Music Theory Books for Beginners (Idiots!!!)?

[wrench45us]

Rikky Rooksby has just come out with his 1st keyboard oriented book. He has several out for guitarists.
It's a songwriting approach and what has and will work in songwriting so it's a functional approach to theory, which is why i like his books so much.

keyboard book doesn't require knowledge of staff or staff reading. lots of practical advice and proven methods/techniques and turnarounds. can't recommend it enough as a basic lesson book. for guitar players go with his guitar book. for more depth continue with the Songwriting Sourcebook.

http://www.backbeatbooks.com/index.cfm? ... 621&bhcp=1

[Jafo]

Elie Siegmeister's Harmony and Melody (or is it the other way around?). Two volumes covering pretty much all of classical and jazz theory, with a few chapters on twentieth-century. Nothing postmodern, however, but this will give you a remarkably thorough grounding. The material on writing melodies is worth the price of admission. Look for the set in your local college library.

[Barbed Wire Kiss]

Great stuff I'll have to pop down to Foyles at the weekend.