From Sound to Symbol

The ONLY text that uses sound first as a more natural and organic way to learn music theoryDesigned for a one-semester musical fundamentals course, From Sound to Symbol: Fundamentals of Music, Second Edition, clearly covers all essential topics, but with a unique, sound-to-symbol approach that explores concepts through the sound of music before explaining how symbols are used. Students actively and methodically explore music by listening, performing, thinking critically, and composing, learning the rudiments of music theory in the process. DISTINCTIVE FEATURES* Examples from folk songs and classical music are simple, memorable, and easy to sing or play.* Activities use different modes of learning (kinesthetic, aural, and visual) to help students understand the fundamentals and apply them to music-making. * The in-text Audio CD includes all the essential melodies from the book, examples of chord functions and harmonic progressions, and exercises to develop singing skills.* The in-text Skills CD provides tutorials for chapter review, theory exercise drills, and dictation exercises.* A folded, laminated keyboard is included at the back of the text.

Table of Contents:
PREFACE INTRODUCTION Six Basic Elements of Music The Multiple Dimensions of Musicianship CHAPTER 1. BASIC RHYTHMS IN SIMPLE METER 1.1: Phrase, Beat, and Tempo 1.2: Introduction to Meter 1.3: Basic Rhythm Patterns in Simple Meter 1.4: Basic Rhythm Patterns that Include Rests in Simple Meter 1.5: Repeat Signs CHAPTER 2. THE KEYBOARD AND NOTATION OF PITCH 2.1: The Keyboard and Basic Concepts Associated with Pitch 2.2: Whole-Step and Half-Step Intervals at the Keyboard 2.3: Treble Clef and Introduction to the Notation of Pitch 2.4: The Bass Clef, Ledger Lines, and Octave Sign 2.5: Notating Sharps and Flats on the Staff CHAPTER 3. MORE ADVANCED RHYTHMS IN SIMPLE METER 3.1: Sixteenth Notes 3.2: Notating Melodies in Different Meter 3.3: Eighth and Sixteenth Note Combinations 3.4: Dotted Eighth Note Followed by a Sixteenth Note 3.5: Dotted Notes: A Dotted Quarter Note Followed by an Eighth Note 3.6: Syncopation CHAPTER 4. ORIENTATION TO MELODIC STRUCTURES 4.1: Major Pentachord Scale and Melodies 4.2: Determining the Intervals between Notes of the Pentachord Scale 4.3: Writing a Major Pentachord Scale and Melodies Using Accidentals 4.4: Major Hexachord Scales and Melodies 4.5: Determining the Size and Quality of Intervals Between Notes of the Major Hexachord Scale 4.6: Writing a Major Hexachord Scale and Melodies Using Accidentals 4.7: Major Pentatonic Scales and Melodies 4.8: Writing a Major Pentatonic Scale and Melodies Using Accidentals CHAPTER 5. THE MAJOR SCALE 5.1: Major Diatonic Scale and Melodies 5.2: Determining the Intervals Between Notes of the Major Scale 5.3: Writing a Major Scale and Melodies Using Accidentals 5.4: Key Signatures 5.5: Writing Major Scales and Melodies Using a Key Signature 5.6: Transposition 5.7: Identifying the Key of a Major Scale or Composition from a Given Key Signature CHAPTER 6: INTERVALS 6.1: Interval Identification 6.2: Determining Interval Quality: Major, Minor, and Perfect 6.3: Determining Minor, Augmented, and Diminished Interval Relationships 6.4: Determining Harmonic Inversion of Intervals 6.5: Determining Compound Intervals CHAPTER 7. COMPOUND METER AND ADVANCED RHYTHMIC CONCEPTS 7.1: Rhythms Patterns in Compound Meter 7.2: Subdivision of Rhythm Patterns in Compound Meter 7.3: More Complex Rhythm Patterns in Compound Meter 7.4: Dotted Rhythm Patterns in Compound Meter 7.5: Triplets and Duplets 7.6: Changing Meter and Asymmetric Meter CHAPTER 8. ORIENTATION TO THE MINOR SCALE Part A: La Minor 8.1A: Minor Pentachord Scale and Melodies 8.2A: Determining the Size and Quality of Intervals Between Notes of the Minor Pentachord Scale 8.3A: Writing Minor Pentachord Scales and Melodies Using Accidentals 8.4A: Minor Hexachord Scale and Melodies 8.5A: Determining the Intervals Between Notes of the Minor Hexachord Scale 8.6A: Writing Minor Hexachord Scales and Melodies Using Accidentals 8.7A: Minor Pentatonic Scale and Melodies 8.8A: Determining the Intervals Between the Notes of the Pentatonic Scale 8.9A: Writing Minor Pentatonic Scale and Melodies Using Accidentals Part B: Do Minor 8.1B: Minor Pentachord Scales and Melodies 8.2B: