Reading Music theory second edition for dummies

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BeatBassBanger

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I am finishing chapter 2......but man some of this stuff is confusing.......hard to digest. I am reading each chapter twice and highlighting all the important stuff. Any tips to retain information better? Or other books to read for producing music? I am going to finish this book best I can
 
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a targeted book might be Music theory for the computer musician or Dance Music Manual by Rick Snoman

It's been so long since I skim read Dummies (I buy and read to know what is out there so that i can catch errors etc with my own students) that I have no idea what chapter 2 is about ....

ask me questions or any one here (there are a few of us who can answer beginner and intermediate questions) by starting new threads
 
Spell fail for the title:shame:Chapter 2 is about Sharps and Flats (which I under stand) the steps between intervals. The perfect 4th and 5th and Octave and some more things. I am going to read it again to absorb as much as I can.
 
I am understanding it more. I am in chapter 3 now. Slight confusion with the D-flat major scale, the 3rd and the 6th note, for what reason do they not have the flat sign next to them?
 
Db-Eb-F-Gb-Ab-Bb-C is the scale of Db major

note that the 3rd and 7th notes are not flat

this is because the structure for the major scale is TTS-T-TTS (S=Semitone, T=tone=2S)

if we write all twelve notes above Db (black and white keys on the piano) and use b for any black keys we get the following

TTSTTTS
0123456789101112
Db(D)Eb(E)FGb(G)Ab(A)Bb(B)CDb

also Db is different from Ab (the key after it in the circle of 5ths) by making the G into a Gb
 
BeatBassBanger said:
don't understand this line.

Chapter 3 scales is hard!!
Click to expand...

scale of Ab major is Ab-Bb-C-Db-Eb-F-G-Ab
scale of Eb major is Eb-F-G-Ab-Bb-C-D-Eb
scale of Db major is Db-Eb-F-Gb-Ab-Bb-C-Db

observe the following

TTSTTTSTTTSTTTS
DbEbFGbAbBbCDb
TTSTTTSTTTSTTTS
AbBbCDbEbFGAb
TTSTTTSTTTSTTTS
EbFGAbBbCDEb
TTSTTTSTTTSTTTS

each set of four notes has the same pattern TTS

each TTS set is separated by a T

we call the four note pattern TTS a tetrachord

In Db the two tetrachords are Db-Eb-F-Gb and Ab-Bb-C-Db

In Ab the two tetrachords are Ab-Bb-C-Db and Eb-F-G-Ab

In Eb the two tetrachords are Eb-F-G-Ab and Bb-C-D-Eb

i.e. each scale shares a tetrachord with the scale next to it and prior to it in the circle of 5ths

see this tutorial for a much more in depth discussion

https://www.futureproducers.com/for...g-sound-design/circle-fifths-tutorial-386917/
 
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Reading the theory behind it can be very technical and dull. I find getting taught music through a certain instrument puts most of the technical stuff in perspective and makes it less technical and more hands on.
 
Reading the theory behind it can be very technical and dull. I find getting taught music through a certain instrument puts most of the technical stuff in perspective and makes it less technical and more hands on.​
Click to expand...

Its interesting and dull at the same time. I am a visual hands on learner. I like reading books in General, but I could use some stuff in here to help me I know not to let it confuse me and apply everything I read in to producing Have to separate most of it
 
I'm just having slight confusion with these 15 scales in front of me. For example, does sharp and flat notes have to do with the black keys?
for example lets imagine a keyboard BC and EF are between the black keys. so the F key (white) is the regular tone and the first black key next to F is F sharp?

I am trying to differentiate between natural, harmonic,melodic scales..
 
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To retain the information you take in, I'd want to practice what is preached in the book. You need to apply it, and then it'll become natural.

Also, if you don't understand something now, it's always well advised to read the information again in a couple of weeks or months. I know a lot of people who do this, and you'd be surprised how things suddenly click later on. I suppose it's a case of information overload at times.

When I'm learning something I like to read it a couple of times, write a couple of notes and then apply that knowledge.
 
