
Notes on a Staff ................................................................................9
Above—and Below—the Staff ........................................................11
Different Clefs ..................................................................................11
The Treble Clef ..............................................................................11
The Bass Clef ..................................................................................12
The Grand Staff ............................................................................12
Specialty Clefs ................................................................................13
The Percussion Clef ........................................................................14
2
Intervals 17
Be Sharp—or Be Flat ........................................................................17
Steppin’ Out … ................................................................................18
A Matter of Degrees ........................................................................19
First Things First ............................................................................19
Major and Minor Intervals ............................................................21
Perfect Intervals ..............................................................................21
Augmented and Diminished Intervals ..............................................22
Beyond the Octave ..........................................................................23
Intervals and Half Steps ..................................................................23
3
Scales 27
Eight Notes Equal One Scale ..........................................................27
Major Scales ......................................................................................28
Minor Scales ......................................................................................31
Natural Minor ................................................................................31
Harmonic Minor ............................................................................34
Melodic Minor ................................................................................35
In the Mode ......................................................................................38
Ionian ............................................................................................38
Dorian ............................................................................................39
Phrygian ........................................................................................40
Lydian ............................................................................................40
Mixolydian ......................................................................................41

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The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Music Theory, Second Edition
Aeolian ..........................................................................................41
Locrian ..........................................................................................42
4
Major and Minor Keys 
45
Keys to Success ................................................................................45
Using Key Signatures ......................................................................46
Major Keys ......................................................................................46
Minor Keys ....................................................................................48
The Circle of Fifths ..........................................................................50
Accidents Will Happen ....................................................................51
Changing Keys ..................................................................................52