(Part 2) Best christian music books according to redditors

By "understand music" I'm assuming you mean like music theory?
www.musictheory.net is a wonderful resource to start you off, some of it may seem too easy at first but stick to it and it'll get challenging. Past that, I would honestly recommend picking up a textbook. Music in Theory and Practice is the best damn textbook you can get that takes you from "what are notes" to late romantic era macro analysis of chord relationships. It's pricey but it's good. Tonal Harmony is another good one, and is a much better deal I linked to one on Amazon for $50. I know spending a lot of money on a textbook seems like a waste when we have the Internet, but they are both textbooks that you will keep and continue to use and reference for years. I own both of those because I needed them for music theory classes at different universities, but even without a professor to lecture, the material in there is pretty self explanatory. Let me know if you have any questions / want a better explanation, I hope I understood your question correctly!

Edit: I forgot to add /r/musictheory is available too, but a lot of posts there assume the reader already knows quite a bit about theory, it isn't exactly a resource for someone wanting to begin learning. The sidebar there might have some useful stuff though.

I've done it in the past just to assess the course. As a teacher and music theorist in training, as well as a practicing musician, I had a number of complaints about the methodology and ideas presented in the course. Like many non-peer reviewed publications, it goes off the rails as soon as they bring up modes. What could have been a fruitful and focused study of music geared toward the beginner and intermediate musician alike becomes mired by the inclusion of a controversial topic that is never given adequate explanation. This was a couple of years ago, so it may have changed since then.

Aside from private lessons (with someone who actually knows what they're doing; a more difficult proposition than you might think), I'd recommend going through the materials on http://www.musictheory.net, Hal Leonard's Pocket Music Theory, or if you really have stamina and the discipline for self-teaching, Miguel Roig-Francoli's Harmony in Context.

As someone who has been in the industry for almost 20 years, has run music recording studios, worked out in LA, who now works in post production and as an on set production recordist, and who currently runs live sound at more than a few venues in my town, I cannot stress this enough.

Do not waste your time, energy and effort going to college if you want to be an audio engineer.

Now, I didn't say don't go to college...but if you do go, go there for a career that actually requires a degree. Don't put yourself in debt to get a degree in a field that nobody requires you to have. I did not go to school, and I've never not gotten a gig because of it.

If you want to be an audio engineer, then start by actually doing the thing you want to do. If you want to work in a recording studio, then start applying for internships. I know of no studios that won't accept an intern who didn't go to college. Oh, buy a cheap 4-track and a SM57 and get to work. I'm sure you've got friends who are in bands, offer to record them.

If you want to work in post production, get an internship at a post house.

If you want to be an on set audio recordist, contact a local production company and ask if they have any contacts to any local sound mixers. Call them, and ask to be a sound utility. The last guy I hired I met this way. Maybe ask if there are any low budget productions that you could be a boom op on.

If you want to work in live sound, start by going to bars/clubs/casinos, where ever there are live sound guys, and ask if you can intern / wrap cables / get coffee / whatever else. Or, call a local sound rental house. We have 2 major ones in even my small town of Baton Rouge, La.

If you go to church, then ask to learn from whoever runs that sound system.

The possibilities are endless. The point is, with the current state of both the career field of audio engineering, not only is it a real struggle to make a living, being in debt makes it that much worse. To put it to you this way, I'm 32 years old, and last year I bought a house. If I had gone to Full Sail, you can bet I wouldn't be buying that house until at least 40.

Lastly, read. There are tons of great books available that will not only help you narrow what you'd like to do in the field of audio engineering, but that will teach you exactly what you need to be doing.

Now, my usual book list.

