Music Theory Course

Lesson 1 • The Staff and Clef System

Lines, spaces, ledger lines, and the treble and bass clefs are introduced as the visual framework for pitch. Mastery here enables accurate reading of grand-staff notation.

Lesson 2 • Accidentals and the Chromatic Scale

Sharps, flats, naturals, double sharps, and double flats are explained as pitch modifiers within the twelve-tone chromatic system. Students learn enharmonic equivalence and chromatic notation conventions.

Lesson 3 • Tempo, Dynamics, and Articulation Markings

Standard Italian tempo terms, dynamic markings, and articulation symbols are catalogued as expressive notation tools. Students can interpret and apply these markings in written scores.

Lesson 4 • Properties of Musical Sound

Pitch, duration, dynamics, and timbre are defined as the four core properties of sound. This grounds all subsequent notation and theory study in acoustic reality.

Lesson 1 • Pentatonic and Blues Scales

Major pentatonic, minor pentatonic, and blues scales are derived as subsets of diatonic scales with distinct melodic character. Students apply these scales to improvisation and melodic writing.

Lesson 2 • Key Signatures and the Circle of Fifths

Sharp and flat key signatures are derived through the circle of fifths, linking each key to its signature systematically. Students memorise all fifteen major key signatures and their order of accidentals.

Lesson 3 • The Major Scale Pattern

The whole-half step formula W-W-H-W-W-W-H is used to construct major scales from any starting pitch. This pattern becomes the reference template for all subsequent scale types.

Lesson 4 • Parallel Keys and Modal Comparison

Parallel major and minor keys share a tonic but differ in scale structure, revealing the expressive contrast between modes. Students analyse how parallel key relationships shape musical character.

Lesson 1 • Ear Training for Intervals

Melodic and harmonic interval recognition is developed through systematic listening strategies and reference-song mnemonics. Students achieve reliable aural identification of all intervals within an octave.

Lesson 2 • Consonance, Dissonance, and Interval Function

Intervals are categorised as consonant or dissonant based on acoustic stability and stylistic context. Students connect interval quality to its functional role in melody and harmony.

Lesson 3 • Interval Inversion

Inverting an interval by repositioning the lower pitch an octave higher reveals predictable quality and number relationships. Students use inversion rules to identify and construct intervals efficiently.

Lesson 4 • Building Intervals Above and Below

Intervals are constructed both above and below a given pitch using key signature and chromatic adjustment methods. Students gain the ability to notate any specified interval accurately.

Lesson 1 • Triad Inversions and Figured Bass

Root position, first inversion, and second inversion are defined by which chord tone appears in the bass. Figured bass symbols provide a shorthand notation system for inversions.

Lesson 2 • Triads: Structure and Types

Triads are built by stacking thirds above a root, producing major, minor, diminished, and augmented types. Students construct all four triad qualities from any root pitch.

Lesson 3 • Extended and Added-Tone Chords

Ninths, elevenths, and thirteenths extend the tertian stack beyond the seventh, while added-tone chords insert non-stacked pitches. Students analyse and notate these chords in jazz and contemporary contexts.

Lesson 4 • Seventh Chords and Their Types

Seventh chords add a fourth pitch a seventh above the root, creating five standard types with distinct qualities. Students construct and identify major seventh, dominant seventh, minor seventh, half-diminished, and fully diminished chords.

Lesson 1 • Diatonic Triads in Minor Keys

Minor key harmony draws from natural, harmonic, and melodic minor, creating a richer and more variable chord set. Students navigate the variable seventh and sixth scale degrees in minor harmony.

Lesson 2 • Common Chord Progressions

Foundational progressions such as I-IV-V-I, ii-V-I, and I-V-vi-IV are analysed as structural templates used across genres. Students compose and harmonise using these progressions in multiple keys.

Lesson 3 • Harmonising a Melody

Melody harmonisation applies diatonic chord selection, voice leading principles, and cadence placement to support a given tune. Students produce a four-voice harmonisation of a simple melody.

Lesson 4 • Cadences and Phrase Structure

Authentic, half, plagal, and deceptive cadences define phrase endings and shape musical form. Students identify cadence types and use them to structure four- and eight-bar phrases.

Lesson 5 • Diatonic Triads in Major Keys

Each scale degree in a major key generates a specific triad quality, producing a set of seven diatonic chords. Students identify and construct all diatonic triads in any major key.

Lesson 1 • Types of Melodic Motion

Contrary, oblique, similar, and parallel motion describe how pairs of voices move relative to each other. Students apply motion types to create independence and avoid prohibited parallels.

Lesson 2 • Connecting Chords Smoothly

Common-tone retention and stepwise motion are the primary tools for smooth chord connection in four-part writing. Students connect diatonic chord pairs using efficient voice leading strategies.

Lesson 3 • Resolving Tendency Tones

The leading tone and chordal seventh have strong directional tendencies that must be resolved correctly in part writing. Students apply resolution rules to avoid voice leading errors in dominant chords.

Lesson 4 • Part Writing with Seventh Chords

Seventh chords require one voice to be omitted or doubled carefully, and the seventh must resolve down by step. Students write complete progressions incorporating V7 and ii7 with correct voice leading.

Lesson 1 • Modal Mixture and Borrowed Chords

Modal mixture borrows chords from the parallel minor key into a major key context, adding expressive colour. Students identify and use borrowed chords such as iv, bVI, and bVII in major key progressions.

Lesson 2 • The Neapolitan and Augmented Sixth Chords

The Neapolitan (bII) and augmented sixth chords are chromatic pre-dominant harmonies with strong dominant-directed motion. Students construct and resolve Italian, French, and German augmented sixth chords.

Lesson 3 • Direct and Sequential Modulation

Direct modulation shifts keys abruptly without a pivot, while sequential modulation uses a repeating pattern to move through multiple keys. Students apply both techniques in short compositional exercises.

Lesson 4 • Secondary Dominants

A secondary dominant is a chord that functions as V or V7 of a diatonic chord other than the tonic. Students identify, construct, and resolve secondary dominants in major and minor keys.

Lesson 1 • Formal Analysis in Practice

A complete formal analysis integrates phrase, cadence, key, and sectional labels into a unified structural diagram. Students apply all analytical tools to a full movement from the tonal repertoire.

Lesson 2 • Rondo and Theme and Variations

Rondo form alternates a recurring refrain with contrasting episodes, while theme and variations systematically transforms a theme. Students trace these forms in classical and popular repertoire.

Lesson 3 • Sonata Form

Sonata form organises a movement into exposition, development, and recapitulation, each with defined harmonic and thematic functions. Students produce a complete sonata form diagram with key area labels.

Lesson 4 • Motive, Theme, and Phrase

Motives, themes, and phrases are the building blocks of musical form, each defined by length and structural function. Students identify and label these elements in notated excerpts.