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Music Theory 1: How to Read Music

Fundamental music theory for everyone

Music Theory

Beginner

23 lessons included

4 Hours of Video

Course overview

Music Theory 1: How to Read Music

In this Beginner Music Theory course, we will be learning to make sense of Western musical notation. This course is designed for anyone who would like to learn to read music. Whether you are new to studying music, a long-time performer who never learned to read music, or a veteran looking to refresh your theory knowledge, this course is for you.

We will cover rhythms as note values, the grand staff, time signatures, dynamics and articulations, tuplets and upbeats, and much more!

What you'll get

What is included in this course and what you will learn

Music Theory Basics

We will guide you through basic theory topics step by step. Topics include pitches, the staff, clef signs, accidentals, note values and rests, dynamics and tempo markings, musical terms, and more.

Learn to Read Music

Learn to decode notated music for a variety of instruments written in standard Western musical notation.

Real Musical Examples

Reinforce what you learn through real musical examples, taken out of great compositions by composers like Bach, Beethoven, and Chopin. 

Support from Teachers

Not sure if you are doing it right? Reach out to our team of teachers through emails or chat bubble!

Lesson notes and homework!

Download lesson notes and homework to expand your understanding of the video lessons. Practice music theory concepts in the supplementary exercises we provide you.

HD Video Lessons

High-quality video for every lesson so you can watch it any time you want, in the comfort of your home. 

What we cover

Below are the breakdown of this course, module by module, with video previews

Module 1:
Reading Rhythm and Meter

Lesson 1: Rhythm
Lesson 2: Rhythm 2
Lesson 3: Line and dividers
Lesson 4: Time signatures
Lesson 5: Review

Module 2:
The Staves

Lesson 1: Notes on the keyboard 
Lesson 2: The treble clef
Lesson 3: The bass clef and the grand staff
Lesson 4: Accidentals
Lesson 5: Review 

Module 3:
Key Signatures

Lesson 1: Major scale construction and spacing
Lesson 2: Identifying sharp key signatures
Lesson 3: Identifying flat key signatures
Lesson 4: Relative minors
Lesson 5: Review

Module 4:
Other Musical Signs and Symbols

Lesson 1: Dynamics
Lesson 2: Articulations
Lesson 3: Tempo
Lesson 4: Tempo changes
Lesson 5: 32nd Notes
Lesson 6: Ornaments
Lesson 7: Advanced topics
Lesson 8: Review

Nicole-DiPaolo-500x500

About Nicole

Nicole Elyse DiPaolo is a versatile composer, pianist, and scholar originally hailing from the Detroit area.

 

She is currently pursuing a PhD in Music Theory at Indiana University, she recently completed a doctoral minor in composition. She also holds a B.Mus. in Music Theory from the University of Michigan, where she studied composition.

Monthly membership

Access to all the lessons. First 30 days for free.

Q & A

We are here to answer all the questions. Use chat bubble if you don't see yours.

Liberty Park Music (LPM) is an online music school. We teach music through videos and supporting materials like homework assignments and backing tracks. Currently, we offer lessons on piano, guitar, drums, and music theory. We will introduce more instruments, subjects, and services in the future to give you even more choices.

All you need is a computer or a mobile device that allows web browsing. With a reasonably stable and fast internet connection, your viewing experience is optimized on your desktops, laptops, or tablets.

We are constantly producing and publishing new lessons, about one new module each month, for every instrument and subject.  So you always have new materials to work on. 

Your membership, regardless of of your plan, should give you access to the entire library of lessons. That means ALL lessons are available to you, across instruments, styles, levels, and subjects. For example, you can take piano and theory lessons at the same time, or if you have a good musical appetite, take our piano and drum kit lessons at the same time! It's your choice.

Yes. Learning music online may seem novel to you, but if we can learn a language and other skills online, why not music? Online music lessons allow you to learn on your schedule, in the comfort of any locale of your choice, and at your own pace. You can pause when you need a moment to digest the lesson or rewind to view a particular section again. 

We accept credit card payments or PayPal, powered by Stripe and PayPal for your security. We also don't save any of your credit card information in our database. 

You can upgrade or downgrade your plan at anytime. You can also cancel anytime. You can do all this on your Dashboard, or contact us at membership@libertyparkmusic.com.

It's very easy.  We will need you to select a membership level (Balcony or Center Stage) and provide your credit card information or use PayPal.  We will NOT charge you anything for the first 30 days.  After that, you will be billed monthly.

We are happy to answer any questions you have. Please chat with us or email us at support@libertyparkmusic.com, or chat us up/leave a message using the chat bubble on the screen.