A tailored textbook designed for pop music learners, helping you effortlessly master the essential and commonly used music theory basics in pop music.
Introduction
This book is an introductory guide to music theory that primarily uses numbered musical notation (Jianpu), supplemented by the standard staff. Designed with ease of learning and application in mind, it incorporates visual aids and diagrams to help readers grasp music theory concepts more intuitively.
Whether you have a formal background in music or not, this book will gently guide you into the engaging world of pop music styles.
Four Key Features
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Super Practical: Effectively builds a solid foundation in music theory, making advanced learning much easier in the future.
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Super Clear: Visual aids and graphics make understanding complex music theory highly intuitive.
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Super Fun: Features practical pop music style examples, allowing you to learn effortlessly while listening.
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Super Unique: Focuses primarily on numbered musical notation and uses the standard staff as a supplement, significantly accelerating the learning process for beginners.
Perfect for Non-Majors and Beginners
Traditional music theory books mostly rely on the standard staff and classical music scores for their examples, which can create a high barrier to entry for self-taught musicians or non-majors. To solve this, this book adopts the widely familiar numbered musical notation as its core framework. By combining it with the staff, graphical illustrations, and practical pop music examples, we hope to empower more learners to unlock the mysteries of music theory without the frustration.
Content
Chapter 1 - The Core of Music - Keys and Scales
- Unit 1: Diatonic Scales and Major Keys
- Unit 2: Musical Melody
---- Is the central note in the middle?
---- Two Steps to Find the Scale of a Key
---- Key Signature
---- Practice & Reference (12 Major Scales)
- Unit 3: Representation of Numbered Musical Notation
---- How to Sing Numbers Representing Different Notes
---- Playing Numbered Musical Notation
Chapter 2 - The Distance Between Notes - Intervals
- Unit 1: Features of Intervals
- Unit 2: The Value of Intervals
---- Rules for Values
- Unit 3: The Quality of Intervals
---- How to Determine Intervals
---- Diatonic Intervals vs Chromatic Intervals
---- Inversion of Intervals
---- The Issue of Enharmonic Equivalents
---- Exercises
---- Formats of Each Interval
- Unit 4: Intervals and Musical Feeling
Chapter 3 - Grasping the Characteristics and Relationships of Keys - Circle of Fifths
- Unit 1: Keys and Key Signature Changes
---- Rules for Sharp and Flat Signs
---- Memorizing the Sequence
- Unit 2: Keys and Key Signature Notes
---- Notes with Sharps
---- Sharps on the Staff
---- Notes with Flats
---- Flats on the Staff
Chapter 4 - Basic Triads Formed by Three Notes
- Unit 1: Composition of Triads
- Unit 2: Types of Triads
---- Major + Minor = Major Triad
---- Minor + Major = Minor Triad
---- Minor + Minor = Diminished Triad
---- Major + Major = Augmented Triad
- Unit 3: Chords and Musical Feeling
---- Exercises
Chapter 5 - Basic Chords in a Key
- Unit 1: Diatonic Chords
---- Chords Formed by Scale Notes
---- Chord Abbreviations and Universality
---- Exercises
- Unit 2: Chord Degrees (Roman Numerals)
---- Usage Examples
- Unit 3: Functional Chord Names
---- Exercises
Chapter 6 - Seventh Chords Formed by Four Notes
- Unit 1: Composition of Seventh Chords
- Unit 2: Types of Seventh Chords
---- Major Triad + Major Seventh
---- Major Triad + Minor Seventh
---- Minor Triad + Major Seventh
---- Minor Triad + Minor Seventh
---- Diminished Triad + Major Seventh
---- Diminished Triad + Minor Seventh
---- Augmented Triad + Major Seventh
---- Augmented Triad + Minor Seventh
---- Diminished Triad + Diminished Seventh
- Unit 3: Diatonic Seventh Chords
- Unit 4: Using Seventh Chords or Triads
Chapter 7 - Minor Key
- Unit 1: Minor Scale
- Unit 2: Relationship Between Minor and Major Keys
---- Format Represented by Numbered Musical Notation
---- Same Key Signature
---- Numbered Musical Notation in Minor Keys
---- Relative and Parallel
---- How to Determine Major or Minor with the Same Key Signature
---- Exercise
- Unit 3: Minor Key Chords
---- Minor Seventh Chords
- Unit 4: Cadence and Minor Key
---- Resolution Direction: Major vs. Minor
---- Modifying the Minor V Chord
- Unit 5: Harmonic and Melodic Minor Scales
---- Exercises
Chapter 8 - Other Common Chord Types
- Unit 1: Suspended Chords (sus)
- Unit 2: Slash Chords (/)
- Unit 3: Sixth Chords (6)
- Unit 4: Added Tone Chords (add)
- Unit 5: Scale Notes and Chords
---- Appendix - Answers to Exercises
