An introduction to music theory
Gain a solid understanding of music theory and notation with this free course. Learn about staves, clefs, rhythmic and pitch values, and more. Test your knowledge with multiple-choice questions. Perfect for Grades 1-3 and a stepping stone to higher-level music studies.
Gain an understanding of the basic building blocks of musical theory and notation. This free course, An introduction to music theory, will introduce you to music staves, clefs, rhythmic and pitch values, rhythmic metre and time signatures. This OpenLearn course provides an introduction to music theory pitched at a level equivalent to Grades 1–3 of the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music theory exams. You can test your understanding as you proceed by completing simple multiple-choice questions.
Course learning outcomes
After studying this course, you should be able to:
Understand the basic building blocks of musical theory and notation
Understand music theory to the level demanded by Grade 3 of the Associated Board of the Royals Schools of Music theory syllabus
Understand music theory to a level required to move on to Open University Level 2 Music offerings, e.g. A224 Inside Music.