Music theory for musicians

[Catison]

I've been playing tuba for about 15 years now.  I can usually play all the notes fine, and I have pretty good ear so that I adjust to those around me.  But when it comes to understanding what is technically going on around me, I am dumbfounded.  For example, I know if I'm playing the third, I should be a little bit louder, but I have no idea when that is.  I constantly rely on those around me to give me hints about what is going on the music.

My question is this:  Is there a book or website that attempts to teach music theory from a musician's perspective?  I would be very interested in learning the basics, but not with the intention of writing my own music.  Or do I have it completely wrong and there really is only one good way to learn?

[Bonehelm]

I've been playing tuba for about 15 years now.  I can usually play all the notes fine, and I have pretty good ear so that I adjust to those around me.  But when it comes to understanding what is technically going on around me, I am dumbfounded.  For example, I know if I'm playing the third, I should be a little bit louder, but I have no idea when that is.  I constantly rely on those around me to give me hints about what is going on the music.

My question is this:  Is there a book or website that attempts to teach music theory from a musician's perspective?  I would be very interested in learning the basics, but not with the intention of writing my own music.  Or do I have it completely wrong and there really is only one good way to learn?

What you need is probably not a music theory book; if you want to learn more about other orchestral instruments and their sound chacteristics, sonics, key, and how they fit with the others...you might as well get a full score and study it WHILE listening to a recording of the piece. Listen to what other instruments play when the score is notated in a particular way. Notice how the instruments sound and blend, and pay extra attention to the signs/symbols/markings on the music. That's called decomposing music. What are you playing in your orchestra now?

IMSLP has literally tons of free full scores, btw. The website is www.imslp.org. Hope that helped.

[Larry Rinkel]

I've been playing tuba for about 15 years now.  I can usually play all the notes fine, and I have pretty good ear so that I adjust to those around me.  But when it comes to understanding what is technically going on around me, I am dumbfounded.  For example, I know if I'm playing the third, I should be a little bit louder, but I have no idea when that is.  I constantly rely on those around me to give me hints about what is going on the music.

My question is this:  Is there a book or website that attempts to teach music theory from a musician's perspective?  I would be very interested in learning the basics, but not with the intention of writing my own music.  Or do I have it completely wrong and there really is only one good way to learn?

I don't know if there's an all-in-one guide. Long ago on a previous incarnation of this forum, I wrote and posted what I called an introduction to tonality, and I even made an accompanying tape. I covered things like intervals, chords, cadences, keys, modulation, and the like. You're welcome to these things if you want. But why not seek out the music department at your school and ask the same question? They probably know the best texts.

[johnQpublic]

This issue is dealt with coaches of chamber ensembles a lot. Although certainly conductors deal with much too. But usually members of a brass quintet (for example) freely discuss such items as raising or lowering slightly the third of major chord, etc.

[karlhenning]

The text for our first-year theory sequence was Elementary Harmony: Theory and Practice by Robert W. Ottman.  Back then, we worked with the second edition, and I have no idea which edition they're on now, though I suspect it comes with CD-ROM these days :-)