Written to provide a fundamental understanding of how every day music essentially works, without compromising a solid theoretical approach. It is written in a simple and straightforward manner, using the piano keyboard as a starting point for developing notational and analytic skills. KEY TOPICS: Covers the basic elements of notation; major and minor scales; scale degrees, key signatures, note values, and simple meter; melodic intervals; melody; triads, compound meter, and principles of notation; seventh chords, chord symbols; and harmony and melody. For anyone who wishes to discover the basic principles of music theory.