Kids' Music Theory Online Lessons

Interactive and engaging, The Mighty Maestro is a great way for beginners to learn music notes, music values and other basic kids' music theory. The lessons are online, interactive and lots of fun (the first are free). A fabulous music school for beginners.

A variety of enjoyable Music Theory online lessons, games, fun races and ear training activities (some free) are used to introduce and reinforce music theory concepts such as music notes in two clefs, music values, time signatures, dynamics and key signatures. Opening with investigations of world music, instruments and the orchestra, completion of The Mighty Maestro requires listening, observation and a bit of trial and error, leading to a solid understanding of basic music theory. These Music Theory Online Lessons are a great way for beginners to learn music notes and theory. The first four introductory activities are completely free.

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What is Music?

Investigate sounds and a world of music.

Music Theory Online Lesson 1.1 - Sounds Around Us

Decide whether each sound is music, a useful sound, a natural sound or unwanted noise.

Music Theory Online Lesson 2.2 - A World of Music

Identify music from around the world. Includes music from Ireland, Scotland, France, Spain, Greece, Africa, the Middle East, India, Japan, Australia, Latin America, the Caribbean and the US.S.
Look, it's the Orchestra

Learn about musical instruments.

Music Theory Online Lesson 2.1 - The Sections

Investigate the instruments of the orchestra, including stringed instruments (violin, viola, cello, double bass and harp), woodwinds (clarinet, oboe, bassoon, flute, piccolo and English horn), brass instruments (trumpet, French horn, trombone and tuba), percussion instruments (timpani, vibraphone, glockenspiel, triangle, gong, snare drum, bass drum, cymbals and xylophone) and keyboards (piano, organ, harpsichord).).

Music Theory Online Lesson 2.2 - The Instruments

Label the parts of the instrument. Includes violin, clarinet, trumpet, flute, piano, drums, guitar, saxophone and electric guitar).
Note the Value

The start of the music theory. Music notes.

Music Theory Online Lesson 3.1 - Note the Parts

Name the parts of the musical note, including stem, head, flag and beam.

Music Theory Online Lesson 3.2 - Note Names

Name the music notes. quaver/eighth note, crotchet/quarter note, minim/half note, semibreve/full note.

Music Theory Online Lesson 3.3 - The Values

Identify the music notes from the symbols and number of beats. Quaver/eighth note, crotchet/quarter note, minim/half note, semibreve/full note.

Music Theory Online Lesson 3.4 - Value Race

Race against the clock. Quickly identify the music notes. Any mistakes will cost you.

Music Theory Online Lesson 3.5 - Listening

Listen to and identify the quavers/eighth notes, crotchets/quarter notes, minims/half notes and semibreves/full notes. Great ear training.

Music Theory Online Lesson 3.6 - Note Sums

Work out which musical notes equal the sum of the notes shown.

Music Theory Online Lesson 3.7 - Which Rhythm?

Listen to the rhythms and identify the correct pattern of notes from those shown. More fantastic ear training.

Music Theory Online Lesson 3.8 - Dotted Notes

Learn about and identify the dotted music notes. Dotted quaver/dotted eighth note, dotted crotchet/dotted quarter note, dotted minim/dotted half note, dotted semibreve/dotted full note.
What's the Time?

Learn about the time signatures used in music theory.

Music Theory Online Lesson - 4.1 More Beats

Identify the time signature used in various pieces of music.

Music Theory Online Lesson - 4.2 Filling Time

Work out which music notes are required to complete the bars/measures.
Pitch This!

Learn about music values (note names). Bass (F) /Treble (G) clef option

Music Theory Online Lesson - 5.1 Sounds

Listen to and identify the notes of the stave (staff). Ear pitch training.

Music Theory Online Lesson - 5.2 Melodies

Play through the musical melodies and identify the correct nursery rhyme. This helps learn about how the notes are set out in music theory.

Music Theory Online Lesson - 5.3 Line Race

Race against the clock. Learn about then quickly identify the music notes on the lines of the stave. EGBDF are the notes to remember in the treble clef (Every Good Boy Deserved Fudge / Every Good Boy Deserved Food), GBDFA in the bass clef (Great Big Dragons Fly Around).

Music Theory Online Lesson - 5.4 Space Race

Race against the clock. Learn about then quickly identify the music notes between the lines of the stave. FACE in the treble clef, ACEG (all cows eat grass) in the bass clef.

