Have just begun to learn the Violin (1 lession to date) but very keen to learn - what is the best music theory book ?

Trying hard to learn to read music and already dreaming of different pitches/tones etc Help!

(Just as a note have found a good helpful website - the Sue Aston site)

Cheers Paul


Sorry I know it should be "Music Theory for Violins" not Voilins - a problem I'm having with my fingers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

have you tried tha Associated Board theory books?

Hi Paul

Good books are the pink (part 1) and blue (part 2) books by Eric Taylor, published by the ABRSM called the AB guide to Music Theory.

You could also get the Music Theory in Practice books for the grades and work your way through the exercises to check you have understood.

You may not want to do theory exams, but working your way through the syllabus will be a good grounding.

Good luck and enjoy the journey!!

Hi guys - thanks for the advice

Especially Jane, you've helped me so much in the past - its really good to know that people like me can rely on good people like you.

Cheers Paul

Cheers Paul

I've been there and now got several t-shirts!!! Any hints and tips I've learned along the way I am more than happy to share.

Just taken my Grade 5 theory (!) (me and about 2 dozen 8 year olds it seemed). However learning the violin is by far the best thing I ever did, even leaving it so late in life.

I remember meeting a (very famous) violinist a few ago, I had not been learning very long then and when I told him that I was learning violin, he just looked me straight in the eyes and said "Keep playing, it will bring you so much joy". How right he was

You are likely to find that at the beginning much of the theory you learn will not be seperate from your playing. Things like notes names, time values, time signatures and common performance directions you will be learning as you play.
Good teachers just can't help including a certain amount of theory in their teaching.

I remember meeting a (very famous) violinist a few ago, I had not been learning very long then and when I told him that I was learning violin, he just looked me straight in the eyes and said "Keep playing, it will bring you so much joy". How right he was

[/quote]

Jane, who was the vey famous violinist you met?

[quote=violinist,Jun 20 2005, 04:18 PM]
I remember meeting a (very famous) violinist a few ago, I had not been learning very long then and when I told him that I was learning violin, he just looked me straight in the eyes and said "Keep playing, it will bring you so much joy". How right he was

[/quote]

Jane, who was the vey famous violinist you met?

[/quote]

I bet you can guess. And am off to Vienna at the weekend for another "fix". Ahhh the Beethoven this time

If it's who i think it is you are SO lucky!