The Complete Guide To Learning Music

This is the 2nd Edition__demonstration audio examples on YouTube. 515 pages, approx. 80,000 words. Excellent book, however the author recommends the NEW revised and updated 3rd Edition.

The 3rd Edition was released July 13, 2024. 539 pages, 99,176 words. Demonstration audio examples on YouTube.

This book applies to any musician at any level of expertise regardless of instrument or style of music.Invaluable as a reference book for private lessons or as a textbook for classroom study. Includes a large glossary.
PART ONE - THE BASICS What is music? The three basic elements of sound. How to cure Tone Deafness. Can Perfect Pitch be learned?
PART TWO - ESSENTIAL THEORY. Major & minor scales & arpeggios, Secrets of Improvisation part 1 Reading Music, Pentatonic & Blues Scales
PART THREE - RHYTHM Theory, Secrets of Improvisation part 2, 17 Rhythm Reading Drills Rhythm Section, Grooves, Comping
PART FOUR - BASIC HARMONY Intervals, triads, inversions, I, IV, V chords and the 12 Bar Blues Diatonic triads, progressions and arpeggio patterns
PART FIVE - INTERMEDIATE HARMONY 7th Chords, Inversions, arpeggio patterns, Harmonic rhythm 12 Bar Blues with 7th chords, Diatonic 7th Chords, Rhythm Changes Secrets of Improvisation part 3 & 4 (basics of chord-scale theory)
PART SIX - ADVANCED SCALES & HARMONY History of scales, 28 Diatonic modes, Non-diatonic scales, types of harmony, extended chords (9th, 11th, 13th), slash chords, 31 13th Chords defined, Chord-scale chart, more Rhythm Changes, Secrets of Improvisation part 5, Intros, Turnarounds, II, V, I all keys
PART SEVEN - IMPROVISATION & COMPOSITION Basics of composition, song form, melodic phrasing Styles of music, Harmonic progressions, substitute chords The Chord Progression Encyclopedia
PART EIGHT - PIANO & KEYBOARD PLAYERS ONLY Technique, fingerings, chord voicing, solo piano, walking bass lines
PART NINE - MUSICIAN’S HAT
PART TEN - GLOSSARY of Musical Terms and Symbols
PART ELEVEN - APPENDIX Practice Guidelines, How to: practice songs, memorize, learn songs by ear, play in band, play Theme & Variation Improvisation.
About the author, ＂I enthusiastically endorse this book! It is a wonderful way to enter and explore the adventure that is music, each step expertly presented to ensure a pleasurable and productive experience for any reader!＂ -Mark Isham, Grammy and Emmy Award-winning, Academy Award-nominated Performer and Composer
＂As far as I am concerned, it is the Bible of music theory, including the REAL theory behind composition. There’s data in this book that you can’t find anywhere else. I can’t rave to you enough about it!＂ Bill Wagner guitarist/composer
＂The most comprehensive and easily assimilated book on music theory that I have come across in my 30 years as a musician and vocalist.＂ Raven Kane

Bill Keis is a professional musician, teacher, author, pianist, composer, producer and musical director in the Los Angeles area. He has performed with such notable and talented musicians and composers as Chick Corea, Mark Isham, David Campbell, Stanley Clarke, Ronnie Spector, Edgar Winter, Chaka Khan and Kate Ceberano. One of Bill’s compositions was used in the 2015 blockbuster movie, Avengers: Age of Ultron, which grossed over ＄1.4 billion worldwide.