Music theory doesn't need to be complicated, and this guide will show you how to make it simple.

Idiot's Guides: Music Theory, Third Edition, is a concise and clear guide that teaches any budding musician or experienced musician how to read musical notation by navigating the basics of reading and composing music. Here's what you'll find:

• The basics of tones, including pitches, clefs, scales, intervals, and major and minor keys
• The building blocks of rhythm, including note values, basic notation, time signatures, and tempo, dynamics, and navigation
• How tunes are created, starting with melodies, chords, chord progressions, and phrases and forms
• The basics of accompaniment, including transcribing, accompanying melodies, and transposing to other keys
• Composing and arranging, including coverage of musical genres and forms, how to compose your own music, arranging for voices and instruments, working with lead sheets and scores, and performing your music
• Helpful reference appendixes, including a glossary, chord charts, and instrument ranges
• Expanded online ear-training and transcribing exercise content, including exercises at the end of each chapter and an answer key appendix