# Where to start...



## Lupus

Hey there, 
Wanted to ask you experts some things.
So i started playing the violin 2 months ago, and it progresses very well. I have lessons once a week but i decided to go a little more deeply into it, so i decided to really try to learn music theory. 
I'm no professional musician, i played a little bit of piano and tamburitza (a type of croatian traditional mandolin) when i was a kid, but that was 15 years ago and i forgot everything. I knew then how to read notes but it was mostly basic stuff, so i should start from the beginning. I'm slowly learning the notes and dynamic markings again, but i want more. For start, what free online resources would you suggest to start learning music theory, and if i decided to buy some textbooks etc. what would you recommend?


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## Ellis Thompson

The Eric Taylor (ABRSM) Guides to Music Theory are useful textbooks. Also Guy Michelmore has some videos online:


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## Oscar South

Can't go far wrong with exploring Google Search and YouTube for the various essays and introductory courses by Alan Belkin (particularly his PDF documents on Form, Orchestration, Harmony, Counterpoint). A lot of wisdom there and the 'general principles first' approach he takes is highly beneficial towards building a deeper understanding of music as a whole.

The ABRSM books mentioned (vol 1 and 2) are also pretty cheap and not too long -- very useful books to read through and fill in a lot of blanks to be revisited in more depth at a later date.


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## mbhaub

Depending on what method books you're using for violin, you'll pick up an awful lot of theory just by learning an instrument - if your teacher is doing the job correctly! (I hope you're not using the Suzuki method. Students play well enough, but they don't learn to read music as well as other books.)

I would suggest this excellent book. There's a companion workbook I think.


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## Guest

mbhaub said:


> Depending on what method books you're using for violin, you'll pick up an awful lot of theory just by learning an instrument - if your teacher is doing the job correctly! (I hope you're not using the Suzuki method. Students play well enough, but they don't learn to read music as well as other books.)
> 
> I would suggest this excellent book. There's a companion workbook I think.
> View attachment 143651


The title is unfortunate but the book is very well put together, an excellent resource.


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