Music Theory for Dummies
by Michael Pilhofer, Holly Day · Michael Pilhofer & Holly Day
Covers notation, rhythm, scales, intervals, chords, and cadences with worked examples and ear-training audio. Working through it leaves you able to read a score, build and name chords, and analyse a simple key-based progression.
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More resources on Music Theory
Fundamentals of Music Theory
This course, revised in 2022, will introduce you to the theory of music, providing you with the skills needed to read and write Western music notation, as well as to understand, analyse, and listen informedly. It will cover material such as pitches and scales, intervals, clefs, rhythm, form, metre and time signatures, phrases and cadences, and basic harmony. This course covers the fundamentals of Western music theory, from the absolute basics to some more advanced concepts. As such, it delivers material for beginners and offers much to experienced musicians alike. Learners can apply for Financial Aid directly with Coursera to assist with the cost of accessing the full course and gaining a certificate for successfully completing the course.
Listening to Music — MUSI 112 (Yale / Open Yale Courses)
Open Yale Courses introductory course of 23 recorded lectures by Craig Wright on how Western classical music is built: rhythm, melody, harmony, texture and form, then genres such as fugue, sonata, symphony and opera. Learners can follow and describe what they hear.
Developing Your Musicianship specialization (Berklee / Coursera)
Four courses by George W. Russell Jr. covering major/minor tonalities, chord scales, song forms, and ear training — free to audit individually. A comprehensive musicianship foundation from Berklee.
PianoTV (Allysia Van Betuw)
Beginner-friendly theory integrated with piano learning. ~148K YouTube subscribers, also runs the companion site pianotv.net.
Adam Neely
Deep music theory essays — rhythm, harmony, and form explored with intellectual rigour and rare clarity. ~1.81M subscribers.
musictheory.net
Musictheory.net is a free, interactive platform for learning music theory, offering concise lessons on intervals, chords, scales, rhythm, and notation. It also provides hands-on practice with ear training and theory tools to test and reinforce your understanding.