
Module 1
What is Music?
Music Note
Timbre
Tone and Semitone
Guitar Notes and Piano Notes
Music Scales
Enharmonics
We have 12 modules of music theory lessons, from beginner to advanced. Check out some topics below:
What is Music?
Music Note
Timbre
Tone and Semitone
Guitar Notes and Piano Notes
Music Scales
Enharmonics
Pitch and Intensity
C Major Scale Guitar
Degrees and Music Intervals
Augmented, Diminished
Octave
Definition of Chord
Music Intervals - Another View
Chord Notation
Bar Lines
Guitar Fingers
Arpeggios
Music Theory Terms
Chord Names Piano
Chord Names Guitar
Chord Symbols
Tonality
Chromatic Scale
Improvisation in Music
Relative Minor and Major
Counter Parallel Chords
Music Modes
Pentatonic ScaleIntro to BluesBlues ScaleHarmonic FunctionsSupertonic and Mediant Submediant and Leading ToneTritone
Deceptive ResolutionChord InversionsModulationTarget notesOctave DisplacementChromatic Approach NotesChord Progressions
Applying Chord ProgressionsOther CadencesCircle of Fifths and FourthsSecondary DominantsExtended ChordSuspended ChordsDisguised Chords
Extended ChordSuspended ChordsDisguised ChordsTone vs TonalityParallel KeyClosely Related KeysScales Application
Avoid NotesHarmonic Minor ScaleMelodic Minor ScaleSymmetric ScalesAltered ScaleChromatic Approach ChordDiminished Chord
Diminished ScaleQuartal HarmonyEquivalent Chords VII°=V7(b9)SubV7 ChordInterpolated ChordBorrowed ChordsHow to Modulate
Bebop Scale – Bebop JazzWhole Tone ScaleLydian Dominant ModeThe IVm6 ChordThe II7 ChordImprovising with Outside NotesImprovisation in Blues
Improvisation in BluesImprovisation in JazzReharmonization TechniquesBlues HarmonyRhythm TheoryOffbeatsRhythm Exercises
Music theory (or theory of music) is the study of the whole structure or system that forms music in its key aspects of melody, harmony and rhythm, including special methods for analysing, classifying, composing and understanding music.
When we look at great musicians creating highly arrangements, that motivation suddenly comes forth: “I need to learn music theory!” After all, who does not want to learn how to securely improvise, whatever the harmony: Who doesn’t want to know how to arrange music, innovate, make changes to the chords, play with scales, and carry out innovative solo performances?
However, all this motivation suddenly peters out when we see those boring books about music theory. Let’s face it, most books and booklets on music theory are very boring, do not give good explanations, are often confusing, or are appropriate only for people who are already experts in the field.
The best solution for some students of music theory (a few) ends up being the payment of a fortune so that a good teacher can teach what the books do not, especially when starting out in the field. The bulk of the people, however, end up making do with the technical basics, living with superficiality, while the ocean is still covered.
The main goal of this site is to provide a solid theoretical base about music, in a way that is simple and easy to understand, differently from everything else that you have seen out there. We shall close the gaps in your knowledge, whatever they may be, until you can use your creativity in its essence, with solid knowledge. We hope that this site will not be just another site to forget, but that this site shall be a reference and shall (really) solve your complications.
So welcome to Simplifying Theory!
Music theory is not that difficult. You shall see for yourself!
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Learn how to read sheet music and guitar tabs
Staff and Treble Clef, Bass Clef, Ledger Lines, Key signatures, Natural sign, Double flat and sharp, Piano Fingering, Musical Dynamics, Legato, Trill, Ligature, Appoggiatura, Chords, Arpeggios, How to sight read, Note Values, Time Signatures, Types of Bar Lines, Musical Rests, Dotted Notes, Staccato, Reading note values in practice, Musical Triplets and Sextuplets
How the six strings are represented, How the frets are represented, Writing consecutive notes, Writing loose notes, Writing chords, The most common techniques: Hammer-on, Pull-off, Legatos, Half Bend, Full Bend, Reverse Bend, Slide, Vibrato, Tapping