Music Theory Online Lesson - 5.5 Stem Direction

More music theory. When should the stems point up and when should they point down? Find the mistakes in the music notes shown.

Music Theory Online Lesson - 5.6 Note Words

Identify the words from the notes shown. DAD, FEED and BAGGAGE etc.

Music Theory Online Lesson - 5.7 Sound Sets

Further develop your ear training. Listen to the sets of notes and work out which pattern is being played. GAAD, for example, has four notes with the middle two the same.

Music Theory Online Lesson - 5.8 Race Below

Race against the clock. Learn about then quickly identify the music notes below the stave. DCBAG in the treble clef, FEDCB in the bass clef.

Music Theory Online Lesson - 5.9 Race Above

Race against the clock. Learn about then quickly identify the music notes above the stave. GABCD in the treble clef, BCDEF in the bass clef.
Rest and Repeat

Continue the music theory with rests and repeats.

Music Theory Online Lesson - 6.1 Rest Values

Learn about and identify the rests.
Music Theory Online Lesson - 6.2 Completing Rests

Work out which musical rests are required to complete the bars/measures.

Music Theory Online Lesson - 6.3 Repeats

Click on the bars/measures of music in the order that they should be played. Watch out for the repeat signs.

Music Theory Online Lesson - 6.4 Second Endings

Click on the bars/measures of music in the order that they should be played. The second endings should be played the second time through the piece of music.
Be Dynamic

Dynamics make music more exciting.

Music Theory Online Lesson - 7.1 Dynamic Terms

Learn the meaning of the musical terms. Forte, piano, crescendo (cresc), diminuendo (dim), legato and staccato.

Music Theory Online Lesson - 7.2 Dynamic Symbols

Identify the symbols for the dynamic terms. Forte, piano, crescendo (cresc), diminuendo (dim), legato and staccato.

Music Theory Online Lesson - 7.3 Ties

Ties are used for a variety of reasons in music theory. Learn about them here.

Music Theory Online Lesson - 7.4 Tempo Terms

There are a large number of terms describing the tempo that music should be played. Here, we look at Adagio, Andante, Moderato, Allegro, Presto, Accelerando (Accel), Rallentando (Rall) and A Temp.
Little Steps, Big Steps

Sharps and Flat, Tones and Semitones. What is this music theory all about?

Music Theory Online Lesson - 8.1 Sharps

Listen to and learn about sharp notes.

Music Theory Online Lesson - 8.2 Semitones

Semitones are the half-steps of music theory. Investigate them on a piano keyboard.

Music Theory Online Lesson - 8.3 Tones

Tones are the full-steps of music theory. Investigate them on a piano keyboard.

Music Theory Online Lesson - 8.4 Flats

Listen to and learn about flats.
What Key are We In?

The key signature dictates which music notes should be played. Bass (F) /Treble (G) clef option

Music Theory Online Lesson - 9.1 Sharps Played

Look at the sharp notes played in a number of simple key signatures.

Music Theory Online Lesson - 9.2 G Major

Identify the notes that should be played when reading music in the key of G Major.

Music Theory Online Lesson - 9.3 Accidentals

Accidental notes are not in the key signature. How many can you find?

Music Theory Online Lesson - 9.4 D Major

Identify the notes that should be played when reading music in the key of D Major.

Music Theory Online Lesson - 9.5 Flats Played

Look at the flats played in a number of simple key signatures.

Music Theory Online Lesson - 9.6 F Major

Identify the notes that should be played when reading music in the key of F Major.

Music Theory Online Lesson - 9.7 More Accidentals

Accidental notes are not in the key signature. Once one has been played, similar notes in the bar/measure may also be accidentals.

Music Theory Online Lesson - 9.8 Bb Major

Identify the notes that should be played when reading music in the key of Bb Major.
It's a Wrap!

How much music theory have you learned? Bass (F) /Treble (G) clef option

Music Theory Online Lesson - 10.1 Recap 1

A look at the music notes, music values (note names), key signatures, time signatures and dynamics.

Music Theory Online Lesson - 10.2 Recap 2

A look at the music notes, music values (note names), key signatures, time signatures and dynamics.

Music Theory Online Lesson - 10.3 Recap 3

A look at the music notes, music values (note names), key signatures, time signatures and dynamics.