I hear ya. The first 2 chapters I read twice..... pretty decently remembered most of it. chapter 3 scales is harder, i got a little of it. I am just wondering about these major and minor scales, and why do certain notes have to be flat or sharp in the major scale and different in the minor scale, trying to find the pattern I am missing, I am highlighting all the important stuff
 
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Are you practicing this stuff?
Are you learning an instrument? If not, you should. It would make some of that stuff alot easier to understand if you can hear it and play it. You really need to hear the difference between a major scale and a minor scale-not gonna get that just by reading a chapter two or three times.
Memorizing a theory book is a waste of time if you aren't applying what you're reading. Get some piano lessons.
 
BeatBassBanger said:
I'm just having slight confusion with these 15 scales in front of me. For example, does sharp and flat notes have to do with the black keys?
for example lets imagine a keyboard BC and EF are between the black keys. so the F key (white) is the regular tone and the first black key next to F is F sharp?

I am trying to differentiate between natural, harmonic,melodic scales..
Click to expand...

if you are going up yes the black note next to F is F sharp, if you are coming down it might be called G flat

all of the above statement depends on which scale you are using and whether the note in question is part of that scale or not

Some examples:

in the key of C major

the phrase C/G\F#/G would be named as such - the F has been altered and is surrounded by G's \(you would be less likely to call it C/G\Gb/G as you are using the same note name in all three consecutive namings

Still in the key of C major but now using the blues scale

C/Eb/F/F#/G\Gb\F/G/Bb/C the phrase twists and turns and so the note naming changes to match the direction of the twists and turns

solid examples of how to name non scale tones depending on direction of approach and surrounding note names in each key

1#1/b22#2/b334#4/b55#5/b66#6/b778[/th]
1CbC/DbbDbD/EbbEbFbF/GbbGbG/AbbAbA/BbbBbCb[/th]
2GbG/AbbAbA/BbbBbCbC/DbbDbD/EbbEbE/FbFGb[/th]
3DbD/EbbEbE/FbFGbG/AbbAbA/BbbBbB/CbCDb[/th]
4AbA/BbbBbB/CbCDbD/EbbEbE/FbFF#/GbGAb[/th]
5EbE/FbFF#/GbGAbA#/BbBbB/CbCC#/DbDEb[/th]
6BbB/CbCC#/DbDEbE#/FFF#/GbGG#/AbABb[/th]
7FF#/GbGG#/AbABbB#/CCC#/DbDD#/EbEF[/th]
8CC#/DbDD#/EbEFF#/GbGG#/AbAA#/BbBC[/th]
9GG#/AbAA#/BbBCC#/DbDD#/EbEE#/FF#G[/th]
10DD#/AbEE#/FF#GG#/AbAA#/BbBB##/CC#D[/th]
11AA#/BbBB#/CC#DD#/EbEE#/FF#F##/GG#A[/th]
12EE#/FF#F##/GG#AA##/BBB##/CC#C##/DD#E[/th]
13BB#/CC#C##/DD#EE#/FF#F##/GG#G##/AA#B[/th]
14F#F##/GG#G##/AA#BB#/CC#C##/DD#D##/EE#F#[/th]
15C#C##/DD#D##/EE#F#F#/GG#G##/AA#A##/BB#C#[/th]
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compare this with the chromatic scale

ascending

C-C#-D-D#-E-F-F#-G-G#-A-A#-B-C

descending

C-B-Bb-A-Ab-G-Gb-F-E-Eb-D-Db-C

I also agree with everyone who has said that you need to be practicing this on an instrument - without grounding in reality most of this stuff does just slide away
 
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Starting to get it....now I am not applying it, but I only have an fl demo and I can't save anything I make. So until I get settled I am reading what I have.....
 
BeatBassBanger said:
Starting to get it....now I am not applying it, but I only have an fl demo and I can't save anything I make. So until I get settled I am reading what I have.....
Click to expand...

get yourself a copy of reaper it is fully featured in demo mode including saving projects and a never-ending free demo to boot, nag screens included but if you can handle them then it is no big deal.....

$69 for the licence - you can use any vsts that not proprietary to a specific daw (some of fl's are unable to used in other daws)

replacement vsts form any that you really like in fl can be found by searching at kvr audio
 
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