The AB Guide to Music Theory, Part I

This is a tedious book and it’s unbelievably boring - BUT it absolutely tells you everything you need to know to get through music theory and as my tutor says - Playing without understanding is fine, but understanding can elevate playing to a new level. So, worth the tedium

I do believe someone wrote that they wanted something simple, this book is not it. (For the record, I already understand music theory but my old book is 50 yrs old). The book is written as a narrative and ends up being a rambling, sprawling mess, by the time you reach an area of interest, youve lost all will, it is the ronnie corbett of books with no punchline. It is most definately not a begginers read and whilst absolutely everything you would wish to know is in there, make no mistake, its in there, its not presented in a useable fashion, more of a dickensian philanthopists pipe smoking battle of vocabulary,. Ulysses was an easier read. Needs an overhaul, and a major one at that.

I just needed something simple to show me the rudiments of music (I remember Bert Weedon's original version of Play in a Day for guitar, which did a great job) and steer me in the right direction. This book does that well. I have volume 2 in my list, but unsure whether that will be what I need - its a pity that the seller gives no description of content. Every product should have a good description

Whilst this book is technically accurate, reading it is like wading through treacle. It is not designed for a young grade 5 student (or even an older one like me), rather for someone who already has a good depth of music theory knowledge. It is not a workbook, the print is small and uninviting and it goes into detail that is unnecessary for the average grade 5 student. I would avoid this if your / your child's only goal is to get through grade 5 theory.

I love everything about this book. The author has a very friendly and accessible style with a clear passion for the subject. I found its conciseness very refreshing however some may struggle with the speed at which Taylor whizzes through the last 500 years. In some ways (like the ABRSM generally) this book is a little old fashioned and dated. I miss the addition of some accompanying videos and downloadable material and the language needs polishing to make it more relevant and appropriate. However, these are minor criticisms of an otherwise outstanding book. Is it relevant for a younger audience? This is very academic as opposed to practical book and so it depends upon learning style.