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About the Course:

This course will introduce students to the theory of music, providing them with the skills needed to read and write Western music notation, as well as to understand, analyse, and listen informedly. It is suitable for those who have never studied music academically but will also be useful to experienced musicians who wish to extend and develop their practice through a grounding in the tools of Western music theory and notation. We assume no experience with notation whatsoever.

The course will provide the basis for the further study of music both from a theoretical and practical point of view: musicology, composition (both pastiche and free), analysis, performance, and aural skills. You will cover material such as pitches and scales, intervals, clefs, rhythm, form, meter, phrases and cadences, and basic harmony.

Course Outline at a Glance:

1. Pitches, scales, modes, and chords
2. Keys, minor scales, intervals, and clefs
3. Rhythm and form
4. Harmony 1: functional harmony
5. Harmony 2: inversions, cadences, and sequences

Assessment:

The course is made up of five lectures, each of which comprises a number of short videos and some supporting material. There is a multiple choice quiz for each lecture which is designed to test your knowledge of the theory explored in the videos and course pages. If you want to improve on your score, you have up to 4 more chances to attempt the quiz again. Some questions are easy if you've been paying attention, others may challenge you, especially in the later weeks. To get the certificate for this course, you need to pass each of the weekly quizzes and a final assessment (the latter will include some mandatory peer review tasks) which will challenge you to demonstrate your understanding of the music theory explored in the course. This is a great way to consolidate your learning and really start to put some of the work that you have done and concepts you have explored into practice.

Please read about grading, deadlines and passing the course at the Grading and Logistics page.

If you have difficulty with any of the concepts or methods, you may find it helpful to discuss parts of the course in the forums. Whatever level you are at, you won't be alone. You may wish to set up a study group or check the forum for the specific lecture you're working through.Remember, if you just want to browse the videos and get involved in the discussions, that's fine too.