Grammar of Music

Path

What to study before Key signatures

The fixed accidentals at the start of the staff, their invariable order, and the circle of fifths that organizes them. Below, the concepts that come before, in the order in which one explains the next. Signed in, you see the same path minus what you already hold: your path.

  1. Notes and semitones

    The seven letter names, the accidentals that alter them, and the semitone as the system's smallest step.

    Level 0lesson Notes have names, and the names have a rule (First steps in theory)

  2. Intervals

    The distance between two notes, measured by a number taken from the letter names and a quality taken from the semitones.

    Level 1has practicelesson The distance between two notes (First steps in theory)

  3. Major scale

    Seven degrees built on a fixed sequence of tones and semitones, and the reference everything else is measured against.

    Level 1has practicelesson The major scale, from any note (First steps in theory)

  4. Key signatures

    The fixed accidentals at the start of the staff, their invariable order, and the circle of fifths that organizes them.

    Level 1lesson Reading the key in one second (First steps in theory)