Music Theory Lessons
What is music theory? And why should I take online music theory lessons? You may ask yourself this question while doing your research. When you learn music, it is not just knowing the rules of music, but also how to use those rules. When someone takes music theory lessons, they will be able to learn music faster, understand why something sounds “right” or “wrong,” and even write their own music! You will cover these concepts in online music theory lessons:
Music Theory Lessons
Rhythm and Meter: How music is organized through time. Rhythm lets you connect what you do in sound with what you do in movement. Meter shows you how rhythm is organized in terms of repetition, which is usually with stressed beats over a regular pulse.
Melody: How you write something that is singable or memorable, and varies thoughtfully in pitch and rhythm. You sing or hum this line when you are listening to a song, or remembering one.
Harmony: You’ll learn how chords are built and how they function in a given context and relate to each otherwise. You will first learn intervals, scales, and keys and modes.
Counterpoint and Texture: You learn how to manage multiple lines of melody to create dimension, meaningful dissonance and resolution, and organize cadences. You’ll also want to be aware of textural shifts, which might include imitative entrances, call and response, and solo parts. Homophony vs. polyphony.
Composition
Notation: You will go over how to write down musical ideas both by hand and with software. Software examples include Finale, Sibelius, MuseScore, and Dorico. For electronic media, the software would include Logic, Reason, and ProTools.
Form: Your instructor will teach you how a piece of music might be organized in sections, which sometimes has repeated ideas. You should vary forms with the style of music, but it is important to know when both writing and understanding music.
Instrumentation: Your instructor will teach you the ranges, registers, and quirks of each instrument. You’ll also learn how to write for voice, which can be very different. This includes the range, technique, and basic understanding on how each instrument is played.
Orchestration: An advanced skill you will learn as a composer. You will learn how to organize many instruments with unique sounds, and this is based on what instrument is suited best for specific things. You will also learn how instruments behave with one another, and which instruments have a sound that “stands out” the most.
