The Musical Core 101: Essential Theory and Aural Training for Musicians
Edition: 1
Copyright: 2018
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$79.62 USD
The Musical Core: Essential Theory and Aural Training for Musicians provides information for all levels of musicians, from the beginner who has yet to learn an instrument, to the music hobbyist looking to further develop their musical knowledge, to the advanced musician wishing to supplement their current skillset. The publication includes YouTube playlists, drills, and quizzes.
The online, interactive publication begins with music fundamentals, staff system and notation, music reading basics, scales and key signatures, intervals in music, and concludes with triads and seventh chords.
Prior musical knowledge is not required in order to understand the material laid forth in this text. However, it's important to understand some basic music terms as a pre-requisite to understanding the textbook. These terms and their respective definitions are purposefully general; more advanced concepts are discussed at relevant times later in the reading.
UNIT 1: THE BASICS
Chapter 1 - Types of Musicians
Chapter 2 - The Piano Keyboard
Unit 1 Drills & Quiz
UNIT 2: THE STAFF SYSTEM AND NOTATION
Chapter 3 - The Development of the Staff System
Chapter 4 - Common Music Clefs
Chapter 5 - Notes and Pitches
Chapter 6 - Chromatic Notes
Chapter 7 - The Grand Staff and Pitch Notation
Chapter 8 - The Overtone Series
Unit 2 Drills & Quiz
UNIT 3: MUSIC READING BASICS
Chapter 9 - Origins of Rhythm
Chapter 10 - Performance Indicators
Chapter 11 - Counting Rhythms
Chapter 12 - Common Time Signatures
Chapter 13 - Classifying Time Signatures
Chapter 14 – Tempo
Unit 3 Drills & Quiz
UNIT 4: SCALES AND KEY SIGNATURES
Chapter 15 - The Chromatic Scale
Chapter 16 - The Circle of Fifths
Chapter 17 - Major Scales
Chapter 18 - Minor Scales
Unit 4 Drills & Quiz
UNIT 5: INTERVALS IN MUSIC
Chapter 19 - Generic Intervals
Chapter 20 - Interval Quality
Chapter 21 - Chromatic Intervals I: Major Scale
Chapter 22 - Chromatic Intervals II: Chromatic Scale
Chapter 23 - Simple and Compound Intervals
Unit 5 Drills, Quiz, & Final Exam
UNIT 6: TRIADS AND SEVENTH CHORDS
Chapter 24 - Chords and Triads
Chapter 25 - Constructing Triads
Chapter 26 - Triads in Inversion
Chapter 27 - Seventh Chords
Works Cited
Kevin Ure is a composer, educator, and founder of UreMusic.com, with a strong academic background and extensive performance experience. Born in Pasadena, California in 1978, he studied and performed with numerous prominent composers and performers, including Virko Baley, Daniel Asia, Alfred Reed, Harry Begian, Colonel Arnald D. Gabriel, Mark Jenkins, Eric Whitacre, Steven Bryant, Dr. Craig Walsh, Dr. Pamela Decker, Curtis-Curtis Smith, Dr. Richard Adams, Don Hannah, Takoyoshi Suzuki, Shoichiro Hokazono, Mimi Stillman, Richard Meyrick, Dr. Paul Chihara, James Mobberley, Jeffrey Cotton, Robert Beaser, Dan Coleman, Dr. James Stivers, Bobby Scann, Professor Anthony LaBounty, and Professor Tom Leslie.
Ure’s formal education includes training in brass, woodwinds, strings, piano, and his primary instrument, the euphonium. He has studied at The University of Arizona, Arizona State University, the University of Nevada in Las Vegas and Reno, and Western Michigan University.
Erin Wente is an adjunct professor at the University of Nevada–Las Vegas (UNLV), where she teaches in the music and education programs. She holds a Bachelor of Music in Opera Voice Performance from the University of Arizona, with a minor in Japanese language, and a Bachelor of Arts in East Asian Studies with a minor in Ethnomusicology. Her academic background reflects a strong foundation in both music performance and cultural studies. Wente’s career spans music performance, education, and community leadership. She has worked in academic settings, contributing to curriculum development and instructional leadership, particularly in special education science programs, where she designed and implemented hands-on, project-based learning materials aligned with educational standards. She has also engaged in community initiatives, such as organizing science fairs, school events, and educational partnerships with local farms and institutions.