Thread: Need books recommendations on regional/traditionnal/world music theory

Hi everyone,

Not sure this is the best place to post my subject but this is about music theory.

First of all, I'm looking for some kind of rythms dictionnary(ies). Especialy concerning world music. I don't know if such book(s) exist but i'm looking for something that would include and explains the main rythms (and also metric system) of a number of regional or traditionnal music (european, africans, asian, latin... etc).

The second kind of books I'm looking for is closely link to the first one. It's the same idea but concerning scales and harmony.

I know its a huge topic so maybe I should be more specific (like afro rythm...) but I don't know maybe you have something for me.

Thanks

Hi Millionrainbows.

Thanks for your reply and your very interesting suggestions.

Do you happen to know some books that have a more broader point of view on the subject. I was looking for something with a broad spectrum where I could take ideas and maybe later buy something more specific on the subjects that I like the most. The thing is I found it easy to dig works on western music theory and history but when it come to what we call world music it's a little bit harder. Which like you said it's surely due to the fact that where talking about oral traditions.

Originally Posted by Echoes

Hi Millionrainbows.

Thanks for your reply and your very interesting suggestions.

Do you happen to know some books that have a more broader point of view on the subject. I was looking for something with a broad spectrum where I could take ideas and maybe later buy something more specific on the subjects that I like the most. The thing is I found it easy to dig works on western music theory and history but when it come to what we call world music it's a little bit harder. Which like you said it's surely due to the fact that where talking about oral traditions.

There's lots of different ways you could do this. You're going to run into a lot of different tuning systems, so you could read about that.

I suggest listening, above all. Need some recommendations?

This is an excellent and fun book, and contains some valuable info on tunings, fretting, strings, pipes, and more. This kind of information will come in handy when you are trying to understand music and instruments that are non-Western.[

Originally Posted by millionrainbows

This book is mandatory for anyone interested in tuning.

Read critically.

So, who are we to believe, Harry Partch, or some guy in his underwear on the internet? Remember, be critical.

I'm not sure if it's exactly what you're looking for but I remember Gunther Schuller speaking of the work of Arthur Morris Jones in Studies in African Music as fundamental:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Morris_Jones

you can find it here online:
http://www.davidbruce.net/blog/post343.asp

Originally Posted by millionrainbows

So, who are we to believe, Harry Partch, or some guy in his underwear on the internet? Remember, be critical.

You are classy.