This book discusses tonal music theory, specifically of the common practice period onwards, including jazz, blues, rock, and other modern styles. It focuses mostly on Western (i.e., Western European, Euro-American, and Afro-American) styles, however, all styles of music are discussed.

Common Practice Styles

• 
  Fundamentals of Common Practice Music
  

Tones, overtones, and harmonics

• 
  Harmony
  


• 
  Counterpoint
  


• 
  Form
  

Basics

• 
  Introduction
  


• 
  How to read Music
  


• 
  Music Notation Systems
  


• 
  Rhythm
  


• 
  Scales and Intervals
  


• 
  Modes
  


• 
  Chords
  


• 
  Chord Structures
  


• 
  Consonance and Dissonance
  

Beyond the Basics

• 
  The Physics of Music
  


• 
  Finding the Key and Mode of a Piece
  


• 
  Playing by Ear
  


• 
  Complete List of Chord Patterns
  


• 
  Modulation
  


• 
  Chromaticism
  


• 
  Syncopation
  

Harmony

• 
  Triads
  


• 
  Seventh chords
  


• 
  Functions
  


• 
  Cadences and Progressions
  


• 
  Secondary dominant
  


• 
  Dominant substitute
  


• 
  Reharmonization
  


• 
  Voicing
  

Modal Harmony

• 
  Modes
  

Modern Styles

• 
  Barbershop
  


• 
  Blues
  


• 
  Country
  


• 
  Dance
  


• 
  Folk, Old Time, Bluegrass, etc.
  


• 
  Funk
  


• 
  Hip Hop, Rap, etc.
  


• 
  Hymn
  


• 
  Jazz, incl. Swing
  


• 
  Metal
  


• 
  New Age
  


• 
  Pop, Pop/Rock, etc.
  


• 
  Punk Rock, Hardcore, Pop-Punk, etc.
  


• 
  Reggae
  


• 
  Rock, Hard Rock, etc.
  


• 
  Samba
  


• 
  Ska
  


• 
  Miscellaneous Styles
  


• 
  R&B
  


• 
  Reggae
  

Styles in the Western Classical Tradition

• 
  Plainsong
  


• 
  Early Western European
  


• 
  Renaissance
  


• 
  Baroque
  


• 
  Classical
  


• 
  Romantic
  


• 
  Atonal
  


• 
  Serialism
  


• 
  Spectralism
  

Traditional and Folk styles

• 
  African
  


• 
  Arabic
  


• 
  Calypso
  


• 
  Celtic
  


• 
  Chinese
  


• 
  Eastern European
  


• 
  Indian
  


• 
  Japanese
  

Composing

• 
  Necessary Tools
  


• 
  Software Needed
  


• 
  Four Part
  
  • 
    Melody(Soprano)
    
    • 
      Phrasing
      
  
  
  • 
    Bass
    
  
  
  • 
    Alto And Tenor
    
  
  


• 
  Counterpoint
  

Further Reading

• Western Music History


• Writing Effective Songs

Appendices

• Authors


• 
  Real Book Errata