Documentation
Here you will find information on how to use MusicTheory.Education.
Note Reading
Documentation Note Reading
Note Reading is accessible via the main menu.
Note Reading chapter block
The chapters can be reached via the Note Reading chapter block.
Chapters
Note Reading is divided into 10 chapters, from Chapter 1. Natural Notes up to and including Chapter 10. G-clef.
The basics are contained in Chapter 1. Natural Notes up to and including Chapter 6. Accidentals. The principles of reading notes are explained and practised in these six chapters.
- Chapter 7. Ledger Lines is the continuation of Chapter 5. Reading All Notes.
- Chapter 8. C-clef is intended for instruments which use the C-clef (such as viola, bassoon, cello and double bass).
- Chapter 9. F-clef is intended for voices and instruments which use the F-clef (such as bass, baritone, bassoon, trombone, double bass).
- Chapter 10. G-clef is intended for voices and instruments which use the G-clef (such as soprano, violin, trumpet, guitar, hobo, clarinet).
Practise
- Exercises: links to the Note Reading Exercises page.
- My Exercises: the results of all your completed exercises.
Support
- Documentation: links to this manual.
- Forum: ask a question on the Forum.
Theory, Practice and Audio example
A chapter is subdivided into the tabs: Theory, Practice and Audio Example.
If no exercise or audio example is available for a chapter, the corresponding tab is omitted.
The Theory tab: theory, video, more explanation and tracking progress
You can find the theory of this chapter in the Theory-tab.
- Tracking progress: by clicking on you can keep track of your progress.
- Explanation with video: for more video explanation.
- More explanation with piano: for more piano keyboard explanation.
- More explanation with images: for more image explanation.
- Audio example: theory is made alive with an audio example.
- Note Reading exercises button: links to the corresponding exercise.
The Practise-tab
With the Note Reading exercise button you go to the corresponding exercise.
Exercises page
An overwiew of all exercises can be viewed in the Note Reading Exercises page. It is important to practise these exercises – and often. The exercises can be repeated as often as needed. The questions are randomly arranged, with new questions.
Tip: use an instrument as often as possible when practising an exercise.
For more information about exercises see Documentation Exercises.
For more information about My Exercises see Documentation My Exercises.
The Audio example-tab
Note Reading is made alive with an audio example.
- Tooltip: if the text is underlined in blue, an image or a musical sample appears.
- Audio example: theory is made alive with an audio example.
The progress block
The progress block shows an overview of your progress for all chapters.
By clicking on you can keep track of your progress.
For more information see Documentation Tracking progress.
Music Theory
Documentation Music Theory
The theory of music is a wide-ranging and complex business! There are many different components, all with something in common. So, for example, it’s impossible to learn about chords without possessing a knowledge of intervals or scales. All the levels in Music Theory are connected and build on each other. With each new level, it is important that the lesson plan in the levels are thoroughly studied and practised..
The Music Theory page
You can navigate to the Music Theory page by clicking Music Theory in the menu.
Music Theory is divided into 8 levels
The lowest level is level 1. The highest level is level 8.
Each level is shown separately on the Music Theory page.
Learning path, Elementary Music Theory, Harmony and Ear Training
Learning path
Learning path offers the possibility to learn all parts of Music Theory through an optimal step-by-step order. Each level has its own learning path.
You can stick to the recommended learning path, but you can also follow your own path.
Theory
Music Theory is divided into:
- Elementary Music Theory
- Harmony
- Ear Training
Here you can navigate to Elementary Music Theory, Harmony and Ear Training for each level.
Download theory: for each level you can download a pdf with a summary of the theory.
Elementary Music Theory
Documentation Elementary Music Theory
Elementary Music Theory encompasses the theoretical knowledge of musical notation, measure and rhythm, triads, scales, associated vocabulary – and a lot more.
Elementary Music Theory can be reached via the Music Theory page.
Elementary Music Theory: lesson plan
The lesson plan is divided into several chapters. Click on a chapter to open it.
Per chapter: theory, more explanation and tracking progress
- Theory: in every chapter the theory is surrounded by a green block.
- Tooltip: if the text is underlined in blue, an image or a musical sample appears.
- Tracking progress: by clicking on you can keep track of your progress.
- More theory: you can learn more by navigating to Harmony or Ear Training.
- More explanation: for more image explanation.
Tooltip extra: images can be made larger, click on the quarter note below.


Elementary Music Theory: practise
With this Elementary Music Theory exercise button, which can be found under the theory, you go to the corresponding exercise.
The Music Theory block and Elementary Theory block
In the Music Theory block you see:
- Learning path: links to the recommended learning path for this level.
- Theory: links to Elementary Music Theory, Harmony en Ear Training for this level.
