Here is a short list of links for learning music theory and other related skills.
Online textbooks and learning resources
- musictheory.net, lessons and exercises for theory and ear training.
- Music Theory for the 21st-Century Classroom, an open-access textbook by Robert Hutchinson.
- Music Theory for Musicians and Normal People, convenient one-page summaries written by Toby Rush, covering freshman and sophomore theory.
- Open Music Theory, an open-access online textbook
- teoria.com, lessons and exercises for theory and ear training.
- Hex Music Theory, YouTube videos, analyses, and supplemental materials for a wide variety of theoretical applications. From popular music to classical, guitar stuff, schema theory, Taneyev-style counterpoint, and more.
- Dave Conservatoire, a Khan Academy style website.
Books
- Christensen, Lars. The Cambridge History of Western Music Theory
Notation software
Other programs
- Audio Timeliner, analysis graphing software by Brent Yorgason.
Online Tools
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Juicio Brennan’s Lyric Hyphenator - Automatically hyphenates lyrics. Saves time when copy-pasting into notation programs.
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PC Set-Class Calculator - By David Walters at Mount Alison University.
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TrainedEar PC Set-Class Calculator - Another set calculator. Has links to more such tools.
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ToneSavvy - Exercises for many normal music theory things, but notable for its first species counterpoint trainer.
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Artusi: Counterpoint - A demo of the Artusi software, but it has some exercises in counterpoint up to fourth species with decent error detection.
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WesterParse - Westergaardian Species Counterpoint Online - Software based on the counterpoint rules of Peter Westergaard. Not as straightforward as the other counterpoint tools on this list, but certainly more flexible and robust.
YouTube channels
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Alan Belkin - classical composition and orchestration
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Bill Carmody - Music Theory chapter reviews of “Music in Theory and Practice” by Benward and Saker.
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David Newman - ear training and musicianship
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Dr. B / Christopher Brellochs - undergraduate theory and ear training
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Early Music Sources - counterpoint, Renaissance and Baroque music
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En blanc et noir - Partimento, classical improvisation
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GUIM - Schenkerian analysis of video game music (VGM)
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Jacob Gran - species counterpoint, Schenkerian analysis
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Jay Beard Music - atonal, set theory, Scriabin
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Jens Larsen - jazz guitar
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Kent Hewitt - jazz piano
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Metal Music Theory - self-explanatory
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Music Matters - ABRSM and undergaduate music theory, as well as various other topics
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NAETE - various pop and classical music topics
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Orchestration Online - orchestration
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The Prog School - progressive rock and metal composition
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Ryan Leach - composition, film and video game music (VGM), classical form
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Samuel Andreyev - 20th century composition and analysis
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Seth Monahan - undergraduate theory
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Signals Music Studio - pop and rock music, production
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Sideways - various topics, film music
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Things I Learned from Barry Harris - jazz guitar
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Walk That Bass - jazz piano
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8-bit Music Theory - video game music (VGM)