Music Theory Gym Videos, worksheets and exercises designed by Shaun Scrivner

Online exercises designed using Musictheory.net

Keyboard Identification

Watch Video: Names of White Piano Keys Identify White Keys

Watch Video: Sharps and Flats on the Piano Identify White Keys + Flats Identify White Keys + Sharps Identify Sharps and Flats 1 Identify Sharps and Flats 2

Staff Note Identification

Musictheory.net Lesson: The Note Names of the Staff

Treble Clef Lines 1 Treble Clef Spaces 1 Treble Clef Lines 2 Treble Clef Spaces 2 Treble Clef Lines and Spaces

Bass Clef Lines 1 Bass Clef Spaces 1 Bass Clef Lines 2 Bass Clef Spaces 2 Bass Clef Lines and Spaces

Grand Staff

Staff Note Construction

Treble Clef Bass Clef Grand Staff

Staff Note Identification on Keyboard

Treble Clef 1 Treble Clef 2

Treble Clef 3 Bass Clef 1 Bass Clef 2 Bass Clef 3 Grand Staff

Intervals 1 – Generic Intervals 1-8

Watch Video: Generic Intervals on White Keys Keyboard: Complete worksheet Generic Intervals on White Keys

Musictheory.net Lesson: Generic Intervals on the Staff

Treble Clef – Identify Treble. Clef – Construct

Bass Clef – Identify Bass Clef – Construct

Grand Staff – Identify Grand Staff – Construct

Intervals 2 – Minor and Major Seconds

Watch Video: Half Steps and Whole Steps Keyboard: Complete worksheet Playing Half Steps and Whole Steps

Watch Video: Major and Minor Seconds Keyboard – Identify Keyboard: Complete worksheet Playing Minor and Major Seconds

Treble Clef – Identify 1 Treble Clef – Identify 2 Treble Clef – Identify 3 Treble Clef – Construct 1 Treble Clef – Construct 2

Bass Clef – Identify 1 Bass Clef – Identify 2 Bass Clef – Identify 3 Bass Clef – Construct 1 Bass Clef – Construct 2

Grand Staff – Identify Grand Staff – Construct

Major Scales 1 – C, G, D

Watch Video: Intro to Major Scales with C, G, and D Major Keyboard: Learn to play C, G, and D scales using the “Scales” worksheet Musictheory.net Lesson: Major Scales on the Staff Treble Clef – Construct Scales Bass Clef – Construct Scales Grand Staff – Construct Scales

Major Chords

Keyboard 1: Complete worksheet Major Triads 1 Keyboard 2: Complete worksheet Major Triads 2 Keyboard 3: Complete worksheet Major Triads 3 Keyboard 4: Complete worksheet Major Triads 4

Treble Clef – Construct 1 Treble Clef – Construct 2

Bass Clef – Construct 1 Bass Clef – Construct 2

Treble and Bass – Construct 1 Treble and Bass – Construct 2

Intervals 3 – Minor and Major 3rds

Watch Video: Minor and Major 3rds Keyboard – Identify Keyboard: Complete worksheet Playing Minor and Major Thirds

Treble Clef – Identify 1 Treble Clef – Identify 2 Treble Clef – Identify 3 Treble Clef – Construct 1 Treble Clef – Construct 2

Bass Clef – Identify 1 Bass Clef – Identify 2 Bass Clef – Identify 3

Bass Clef – Construct 1 Bass Clef – Construct 2

Grand Staff – Identify Grand Staff – Construct

Mixed Major and Minor 2nds and 3rds

Treble Clef – Identify Bass Clef – Identify Grand Staff – Identify

Major Scales 2 – A, E, B (plus C, G, D)

Keyboard: Learn to play A, E, and B scales using the “Scales” worksheet Treble Clef – Construct Scales Bass Clef – Construct Scales Grand Staff – Construct Scales

Minor Chords

Keyboard: Complete worksheet Turning Major Triads into Minor Triads

Treble Clef – Construct 1 Treble Clef – Construct 2 Treble Clef – Identify Major and Minor 1 Treble Clef – Identify Major and Minor 2

