Music theory lessons
Clear one-page lessons, from reading notes to modes, the CAGED system and walking bass, with diagrams you can hear and play.
Beginner
Note Names in Music - Letters, Solfège, German H and BHow notes are named in English, solfège and German systems, plus sharps, flats, enharmonics and octave numbers.The Music Staff and Clefs - Treble, Bass, Alto, TenorHow the five-line staff works, how to read treble, bass, alto and tenor clefs, and where middle C lives.Note Values and Rhythm - Rests, Dots, Ties and TripletsHow long each note and rest lasts, how dots, ties and triplets change that, and how to count any rhythm out loud.Time Signatures Explained - Simple, Compound and Odd MetersWhat the two numbers of a time signature mean and how to feel and count simple, compound and odd meters.Music Intervals Explained - Names, Semitones, InversionsHow to name any interval, count its semitones, invert it, and recognize it by ear and on your instrument.The Major Scale - Formula, Degrees and How to Build ItThe whole-and-half-step formula behind every major scale, the names of its degrees, and how to spell it from any note.Minor Scales - Natural, Harmonic and Melodic MinorThe three forms of the minor scale, how they are built, and why composers raise the 6th and 7th notes.Key Signatures - How to Read Sharps and FlatsThe order of sharps and flats, quick tricks to name any key, and all 15 major and 15 minor key signatures.The Circle of Fifths Explained - A Complete GuideLearn to read the circle of fifths and use it for key signatures, chords, transposing and modulation.Triads - Major, Minor, Diminished, Augmented and SusThe five basic three-note chords, how to build and spell them, and what they sound like.Common Chord Progressions and How to Use ThemTen progressions behind countless songs, how to play them in any key and how to invent your own.Pentatonic and Blues Scales: The 5 Guitar BoxesThe five-note scales behind rock, blues and folk soloing, mapped across the whole guitar neck.Tempo, Dynamics and Articulation Markings ExplainedRead and play tempo markings, dynamics and articulations the way the composer intended.Ear Training for Beginners: Intervals, Chords, DegreesA practical plan to hear intervals, chords and scale degrees, sing them and transcribe music by ear.How to Practice Music Effectively: A Proven MethodPractice smarter with deliberate practice, slow metronome work, chunking, spaced repetition and clear routines.Guitar Tuning: Standard, By Ear and Alternate TuningsTune your guitar accurately by ear or with a tuner, and explore the most useful alternate tunings.How to Read Guitar Tab and Bass TabEverything you need to read guitar and bass tablature fluently, from fret numbers to bends and slides.Guitar Fretboard Notes: Learn Every Note on the NeckA proven, step-by-step method to know every note on the guitar neck in a few weeks.Bass Basics: How to Build Great Bass LinesBuild solid bass lines from roots, fifths, octaves and approach notes, then lock in with the drummer.Reading Bass Clef for Bass Players: Staff to FretboardRead standard notation on bass: learn the bass clef lines and spaces, map every staff note to a string and fret, and build a daily reading habit.
Intermediate
Seventh Chords - maj7, 7, m7, m7b5, dim7 and MoreHow to build and name the main seventh chords, what each one sounds like and where it is used.Chord Inversions, Slash Chords and Voice LeadingWhat inversions and slash chords are, how they are named, and how they make chord changes smooth.Diatonic Harmony - Chords in a Key and Roman NumeralsWhich chords belong to a key, how to name them with Roman numerals, and what job each chord does.Cadences in Music: Authentic, Plagal, Half and DeceptiveHow phrases end: the six cadences every musician should recognize, play and write.The Seven Modes of the Major Scale ExplainedIonian, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian and Locrian - how they are built and how to hear them.The CAGED System for Guitar: Chords, Arpeggios, ScalesFive familiar open-chord shapes that unlock the entire guitar neck for chords, arpeggios and scales.Transposition and Capo: Change Key the Easy WayMove any melody or chord chart to a new key and work out capo positions without guesswork.Bass Groove and Rhythm: Time Feel, Pocket and Ghost NotesMake your bass lines feel good: lock with the drums, control note length, add ghost notes and syncopation, and practise with a click on 2 and 4.Bass Arpeggios: Triad and Seventh Chord ShapesPlay every common chord one note at a time with movable arpeggio shapes, then turn them into bass lines.Bass Scales and Modes: Positions, Shapes and UsesPlay the major, minor, pentatonic and blues scales in position on bass, then learn which mode fits which chord.Bass Lines Over Chord Progressions: I-IV-V to BluesTurn any chord chart into a bass line with roots, fifths, passing tones, pedal points and inversions, progression by progression.Walking Bass Lines: How to Walk Over Blues and ii–V–IBuild walking bass lines from chord tones, target notes and approach notes, then walk through a full blues and a ii–V–I.Slap Bass for Beginners: Thumb, Pop and Octave PatternsLearn the slap thumb and the pop, combine them in octave patterns, add ghost notes and hammer-ons, and practise without straining your hands.Five-String Bass: Low B Tuning, Range and TechniqueUnderstand the low B string, find its notes, play across the neck in fewer shifts and keep the extra strings quiet.