For Grades 1 and 2, I found the First Steps in Music Theory book perfect.

For Grade 3, I remember it didn't explain intervals very well and members on here explained them better, and now having just started studying for Grade 4, I've already discovered that sbhoa can explain re-writing time signatures better than the book

I've got the pink book as well (The AB Guide to Music Theory) but certainly as far as the problems mentioned above were concerned, it isn't any better, and generally I don't find it very clear. I've also got the Music Theory in Practice books, but seeing as First Steps, the AB Guide and MTP are all written by the same person, they tend to all say the same things.


So I'm losing a bit of faith in the books I've got and I was thinking of getting Take Five and Pass First Time, but on reading a thread about it, someone said that it's just a summary of the pink book. It's written by a different author though, so does it explain things better?

Or are there any other books for up to Grade 5 which are worth getting?

Thanks for any recommendations.




PS. I've also got a book called "How to read music in 10 Lessons" by Terry Burrows which normally fills in any gaps from the AB books, but even this one wasn't helpful on intervals or re-writing time signatures.

I've also tried looking at the Dolmetsch web site, and whilst it's very good for some things, it isn't geared to the exam system so doesn't always explain what you need to know in the way you need it explaining.

Take Five explains things much better than the AB books, but I don't like the way it deals with intervals. That aside, it is the best book in my opinion.

I like 'Take Five' too, it's much easier to understand than the AB pink book. If you need hand with any of it, give me a shout!

Thanks for your comments - I've ordered Take Five now and it should arrive next week

Hi Skylark

I remember reading that you were taking grade 3 theory somewhere but don't remember reading that you had received your result, so congratulations. What did you get?

When did your results arrive. We are still waiting in London, or at least I am.

I've now got the book - I haven't studied it in detail yet but I can see that it's written in a totally different way from the pink book so hopefully it will be easier to follow. Thanks for the recommendation.




PS Melody, further to my PM yesterday, I didn't get my results today either! (I saw your post on the other thread)