You can also download a pdf with a summary of the theory. - Exercises: links to My exercises, where you will find an overview of all your exercises.
In the Elementary Theory block you see:
- Exercises: links to the available exercises.
- Forum: ask a question on the Forum.
- Progress: shows an overview of your progress of all chapters.
By clicking on you can keep track of your progress.
Harmony
Documentation Harmony
Harmony is the area within music theory that specifically covers intervals, chords and scales.
Harmony can be reached via the Music Theory page.
Harmony: lesson plan
The lesson plan is divided into several chapters. Click on a chapter to open it.
Theory, Summary, Practise and Ear Training
A chapter is subdivided into the tabs: Theory, Summary, Practise and Ear Training.
If no exercise or Ear training is available for a chapter, the corresponding tab is omitted.
The Theory-tab: theory, video, more explanation and tracking progress
You can find the theory of this chapter in the Theory-tab.
- Tracking progress: by clicking on you can keep track of your progress.
- Explanation with video: for more video explanation.
- More explanation with images: for more image explanation.
- More explanation with piano: for more piano keyboard explanation.
The Summary-tab
Here is a summary of the lesson plan that is covered in the Theory-tab.
- Summary theory: a summary of the theory.
- Summary video: a summary of the theory that has been covered in the video, is surrounded by a green block.
- Summary images: the green block also contains a summary of the theory explained with images.
- Tooltip: if the text is underlined in blue, an image or a musical sample appears.
The Practise-tab
The Harmony exercise button links to the corresponding exercise.
The Ear training-tab
Theoretical music knowledge should be directed towards its practical application, towards the ability to hear that knowledge put into practice. Ear training can enhance the lesson plan, hence the inclusion of ear training exercises here. The Ear training-tab links up with the ear training lesson plan and exercises.
- Audio example: the theory is made alive with an audio example.
- Tooltip: if the text is underlined in blue, an image or a musical sample appears.
- Ear Training button: links to the lesson plan and exercises in Ear training.
The Music Theory block and Harmony block
In the Music Theory block you see:
- Learning path: links to the recommended learning path for this level.
- Theory: links to Elementary Music Theory, Harmony en Ear Training for this level.
You can also download a pdf with a summary of the theory. - Exercises: links to My exercises, where you will find an overview of all your exercises.
In the Harmony block you see:
- Exercises: links to the available Harmony exercises.
- Forum: ask a question on the Forum.
- Progress: shows an overview of your progress of all chapters.
By clicking on you can keep track of your progress.
Ear Training
Documentation Ear Training
Ear Training focuses on the aural identification and transcription of music. This skill can be further used as a tool in the performance of – as well as editing and improvising on – already existing music. Indirectly, it can help in harmonising melodies or in the composition of new music.
Ear training is never an end in itself, but serves in the overall development of a musician. It gives essential and fundamental support in this area. Flawlessly identifying ten notes played together, correctly copying a dictation exam, or singing exercises perfectly in tune should never be the aim of ear training. Although useful in practice, these abilities only serve as resources. The actual aim of ear training is to train your inner hearing abilties, and, by practical means, to acquire and expand musical understanding. Ear training promotes ‘musical intelligence’.
Ear Training can be reached via the Music Theory page.
Ear Training: lesson plan
The lesson plan is divided into several chapters. Click on a chapter to open it.
The lesson plan covers five subjects:
- Melodic exercises: the melodic exercises are subdivided into: recognizing melody, melodic deviation, scale degrees, melodic dictation and two-part melodic dictation.
- Rhythmic exercises: the rhythmic exercises are subdivided into: recognizing rhythm and rhythmic dictation.
- Scales: the scale exercises are subdivided into: major scales, major and minor scales and church modes.
- Intervals: distinguishing the difference between all intervals by ear, melodic and harmonic.
- Chords: distinguishing the difference between type and position of all triads by ear, melodic and harmonic. Distinguishing the difference between all seventh chords in root position by ear. The chords exercises (chords and scale degrees) are subdivided into: recognizing degrees, notating degrees and degrees and melody.
Practise, Example question and Theory
One chapter is subdivided into the tabs: Practise, Example question and Theory.
If no theory is available for a chapter, the corresponding tab is omitted.
The Practise-tab: theory, video, more explanation and tracking progress
You will find the exercises in the Practice-tab.
- Tracking progress: by clicking on you can keep track of your progress.
- Ear Training exercise button: links to the corresponding exercise.
- Tooltip: if the text is underlined in blue, an image or a musical sample appears.
- Audio example: the theory is made alive with an audio example.
The Example question-tab
Example questions are supplied with the exercises in order to illustrate how they should be executed.
- Question: the question is asked in this section.
- Solution: practical steps and the solution of the question.
