Description
Book SynopsisMusical theatre students and performers are frequently asked to learn musical material in a short space of time; sight-read pieces in auditions; collaborate with accompanists; and communicate musically with peers, directors, music directors and choreographers. Many of these students and performers will have had no formal musical training. This book offers a series of lessons in music fundamentals, including theory, sight-singing and aural tests, giving readers the necessary skills to navigate music and all that is demanded of them, without having had a formal music training. It focuses on the skills required of the musical theatre performer and draws on musical theatre repertoire in order to connect theory with practice.Throughout the book, each musical concept is laid out clearly and simply with helpful hints and reminders. The author takes the reader back to basics to ensure full understanding of each area. As the concepts begin to build on one another, the format and process is kept
Trade ReviewThere are not many books about music theory written specifically for musical theatre students. Most of those available focus strictly on the theory aspect, and not the aural skills aspect. This book not only incorporates theory, but also aural skills and composition, for a more robust musical experience that will hopefully foster more musicality in students of musical theatre. * Peter Purin, Oklahoma Baptist University *
Table of ContentsChapter 1 – The staff, treble clef, pitches on the staff, solfege and sight-singing Chapter 2 – Rhythm – whole notes, half notes, quarter notes and eighth notes Chapter 3 – The piano keyboard, accidentals, whole and half steps, major scales Chapter 4 – The Circle of 5ths and major key signatures Review of chapters 1-4 and Performance Tips (Tempo) Chapter 5 – Intervals – seconds and thirds and phrase shapes Chapter 6 – Intervals – fourths, fifths, and octaves; Rhythm – sixteenth notes Chapter 7 – Intervals – sixths and sevenths; Rhythm – rests Chapter 8 – diminished and augmented intervals; Rhythm – syncopation Review of chapters 5-8 and Performance Tips (Musical Markings) Chapter 9 – Rhythm – ties, dotted notes, 2/4 and 3/4 time; Song Analysis Chapter 10 – Major triads; introduction to Bass Clef and the Grand Staff Chapter 11 – I, IV, V progression; chord tones and non-chord tones; Song Analysis Chapter 12 – Transpositions; Rhythm - triplets Review of chapters 9-12 and Performance Tips (Repeats, Endings and Codas) Chapter 13 – Minor, Diminished and Augmented triads; Cut-time; chromatic solfege Chapter 14 – I, vi, ii, V, I progression; harmonizing a melody Chapter 15 – Inversions of triads Chapter 16 – Progressions with inversions; choral analysis Review of chapters 13 -16 and Performance Tips (The Music Department) Chapter 17 – Dominant 7th chords; V of V chords; Suspended chords; Song Analysis Chapter 18 – Minor Key signatures and natural minor scales Chapter 19 – Harmonic minor scales and melodic minor scales: Song Analysis Chapter 20 – Minor Chord progressions; Song Analysis Review of chapters 17-20 and Performance Tips (Song Form) Chapter 21 – Major, Minor, Half-Diminished, and Diminished Seventh chords Chapter 22 – Compound time Chapter 23 – More compound time; Song Analysis Chapter 24 – Song Analysis; Orchestration
