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    • Music Theory

    Music Theory Courses Online

    Learn music theory for a deeper understanding of music. Study scales, chords, rhythm, and harmony.

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    Explore the Music Theory Course Catalog

    • B

      Berklee

      The Art of Vocal Production

      Skills you'll gain: Music Performance, Music, Post-Production, Editing, Performance Tuning, Peer Review

      4.7
      Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
      ·
      371 reviews

      Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months

    • U

      University of Michigan

      Introduction to HTML5

      Skills you'll gain: Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, Web Design and Development, Usability, Semantic Web, Cascading Style Sheets (CSS), Cloud Hosting, Web Servers, Data Validation, Web Development Tools

      4.7
      Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
      ·
      28K reviews

      Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks

    • B

      Berklee

      Pro Tools Basics

      Skills you'll gain: Music, Musical Composition, Instrumental Music, Media Production, Music Theory, Editing, File Management, Creativity

      4.7
      Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
      ·
      602 reviews

      Mixed · Course · 1 - 3 Months

    • U

      University of California San Diego

      Introduction to Graph Theory

      Skills you'll gain: Graph Theory, Combinatorics, Network Analysis, Data Structures, Network Routing, Algorithms, Mathematical Theory & Analysis, Theoretical Computer Science, Program Development

      4.5
      Rating, 4.5 out of 5 stars
      ·
      1.1K reviews

      Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months

    • B

      Berklee

      Copyright Law in the Music Business

      Skills you'll gain: Intellectual Property, Lawsuits, Music, Legal Proceedings, Musical Composition, Legal Strategy, Law, Regulation, and Compliance, Digital Assets

      4.8
      Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
      ·
      691 reviews

      Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months

    • T

      The Museum of Modern Art

      Modern Art & Ideas

      Skills you'll gain: Art History, Aesthetics, Culture, Social Justice, Creativity, Storytelling, Design, Design Elements And Principles

      4.8
      Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
      ·
      6.6K reviews

      Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months

    • Status: Free
      Free
      É

      École Polytechnique

      Density Functional Theory

      Skills you'll gain: Semiconductors, Differential Equations, Numerical Analysis, Linear Algebra, Mathematical Modeling, Chemistry, Physics, Calculus

      4.9
      Rating, 4.9 out of 5 stars
      ·
      231 reviews

      Advanced · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks

    • U

      University of Colorado Boulder

      Graphic Elements of Design: Color Theory and Image Formats

      Skills you'll gain: Logo Design, Color Theory, Color Matching, Graphic Design, Graphic and Visual Design, Design, Design Elements And Principles, Digital Design, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, File Management

      4.7
      Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
      ·
      573 reviews

      Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks

    • Status: Free
      Free
      U

      University of Rochester

      The Blues: Understanding and Performing an American Art Form

      Skills you'll gain: Instrumental Music, Music Theory, Musical Composition, Music, Music Performance, Music History

      4.8
      Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
      ·
      602 reviews

      Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months

    • Status: Free
      Free
      S

      Stanford University

      Organizational Analysis

      Skills you'll gain: Organizational Structure, Decision Making, Organizational Leadership, Organizational Change, Professional Networking, Strategic Decision-Making, Business, Social Sciences, Culture, Sociology, Analysis, Resource Management, Learning Theory, Innovation, Negotiation

      4.6
      Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
      ·
      1.6K reviews

      Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months

    • U

      University of California San Diego

      Number Theory and Cryptography

      Skills you'll gain: Cryptography, Key Management, Encryption, Public Key Cryptography Standards (PKCS), Cybersecurity, Arithmetic, Algorithms, Theoretical Computer Science, Computational Thinking, Algebra, Applied Mathematics, Python Programming

      4.5
      Rating, 4.5 out of 5 stars
      ·
      606 reviews

      Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks

    • U

      University of Pennsylvania

      Customer Analytics

      Skills you'll gain: Descriptive Analytics, Data-Driven Decision-Making, Marketing Analytics, Predictive Analytics, Customer Insights, Customer Analysis, Business Analytics, Customer Data Management, Analytics, Marketing, Data Collection, Market Research, Regression Analysis, Consumer Behaviour, Correlation Analysis

      4.6
      Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
      ·
      12K reviews

      Mixed · Course · 1 - 3 Months

    Music Theory learners also search

    Music
    Music Business
    Music Technology
    Music History
    Classical Music
    Music Production
    Piano Theory
    Media
    1…8910…142