The Theory-tab
The exercises contained in Scales, Intervals and Chords in ear training connect to the theory in Harmony. The Theory-tab links up with the Harmony lesson plan and exercises.
- Theory: a summary of the theory.
- More theory: you can learn more by going to the corresponding Harmony chapter.
The Music Theory block and Ear Training block
In the Music Theory block you see:
- Learning path: links to the recommended learning path for this level.
- Theory: links to Elementary Music Theory, Harmony en Ear Training for this level.
You can also download a pdf with a summary of the theory. - Exercises: links to My exercises, where you will find an overview of all your exercises.
In the Ear Training block you see:
- Exercises: links to the available Ear Training exercises.
- Forum: ask a question on the Forum.
- Progress: shows an overview of your progress of all chapters.
By clicking on you can keep track of your progress.
Tracking progress
Documentation Tracking progress
With every chapter it is possible to keep track of your progress.
A progress button is placed next to the title of each chapter. When a chapter is visited for the first time, no progress has yet been tracked.
Progress overview
A seperate block shows an overview of all chapters and progress.
Here too it is possible to update your progress with the progress button.
Update Progress
By clicking on the progress button you can update your progress.
You can choose from Working, Completed, Extra attention or Skip. Don't forget to click on Update.
The updated progress
Progress has now been updated in the chapter and the separate block.
Exercises
Documentation Exercises
It is important not only to understand the theory but to practise it. The theory can only be properly understood and applied by constant practise. Consequently, nearly all theory contain exercises. It is important to practise these exercises – and often.
The exercises can be repeated as often as needed. The questions are randomly arranged, with new questions.
Tip: for Harmony exercises, use an instrument as often as possible when practising an exercise.
Tip: try the Ear training exercise first without using an instrument. If an exercise is proving too difficult after several attempts, it can help to use an instrument. When you can do this successfully, then try it again, this time without an instrument.
The Exercises page
You can navigate to the Exercise page by clicking Exercises in the menu.
The exercises are divided into 8 levels
The lowest level is level 1. The highest level is level 8.
Each level is shown separately on the Exercises page.
Learning path, Elementary Music Theory, Harmony and Ear Training
Learning path
Learning path offers the possibility to do all the exercises through an optimal step-by-step order. Each level has its own learning path.
You can stick to the recommended learning path, but you can also follow your own path.
Exercises
The exercises are divided into:
- Elementary Music Theory
- Harmony
- Ear Training
Here you can navigate to Elementary Music Theory, Harmony and Ear Training exercises for each level.
Exercises Harmony and Ear Training
When you go to the Harmony and Ear Training exercises from the Exercise page, you get a list of the available exercises.
In the Exercises block you can, for each level, navigate to the exercises Elementary Music Theory, Harmony and Ear Training.
In the Music Theory block you see:
- Learning path: links to the recommended learning path for this level.
- Theory: links to Elementary Music Theory, Harmony en Ear Training for this level.
You can also download a pdf with a summary of the theory. - Exercises: links to My exercises, where you will find an overview of all your exercises.
Exercise: introduction
Each exercise starts with an introduction.
- Overview: general information about the exercise, such as Difficulty, Number of questions, Question type and a link to the Theory.
- Sample question: an example of what kind of question you can expect.
- Solution: practical steps and answer of the sample question.
- Start exercise: the exercise starts with this button.
Exercise: a question
Every question has a:
- Progress bar: indicates how much questions you have completed.
- Question: where the question is asked.
- Answer section: give your answer here.
The continuation buttons are:
- Save: continue to the next question.
- Save & Exit: the exercise is saved and can be continued at a later date.
- Terminate: the exercise isn’t saved and is started again from the beginning.
Exercise: the report
On completion of the exercise, a report is made containing:
Continuation buttons:
- Print: print your report.
- Try again: make the exercise again.
- Theory: links to the corresponding theory.
In the report you will find:
- The result: whether you passed or failed and how well you made the exercise.
- Results: the results of the entire exercise with the number of correct answers, the score in percentages and the duration.
- The question asked: an overview of a question.
- The answer: all questions with their submitted and correct answers.
This report will also be sent by e-mail.
My Exercises
Documentation My Exercises
The results of completed exercises can be viewed in My Exercises.
My exercises: the columns in a row
The columns that make up a row are:
- Quiz: the name of an exercise.
- Start date: the start date and time of an exercise.
- End date: the end date and time of an exercise.
- Score: the score of the exercise.
- Status: whether you have passed or not.
- Details: by clicking on View you get the report of this exercise.
All columns can be sorted by clicking on the title of a column.
Alphabetical order
By clicking on the Exercise column, the exercises are sorted by name.
The exercises are sorted by name as standard.
Last made exercise
By clicking on the End date column, the exercises are sorted by date.
You can view your most recently done exercises this way.