Write the songs that make the whole world sing. A step-by-step guide to writing music, this book shows musicians how to compose simple chord progressions and melodies, and leads them through more advanced compositional techniques and musical forms. Designed for composers of all types of music, it includes instruction on composing stand-alone melodies, using different scales and modes, themes and variations, orchestration, and composing for film, theater, and videogames. -Perfect complement to The Complete Idiot's Guide to Music Theory and The Complete Idiot's Guide to Songwriting -Includes a comprehensive glossary of musical terms, as well as an appendix of various computer-based composition tools -Easy-to-use oversize trim

The complex art of conducting may look effortless to the casual onlooker, however, it requires a great deal of knowledge and skill. The success of a performance hinges on the director's ability to keep the group playing together and interpreting the music as the composer intended. The Complete Idiot's Guide® to Conducting Music shows student and novice conductors how to lead bands, orchestras, choirs, and other ensembles effectively through sight-reading, rehearsals, and performances.

Many people find music theory a tough subject-- but it doesn't have to be! The best-selling Idiot's Guides: Music Theory, Third Edition, is a concise and clear guide that teaches any budding musician (and even more experienced ones) how to read musical notation by navigating the basics of reading and composing music. This book covers: - The basics of tones, including pitches, clefs, scales, intervals, and major and minor keys. - The building blocks of rhythm, including note values, basic notation, time signatures, and tempo, dynamics, and navigation. - How tunes are created, starting with melodies, chords, chord progressions, and phrases and forms. - The basics of accompaniment, including transcribing, accompanying melodies, and transposing to other keys. - Composing and arranging, including coverage of musical genres and forms, how to compose your own music, arranging for voices and instruments, working with lead sheets and scores, and performing your music. - Helpful reference appendixes, including a glossary, chord charts, and instrument ranges. - Exercises at the end of each chapter, and an answer key appendix. - All-new coverage of genres, composing, and arranging. - Expanded online ear-training and transcribing exercise content.

A musician's vocabulary needs more than Do, Re, Mi... Written in clear, concise, easy-to-understand language, The Complete Idiot's Guide® Music Dictionary covers a multitude of musical aspects indispensable to any musician. Author and music professor Stanford Felix has compiled the most commonly found terms and explains them in a way that even the most novice musician can comprehend. • The only dictionary geared toward the beginner musician • Gives clear, concise definitions of terms, theories, and instruments, as well as important works, musicians, and composers

Published in 1992, The Complete Idiot's Guide to Music Theoryhas proven itself as one of Alpha's best-selling books and perhaps the best-selling trade music theory book ever published. In the new updated and expanded second edition, the book includes a special CD and book section on ear training. The hour-long ear-training course reinforces the basic content of the book with musical examples of intervals, scales, chords, and rhythms. Also provided are aural exercises students can use to test their ear training and transcription skills. The CD is accompanied by a 20-page section of exercises and examples.

Idiot's Guides: Mixing Music breaks down all the complex jargon for beginners and discussing a blend of skillful principles and techniques that anyone can utilize when mixing. It covers all the fundamentals from the various mixing styles, the element of a mix and how to build one, the rules of arrangement, the secrets of equalization and frequencies. This guide is packed full of expert advice and be platform neutral for any home mixer. Coverage also includes: - In-depth review of budget-friendly music equipment and purchasing. - Chock full of tips, tricks, and techniques on perfecting mixes. - Easy-to-comprehend breakdown of terms and techniques that any mixer can master. - The fundamentals of music mixing, breaking the process down so readers understand the basics. - The building blocks of mixing: reverb, blend, size, tone, sustaining sound, delay types and how to calculate them, balancing, and sonic layering. - Reviews of the various mixing styles, rules for arrangement, and all the tips and tricks for adding effects and creating that perfect sound. - An exploration of the current mixing techniques and principles. - In-depth discussion on the essential home recording budget-conscious mixer needs, what equipment to purchase and what to avoid, and whether or not to use freeware.

Make sure you hit all the right notes Playing the piano is much more than just learning notes and reading music; having good dexterity, building independent finger strength, and learning proper technique is absolutely essential to mastering the instrument. Packed with everything a player needs to become a great pianist, The Complete Idiot's Guide® to Piano Exercises is the perfect companion to the best-selling The Complete Idiot's Guide® to Playing Piano, Third Edition. • More than 100 challenging exercises designed to improve playing skills, including pedaling, hand crossovers, virtuoso arpeggios, playing dynamics, and more • The author owns and operates a very successful home studio, and is a virtuoso pianist

We’re living in the midst of a scientific revolution that’s captured the general public’s attention and imagination. The aim of this new revolution is to develop a “theory of everything”—a set of laws of physics that will explain all that can be explained, ranging from the tiniest subatomic particle to the universe as a whole. Here, readers will learn the ideas behind the theories, and their effects upon our world, our civilization, and ourselves. The Complete Idiot’s Guide® String Theory explains how this exciting idea holds up against competing theories. In this Complete Idiot’s Guide®, you get: • Clear explanation of quantum mechanics, Einstein’s theories of relativity, and how string theory unites them. • A quick, easy-to-understand overview of competing theories and how they might be tested. • Fast facts about black holes, what’s inside them, how they’re made, and why they’re so paradoxical. • Simple, smart tips to help you visualize extra dimensions.

The most comprehensive introduction to film making. -- Some how-to books on filmmaking focus on making specific types of films, such as short dramatic films or documentaries. Others focus on one aspect of filmmaking, such as directing or editing. Still others focus on a particular medium, such as digital filmmaking. The Complete Idiot's Guide "RM" to Film Making covers all of these topics -- and more! -- This book will appeal to film students, wannabe film students, and writers tired of trying to get their own work sold/distributed, and want to go it alone. The Complete Idiot's Guide "RM" to Film Making will do for aspiring filmmakers what The Complete Idiot's Guide "RM" to Screenwriting is doing for aspiring screenwriters. In fact, this book should have the added luxury of also appealing to aspiring screenwriters, especially those who have struggled to get their work purchased, who have considered trying to produce and direct their own screenplays. Regardless of motivation for picking up The Complete Idiot's Guide "RM" to Film Making readers will find it to be the most comprehensive book on the subject -- and on two different levels. First, it will cover every aspect of the filmmaking process, from script to pre-production, to directing, to post-production, to distribution. Secondly, it will cover virtually every form of filmmaking, including independent features, Hollywood films, television movies, documentaries, corporate and educational films, "reality films, " digital/Internet films, and music videos.

MP3 is an Internet music format to compress music for easy download and storage. This work gives a history of how MP3 came to exist and what the technology is. The authors offer pointers and tips for would-be artists who want to run for the music industry.