Harmony

[pip]

Hi guys


I'm wanting to expand my knowledge on harmony as I've heard Gary Willis mention it quite a few times. But I'm unsure of where to start? I know the basics of scale and chord relationship and that Willis has written a book regarding the subject, but I'm unsure of where to start? Melodies? Piano pieces? Gary Willis's book? Some suggestions would be greatly appericated!

Thanks Phil

[Bilbo]

Mark Levine's 'The Jazz Theory Book'. It's all in there.

[url="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Jazz-Theory-Book-Mark-Levine/dp/1883217040/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1221810441&sr=1-1"]http://www.amazon.co.uk/Jazz-Theory-Book-M...0441&sr=1-1[/url]

Or Peter Ilyitch Tchaikovsky's 'Guide To The Study of Practical Harmony' £2,25 on AMazon marketplace.

[url="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Guide-Practical-Study-Harmony-Dover/dp/0486442721/ref=sr_1_36?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1221810367&sr=1-36"]http://www.amazon.co.uk/Guide-Practical-St...367&sr=1-36[/url]

Willis' books are too bass specific for my liking although they are ok but the above focus on the notes and not the instruments, for me a better way of studying harmony.

[GonzoBass]

Here is a pretty basic primer article at [url="http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/lessons/guitar_techniques/guitar_harmony.html"]Ultimate Guitar[/url].

After you've grabbed that,
give this one a read-
[url="http://www.activebass.com/default.asp?src=l&l=11063&p=1"]Bass Lesson #11063 at ActiveBass[/url].
He's got an interesting idea.

[pip]

Cheers guys

It starting to make alot of sense to me now. The light bulb suddenly clicked on

[The Funk]

[quote name='bilbo230763' post='287036' date='Sep 19 2008, 08:48 AM']Mark Levine's 'The Jazz Theory Book'. It's all in there.

[url="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Jazz-Theory-Book-Mark-Levine/dp/1883217040/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1221810441&sr=1-1"]http://www.amazon.co.uk/Jazz-Theory-Book-M...0441&sr=1-1[/url][/quote]

+1 !!!

[Oscar South]

If he doesn't have much foundation in harmony yet I'd advise him to leave the Levine book for a bit. There are 2 Associated board 'introduction to theory and harmony' type books that I recommend, they got me on my feet and are pretty interesting to read as well (especially the second) while still being to the point and getting a lot of information in a pretty small, cheap and easy to read book.

[url="http://www.amazon.co.uk/AB-Guide-Music-Theory-Vol/dp/1854724460/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1221905865&sr=8-1"]http://www.amazon.co.uk/AB-Guide-Music-The...5865&sr=8-1[/url]
[url="http://www.amazon.co.uk/AB-Guide-Music-Theory-Vol/dp/1854724479/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1221905865&sr=8-2"]http://www.amazon.co.uk/AB-Guide-Music-The...5865&sr=8-2[/url]

[The Funk]

[quote name='Oscar South' post='287903' date='Sep 20 2008, 11:18 AM']If he doesn't have much foundation in harmony yet I'd advise him to leave the Levine book for a bit.[/quote]

I disagree with that. If he's new to harmony, he should just stick to the first few chapters.

[Bilbo]

I'm with The Funk on this one. The book has everything in it and you can take it one bite at a time. The AB Guides are no easier in my view and they aren't as comprehensive in the longer term.