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Extra-curricular activities

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Original poster

Can anyone recommend a music theory book for violin

13 replies

ZZZen · 01/04/2009 18:02

Dd is 8 and I think we need to get into music theory. I have no idea so it needs to be something fairly idiot-proof so I can make sense of it. I asked the teacher and she said dd is picking it up as she goes along but I have noticed she is really quite confused

Or even is there a good CD-Rom for music theory?

Can't say what level dd is at, she has been learning for nearly a year and has done the first position, embarking on the next one and the teacher's aim is that she will have done 1st, 2nd, 3rd by end of July, if that is any indication of what she needs to know theory-wise?

The choir teacher says they will also be stepping up music theory after Easter so perhaps I don't need to overdo it but I think she needs some guidance which I can't atm give her.

Help! Help!

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snorkle · 01/04/2009 20:20

I don't think they do theory specifically for violin. I'd look for a pre-grade 1 book with lots of pictures at that age. 'Theory is fun' series is supposed to be quite good as is 'theory fun factory' as I recall.

Original poster
ZZZen · 02/04/2009 10:39

thanks snorkle, I will have a google for those

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Original poster
ZZZen · 02/04/2009 10:43

The ones I have seen are all piano-based that's why I wanted one specifically for dc learning the violin if possible.

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FAQinglovely · 02/04/2009 10:45

really music theory is music theory no matter which instrument you're learning

marialuisa · 02/04/2009 10:56

The "Theory Made Easy for Children" series by Lina Ng would probably be a good starting place. Lots of games, stickers and not remotely off-putting.

www.amazon.co.uk/Theory-Made-Little-Children-Mpt300501/dp/9679854442

DD is a similar age to your DD and has gone through these. She's another non-keyboard player.

Original poster
ZZZen · 02/04/2009 11:45

FAQ! I don't have a clue, you know. This is a book with 7 seals to me.

I loved at "Theory is fun" and they had just grade 1 which sounds like it might be more than we need at this stage since a review said you need a teacher's help with it. No idea. The teacher said last week dd has to learn more scales now off by heart and understand the theory behind them a bit (?) So I was panicking a bit at that.

Ok I will see how we go with that one you recommended marialuisa so we just get cracking on it and then after that maybe the Theory is fun grade 1.

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Original poster
ZZZen · 02/04/2009 11:52

oops I didn't love at it obviously (unfortunately) , I looked at it.

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Original poster
ZZZen · 24/04/2009 08:00

marialuisa just reporting back to say we got the first two of those and dd went through them very fast and enjoyed doing them. She in theory knows all that already but she said it was much clearer to her after doing those 2 booksand in fact she was confused about some of the notes and how many counts the various pauses are. So glad we did that.

Would you recommend getting the First Theory Book from the same author to move on with? The teacher says she is doing the scales/intervals now but she really does seem to think dd picks it up as she goes whereas I have the strong impression dd understands it in the moment the teacher exlains it but half an hour later has completely forgotten it. I have no idea about intervals and what she calls the theory behind the scales etc myself so needs to be an idiot-proof book really.

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marialuisa · 25/04/2009 06:09

Glad your DD liked them. I would move on to the next level if your DD is happy to do so. I found it helped DD's confidence no end to be able to work through the books quite speedily. They do contain some stuff about keyboards but it's all explained and you can just skip that bit.

DD is grade 3-4 level on her instruments and so some of the stuff that she "knows" from playing is well in advance of the theory books but she's still had to get to grips with the need for absolute accuracy when drawing sharps for example.

marialuisa · 25/04/2009 06:11

BTW, if she wants to do any aural work, this site www.hofnote.co.uk/ is worth playing with.

Original poster
ZZZen · 25/04/2009 15:04

ok, I'll have a look at that. Thanks for your advice marialuisa. Glad I got some books to go over the basics now before she progressed too much further.

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Original poster
ZZZen · 28/04/2009 18:39

I just googled on amazon and this book came up "piano grade 2 improve your scales!" which might be a help or another book of that type.

I know nothing about playingt he violin and didn't plan on getting very involved in it but I've found that I do have to understand what she is doing and help with it at times

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Original poster
ZZZen · 28/04/2009 18:42

wrong thread

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