Music Theory Made Easy: Compact Reference Library

I can't say whether this book is for everyone or not. What I can say is that, after reading this, I finally "get it." I now UNDERSTAND the concepts of music in a way that lessons and practice just couldn't get into my thick skull. Thanks, Mr. Harp! The book is written in a very concise and abstract style, so don't be fooled by its small size. It covers most of the major musical concepts (notes, intervals, scales, chords, chord progressions, melody and improvisation) in a way that larger "for morons" books can't seem to describe as well in 10 times the amount of ink. Two caveats: 1: Just 'cause it's small, don't think you'll flip through it and understand it in 10 minutes. It's still a complex set of concepts, even when "made easy." 2: Don't think that reading this one pamphlet-sized book will allow you to instantly read/write music notation or compose a symphony. I would think this would be obvious, but other reviewers...? Think of it this way: For the price of a six-pack, there's an excellent chance that while reading this book you'll understand music with sudden "oh wow!" clarity. I got it, and now I get it, and so should you!

Great book! I've been playing harmonica and singing in a rock band for several years, playing and singing by ear mostly. While this has worked, it's also really limiting in terms of understanding what I'm doing, growing musically, and writing songs. I don't have a lot of attention-span for learning music theory, so I've been frustrated with past attempts. This book has made a real difference. It's really accessible and easy to read, yet filled with valuable info. He has a great style of instruction such that the info just makes sense. I just ordered his harmonica theory book too.

This book is great! I'm an adult who loves music but whose education was neglected in the field of music theory. This explained all of those "mysteries" and helped me understand that music is simply another language and not just a "gift". The style is clear and easy enough for my 4th grader to understand. It enervated me and made me feel not-so-hopeless and that, yes, someday with practice I can play an instrument and understand why music does what it does.

Although this book is obviously not geared towards those undergoing heavy-duty classical music training, if you just want to learn what chord construction, chord progression, scales, and a little of what jazz and rock styles are all about, this is the book for you. This is, hands down, the best theory book for the player who just wants to play an instrument well enough to jam with his/her friends or to learn and play songs from a fake book. Even an accomplished musician who knows little about theory (and yes, those people do exist) can benefit from reading this plainly-written, enjoyable, and inexpensive little book.

I firmly believe that a knowledge of music theory is an indispensable tool for any musician, regardless of what instrument or style they play. Sadly, I see lots of guitarists who don't learn anything beyond downloaded tablature, and even some orchestra musicians who only know how to play what's written in front of them. But in music, just like any other field, it's easy to learn new things and communicate with others once you know the language. Which brings me to this book...This book is really cheap, skinny enough to fit in a guitar case, good for any instrument, has some funny illustrations, and (best of all) is written very clearly without going against convention. The author starts with some information on the science of sound, a brief history of music development, then looks at notes, scales, chords, progressions, applications to various music styles, and in the end some helpful suggestions on writing songs and jamming with other people. Granted, it's not the complete guide to music theory, and he does get some of the history of Pythagoreas wrong. But it's the perfect introductory book for the many musicians who haven't learned much, if any, music theory (and don't worry -- you don't need to know how to read sheet music to understand this book). If you want to learn the basics of music theory in an inexpensive, straight foward, yet fun way, then buy this book.