Chapter 8 of the Outline of basic music theory – by Oscar van Dillen ©2011-2020
The beginner’s learning book can be found at Basic elements of music theory.
Overview of chapters:
Chapter 1: Introduction
Chapter 2: Sound and hearing
Chapter 3: Musical notation
Chapter 4: Basic building blocks of melody and harmony
Chapter 5: Consonance and dissonance
Chapter 6: Circle of fifths and transposition
Chapter 7: Concerning rhythm, melody, harmony and form
Chapter 8: Further study
Additional exercises
So far, the following exercises I developed to go with this Outline of basic music theory, treating various theoretical aspects practically, reading, writing, hearing and singing exercises:
Introduction
Exercises in reading and writing
- Exercise in reading tones
- Exercise in reading basic intervals
- Exercise in reading basic triads
- Exercise in reading basic seventh chords
- Exercise in reading time signatures
- Exercise in barring and beaming
- Exercise in writing time signatures
- Decyphering time signatures
- Reading time signatures
- Reading and writing scales
- Reading and writing intervals
- Reading and writing triads
- Reading and writing seventh chords
- Reading piano positions
- Reading string quartet positions
- Exercise in reading degrees
- Exercise in reading keys
- Transposing instruments exercise
- Reading form sequences
Rhythmic solfeges
audio files in three tempi of the rhythmic building blocks are on soundcloud
Basic melodic solfeges
- Melodic building blocks – only in C, one page
- Melodic building blocks – in all keys (G clef), booklet
- Melodic building blocks – in all keys (F clef), booklet
- Melodic building blocks – Lower hexachord, only in C, one page
- Melodic building blocks – Lower hexachord, in all keys (G clef), booklet
- Melodic building blocks – Lower hexachord, in all keys (F clef), booklet
Chromatic melodic solfeges
- Exercise in various scales – on all basic tones
- Slow solfeges 1 – in C only – basic chromatic neighboring tones
- Slow solfeges 1 in all key signatures
- Slow solfeges 2 – in C only – advanced chromatic neighboring tones
- Slow solfeges 2 in all key signatures
- Concentric chromaticism – recognizing keys
Comprehensive solfeges
Mixed levels
- Comprehensive solfeges 2018 collection
- Comprehensive solfeges 2020 collection
- Comprehensive solfeges 2021
Level 1
- Comprehensive solfeges level 1 – 2016
- Comprehensive solfeges level 1 – 2017-1
- Comprehensive solfeges level 1 – 2017-2
- Comprehensive solfeges level 1 – 2018-1 (single tone rhythms)
- Comprehensive solfeges level 1 – 2018-2 (double tone rhythms)
- Comprehensive solfeges level 1 – 2019
Level 2
- Comprehensive solfeges level 2 – 2016
- Comprehensive solfeges level 2 – 2017-1
- Comprehensive solfeges level 2 – 2017-2
- Comprehensive solfeges level 2 – 2018-1 (single tone rhythms)
- Comprehensive solfeges level 2 – 2018-2 (double tone rhythms)
- Comprehensive solfeges level 2 – 2019
Level 3
- Comprehensive solfeges level 3 – 2016
- Comprehensive solfeges level 3 – 2017-1
- Comprehensive solfeges level 3 – 2017-2
- Comprehensive solfeges level 3 – 2018-1 (single tone rhythms)
- Comprehensive solfeges level 3 – 2018-2 (double tone rhythms)
- Comprehensive solfeges level 3 – 2019
Modulating melodies
Harmonic solfeges
- Harmonic building blocks – concentric progressions – listen to these:
- Progressive progressions – follow up to the harmonic building blocks – listen to these:
- Harmonic building blocks – eccentric progressions – listen to these:
Examples of written exams
- Basic Music Theory exam 2012
- Basic Music Theory RE exam 2012
- Basic Music Theory exam 2013
- Basic Music Theory RE exam 2013
- Basic Music Theory exam 2014
- Basic Music Theory RE exam 2014
- Basic Music Theory exam 2015 (1)
- Basic Music Theory exam 2015 (2)
- Basic Music Theory exam 2015 (2) ANSWERS
- Basic Music Theory RE exam 2015
- Basic Music Theory RE exam 2015 ANSWERS
- Basic Music Theory exam 2016
- Basic Music Theory RE exam 2016
- Basic Music Theory exam 2017
- Basic Music Theory RE exam 2017
- Basic Music Theory exam 2018
- Basic Music Theory RE exam 2018
- Basic Music Theory exam 2019
- Basic Music Theory RE exam 2019
- Basic Music Theory exam 2020
Online media
Soundcloud
Audio files in three tempi of the rhythmic building blocks can be found here
YouTube
Instruction on rhythm 1
Instruction on rhythm 2
Instruction on rhythm 3
See also
- Basic elements of music theory
- Vocabulary for music theory (glossary)
- Music theory (alphabetical reference guide)
- Whiteboards
- Students categorizing music
- Music paper (12 staves per page, A4 landscape)
- Music paper (8×2 staves per page, A4 portrait with bars)
Book: “Outline of Music Theory” in preparation
Over seven times as big as this basic outline, written by Oscar van Dillen, publication foreseen for the future, see https://www.outlineofmusictheory.com
External links
- Codarts University of the Arts Rotterdam
- English Wikipedia on Music Theory
- Harmony Explained: Progress Towards A Scientific Theory of Music by Daniel Shawcross Wilkerson
- Muziektermen in het Nederlands en het Engels by Kees van Hage (thesis paper in Dutch)
- Muziektermen in het Nederlands en het Engels by Kees van Hage (glossary)
Author
Oscar van Dillen ©2011-2021
goto overview ► Outline of basic music theory