Bass Clef – Construct 1 Bass Clef – Construct 2 Bass Clef – Identify Major and Minor 1 Bass Clef – Identify Major and Minor 2

Treble and Bass – Construct 1 Treble and Bass – Construct 2 Treble and Bass – Identify Major and Minor 1 Treble and Bass – Identify Major and Minor 2

Ear Training 1 – Hearing the Notes of the Major Triad

Root, Third, and Fifth on Major Chord (one octave range)

Worksheets

Below are the worksheets found in certain links above

Generic Intervals on White Keys An interval is the distance between two notes. We label intervals using numbers. This worksheet just deals with eight generic intervals found on the white keys of the piano, which we number 1 through 8. To find the interval number between two notes, count the number of letters from one note to the other. You can count up from the lower note to the higher or count down from the higher note to the lower; either way will produce the same result. (Note: For now, make sure and call all white keys by their natural name; do not label anything as a flat or sharp.) For example, let’s find the interval between the notes with the red dots below.

Step 1: Label the notes Step 2: Count the letters from one note to the other

F C F G A B C You can count up from left to right: 1 2 3 4 5 …or down from right to left: 5 4 3 2 1

Answer: The interval is 5

While we usually label intervals with numbers, we have a particular way of spelling them out and saying them out loud. The intervals of 1 and 8 even have extra special names.

Written Interval How We Spell/Say It 1 Unison (less common: First) 2 Second 3 Third 4 Fourth 5 Fifth 6 Sixth 7 Seventh 8 Octave (less common: Eighth)

Written Exercises For questions 1-8, label the name of each note, then label the interval with both its number and spelling. Write your answers on a piece of paper.

1.

___ ___

2.

___ ___

3.

___ ___

4.

___ ___

5.

___ ___

Interval Number: Interval Spelling:

Interval Number: Interval Spelling:

Interval Number: Interval Spelling:

Interval Number: Interval Spelling:

Interval Number: Interval Spelling:

6.

___ ___

7.

___ ___

8.

___ ___

Keyboard Exercises Play the following intervals on a keyboard, then write your answer on a piece of paper.

9. Play a D and the note a fourth above. What note did you find?

10. Play an E and the note a third below. What note did you find?

11. Play an A and the note a sixth above. What note did you find?

12. Play a B and the note a second above. What note did you find?

13. Play a G and the note an octave below. What note did you find?

14. Play a C and the note a fifth below. What note did you find?

15. Play a B and the note a seventh above. What note did you find?

Interval Number: Interval Spelling:

Interval Number: Interval Spelling:

Interval Number: Interval Spelling:

Playing Half Steps and Whole Steps Use a keyboard to help you answer the following questions, then write you answer on a piece of paper.

1. What note is one half step above F#?

2. What note is one half step below Bb?

3. What note is one half step below F?

4. What are the two names for the note found one half step above A?

5. What are the two names for the note found one half step below D?

6. What note is two half steps below B?

7. What note is one whole step above C?

8. What are the two names for the note found one whole step above G#?

9. What are the two names for the note found one whole step below Eb?

10. What note is found a whole step above D#?

11. What note is found three half steps below G?

12. What are the two names for the note found three half steps above Bb?

13. What note is found two whole steps above F?

14. Start on D. Go down one half step, then go up two whole steps. What note did you land on?

15. Start on A. Go up three half steps, then go down two whole steps, then down one half step, then up three whole steps. What are the two names for this note?

Playing Minor and Major Seconds

Remember these rules!

Minor Second (m2) 1. Two letters apart and 2. One HALF step apart

Major Second (M2) 1. Two letters apart

and 2. One WHOLE step apart

Use a keyboard to help you answer the following questions, then write you answer on a piece of paper.

