ToneGym’s free Music Theory 101 gives you a crash course in notes, scales, intervals, chords, rhythm and notation

Some people spend a lifetime studying music theory - and there’s certainly value in doing that - but if you just want to know the basics, fast, ToneGym’s new crash course could be well worth taking.

Music Theory 101 is a free and interactive resource that takes the subject back to first principles, so you get explainers on notes, scales, intervals, chords, chord progressions, rhythm and musical notation.

Each section is easy to navigate and comes with clickable audio examples, and no prior knowledge or experience is required. There are ear training quizzes and challenges, too.

You can take the Music Theory 101 course on the ToneGym website now. If you want to know more, check out our own list of music theory tutorials below.

Music theory tutorials

Music theory basics: notes, intervals, scales and chords explained

Music theory basics: how to make your chords sound better by adding extra notes

Music theory basics: how to use cadences to develop your chord progressions

Songwriting basics: The music theory you need to write a chord progression to fit a melody

Music theory you can use: how to find the right chords for a melody

Songwriting basics: using music theory to help come up with a melody to fit your chords

Songwriting basics: chord, melody and music theory tricks for DAW users

The easy guide to music theory: play keyboard solos using the pentatonic scale

The easy guide to music theory: augmented and diminished chords explained

The easy guide to music theory: working with triplets

The easy guide to music theory: understanding minor scales

The easy guide to music theory: how to construct and use the melodic minor scale

The easy guide to music theory: common ornaments and how to use them

The easy guide to music theory: how to use suspensions and suspended chords

The easy guide to music theory: how to use syncopation to make rhythms more exciting

How to use basic music theory to build a simple hook

How to read sheet music: guitar theory for beginners

10 things about music theory that every producer needs to know

12 quick and dirty music theory tips you can use today

40 basic music theory terms you need to know