Music Theory: From Beginner to Expert - The Ultimate Step-By-Step Guide to Understanding and Learning Music Theory Effortlessly: 1 (Essential Learning Tools for Musicians)

Book is like new condition, nice clean pages. Most of the content is useful and correct. I’m glad I bought it. Just a few niggles: presentation by the author, as some of the diagrams are messy. As a graphic designer I’d seek to improve them. There are the smallest of flaws with facts, or rather they could be re-addressed so as to remedy confusion. Such as reasons for the use of accidentals in notation, one important factor is to make it easy for the reader/performer. All said, I’m impressed with the science of sound, how overtones work and the measure of intervals in Hz. A worthy buy.

I'm over three quarters of the way through this now and feel that's enough to post a review. I bought this as a Kindle purchase and feel the book is well worth the money. This would also apply to the slightly more expensive paperback format. However, there a few things about the book I found quite annoying, though I am glad I perservered with it. Firstly, I don't profess to be an expert on grammar, but I like text to read as though it were being said out loud in a plain manner. Throughout this book, the definite and indefinite article are frequently dropped, so I found myself constantly being tripped up by "the, an, a" being missing. The author write sentences, such as "Play A chord", rather than Play an A chord". Ironically, the rhythm of the text is broken by this. Secondly, the early section on "Music Theory Fundamentals" contains a discussion of the physics of sound and pitch which could have been more concisely and better written. In fairness the author points out the section can be skipped, though there are a couple of nuggets in there which make the inclusion of this section quite sensible. Though at this point in the book, I did wonder whether I should bother with the rest of it. I'm glad I did. Primarily I bought this book as a hobbyist guitarist trying to understand modes and make sense of ideas I've heard talked about online. The book has brought together a number of concepts that didn't quite make sense for me and it's given me confidence that I properly understand these. For me, it has also clarified terminology and explained differences in the way the language of music is used. At times the book is laboured, the structure could be improved and there are a couple of diagrams missing, but all-in-all I think this is a very useful book which will help a lot of people if they stick with it.

Solid clear information, well written. Perfect as a quick, concise course in music theory. Recommend for sure!

This is the best music theory book I've come across (out of around a dozen I've read). It concentrates on the theory, rather than covering how to read music notation (there's a separate companion book that does that), which isn't used in this book. Instead, it concentrates on the actual theory, and does an excellent job of explaining the various elements of music theory - from pitch,tone,and timbre through modern and historical tuning (Temperament) systems, Musical intervals between notes, scales and modes (both covered in detail), Keys, Key Signatures and the circle of fifths (and the circle of fourths, Chords (both basic and advanced), Inversions, alterations, and progressions), Rhythm and time signatures, putting musical structures together, and going beyond the foundations. Everything is clearly explained and easy to follow, with occasional links to audio examples. If you want to learn how to read music notation, this isn't the book you want - try the companion volume instead - but if you want to know the theory behind how chords and other aspects of music work - or if, like me, you want to start composing your own music, and realise that knowing more about the theory can help give you a better idea of what's likely to work, then I highly recommend this book. There's lots of useful info (that goes beyond just the basics) presented in a way that's easy to read and understand, and it's all about the way music works - unlike some so-called music theory books that turn out to be mostly (or completely) about how to read music notation. Great for beginners and anyone else who's interested in how the various aspects of music work.

The words "ultimate" and "expert" on the cover are hyperbole in my opinion but this inexpensive book does provide enough information for a complete beginner to get a handle on what constitutes music theory and it should allow them to decide whether they want to pursue the subject further in real depth. It doesn't cover topics such as how to read musical notation nor does it provide example scores or even scales. For those topics, you will need to look elsewhere. The link provided in the appendix to obtain a bonus free ebook, "Best Guitar Accessories", doesn't work. I'm docking two stars for the hyperbole and the broken link.

I tend to think of music theory like grammar — it’s either well explained or it isn’t. Both can be complex and both need clear explanations. Author Nicolas Carter falls into the former category and has made a sterling job of clearly and precisely explaining the rudiments and more of musical theory. I’ve tried reading a number of related books but this is by far the best. I haven't yet read everything, but what I have has been great. It's the first volume of a two-book set; the companion volume being how to read music. As an inexpensive purchase, it's been an excellent buy and I’ve greatly increased my knowledge and understanding because of it. My Kindle version works well, with good clear diagrams and charts, and is augmented by SoundCloud audio links to hear examples, which is useful. There’s a lot of theory here and Mr Carter explains it well, enabling readers to quickly progress beyond the basics. There’s fundamentals, intervals, scales, modes, chord construction, inversions, rhythm, timing, structure, progressions, harmony, syncopation, and much more. In fact, it’s quite a comprehensive work with a print length of 244 pages. From my limited understanding it seems to be accurate too. The book is nicely presented, easy on the eye, and comes with a clickable table of contents, which makes it a pleasure to read and refer back too. Most importantly is the superb clarity the author brings to his subject, which he does in a concise but thorough manner. No wonder it’s a bestseller, and is well-deserving of the rating I’ve given it.

A good introduction to music theory taking the reader carefully through from the beginning, not too quickly.

I don’t usually bother writing reviews but I’m making an exception for this book. I am learning the double bass and have been dipping into this book as I need it during my musical theory journey. It is excellent. The author clearly knows how to teach and explains things very clearly. There are still sections that look beyond me but I know I will be using them as I progress. Self published books on Amazon can rightly get a good kicking but this is definitely NOT one of them. I’m really impressed with it. It may not suit a very young learner but if (like me, an adult learner) you just want the details facts and explanation then look no further. Well done Nicolas Carter you should be proud of this book (I’m a teacher - Physics not music! So don’t give out this praise lightly.) highly recommended.

excelente! o livro foca nos assuntos mais importantes de uma forma bastante direta e completa, ajudou bastante a entender melhor a musica

This book is a solid starting point if you’re trying to make sense of music theory without getting overwhelmed. It explains the basics in a clear, step-by-step way, and it’s easy to follow even if you’re starting from zero. I liked that it builds gradually, so you’re not thrown into complex concepts too early. That said, it’s not perfect. Some sections feel a bit repetitive, and a few topics could use more real musical examples or short exercises to really lock things in. It’s more of a “guide” than a full course, so if you want deep detail you’ll probably end up pairing it with videos or a teacher. Overall, it’s helpful, straightforward, and good value if you want a structured way to learn theory from the ground up.

Nicolas Carter's books are excellent teaching/study aides! I have several, and they're the best I've found! His guitar books are well written, and provide a complete and well laid out course of study, with exercises to guide you along.

I thought to buy and see if I can use this in my music teaching. But the book is very elementary and without a good structure. I find the way of explaination very unclear. There are much better books in my library about theory. It seems writing a book for both beginners and advanced in one doesn't work out very well.

It's a very special book, unlike all the other classical music theory books. It is written in a way as if the author is chatting with you. I like it because it not only explains the theory itself but also a bit of the logic behind. For instance it is the first time that I learned why the minor scales is constructed this way whereas the other books just tells you what the minor scale is without any explanation of the underlying logic. According to my personal opinion things that can be improved include making more visualized examples. Sometimes the explanation is convoluted and can be suddenly clearer if with the examples visualized with the notes. Additionally I think that despite the title one can in no way become any expert at the end of the book. but that is natural and expected, since one needs enough practicing. just to learning the concepts does not necessarily mean that one has mastered it.