Book excerpt: Contemporary Musicianship presents traditional music theory and analysis in an innovative way for popular music, jazz, and music business/industry students. The text introduces students to the basic principles of music theory using the great works of classical performers and popular artists. Through creative projects and composition opportunities, Contemporary Musicianship shows the two-semester Musicianship or Introduction to Music Theory student that music theory is more than just notes and math; it is a musical experience that evolves throughout the life of an artist. Features * A contemporary approach bridges the gap between classical music and popular music * "Artist in Residence" features help students see how concepts in the text apply to the real world * Real-life scenarios in both creative projects and textual explanations show students how to think like industry musicians * Composition opportunities encourage students to apply what they have learned to their own original music * Aural skills exercises at the end of selected chapters are accompanied with studio recordings made specifically for this text * Coverage of chord harmonies using roman-numeral analysis (the traditional keyboard method) and lead-sheet symbols (more common in popular and jazz music) teach students alternate systems commonly used by professional performers in the commercial music world * A Companion Website with links to YouTube videos points students to relevant performances for analysis and critique and interviews with songwriters and performers