Rating: 
Summary: A Good Beginning--but not the Final Word
Review: As a music educator with over 30 years of experience and who has taught well over five thousand persons the joys of making their own music, I am still having some of my students purchase this small (and inadequate) workbook, but only after having studied all the basics using a book I'll mention in a moment. In other words, if you are starting out, do NOT purchase this book. I have been so discouraged with the current music theory "workbooks" which claim to be "easy" but NEVER explain anything. This book is unorganized, certainly not comprehensive in chord content (and that's important). But, this book does offers a certain value for the average keyboard student who needs a review. I know the reader is now asking, "well, what IS the best book to purchase?" Currently, there is only ONE "non-aligned" (that is, written to be used independently from method books like Bastien or Thompson) theory workbook---but it is dated. I would advise the reader to purchase the "John Brimhall Theory Workbook (Complete)". It's published by Hansen House. This workbook is certainly the best organized I've seen (although it STILL does not explain much, it simple "tells" the reader the facts (so do all the other workbooks). It also---like every other theory book I've used---come with errors: such as having all major chords abbreviated using a capitol "M" after the chord---which has not been used since the 1850s. Also, most music theory workbooks never reveal the "mystery" of what is a "double sharp" or "double flat" (neither does Feldstein OR Brimhall). I have been working on producing a new comprehensive music theory workbook, but don't look for it until 2006. Lastly, a bit of advice: all authors of music theory books "assume" that the reader understands "something" about playing the keyboard. After teaching beginners of all ages for many years, that assumption is false. My best advice? Purchase the Brimhall for basics and then---find a GOOD teacher (and that means not going to the neighbor down the street who gives lessons so they can have some extra money!). Ask questions; find someone who takes time to explain; remember, this is supposed to be more fun than "root canal" (with apologies to my dentist!).
Rating:
Summary: A Good Beginning--but not the Final Word
Review: As a music educator with over 30 years of experience and who has taught well over five thousand persons the joys of making their own music, I am still having some of my students purchase this small (and inadequate) workbook, but only after having studied all the basics using a book I'll mention in a moment. In other words, if you are starting out, do NOT purchase this book. I have been so discouraged with the current music theory "workbooks" which claim to be "easy" but NEVER explain anything. This book is unorganized, certainly not comprehensive in chord content (and that's important). But, this book does offers a certain value for the average keyboard student who needs a review. I know the reader is now asking, "well, what IS the best book to purchase?" Currently, there is only ONE "non-aligned" (that is, written to be used independently from method books like Bastien or Thompson) theory workbook---but it is dated. I would advise the reader to purchase the "John Brimhall Theory Workbook (Complete)". It's published by Hansen House. This workbook is certainly the best organized I've seen (although it STILL does not explain much, it simple "tells" the reader the facts (so do all the other workbooks). It also---like every other theory book I've used---come with errors: such as having all major chords abbreviated using a capitol "M" after the chord---which has not been used since the 1850s. Also, most music theory workbooks never reveal the "mystery" of what is a "double sharp" or "double flat" (neither does Feldstein OR Brimhall). I have been working on producing a new comprehensive music theory workbook, but don't look for it until 2006. Lastly, a bit of advice: all authors of music theory books "assume" that the reader understands "something" about playing the keyboard. After teaching beginners of all ages for many years, that assumption is false. My best advice? Purchase the Brimhall for basics and then---find a GOOD teacher (and that means not going to the neighbor down the street who gives lessons so they can have some extra money!). Ask questions; find someone who takes time to explain; remember, this is supposed to be more fun than "root canal" (with apologies to my dentist!).
Rating: 
Summary: A good introduction, but lacking more advanced theory...
Review: As with all beginner theory books, this books ends at harmonizing scales, which is a good spot for introductory books. Just be aware of the scope of this book; i had purchased it expecting it to be more in-depth, and was a bit disappointed in that aspect.
Rating: 
Summary: Great help of Choral Singers
Review: I am using this book with some of the members of the Choral Society I sing with. Many of our members can sing, but don't know how to read music. This book has been an excellent reference and workbook for the students. When I have covered a subject, I assign the associated lessons from the workbook as homework to reinforce their learning. There have been marked improvements in the performances of some of these singers. It is a pleasure to have such a great, fun book to use with non-professionals and non-students who just love to sing and want to sing better!
