FREE DOWNLOAD!

The Music Fundamentals Manual (without Appendix and Index) in Adobe Acrobat Reader format and all exercises (WIN 95, 98, NT format) for Band-in-a-Box v. 6.0 or above are FREEWARE and may be downloaded below in a self-extracting zip file.

Click here to download MUSIC FUNDAMENTALS MANUAL and Exercises. After download, double-click to Unzip. Place Exercise folder in BIAB folder so that BIAB can find the exercise files.

Need the free Adobe Acrobat Reader? Click here to go to free download page. Click right mouse button and select 'Back' to return.

If you do not have Band-in-a-Box, click here to go to Band-in-a-Box® home page. Click right mouse button and select 'Back' to return.

ear trainingGo to KBA Music Home page for more ear training and music theory software.

HOW DOES THE COURSE WORK?

You compose more than 40 lead sheet exercises with Band-In-A-Box® v. 6.0 or higher (not included), computer software that arranges and plays lead sheets over MIDI with piano, bass, drums, and additional instrumental sounds, and saves and prints the lead sheets upon request. Students must purchase Band-in-a-Box software separately.

WHAT HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE DO I NEED FOR THE MUSIC FUNDAMENTALS COURSE?

The course requires:
  1. A Macintosh or PC (Windows) computer, with
  2. Band-in-a-Box® v. 6.0 or higher (not included) installed and playing through MIDI to synthesizer, sound card, or software such as Quicktime®, and
  3. Music Fundamentals text and exercise disk.

HOW IS THE COURSE ORGANIZED?

You learn music fundamentals (chord spelling and function, melodic composition, and modulation composing more than 40 lead sheets with Band-in-a-Box.

  1. Lesson 1: Notate major scales.
  2. Lesson 2: Notate triads spelled from major scales.
  3. Lesson 3: Notate minor scales.
  4. Lesson 4: Notate triads spelled from minor scales.
  5. Lesson 5: Notate cadences.
  6. Lesson 6: Notate chord names and Roman numeral functions for triads.
  7. Lesson 7: Compose melodies to fit triads.
  8. Lesson 8: Notate seventh chords
  9. Lesson 9: Compose chords to fit melodies.
  10. Lesson 10: Compose melodies to fit chords.
  11. Lesson 11: Compose original 32 bar songs

Click here for Table of Contents from Music Fundamentals text.

Click here for Course Overview from Music Fundamentals text.

Click here for Lesson 1 from Music Fundamentals text.

Click here to download Exercise1a. Download to your BIAB folder. IMPORTANT: at file save, add a period and 'mgb' so BIAB will recognize the file. Read Course Overview and Lesson 1 (links above). Open Band-in-a-Box, load aexer1a.mgb, complete the exercise and play it. If you can complete this exercise, you will be able to complete the entire course. Each lesson is gradual and cumulative.

SOME COMMENTS FROM STUDENTS

Hello Dr. Trythall, I really like this class, so far it's pretty easy to understand and to do the work. (S.M. 1/16/97)

Ahora voy a comenzar el primer ejercicio, y tengo para decirle que su curso esta escrito en forma tan clara que a veces creo estoy leyendo en Español. Hasta pronto.(R.S. 8/6/97)

Dr. Trythall, I work as an Special Ed. Aide at Spencer Middle School. The kids I have can not believe that I can do my lessons on a computer and send them to you, so the teacher and I thank you for helping us show the kids you can learn in a different way and also you are never to old to learn. (T.L.K. 2/22/97)

Hello Dr. Trythall, ... Enjoying this in a big way. I guess you can teach an old dog new tricks. (J.D. 2/24/97)

Hello again Dr.Trythall, I like these minor scales. I'm trying to play these lessons on guitar as we go. Interesting work, to say the least. I've been copying each exercise to staff paper and then trying to read and play them. Been wanting to be able to read for years. I've played guitar in bands for many years, by ear mostly, and the seat of my pants, HA!HA! thank you so very much for this opporunity to learn. (J.D. 3/3/97)

This is getting to be pretty fun. it'll be fun to put in the harmonization in lesson 9. (T.C. 4/1/97)

7Dr. Trythall: I am having so much fun with this!! There are a few places in this song that I was not sure about, I tried several ways but still not real pleased. Also, I am not to good at endings. I'll let you critique this lesson and give me some suggestions. Thanks, (B.K.D. 4/2/97)

When I go to college (I haven't yet made up my mind where), I hope to double major in music and biology. That's why this class is so helpful to me. I'm learning some music theory (while having fun), and it will probably count as an elective credit for college. That will help because I may have to take an overload of courses because of my double major, and even having one credit out of the way will make my life much easier. (K.L. 4/3/97)

...Also, on a side note, I put this course to immediate practical value tonight. I used what I have learned about chords, scales, non-chord tones (looked ahead in the book...), etc to write an alto saxaphone solo for our jazz band that I hope is close to being musically correct. I had the chords from the lead sheet, so I plugged those into BIAB and wrote the solo around them. I attached it as well. It's not the most inventive piece of music ever written, especially for jazz, but I figured you would be interested. (N.D.S. 4/10/97)

Mr. Trythall, I am in the process of completing your course on Music Fundamentals. (Working on lesson 11 and enjoying it tremendously.) My knowledge of Music in general has leaped since starting your course even though I had some background knowledge which I accumulated over the years..... Thank you for developing these type of courses. I probably would not learn as much from a text book without the use of the computer and the fabulous program BAND-IN-A-BOX. Thanks again, (P.W. 4/11/97)

Dr. Trythall: I have really enjoyed this class, I have learned alot about music. This has been a good experience. Thanks, (B.K.D. 4/21/97)