music theory books

[spring978]

Looking for good music theory books for preschooler.

[Mama Shifra]

I'm not really sure what you mean by music theory. Do you want your child to be able to read music? Do you want to teach about the various instruments?

If you want to teach music reading, you probably should get Keyboard Capers by Rebecca Doyle Stout (which is available from www.rainbowresource.com). You can also get ready-made manipulatives for Keyboard Capers or make them yourself (the book has most of them that you can cut out). Another music theory book is Progressive Theory for Young Beginners by Peter Gelling that comes in a book/CD combination. There's also the well regarded computer program Music Ace, but I think it is mostly meant for older children.

If you want to teach your child about orchestral instruments, then you should probably get a copy of "Peter and the Wolf" (you can get this in a book/CD combination ISBN: 978-0375824302), Carnival of the Animals (available in a book/CD combination ISBN: 978-0805061802), and/or "The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra" (also available in a book/CD combination ISBN: 978-0152013042).

A three-book series that combines both learning about musical instruments, music history and note reading theory is Young Person's Guide to Music History by Carolyn Jones Campbell (published by Willis Music Co.). I really like it, but you will need to buy/borrow several CDs/tapes in order to use it properly. However, each book is only $4.50 so it is not too unaffordable.

[moominmamma]

I've never done music theory with a preschooler. I'm not sure what the context is that has made you consider introducing it to a child so young. But we have used the Theory Time workbooks (Grades 3 through 5) at ages 6-10 and they're the best theory workbooks for kids I've come across. Perhaps the Grade 1 and 2 books might be suitable for a slightly younger child, though I doubt they're intended for preschoolers. Still, they're quite good -- varied, with fun pages and good somewhat simplified explanations and a fair bit of practice but not too much.

Theory Time website

Miranda

[spring978]

Thank you I will look into these.

DS LOVES music he watches DH how to videos over and over again. He begged for a guitar as soon as he could talk All he wanted this year was a electric guitar.

He Loves his keyboard and his bongos and his guitars he also sings, recently he requested a fiddle.

We figure since he is absorbing like a sponge we should include some things he is truly passionate about

[moominmamma]

Originally Posted by spring978

We figure since he is absorbing like a sponge we should include some things he is truly passionate about

As a mom to four flourishing young musicians, I'd like to gently suggest that introducing music theory before a child is making music in a reasonably sophisticated way is like teaching him to read before he can speak in sentences. It's probably possible, but it's kind of an unusual sequence. My 7yo has used music theory books to learn that a piece of music with two sharps in the key signature is probably in D Major or b minor but she plays violin and piano pieces in those keys and so that information has meaning and context for her.

I think it would be more worthwhile to pursue music appreciation, and then start formal musical instrument instruction when you think he's ready for it, and then some basic note-reading, before heading into music theory per se.

Miranda

[LuxPerpetua]

We are a musical family here but we don't do any sort of theory books at the moment and don't plan to until dd is much older (probaby 7 or 8--after she can read). However, music is an integral part of our life and family culture. One thing we do is leave out sheet music so that dd understands that like words in books, notes are a way to "read" music to know how the tune goes. She's seen the sheet music and asked why the notes looked different and I just gave her a brief explanation that the different kinds of notes stood for different sound patterns. We have a xylophone with the scale notes labeled (ABCD, etc., to a full octave), and lately she has been making up her own songs based on the note names ("This song has two As, 3 Ds, etc.). We also have a fun dinner game where we all take turns clapping the rhythms to songs and the others try and guess which song it is. She just turned 4, and I think we're doing great as far as "theory" goes. She's actually ahead of where I expected at this age.

[greenmamapagan]

I found myself surprised about theory books for a preschooler too.
We do similar to LP. DD will grab some music and sit at the piano and play just like she will grab a book and "read". She can read a few words but I doubt she can read any music, she can however find the page in a book of children's songs with her favourite song on it.
So I gather he can play a little guitar, do you or DH play? Or sight-sing? DD loves us to sing from books of children's songs and has learnt quite a lot about how music is notated from that.
I can't think of any books that would seem suitable for a very young child but I do have a manipulative from Yamaha of a magnetic board with a treble clef and stave on it that comes with little note magnets. Something like that could be fun for him.