Determining the Size and Quality of Intervals Between Notes of the Minor Pentachord Scale 8.3B: Writing Minor Pentachord Scales and Melodies Using Accidentals 8.4B: Minor Hexachord Scales and Melodies 8.5B: Determining the Intervals Between Notes of the Minor Hexachord Scale 8.6B: Writing a Minor Hexachord Scale and Melodies Using Accidentals 8.7B: Minor Pentatonic Scale and Melodies 8.8B: Determining the Intervals Between the Notes of the Pentatonic Scale 8.9B: Writing a Minor Pentatonic Scale and Melodies Using Accidentals CHAPTER 9. THE MINOR SCALE: NATURAL MINOR, HARMONIC MINOR, MELODIC MINOR Part A: La Minor 9.1A: Natural Minor Scale and Melodies 9.2A: Determining the Intervals Between Notes of the Natural Minor Scale 9.3A: Writing a Natural Minor Scale Using Accidentals 9.4A: Minor Key Signatures 9.5A: Writing Natural Minor Scales and Melodies with a Key Signature 9.6A: Relative and Parallel Key Relationships 9.7A: Harmonic Minor Scale and Melodies 9.8A: Determining the Intervals Between the Notes of the Harmonic Minor Scale 9.9A: Writing Harmonic Minor Scales and Melodies on the Staff 9.10A: Melodic Minor Scale and Melodies 9.11A: Determining the Intervals Between the Notes of the Melodic Minor Scale 9.12A: Writing Melodic Minor Scales and Melodies Using Accidentals 9.13A: Identifying the Key of a Composition Part B: Do Minor 9.1B: Natural Minor Scale and Melodies 9.2B: Determining the Intervals Between Notes of the Natural Minor Scale 9.3B: Writing Natural Minor Scales Using Accidentals 9.4B: Minor Key Signatures 9.5B: Writing a Natural Minor Scale and Melodies With a Key Signature 9.6B: Relative and Parallel Key Relationships 9.7B: Harmonic Minor Scale and Melodies 9.8B: Determining the Intervals Between the Notes of the Harmonic Minor Scale 9.9B: Writing Harmonic Minor Scales and Melodies on the Staff 9.10B: Melodic Minor Scale and Melodies 9.11B: Determining the Intervals Between the Notes of the Melodic Minor Scale 9.12B: Writing Melodic Minor Scales and Melodies Using Accidentals 9.13B: Identifying the Key of a Composition CHAPTER 10. CONSTRUCTING AND LABELING TRIADS 10.1: Major, Minor, Diminished, and Augmented Triads 10.2: Identifying Triads Using Pitch Names and Popular Music Symbols 10.3: Close and Open Positions of a Triad 10.4: Labeling Triads Using Roman Numeral Analysis and Figured Bass 10.5: Inversions of Triads 10.6: The Dominant Seventh Chord CHAPTER 11. AN INTRODUCTION TO BASIC CHORD PROGRESSIONS 11.1: Tonic and Dominant Functions in a Major Key 11.2: Tonic and Dominant Chord Progressions 11.3: Tonic and Dominant Functions in Minor 11.4: Tonic and Dominant Chord Progressions in Minor 11.5: Tonic, Subdominant, and Dominant Functions in Major 11.6: Primary Triads: Tonic, Subdominant, and Dominant Chords in Root Position in a Major Key 11.7: Tonic, Subdominant, and Dominant Functions in Minor 11.8: Primary Triads: Tonic, Subdominant, and Dominant Chords in Root Position in a Minor Key 11.9: Cadences 11.10: An Introduction to Nonharmonic Tones or Nonchord Tones 11.11: Chord Progressions Involving Secondary Triads 11.12: Chord Progressions Involving the Tonic Six-Four Chord as a Cadential Chord 11.13: Twelve-Bar Blues Progression CHAPTER 12. COMPOSING A SONG 12.1: Choosing the Lyrics 12.2: Creating the Rhythmic Notation for Your Lyrics 12.3: Composing a Melody 12.4: Unifying Your Composition 12.5: Harmonizing Your Composition 12.6: Determining an Appropriate Piano Accompaniment for Your Composition APPENDIXES 1: Glossary of Musical Terms 2: Focus Melodies for Chapters 1-9 3: Graphic Representations of Focus Melodies for Chapters 1-9 4: Rhythm Syllables for Reading Simple and Compound Meters 5: Focus Melodies in Simple to Complex Order for Practicing Rhythm Syllables 6: Solfège syllables for Reading Scale Patterns 7: Focus Melodies in Simple to Complex Order for Practicing Solfège Syllables 8: Major Scales for Keyboard Practice 9: Minor Scales for Keyboard Practice 10: Major Scales and Their Relative Minors. 11: Modes 12: Other Scales: Whole Tone, Chromatic Blues Scale, and Blues Scale 13: Triads and Chords

About the Author :
Mícheál Houlahan is Professor of Music Theory and Chair of the Department of Music at Millersville University of Pennsylvania. Philip Tacka is Professor of Music at Millersville University of Pennsylvania.