Learn music theory online or in Oakland: intervals, scales, chords, ear training, and reading notation, taught through real music, not dry worksheets.
First lesson free · online anywhere · no commitment
Music theory isn't a set of rules to memorize. It's the map that explains why the music you love sounds the way it does. Once you understand intervals, scales, and how chords move, you stop guessing and start hearing. You can read a chart, write your own progressions, and follow what's happening in a song in real time.
Simon is a working musician and producer rooted in funk and soul. Lessons connect every concept to real music, so you learn theory by using it, not by filling out worksheets. Whether you're a producer who wants better chord changes, a player who wants to improvise, or a student prepping for an exam, the plan is built around your goals.
The fundamentals that unlock everything else, built in the order that makes each concept audible and useful.
The building blocks of melody and harmony. Learn to name, hear, and sing the distance between any two notes.
Major, minor, and the modes. Understand how scales generate the notes and moods behind every style of music.
How chords are built, extended, and strung into progressions, so you can read, write, and reharmonize with intention.
Recognize intervals, chords, and progressions by ear so you can play what you hear and transcribe the songs you love.
Fluently read standard notation and lead sheets, the shared language that lets you learn any piece of written music.
Want to explore on your own first? Try the free interactive theory reference, the ear trainer, or read Music Theory Basics.
No. Music theory stands on its own. You can learn intervals, scales, chords, and how to read notation without touching an instrument. That said, most students find theory sticks faster when it's connected to an instrument, so lessons often use a keyboard on screen to make the concepts audible and visible.
The fundamentals that unlock everything else: intervals, major and minor scales, chord construction and progressions, ear training to recognize what you hear, and reading standard notation. Lessons are tailored. A producer wanting to write better chord changes and a student prepping for a theory exam get very different plans.
Both. Music theory works especially well online, where shared notation, a keyboard on screen, and screen-sharing make it easy to teach from anywhere. In-person lessons are available in Oakland, CA for local students who prefer them.
The core fundamentals, like reading notes, intervals, and basic chords, come together within a handful of lessons. Deeper fluency such as hearing chord changes and improvising over them develops with steady practice. Simon builds each plan around your goals so progress is always usable, not abstract.
Book a 30-minute trial. No commitment. Tell me your goals, and we'll build a theory plan that connects straight to the music you want to make.
Questions? Book a free trial and we'll follow up within 24 hours.