Contents
FOREWORD by Ann Marie Stanley
WHAT I S MUSIC?
PITCH
High and low
The piano keyboard
Notes on the staff
Clefs
RHYTHM
Beats and measures
Note values
Beams and dots
Time signatures
Compound time
Rests and ties
Grouping notes
Triplets and tuplets
Syncopation and swing
Beginnings and endings
Tempo
INTERVALS, SCALES, AND KEYS
Sharps and flats
Half steps
Whole steps
Intervals
Major scales
Minor scales
Keys
The relative minor
The circle of fifths
Accidentals
Modulation
Transposition
Other scales
Modes
Tonality and atonality
MELODY
What is a tune?
Phrasing and phrase marks
Types of phrases
Sequences
Ornaments
Dynamics
Musical expression
Musical markings
Analyzing melodies
Two or more notes together
Writing your own melody
Learning by example
CHORDS AND HARMONY
Harmony
Consonance and dissonance
Diatonic and chromatic harmony
Degrees of the scale
Triads
Inversions
Chord types
Other chords
Cadences
Passing notes
Suspension
Modal harmony
Music for choirs
Bass
Chord symbols
Harmonizing a song melody
FORM
Repeats
Binary form
Ternary form
Counterpoint
Theme and variations
Ostinati, loops, and riffs
Breaks and fills
Orchestral forms
INSTRUMENTS AND VOICES
Strings
Woodwind
Brass
Keyboards
Percussion
The orchestra
The conductor
Ensembles
Rock bands
Voices
What is the score?
Words and music
STYLES AND GENRES
Musical textures
Folk, world, and roots
Classical music
The Baroque period
The Classical period
The Romantic period
Modern period
Dance music
Blues and jazz
Popular music
REFERENCE
Note-values and rest-values
Time signatures
Keys and key signatures
Chords
Scales
Musical terms glossary
Musical periods
Instrument families
Glossary
Visual index of symbols
Index
Acknowledgments