MTS-C01Three notes stacked like a snowman.
Lesson 1 of 11 · MTS-C01
Your First Chord: The Major Triad
Three notes stacked like a snowman.
20 minOpen lesson
Category · Chord Theory
Chord Theory
Eleven friendly lessons, in order — from your first three-note chord to harmonizing and composing a melody. Plain words, one small step at a time.
Your learning path
11 lessonsChord Theory
Eleven short lessons, in order. Start with your first chord and build from there.
MTS-C02Major, minor, diminished, augmented.
Lesson 2 of 11 · MTS-C02
Four Flavors of Triad
Major, minor, diminished, augmented.
28 minOpen lesson
MTS-C03Home, away, and the road back.
Lesson 3 of 11 · MTS-C03
The Family of a Key: I, IV and V
Home, away, and the road back.
25 minOpen lesson
MTS-C04How chords take turns to tell a story.
Lesson 4 of 11 · MTS-C04
Chord Progressions
How chords take turns to tell a story.
30 minOpen lesson
MTS-C05The chord that leans forward.
Lesson 5 of 11 · MTS-C05
The Dominant Seventh
The chord that leans forward.
26 minOpen lesson
MTS-C06Shuffle the notes, keep the chord.
Lesson 6 of 11 · MTS-C06
Inversions: Same Chord, New Shape
Shuffle the notes, keep the chord.
30 minOpen lesson
MTS-C07C, Am, G7, C/E - the shorthand on every lead sheet.
Lesson 7 of 11 · MTS-C07
Reading Chord Symbols
C, Am, G7, C/E - the shorthand on every lead sheet.
24 minOpen lesson
MTS-C08The commas and full stops of music.
Lesson 8 of 11 · MTS-C08
Cadences: Musical Punctuation
The commas and full stops of music.
26 minOpen lesson
MTS-C09Passing tones, neighbor tones and grace notes.
Lesson 9 of 11 · MTS-C09
Decorating a Melody
Passing tones, neighbor tones and grace notes.
28 minOpen lesson
MTS-C10Choose the right chord for every bar.
Lesson 10 of 11 · MTS-C10
Harmonizing a Melody
Choose the right chord for every bar.
35 minOpen lesson
MTS-C11From a few chords to a tune that is yours.
Lesson 11 of 11 · MTS-C11
Compose Your Own Melody
From a few chords to a tune that is yours.
35 minOpen lesson
Curriculum
0 lessonsFeatured lessons
What you'll gain
Skills that move the needle on every solo.
Each lesson is paced for working musicians — short enough to fit into a practice routine, deep enough to change how you hear and play.
- Build major, minor, diminished and augmented chords from any note
- Understand why I, IV and V feel like home, away and the road back
- Read chord symbols such as Am, G7, Cmaj7 and C/E on any lead sheet
- Hear and name the cadences that end a musical phrase
- Choose chords for a melody and write a short tune of your own
Ready to understand the chords you play over?
Join the full music theory curriculum and hear every song as a story told in chords.