How to Teach Music Theory Fundamentals
Everyone enjoys music. Some people take that enjoyment and learn to play a musical instrument. For anyone who takes instrumental or vocal lessons, there comes a time to focus on music theory, or the study of how music is put together. An understanding of music theory makes you a better musician. Follow these steps to teach music theory fundamentals.
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Instructions
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Look at your own musical background to make certain you are qualified to teach music theory. Many musicians study music theory on their own; others major in it in college. The benefits of education are many, but some people possess a gift for understanding and teaching music theory to others.
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Join the Society for Music Theory (SMT) to gain access to resource material and knowledge through networking with others.
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Investigate the different resources available to help you with your teaching. SMT provides a bibliography of music theory textbooks and general reading. CDs and DVDs are available for teaching or independent learning. Computer-assisted instructional (CAI) programs like the one developed by the State University College in Potsdam, New York offer an effective method of teaching music theory.
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Start with the basics by introducing students to note reading. In addition to recognizing the notes A B C D E F G, you must teach students about the staff, musical notation and symbols such as the clef.
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Try to insert music theory fundamentals into actual instrument playing. Students retain information best with a multi-sensory approach of seeing, hearing and touching. For example, playing a song on a piano offers opportunities to talk to students about note values and intervals.
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Understand that teaching music theory include communicating the patterns in music to students. Lessons about meter, scales and time signature show these patterns to students.
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Review information from time to time to make certain students retain information about music theory fundamentals.
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