1. What note is a m2 above C?

2. What note is a m2 below C?

3. What note is a m2 above F#?

4. What note is a m2 below Eb?

5. What note is a M2 above F?

6. What note is a M2 below Bb?

7. What note is a M2 above E?

8. What note is a M2 below G#?

9. What note is a m2 above A?

10. What note is a M2 above G#?

11. What note is a m2 below C#? (Hint: Think of a different name for the C key.)

12. What note is a M2 below Db? (Hint: Think of a different name for the B key.)

13. What note is a m2 above Eb? (Hint: Think of a different name for the E key.)

14. What note is a M2 above A#? (Hint: Think of a different name for the C key.)

15. What note is a m2 below F#? (Hint: Think of a different name for the F key.)

Major Triads 1

The Three Vanillas: C, F, G “Vanilla” major triads are the vanilla ice cream of piano chords: smooth, simple, timeless. Like the plain white confection we know and love, these are major chords with three white keys. There are three: C, F and G. Notice that each one is named after its lowest note. We call this special note the Root. The middle note is the 3rd, and the top note is the 5th. Fun-xercise 1

• Play the following chords in the treble clef with your right hand, using fingers 1, 3, and 5.

• Play the chords in the bass clef with your left hand, also using fingers 1, 3, and 5.

• Play the chords with both hands as written.

• Experiment with moving the chords around the keyboard by playing them in other octaves.

C F G

Fun-xercise 2

• Learn to play the following chord progression. As above, start with the right hand, then the left, then together. (Notice that the right hand moves about, while the left hand stays in one place.)

• Repeat several times without breaking to make an uninterrupted loop.

• Practice until you can play it memorized. C F G F

Major Triads 2

The Three Jelly Sandwiches: A, D, E Nothing takes us back to the good ol’ days quite like a delicious jelly sandwich. Is it nutritional? Is it dessert? Nobody knows for sure. Either way, it casts a spell on our taste buds. “Jelly sandwich” major triads are three-note major chords with a black key in the middle. This makes the color combination white-black-white—like a beautiful grape jelly sandwich!

Root 3rd 5th White Black White Bread Jelly Bread

There are three of these chords: A, D and E. Making these chords is easy! Once you find the root, put your fingers in position like you are going to make a vanilla chord. Then add the “jelly” by moving your middle finger up to the black key on the right. Fun-xercise 1

• Play the right hand, then the left, then together. Always use fingers 1, 3, and 5.

• Experiment with moving the chords around the keyboard by playing them in other octaves

A D E

Fun-xercise 2

• Learn to play the following chord progression.

• Repeat several times without breaking to make an uninterrupted loop.

• Practice until you can play it memorized. A D E D

Major Triads 3

The Three Oreos: Ab, Db, Eb History tells us that since its invention in 1912, no one has ever turned down an Oreo cookie. The groundbreaking marriage of cookie and cream creates the ultimate flavor explosion! “Oreo” major triads are three-note major chords with black keys on the outside and a white key in the middle. This black-white-black combination looks like an irresistible Oreo!

Root 3rd 5th Black White Black

Cookie Cream Cookie There are three of these chords: Ab, Db and Eb. These are the same letters as the jelly sandwich chords, but they’ve all been flatted! Here is one way of making an Oreo chord:

1. Start by making a jelly sandwich A chord 2. Slide the root down one half-step (from A to Ab) 3. Slide the 3rd down one half-step (from C# to C) 4. Slide the 5th down one half-step (from E to Eb) 5. Notice that you just changed the colors from white-black-white to the opposite colors,

black-white-black! 6. Repeat this method to change the D and E jelly sandwiches to Db and Eb Oreos!

This is Already Getting Old-xercise 1

• Play the right hand, then the left, then together. Always use fingers 1, 3, and 5.

• Experiment with moving the chords around the keyboard by playing them in other octaves

Ab Db Eb

This is Already Getting Old-xercise 2

• Learn to play the following chord progression.

• Repeat several times without breaking to make an uninterrupted loop.

• Practice until you can play it memorized. Ab Db Eb Db

Major Triads 4

The Three One-Offs: B, Bb, F#/Gb Have you ever met someone who is unlike anyone else? Maybe it’s that boy who loves to shave his eyebrows off, or that girl who only communicates in Morse code, or that science teacher with a forked tongue who eats mice and sometimes students. Maybe they don’t always fit in, but they don’t care; they’d rather do their own thing. “One-Off” major triads are three-note major chords with unique color combinations. They’re just doing their own thing too! There are three: B, Bb, and F# (also called Gb). Let’s look at B and Bb first.