Rating:
Summary: Great help of Choral Singers
Review: I am using this book with some of the members of the Choral Society I sing with. Many of our members can sing, but don't know how to read music. This book has been an excellent reference and workbook for the students. When I have covered a subject, I assign the associated lessons from the workbook as homework to reinforce their learning. There have been marked improvements in the performances of some of these singers. It is a pleasure to have such a great, fun book to use with non-professionals and non-students who just love to sing and want to sing better!
Rating:
Summary: "Practical Theory Complete" is not this book's title
Review: I bought this book in order to have a good compendium at hand. The word "complete" in the title and the brilliant reviews it got could just recommend it as a first choice. And what could be a better incentive for study than a "theory" book that is also "practical"?Dissapointing points:
1. It is just a notebok. What could in this case "complete" mean?
2. A large percentage of the topics covered are not theoretical, but only notational conventions. I agree with an earlier reviewer that this are important and should be well learned. This goes to the cost of having just few pages left for the theory.
3. Each topic is covered in two or three purely assertive sentences. To state a convention this would suffice in most cases. But scales, chords, chord progressions and other to the newcomer so puzzling subjects do certainly desserve a minimal clariffication, whatever short the book. Appointing points:
1. A rich coverage of notational conventions, paired with exercises. Helpful when you begin reading scores.
2. The lessons on composition are uplifting, the reader could come to believe that this is an easy job. Unlike the rest of the book, they do not lack humor: the reader is asked to sing or to play his or her own composition, in case that he or she would forget to try it. This book could be a good choice for adults who would like to start reading music for the first time. But if you want to get a clue about the theoretical tools which make music possible, then better ignore it.
Rating:
Summary: "Practical Theory Complete" is not this book's title
Review: I bought this book in order to have a good compendium at hand. The word "complete" in the title and the brilliant reviews it got could just recommend it as a first choice. And what could be a better incentive for study than a "theory" book that is also "practical"? Dissapointing points:
1. It is just a notebok. What could in this case "complete" mean?
2. A large percentage of the topics covered are not theoretical, but only notational conventions. I agree with an earlier reviewer that this are important and should be well learned. This goes to the cost of having just few pages left for the theory.
3. Each topic is covered in two or three purely assertive sentences. To state a convention this would suffice in most cases. But scales, chords, chord progressions and other to the newcomer so puzzling subjects do certainly desserve a minimal clariffication, whatever short the book. Appointing points:
1. A rich coverage of notational conventions, paired with exercises. Helpful when you begin reading scores.
2. The lessons on composition are uplifting, the reader could come to believe that this is an easy job. Unlike the rest of the book, they do not lack humor: the reader is asked to sing or to play his or her own composition, in case that he or she would forget to try it. This notebook could be a good choice for adults who would like to start reading music for the first time. But to know 'why' music theory is not the arbitrary construct it too often seems, then better take Helmholtz's "On the Sensations of Tone". Admittedly more work, but a honest foundation.
Rating:
Summary: Good for absolute beginners
Review: I have been using this book for my beginning adult voice students, or rather my "I took piano when I was 10" students, in conjunction with good explanation of the topics as well as a beginning piano book.
The lessons are a good length for my adult students to tackle, the explanations of the concepts are clear and the repeated drilling of concepts/notes/rhythms in the exercises is just right for these students.
Of course, my more observant students ask questions to fill in the blanks left by some of the lessons. The section on keys and accidentals comes to mind. My students also find themselves, as they first begin actually reading music for the first time, encountering 8th and 16th notes in their practical music long before the book discusses them. I'd like to see the rhythmic lessons moved up a bit in the book.
Please know that this not a 'complete' theory book, however, it is an excellent, inexpensive, non-threatening, acessible tool for the beginner looking to learn to read music. I recommend it.
Rating:
Summary: So-so
Review: I like the spiral binding on this manual. The answers to the "Review of Lessons" were helpful. However, four answer pages were reduced to fit on one page making it difficult to distinguish between the accidentals--sharps, flats, and naturals. More practice on chord progressions and inversions would be helpful.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Practical Music Theory for ALL Ages
Review: I'm a music teacher and this is the best single volume music theory text that I have used and recommended to others. The lessons are clear and easy to understand, and progress in a thoughtful manner. After every three lessons there is a review lesson of the concepts. It is a consumable programmed text which means that you write your answers in the book as you follow the sequence of learning - very smart! If you get stuck, the answers are in the back of the book - also very smart! Plus, the cost of the book is under [$$$] - A very good investment for the music student who wants to learn the nuts and bolts of musical concepts and composition!
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