Links to Useful Music Theory Resources
These links will take you to pages for further study, but be aware that they are not organised by theory grade.
We don't link to commercial websites, just interesting/academic ones.
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This list is managed by a human being.
Acoustics
The Physics of Sound and the Physiology of Hearing
Analysis
Avant Garde Music Techniques
Introduction to Post-Functional Music Analysis: Set Theory, The Matrix, and the Twelve-Tone Method
12 Tone Music - A VERY accessible and interesting video by "recreational mathemusician" Vi Hart. [Video] *Highly Recommended*
Quarter Tone Music [Video]
Counterpoint
An Introduction to Species Counterpoint
Species Counterpoint: A Structural Examination of Tonality, Vocabulary, Texture, Sonorities, and Time Organization in Western Art Music
Definitions
Genres of Music - a list
Genres of Music - audio examples of every genre on the planet (almost!)
Fun
ClassicsForKids Online music games for children
Music Theory Song [Video]
Donald Duck in Math Magic Land - Music (Explains musical ratios and Pythagorus) [Video]
Harmony & Chords
BachCantatas.com Search Bach works/movements matching required instrumentation
Database of examples of music theory harmony concepts Musictheoryexamples.com
Harmonic Progressions common in tonal classical music
Chord Progressions in Pop Music - an introduction [Video]
Bach Chorale Pedagogic Resource - a list of examples of various techniques found in the chorales
Major to Minor - A Collection of I-III chord progressions
Pop Music Theory - Excellent site illustrating the "classical" techniques in a pop context
Instrument Specific Music Theory Sites
Drums: Drum! Magazine
Jazz
Linguistics and Music
Speaking in Tones: Our ability of communicate is inseparable from our musical sense.
Music Criticism
How to Critique Music Structure
Music Industry
How musicians really make money, in one long graph
Musicology
Critical Musicology A form of musicology which applies aspects of Critical Theory (as practiced within other humanities disciplines) to music
Historical Texts on Music from the 14th-17th centuries (in English)
Historical Texts on Music from the 3rd-17th centuries (in Latin)
The Theoretical Works of Johannes Tinctoris (Renaissance music theorist)
Music & Emotion Through Time (Video) TED talk
Orchestration
Instrument Transposition Chart (VERY comprehensive including rare/obscure instruments)
The Orchestra: A User's Manual [Provided by the Philharmonia Orchestra, Southbank, London UK]
Organisations
CASS GB: The Clarinet and Saxophone Society of Great Britain
EPTA: The European Piano Teachers' Association (and UK branch)
Phrases
Everything you ever wanted to know about phrases
Psychology of Music
Are classical music competitions judged on looks?
Research
Database of PhD dissertations on music theory, musicology and ethnomusicology
The New York Philharmonic Digital Archives Explore programs, scores, images, and business documents.
The Retrospective Index to Music Periodicals 500 rare music periodicals
RISM: Repertoire International de Sources Musicales "An international, non-profit organization that aims to comprehensively document extant musical sources worldwide: manuscripts, printed music editions, writings on music theory, and libretti that are found in libraries, archives, churches, schools, and private collections."
Digital Resources for Musicology Links to substantial open-access projects of use to musicians and musicologists.
Wikipedia List of Online Music Document Libraries Access to collections of digitized music documents (typically originating from printed or manuscript musical sources).
Tests
Music Techonology
Musescore Free music notation software, highly recommended.
Synthesisers which compose according to the rules of harmony
Video-based Sites
Art Films "Masterclasses, documentaries, interviews, content that can entertain, educate and inform: Artfilms streams thousands of videos from top artists and producers." [Paid site]
Medici TV "The world's leading classical music channel" [Paid site]
World Music
Bridging Arabic & Western Music
Polyrhythms (Tutsplus article)
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