UPDATE: The author has changed the download from FREE to PAID. However, it is still reasonably priced so it might still be worth considering.
I've been looking for an easy way to formally teach my kids music theory. So I did a little online research tonight, and I found what looks to be the perfect solution.
Basic Music Theory: How to Read, Write, and Understand Written Music (2nd edition), by Jonathan Harnum, is a free, printable 300+ page ebook that looks to be very homeschooler-friendly.
I've already looked through a great portion of the book, and as a piano teacher, I'm very impressed with how the material is presented. It covers most everything I'd want my kids to know about basic music theory without going too in depth in certain areas that aren't practical for non-music majors.
If you have little to no background in music, this might be a great way to teach your kids the basics of music (and learn a little yourself) without springing for expensive music lessons. I obviously have a background in music, but I think this book is going to make teaching my own kids music theory much, much easier.
You can purchase Basic Music Theory here.
You can also download my free study guide to go along with Basic Music Theory. The study guide breaks the book down into 31 lessons and coordinates with online music theory activites. It also includes the Practical Use pages and the appropriate quizzes from the Basic Music Theory quiz pack.



















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That looks very interesting. I've been reviewing a lot of music theory in the past few months to teach these brood. I found a video Piano For Quitters that I highly recommend.
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So happy to see this!
Organized sports seems to crowd out what time youngsters once had to engage in actual music lessons and practice. And the flood of electronically generated sounds being used to produce techno-"music" these days, I wonder if actual musicianship may one day go the way of the phonograph.
Wouldn't that be the saddest?
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Thanks! Got it to download. Looks like it was the iPhone that was preventing it.
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That is fantastic~!!! Thank you! I've been wanting to start the 5 year old on Music Theory and this is a goldmine! Thank you!!
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Thank you!!!
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I see I am a few years behind so I guess the free 300 + page link is no longer free either. Well, it still seems like a good price so I may end up purchasing it as I know NOTHING about music. Thanks for posting!
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