How to Use This Book
After teaching at six different universities, I observed that most students were dissatisfied with their music theory textbook. Many did not read the textbook, even though they wanted a resource they could refer to. Others criticized their current textbook for lacking enough examples and exercises.
In response to these concerns, I aimed to create a textbook that could serve as both a concise reference guide and a comprehensive, detailed resource. Steps to Music Theory is designed to be versatile, meeting the needs of students with various learning styles and levels of engagement.
For Students:
- Minimal textbook involvement:
Students can look at the chapter preview at the beginning of each chapter. The preview highlights the main points and indicates where they can be found. If a student has questions about something in the summary, they can check a specific section. For example, if the summary says, “Parallel keys share the same tonic but differ by three accidentals [6.8],” and the student is unfamiliar with parallel keys, they can check Chapter 6, Section 8, where parallel keys are explained in detail over four pages. Summary boxes within each section also offer quick reference, making it easy to scan the chapter for the main ideas.
- Moderate textbook involvement:
Each chapter includes five to twelve sections, with nearly every section containing one to six practice exercises. Students may start by answering just one question from each exercise and then check their answers using the provided online key. If they miss a question, they can revisit the section, review the concept, and attempt the remaining exercises. For example, Chapter 3, Section 4 discusses whole rests. In Practice 3.4, students add rests to complete measures. If they miss the first problem, they should then read Section 4, which explains whole rests through text, real musical examples, and illustrations of both correct and incorrect usage. Then, students should complete the remaining exercises in Practice 3.4 and check their answers.
- Maximum textbook involvement:
Students can read all assigned sections, complete every practice exercise, and watch the companion videos, which walk through each answer step-by-step. What makes Steps to Music Theory unique is the abundance of practice exercises paired with instructional videos. For instance, the section on major key signatures spans three sections, twenty pages, and thirteen practice exercises designed to help students learn and master major key signatures.
