Music Notation (Berklee Guide)

List Price: $19.95 Discount Price: $15.32

Customer Reviews:

Music Education [Posted on 2006-11-05]
The book was very well written and easy to understand. A must read for persons wishing to progress in music. I highly recomend this book

Concise, comprehensive technical guide to standard notation [Posted on 2006-11-24]
Mark McGrain's book is the ideal reference for the musician needing access to the rules of standard musical notation in exact detail. McGrain thoroughly describes the fundamentals of contemporary notation, progressing carefully from the basics into advanced techniques, giving helpful and well-chosen illustrations of every rule along the way. Most critically, the hierarchy of rules and exceptions is laid out in plain English: this is as easy to follow as it gets.

Topics covered include: clefs, note-heads, rests, stem length/direction, the logic of accidentals, barlines, time signatures, tempo markings, flags and beams, placement of ties, holds and pauses, repeats, chord symbols, divisi parts, dynamic markings, articulation marks, ornaments, score layout, instrumental transpositions, and then some. The table of contents is nicely organized so as to allow one to quickly & easily find a specific rule in question while one is writing.

This is the kind of guide we expect to be logical, consistent, thorough, and concise, so that our creativity doesn't get delayed by technical questions for too long; this book succeeds admirably on all counts. Indispensable for the working composer/musician. Highly recommended for its practical utility.

Excellent and a must read [Posted on 2007-04-28]
Excellent book to start with. Altough it is not comprehensive and the exercises get you nothing more than started it covers all the basics well.

Music Notation (Berklee Guide) [Posted on 2008-04-24]
I have found that this book is very beneficial to me for my bachelor in music. Its has helped me alot

I hope this book continues to find a place on the bookshelf of musicians everywhere. [Posted on 2008-06-07]
Excellent source for any notation questions you may have. I took Mark's class at Berklee in about 1991. Great. "A customer" does Mark and his excellent book a disservice. I enjoyed your class Mark... you were tough but fair. The best kind of teacher.
One thing that stuck in my head from your class had nothing to do with notation. You said words to the effect, that as students of music we should strive for greatness not only in music but in our relationships with others. Music may be of some comfort in our lives but it's our friends and family we all should remember to make time for. You cynical Sage... HA!

Last I heard about you Mark you were in New Orleans (Saw the Globe article about musicians and health care in New Orleans). Hope your rockin' good n' strong wherever you may be.
Peace, Harry Fix

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