Learning to Read Music: How to Make Sense of Those Mysterious Symbols and Bring Music Alive [Paperback]

"'Good for reinforcing what has been learnt and excellent for keeping alongside your favourite pieces of music.' Education Otherwise 'An excellent book for anyone who would love to be able to read music but thinks it would be too difficult...very easy to understand and well written.' A reader 'Useful for non-specialist primary teachers, who often find teaching music a daunting business.' Music Journal 'Especially ideal for anyone who is learning to play an instrument.' A reader 'This book was purchased just so I could learn the principles of music (written music, scales, keys, chords etc) without guitar techniques getting in the way. I have to say it is a fantastic book, with each chapter being easy to read and digest, I would recommend it to anyone that wants to learn music theory and sheet music, 5 star book without a doubt.' A reader * 3rd edition of this versatile and straightforward guide"

Useful for non-specialist primary teachers, who often find teaching music a daunting business.

Especially ideal for anyone who is learning to play an instrument.

Whether you want to learn how to play an instrument, or just refresh your existing capability, whether you sing in a choir, or would simply like to follow scores while listening, this book will help you achieve your aim. It leads you carefully through the basics of pitch, rhythm, keys, scales, chords, and much more, building your knowledge chapter by chapter until you are able to read music with ease. The visual index of musical symbols laid out at the start will make clear the task at hand.Reference to common instruments and familiar tunes will help bring your learning to life, while self-testing and chapter summaries ensure that you develop and retain this new skill. By the end of the book, you will have come a long way. Your knowledge of music notation will be a pleasure to you, and a useful tool. As well as its practical applications for any performer, this book will give you insights into how music is put together. You will have the feeling of knowing the music from the inside out.

In writing this book I had various sorts of people in mind - for instance singers in choirs who would like to improve their music-reading, or adults who want to take up the challenge of learning an instrument. Or there are interested music-lovers who would appreciate an intelligently-presented introduction to the world of music notation, and people whose work brings them into contact with printed music even though they have never had a music education.

I was very pleased with reactions to the first edition, and added many useful bits and pieces for the second, including more 'Test yourself' exercises. Now, for the third edition, I have expanded the reference lists at the back, especially the list of websites.

The publishers have done a great job getting this book out into the marketplace, and I know it's been popular in libraries. I hope everyone that buys it finds it informative, well-written and generally satisfying.

Peter Nickol is an award-winning music book editor. He has produced many books widely used in schools. He is based in Exeter, Devon.