50
Gain an understanding of the basic building blocks of musical theory and notation.
FREE
This course includes
Hours of videos
11 hours, 7 minutes
Units & Quizzes
50
Unlimited Lifetime access
Access on mobile app
Certificate of Completion
This 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.
Course Currilcum
- Introduction 00:10:00
- Learning outcomes 00:07:00
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- The content 00:07:00
- Working through the course 00:10:00
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- The staff 00:10:00
- Clefs 00:20:00
- The great staff 00:10:00
- Middle C and ledger lines 00:20:00
- Writing notes 00:10:00
- Reading notes 00:10:00
- Review 1 00:10:00
- Time values 00:10:00
- Triplets 00:15:00
- Time signatures 00:20:00
- Review 2 00:05:00
- Dots and ties 00:20:00
- Grouping and beaming notes 00:20:00
- Review 3 00:03:00
- More time signatures: compound time 00:20:00
- Grouping and beaming notes in compound time 00:20:00
- Review 4 00:02:00
- Notes of the bass and treble staves: a reminder 00:10:00
- Semitones and tones, and the scale of C major 00:20:00
- Semitones and tones, and the scale of G major 00:20:00
- Major scales having key signatures with sharps 00:20:00
- Semitones and tones and the scale of F major 00:15:00
- Major scales having key signatures with flats 00:25:00
- Minor scales: the natural form 00:15:00
- Minor scales: the melodic and harmonic forms 00:20:00
- Relative minor and relative major 00:20:00
- Scores: performance directions 00:10:00
- A selected list of performance directions 00:20:00
- Following piano scores 00:15:00
- Following piano scores in practice 00:15:00
- Trainers for eye and ear 00:10:00
- How to use trainers 00:10:00
- Where to find trainers and recommended reading 00:10:00
- Conclusion 00:03:00