The “Bee” chords Imagine a honeybee. It has three parts: head, thorax, abdomen. Now imagine scary black-and-white alien honeybees with a head that is a different color than the rest of the body! There would be two kinds, with opposite colors, like this: Head Thorax Abdomen Alien Bee #1: White Black Black Alien Bee #2: Black White White Now let’s turn these two alien “bees” into our two “B” chords: B and Bb. Root 3rd 5th B major triad: White Black Black Bb major triad: Black White White Give Me a Break-xercise 1

• Practice switching back and forth between B and Bb. Right hand first, then left, then together. Always use fingers 1, 3, and 5.

• Now try switching with your eyes closed!

• Experiment with moving the chords around the keyboard by playing them in other octaves.

B Bb

The F#/Gb Double Agent Chord

Our final major triad is a sneaky double agent with a secret identity! It is made up entirely of black keys, so imagine a spy in a black hat and long black trench coat. Sometimes it introduces itself as F#, and sometimes Gb, but don’t be fooled! These are just two names for the same chord! Never turn your back to it; it cannot be trusted! Play the following two chords: F# Gb

What do you notice? They are exactly the same chord, written two different ways! Each note in the chord has two different names. Sneaky, sneaky! When we call this chord F#, spell all the notes with sharps. When we call it Gb, spell all the notes with flats.

Putting the One-Offs Together Give Me a Break-xercise 2

• Learn to play the following chord progression.

• Repeat several times without breaking to make an uninterrupted loop.

• Practice until you can play it memorized. F# Bb B Bb

Playing Minor and Major Thirds

Remember these rules!

Minor Third (m3) 1. Three letters apart and 2. Three half steps apart

(one whole step plus one half)

Major Third (M3) 1. Three letters apart

and 2. Four half steps apart

(two whole steps)

Use a keyboard to help you answer the following questions, then write you answer on a piece of paper.

1. What note is a m3 above B?

2. What note is a m3 below G?

3. What note is a m3 above F#?

4. What note is a m3 below Bb?

5. What note is a M3 above E?

6. What note is a M3 below C?

7. What note is a M3 above Db?

8. What note is a M3 below A#?

9. What note is a m3 above C#?

10. What note is a M3 above Gb?

11. What note is a m3 below G#?

12. What note is a M3 below Eb?

13. What note is a m3 above Db?

14. What note is a M3 above G#?

15. What note is a m3 below D#?

Turning Major Triads into Minor Triads So far you have learned twelve chords. By the end of this lesson you will know twenty-four! That’s like going into the store to buy a dozen eggs, but the grocer says:

“You are my favorite customer. You always come to me to buy eggs. I have sold so many eggs to you over the years that I am rich. Because of you, I have a fancy sports car, and all my furniture is made of solid gold--even my mattress! Today you paid me for twelve eggs, but as a sign of gratitude, I am going to double that! I am going to give you TWENTY-FOUR EGGS!” “Holy moly! That’s a lot of eggs!” you exclaim.

But how will we double your chord knowledge? Easy! We are going to turn your twelve major triads into minor triads. Minor triads are similar to major triads, but they may strike you as sounding more sad, dark, or contemplative.

How to Make a Minor Triad

1. Start by playing a major triad. Notice that the 3rd on the bottom is major, and the 3rd on the top in minor.

C

2. Now take the middle note and move it down one half-step. The bottom 3rd becomes minor, and the top 3rd becomes major. The qualities flip! Note: use a lower case “m” for “minor”.

Cm

3. Repeat these steps with all twelve major chords to double your chord knowledge! (Exercise found on following page.)

OOOHHHH NNNNOOOO-xercise

• Play all triads below, turning each major chord into minor.

• Start with your right hand, then left, then together.

Vanillas

C Cm F Fm G Gm

Jelly Sandwiches

A Am D Dm E Em

Oreos Ab Abm Db Dbm Eb Ebm

One-Offs F# F#m Bb Bbm B Bm