Ideal for students with no prior experience with musical notation and music theory, Principles of Music presents a series of lessons that proceeds step by step through music fundamentals. Taking a keyboard-oriented approach, it focuses on the basics - musical notation of rhythm and pitch,major and minor scales, key signatures, intervals, triads, and seventh chords - providing the necessary background for more advanced study in music theory. In addition to lessons in pitch notation and tonal materials, the book also covers the basics of rhythm and meter through separate lessons andperformance exercises that reinforce rhythm reading.While rooted in a repertory of Western art music - with excerpts from great works by composers ranging from Bach to Bernstein - the text also encourages students to explore other works, and other musical traditions, with lists of suggested further listening at the end of each lesson.