Why this course?
Many musicians are put off learning music theory, either because they believe it will destroy their creativity or because they’ve had some traditional music theory lessons and found them confusing or irrelevant.
My goal is to empower musicians with the tools to control their musical environment: to introduce enough basic musical language to be able to discuss and understand the basic principles which underpin the vast majority of Western music, and how to use these principles effectively in playing and creating music, regardless of genre or style.
Who is this course for?
This is a course for people with little or no music theory background, both complete beginners in music and players who have learned by ear. It is also suitable for students who have studied traditional music theory courses and want to gain some more understanding.
Creative musicians especially will benefit from the insights of this course, as the principles behind music theory are the tools for controlling the direction and scope of your musical creation, be it composition or improvisation.
This course is primarily written for adults and older children.
What grade does this course teach?
I haven’t exactly followed the grade system of any country or school. The information is the same but sometimes it is presented in a different order, making it hard to draw a comparison.
Not every single musical term covered in the grade system is covered here. In traditional theory courses there is an abundence of terminology, some of which is quite cumbersome and potentially distracts from understanding. I do, however, use all the key musical terms taught in such courses.
The focus of my course is to demonstrate how the concepts and underlying principles of music theory affect the music we play and create, and to help to understand these principles, rather than teaching them as a set of rules. Nonetheless, the information itself is the same as in any traditional music theory course.
Is this a course or a reference?
This is a structured course in basic music theory. Beginners should start with the first lesson and do the lessons in their numerical sequence.
Each lesson is clearly defined and easy to follow, with detailed explanations as well as bullet points, examples (many as mini-movies) and illustrations. There are even a few exercises at the end of most lessons, which I highly recommend.
I play by ear. Is this course relevant to me?
I strongly encourage musicians who play by ear to gain the many benefits of the language of music, such as note names, basic music notation etc. However, all musicians, no matter how they learn, should become acquainted with scales, keys and chords, particularly when working with other musicians in regular ensembles such as bands.
I have written those lessons which cover these major topics, as well as lessons on musicianship (such as basic timing), with players who learn by ear kept in mind.
Major points are demonstrated by audio and illustrations with text notation as well as mini-movies of notation with audio. Explanations and exercises cover both written and practical bases to learning.
Is this a complete course?
At the time of writing, this course is a work in progress. I regularly add new posts.
Please like and share these lessons and feel free to make comments or ask questions. This is a project driven by passion: it generates no income (unless someone buys my pocket music theory reference, The Tiny Music Theory Book). A little encouragement would help inspire me to keep going.
PART 1 CONTENTS: Basic Music Theory Course Contents