The Daily Adventures of mixer man - Mixerman

http://www.amazon.com/Daily-Adventures-Mixerman-ebook/dp/B00BFUNZ9C/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1408230831&sr=8-1&keywords=Mixerman

Zen and the art of mixing - Mixerman

http://www.amazon.com/Zen-Art-Mixing-REV-2-ebook/dp/B00JZNNC8K/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1408230831&sr=8-2&keywords=Mixerman

Zen and the art of Producing - Mixerman

http://www.amazon.com/Daily-Adventures-Mixerman-ebook/dp/B00BFUNZ9C/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1408230831&sr=8-1&keywords=Mixerman

Behind the Glass vol. 1 and 2 - Howard Massy

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Behind%20the%20glass

Recording Engineer's Handbook - Bobby Owninski

http://www.amazon.com/Recording-Engineers-Handbook-Third-ebook/dp/B00FN57064/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=undefined&sr=8-1&keywords=Recording+Engineer%27s+handbook

The Sound Reinforcement Handbook - Gary Davis

http://www.amazon.com/Sound-Reinforcement-Handbook-Gary-Davis/dp/0881889008/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1408231033&sr=8-1&keywords=yamaha+sound+reinforcement+handbook

Guide to Sound Systems for Worship - Jon F. Eiche

http://www.amazon.com/Guide-Sound-Systems-Worship-Eiche/dp/079350029X/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1408231033&sr=8-2&keywords=yamaha+sound+reinforcement+handbook

The Practical art of Motion Picture Sound - Daniel Lewis Yewdall

http://www.amazon.com/Practical-Art-Motion-Picture-Sound/dp/0240812409/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1361733899&sr=1-1&keywords=practical+art+of+motion+picture+sound

Sound for Film and Televison - Tomlinson Holman

http://www.amazon.com/Sound-Film-Television-Tomlinson-Holman/dp/0240813308/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1408231326&sr=8-4&keywords=Production+sound+book

The Location Sound Bible - Ric Viers

http://www.amazon.com/Location-Sound-Bible-Record-Professional-ebook/dp/B00ATOUXBI/ref=sr_1_30?ie=UTF8&qid=1408231585&sr=8-30&keywords=Production+sound+book

That should be enough to get you going. Remember, I didn't say not to go to college, just not for this. And Remember, whatever you do, don't go to fullsail.

I think theory textbooks have kind of already done this work for you. They have short pieces of increasing difficulty, with answers readily available either in the back of the book (I think) or online. This book is what we used in my AP theory class, and this is what we used in my undergrad. You could even get a teacher's edition if you want to be really sure. I've linked to the workbooks for each text here, but the actual textbooks also have self-tests and exercises included in each chapter, which would have answers available to check. If you want to do extra work on your own, that would probably be the easiest way to do it.

If you would like to end with Chopin, you only need to study tonal theory. So twelve tone topics are not of any use since that topic is 20th century, after tonality.

If you didn't do voice leading (SATB harmony): Are you interested in voice leading? If you want to get to the more advanced topics of tonal theory, you'll need to cover that. If so I would suggest this book:

https://www.amazon.com/Musicians-Guide-Theory-Analysis-Third/dp/0393600491/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1535936804&sr=1-1&keywords=clendinning+theory

Have you done species counterpoint? Species counterpoint will be very helpful in dealing with just about all music. I would recommend Fux's book:

https://www.amazon.com/Study-Counterpoint-Johann-Joseph-Parnassum/dp/0393002772/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1535936929&sr=1-1&keywords=fux+counterpoint

If you've already done species counterpoint: For more advanced counterpoint (not useful for Chopin, but necessary for anything with fugues in it, obviously) I would suggest Mann's book:

https://www.amazon.com/Study-Fugue-Dover-Books-Music/dp/0486254399

For a complete discussion of forms I would suggest Berry's book:

https://www.amazon.com/Form-Music-2nd-Wallace-Berry/dp/0133292851

For an in depth and modern discussion of sonata theory (remember that symphonies are also often times in sonata form), I would suggest Hepokoski's book:

https://www.amazon.com/Elements-Sonata-Theory-Deformations-Late-Eighteenth-Century/dp/0199773912/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1535937360&sr=1-1&keywords=hepokoski+sonata

If you already know species counterpoint and voice leading you can study Schenkarian Analysis. For this there's two books I would suggest:

https://www.amazon.com/Analysis-Tonal-Music-Schenkerian-Approach/dp/0199732477/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1535937496&sr=1-1&keywords=schenkerian+analysis

https://www.amazon.com/Tonal-Analysis-Schenkerian-David-Damschroder/dp/0393283798/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1535937488&sr=1-2&keywords=schenkerian+analysis

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If you're interested in composition, that's the other side of the coin and so all the above are of limited use. Let me know if you want books for composition.

