The AB Guide to Music Theory Vol 1

Recommended to me by my guitar tutor. Starts off simple but quickly becomes more in depth. I have had to re-read a few chapters to get the info into my head.Written plainly so it is easy to understand and no waffle.

Great to have alongside your theory lessons. This book might be a little wordy but it explains things so well and with visual aids too!

Wow!I am an ancient, and increasingly decrepit male who has always longed to play the piano, and be able to read music. So, as an absolute beginner, I thought I should try to do everything properly, not try to cut any corners, and begin where most children begin to learn.So, primarily on the basis of other reviewers, I have purchased books one and two by Eric Taylor to start me off on the music theory side.I have only just received the two books, and flicking through the same, I can see I have not underestimated the the difficulty of my new quest in life. This is going to be difficult - period!However, I have not been "put off" as yet, and although devilishly tricky, I actually cannot wait to get "stuck in" just to see how well I can do.Hopefully, my few remaining brain cells will allow me not to appear even more foolish than I usually am with family and friends, and although I may never grace the Royal Albert Hall, if I can manage to play the odd Mozart or Chopin piece, I will die a happy man!Both books look really good, and well laid out, so I have to provisionally recommend the same.

While this covers the ABRSM music theory exams from grade 1 to I think grade 5 it is importance to know that it is not set out in grade order. Each chapter contains a mixture of theory which is not categorised by grade. So as an example if you were going for grade three you could not read just part of the book. However, it is well set out and logical.

Would recommend it

I love everything about this book. The author has a very friendly and accessible style with a clear passion for the subject. I found its conciseness very refreshing however some may struggle with the speed at which Taylor whizzes through the last 500 years. In some ways (like the ABRSM generally) this book is a little old fashioned and dated. I miss the addition of some accompanying videos and downloadable material and the language needs polishing to make it more relevant and appropriate. However, these are minor criticisms of an otherwise outstanding book. Is it relevant for a younger audience? This is very academic as opposed to practical book and so it depends upon learning style.

My music teacher recommended this book to me. It's as he described it - it covers everything you might need in a way that's not too hard to understand even for people of an older persuasion like me! It probably helps if you have some very basic prior knowledge, but I'd say it's probably not essential.And it's very reasonably priced too!

I’ve been playing bass for many years, and didn’t have a great foundation in music theory. This is book is very to the point, and wish I’d had this years ago. There are a couple of quite critical reviews but I’m not sure why, it’s really well written and easy to follow. A must buy!