    In summary, here are 10 of our most popular music theory courses

    • The Art of Vocal Production: Berklee
    • Introduction to HTML5: University of Michigan
    • Pro Tools Basics: Berklee
    • Introduction to Graph Theory: University of California San Diego
    • Copyright Law in the Music Business: Berklee
    • Modern Art & Ideas: The Museum of Modern Art
    • Density Functional Theory: École Polytechnique
    • Graphic Elements of Design: Color Theory and Image Formats: University of Colorado Boulder
    • The Blues: Understanding and Performing an American Art Form: University of Rochester
    • Organizational Analysis : Stanford University

    Frequently Asked Questions about Music Theory

    Understanding why you want to learn music theory, whether to improve your musical skills, compose music, or understand music better, will keep you motivated. Regular practice, including listening and analyzing music, can help solidify concepts. Join online communities like music forums or local groups for support and insight. Work on real projects such as composing or analyzing pieces of music. A great starting point is Fundamentals of Music Theory by The University of Edinburgh on Coursera.‎

    Coursera has some great free music theory courses, such as Edinburgh Music Theory, Audio Signal Processing and The Music and Life of Beethoven. These online classes can help you deepen your understanding of music theory, audio technology and Beethoven's rich musical legacy.‎

    If you are new to music theory, Berklee's Musicianship Specialization is the perfect place to start. It offers courses such as Music Theory, Play Guitar, Piano Techniques for Modern Music, and Guitar Theory that can help you get a great foundation in music theory and unlock your musical potential.‎

    For those looking to learn more advanced music theory, Melodic Forms and Simple Harmony, Piano Scales for Modern Music, Beethoven's Piano Sonatas, The Blues and Jazz Improvisation courses are excellent resources to expand your musical knowledge!‎

    Music theory is the set of rules that govern how to create and communicate music. You can think of music theory as the equivalent of grammar when it comes to language. The fundamentals of melody, rhythm, and harmony are the main elements of music theory. Many of the skills you need to play an instrument or sing are part of music theory as well—elements like notes, chords, scales, keys, and tempo. Music theory also explains the qualities that make a song or piece of music good, such as pitch, tone, dynamics, and timbre.‎

    A knowledge of music theory can help you become a better singer, musician, songwriter, or performer. It’s true that you can write a quality song or compose a compelling piece of music with no understanding of music theory whatsoever, but knowing the logic behind good music helps you to create works listeners will enjoy. Music theory isn’t a set of hard and fast rules you must obey every time, but it helps you communicate and connect better with the music that you create. Understanding music theory also makes it easier to conquer more complex musical forms and styles.‎

    If you’re a professional musician or aspire to be one, having a knowledge of music theory can help you play pieces and sing songs better. You’ll also compose better songs or works when you understand how music theory works. Music theory also comes in handy if you’re teaching music because you can impart your knowledge to your students and help them succeed. Even if you don’t play music professionally, you can benefit from knowing music theory because it helps you think strategically, and making music for fun spurs your creativity as well, both of which can enhance any career you have.‎

    Music theory is a broad discipline, but online courses on Coursera can help you learn it with the flexibility that fits your lifestyle. You’ll have access to information that can help you gain a foothold in the concepts and rules that govern music theory, and you’ll also have the opportunity to discover practical applications that can help you compose and perform music more effectively. As a professional musician looking to take your career to the next level or a living room performer who wants to hone your skills, online courses on Coursera provide resources that can help you attain the knowledge you need to make music with greater confidence.‎

    Online Music Theory courses offer a convenient and flexible way to enhance your knowledge or learn new Music Theory skills. Choose from a wide range of Music Theory courses offered by top universities and industry leaders tailored to various skill levels.‎

    When looking to enhance your workforce's skills in Music Theory, it's crucial to select a course that aligns with their current abilities and learning objectives. Our Skills Dashboard is an invaluable tool for identifying skill gaps and choosing the most appropriate course for effective upskilling. For a comprehensive understanding of how our courses can benefit your employees, explore the enterprise solutions we offer. Discover more about our tailored programs at Coursera for Business here.‎

    This FAQ content has been made available for informational purposes only. Learners are advised to conduct additional research to ensure that courses and other credentials pursued meet their personal, professional, and financial goals.

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