Fixed your link to AZ : https://www.amazon.com/Practice-Harmony-Peter-Spencer-D-M/dp/0131826603

Part 1

https://www.amazon.com/Harmonic-Materials-Tonal-Music-Programmed/dp/0205629717/ref=pd_sbs_14_1/132-1931752-2639066?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=0205629717&pd_rd_r=07bf0802-67a9-4bd7-959b-c29b8a462315&pd_rd_w=7pxDw&pd_rd_wg=7Y6o3&pf_rd_p=588939de-d3f8-42f1-a3d8-d556eae5797d&pf_rd_r=A5YH2NY8B0BJRFE2X6DT&psc=1&refRID=A5YH2NY8B0BJRFE2X6DT

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Part 2

https://www.amazon.com/Harmonic-Materials-Tonal-Music-Programmed/dp/020562975X/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=harmonic+materials&link_code=qs&qid=1563943772&s=gateway&sourceid=Mozilla-search&sr=8-2

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Bridge to 20th century

https://www.amazon.com/Bridge-Twentieth-Century-Music-Programed-Revised/dp/0205287581/ref=sr_1_9?qid=1563943844&refinements=p_27%3AGreg+A.+Steinke&s=books&sr=1-9&text=Greg+A.+Steinke

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They have a "Part 0". I have a feeling you might be able to start with Part 2 and skip Part 0 and Part 1, but I can't be sure.

These are the books I used to build my foundation and I loved them. I just found the titles, but you might want to make sure you get the latest editions. Get the CD that comes with it as well.

These will probably get you into the intermediate stage, but I've never really been able to quantify where that stage begins and ends.

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I'm just sharing what I know as a good foundation. It really isn't in the jazz realm of music theory. Classical and Jazz are similar but also very different. Best to learn both. Classical is probably better to begin with, as you've already started with it.

I've used both of these books as course texts and they're two of my favourites! What I would say of the Salzer/Schachter book is that it's an examination of species counterpoint through the lens of Schenkerian analysis (which might be quite obvious, seeing as both of the authors were students of Schenkerian analysis).

The Cadwallader/Gange book was the required text for the course I took on Schenkerian, but my prof also strongly recommended Pankhurst's SchenkerGUIDE. He said that the difference between the two was the the C/G was a more thorough, introductory text, while the Pankhurst was a more condensed explanation of the essentials.

That makes me happy. He's one of the few Christians I want to be like. I've appreciated more of his work than I have any other artist's.

Some of the lyrics are so real and raw, like Hard to Get or Hold Me, Jesus, and others are just beautiful like The Color Green or bittersweet like The River or Elijah. Others like Boy Like Me, Man Like You or First Family are just heart warming. So much good stuff. And if you haven't already, listen to some of his live concerts. He does a lot of talking between songs and it's highly quotable stuff. I use some of it on the sub from time to time.

Because I respect him so much, I'm hesitant to see the movie. I think I'll be content with the biography An Arrow Pointing to Heaven and his collection of writings, The World as I Remember It.

Yes, Christ the King is in the very slender "Proper - Supplement" volume of the English Gradual. (I know because I had to remember to swap out the main Proper volume from my bag to make sure I had the right book with me today!)

Having Christ the King today is just about the only inroad Vatican II has made into our place, and apparently some time before my time we did keep it on the October date. I don't know when we made the switch.

https://www.amazon.com/Musicians-Soul-Spirituality-Performers-Conductors/dp/1579990584