Learn to Read Music

Discover why music theory is a fundamental aspect of every musician’s journey.

A strong understanding of music theory enhances students’ mastery of skills such as composition, music analysis, sight reading, ear training, and transposition. These skills are essential for well-rounded musicianship development. Learning musical terms and signs helps to develop the student’s interpretation of their music pieces. Furthermore, the student will have a better understanding of performance directions and the intentions of composers.

Music theory is part of the weekly music lesson, and is offered to students from Beginner to Late-Intermediate levels. Our lessons are age and level appropriate from pre-schoolers through to adults. With the teacher’s guidance, students work through the assigned curriculum in a fun and interactive way.

Why are numbers important in Music?

Students will learn why numbers are such an important part of music theory. When students perform a piece of music, they utilize their knowledge of right and left hand finger numbers. Additionally, recognising intervals or counting the basic beat to ensure precision and rhythmic accuracy. Music theory is therefore essential to help students feel more confident in reading, understanding and composing music. They will feel better equipped in their ability to deliver a successful performance on their music instrument.

Below is a summary of various concepts covered in music theory workbooks:

The Beginner is introduced to the keyboard, musical alphabet, the staff, treble and bass clef, as well as note values (semibreve to quavers and their equivalent rests). The student further learns about simple time signatures, accidentals, intervals, pentascales and tonic triads. At the Beginner level, students learn basic principles of analysing music and become familiar with musical terms and signs that they will see in their music pieces.

As students progress, they learn about the grand staff, ledger lines, additional note values and is introduced to the Circle of Fifths, at a basic level. Pentascales are further explored, learning about minor pentascales, natural, harmonic and melodic minor scales. A key signature of up to two sharps and two flats, is part of this level, in addition to learning more musical terms and signs.

At the Late-Beginner level, students learn note values and rests and their groupings up to semi-quavers, and key signatures with four sharps and four flats. Intervals (distance and quality), primary triads, key identification, transposition in another octave and more terms and signs are covered at this level. 

The Intermediate level student studies the complete Circle of Fifths, which is applied to triads, intervals (including Augmented and Diminished qualities), scales (such as whole tone and octatonic scales), cadences, and transpositions to another major key. Other concepts covered are note and rest values up to demi-semi-quavers, double sharps, double flats, technical degrees, compound time signatures, and more musical terms and signs.

At the next level, the student is introduced to additional clefs, builds on the previous curriculum, with additional time signatures, scales, chords, and transposition in a minor key. At this level, the student learns to explore various scores (vocal and instrumental), analysing a musical score and studies new musical terms and signs. 

If necessary, students undergo a free assessment to ensure they are enrolled at an appropriate skill level.

At Creative Music Theory, students are provided with verbal and written feedback, and given homework assignments to ensure steady progress. The importance of completing homework assignments promptly and revising past lesson information is necessary to master the rudiments of music theory.

Formal assessment opportunities are available, such as theory grading exams with external music institutions, should students wish to participate.

Concise study of music theory benefits all musicians.