Use this checklist and overview as a roadmap on your journey through music theory as a way to see where you’re at, what’s next, and review some older topics. Music is a cyclical study, so it’s beneficial to go back and review older lessons. You will most likely learn something new, or see things in a different way.
Music Theory Checklist
Music Theory 1
Chromatic Scale
Major Scale
Minor Scale
Triads/Basic Chords
Rhythm 1 (Whole, half, quarter & eighth notes)
Music Theory 2
Keys
Extended Triads
Rhythm 2 (3/4 and 6/8 time, syncopation, swing)
Music Theory 3
Modes
Borrowed and Altered Chords
Passing tones
Exotic Scales
Rhythm 3 (Odd times, polyrhythm, world music)
Music Theory 1
This stage is all about setting a good foundation. You need to build a frame of reference, put names to the faces, learn the basic structure of music and rhythm.
Chromatic Scale
Memorize the 12 notes in music, using both sharps and flats.
A – A#/Bb – B – C – C#/Db – D – D#/Eb – E – F – F#/Gb – G – G#/Ab – A
Major Scale
Memorize the intervals of the major scale. Know how to use the Order of Intervals to build a major scale from any note.
W-W-H-W-W-W-H
Minor Scale
Memorize the intervals of the minor scale. Know how to use the Order of Intervals to build a minor scale from any note.
W-H-W-W-H-W-W
Intervals
Memorize the 12 basic intervals:
Half Step, Whole Step, Minor 3rd, Major 3rd, 4th, Flat 5th, 5th, Minor 6th, Major 6th, Minor 7th, Major 7th, Octave. Play each of them on your instrument.
Triads/Basic Chords
Understand what the triad pattern is and how to apply it to any scale in order to build chords. Memorize the intervals for building the 4 basic triads:
Major: maj3-min3
Minor: min3-maj3
Diminished: min3-min3
Augmented: maj3-maj3
Rhythm 1
Be able to count and play basic combinations of Whole, Half, Quarter and Eighth notes.
Whole Note: 4 beats
Half Note: 2 beats
Quarter Note: 1 beat
Eighth Note: 1/2 beat
Music Theory 2
This is where we build on the basic foundation, expanding our understanding outward and getting into more complex musical constructs.
Keys
Understand what a key is. Know how to find scales and chord groups in different keys. Know how to change keys and transpose a song into a different key.
Extended Triads
Building on the basic 3-note triads, extend the chords out to include the 7, 9 , 11 and 13. Memorizing the 4 basic chord extensions and how to build them using intervals:
Major 7: maj3-min3-maj3 / major triad+maj7
Minor 7: min3-maj3-min3 / minor triad+min7
Dominant 7: maj3-min3-min3 / major triad+min7
m7b5: min3-min3-maj3 / diminished triad+min7
Memorize these other basic chords:
Sus2: 1-2-5
Sus4: 1-4-5
6: 1-3-5-6
9: 1-3-5-b7-9
Rhythm 2
Know how to count and play 3/4 and 6/8 time signatures, along with the different ways to group 6/8.
Know how to count and play Dotted Half Notes, Dotted Quarter Notes.
Know what syncopation is and how to play different rhythm patterns.
Know what swing feel is and how to play it.
Music Theory 3
Modes
Know what modes are, how to play them, how to build any mode in any key.
Aeolian: Minor scale
Locrian: Minor scale with a b2 and b5
Ionian: Major scale
Dorian: Minor scale with a #6
Phrygian: Minor scale with a b2
Lydian: Major scale with a #4
Mixolydian: Major scale with a b7
Borrowed and Altered Chords
Understand what borrowed and altered chords are, how to play them and how to use them in context.
Passing tones/Half step approach
Know how to use passing tones in any key. Know how to use the half step approach in any chord progression.
Exotic Scales
Memorize and know how to use the basic exotic scales:
Harmonic Minor
Harmonic Major
Melodic Minor
Egyptian
Indian
Rhythm 3
Know how to count and play odd time signatures:
5/8, 7/8, 9/8, 5/4, 15/16.
Know how to count and play some basic polyrhythms:
2 over 3, 3 over 4, 5 over 4.
Know some world music scales and rhythms:
Indian
Middle Eastern
African
Latin
J Holguin Music 