Music Theory Cheat Sheet

The core ideas of Music Theory distilled into a single, scannable reference — perfect for review or quick lookup.

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Quick Reference

Scales and Modes

Scales are ordered sequences of notes that form the tonal foundation of a piece, with the major and minor scales being the most common in Western music. Modes are rotations of these scales (such as Dorian, Phrygian, and Mixolydian) that each produce a distinct tonal color and emotional character.

Intervals

An interval is the distance in pitch between two notes, measured in half-steps and classified by quality (major, minor, perfect, augmented, diminished). Intervals are the fundamental building blocks of both melody (successive intervals) and harmony (simultaneous intervals).

Chord Progressions

A chord progression is a sequence of chords played in succession that establishes the harmonic framework of a piece. Progressions are typically analyzed using Roman numeral notation, where each numeral represents a chord built on a specific scale degree.

Time Signatures and Rhythm

A time signature indicates how many beats are in each measure and which note value receives one beat. Rhythm is the pattern of durations and accents that organizes music in time, creating groove, feel, and forward motion.

Key Signatures

A key signature is a set of sharp or flat symbols placed at the beginning of a staff to indicate which notes are consistently altered throughout a piece. It tells the performer what key the music is in and which scale serves as the tonal center.

Harmony and Voice Leading

Harmony refers to the simultaneous sounding of notes to produce chords and the study of how those chords relate to each other. Voice leading describes the smooth movement of individual melodic lines (voices) from one chord to the next, minimizing large jumps.

Counterpoint

Counterpoint is the art of combining two or more independent melodic lines that sound harmonious when played simultaneously. Originating in Renaissance and Baroque music, it follows specific rules governing consonance, dissonance, and melodic independence.

Musical Form and Structure

Musical form refers to the overall architecture of a composition, describing how sections are organized and repeated. Common forms include binary (AB), ternary (ABA), rondo (ABACA), sonata-allegro, and verse-chorus structures.

Cadences

A cadence is a harmonic formula that marks the end of a musical phrase, section, or piece. Different cadence types create varying degrees of resolution or tension, functioning like musical punctuation marks.

Transposition and Modulation

Transposition is the process of shifting an entire piece or passage to a different key while maintaining all intervallic relationships. Modulation is the process of changing from one key to another within a piece, creating harmonic interest and emotional shifts.

Key Terms at a Glance

Accidental:A symbol that alters the pitch of a note: sharp (#) raises it a half-step, flat (b) lowers it a half-step, and natural cancels a previous accidental.

Arpeggio:The notes of a chord played in succession rather than simultaneously, also known as a broken chord.

Bar Line:A vertical line drawn through the staff to separate measures and organize music into regular metric groups.

Cadence:A harmonic formula that provides a sense of resolution or pause at the end of a musical phrase. Types include authentic, plagal, half, and deceptive.

Chord:Three or more notes sounded simultaneously, forming the vertical element of harmony. Chords are typically built by stacking intervals of thirds.

Chromatic:Involving all twelve pitches within an octave, or notes outside the prevailing key. A chromatic scale ascends or descends entirely in half-steps.

Clef:A symbol at the beginning of a staff that assigns specific pitches to the lines and spaces. The most common are treble (G) clef and bass (F) clef.

Coda:A concluding section of a piece or movement, typically added to provide a satisfying ending beyond the main structural form.

Consonance:A combination of pitches that sounds stable and pleasant, such as unisons, octaves, perfect fifths, and major thirds.

Diatonic:Relating to notes that belong to the prevailing major or minor scale without chromatic alteration. A diatonic chord uses only notes from the key.

Dissonance:A combination of pitches that sounds tense or unstable, creating a desire for resolution to a consonant interval or chord.

Dynamics:The degrees of loudness and softness in music, indicated by markings such as piano (soft), forte (loud), crescendo (getting louder), and decrescendo (getting softer).

Enharmonic:Two note names that refer to the same sounding pitch, such as F-sharp and G-flat, or C-sharp and D-flat.

Fermata:A symbol indicating that a note or rest should be held longer than its normal duration, at the discretion of the performer or conductor.

Harmony:The study of chords and their relationships, encompassing how simultaneous pitches combine and progress through time to support melody.

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