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Music Theory Basics
40 music theory flashcards for notation, rhythm, scales, intervals, chords, harmony, and ear training.
#music#music-theory#notation#rhythm#harmony
About this deck
This 40-card music theory deck covers the vocabulary needed to read basic notation, count rhythm, understand scales and intervals, build triads, and recognize common harmonic functions.
Study notes turn definitions into actions: clap the rhythm, sing the scale degree, play the chord, or locate the symbol on a staff.
40cards
Beginner music theorylevel
beginner musicians, music students, producers, and instrumental learnersaudience
What you will learn
- Staff notation, note and rest values, dots, ties, slurs, and dynamics.
- Beat, meter, rhythm, syncopation, tempo, and time signatures.
- Major, minor, chromatic, and pentatonic scale concepts.
- Intervals, triads, inversions, tonic-dominant function, cadences, and the circle of fifths.
How to study this deck
- Clap or play every card rather than relying on verbal recognition.
- Keep notation, rhythm, scales, and harmony as separate first-pass packs.
- Use a keyboard or instrument to compare major, minor, diminished, and inversion examples.
Recommended study setup
- Start with about 12 cards per session; the full deck is roughly 4 first-pass packs.
- Pair definitions with a visual, score, recording, or played example so recall is not only verbal.
- Use quiz mode after one recall pass; study notes appear only after you answer.
Scope
This deck teaches foundational terms. It does not replace score reading, ear training, instrument practice, or a full harmony course.
Review notes
Definitions, note values, scale patterns, and chord examples reviewed on 2026-07-10.
All 40 cards in this deck
| Front | Back | Study note |
|---|---|---|
| Beat | The steady pulse of music. | Ear-training cue: sing, clap, or play one example after recalling the definition. |
| Tempo | The speed of the beat, usually measured in BPM. | Ear-training cue: sing, clap, or play one example after recalling the definition. |
| Measure | A group of beats marked by bar lines. | Ear-training cue: sing, clap, or play one example after recalling the definition. |
| Time signature | A symbol showing how many beats are in each measure and what note value gets one beat. | Ear-training cue: sing, clap, or play one example after recalling the definition. |
| Rhythm | The pattern of long and short sounds and silences. | Ear-training cue: sing, clap, or play one example after recalling the definition. |
| Pitch | How high or low a note sounds. | Ear-training cue: sing, clap, or play one example after recalling the definition. |
| Major scale | A seven-note scale with the pattern W-W-H-W-W-W-H. | Ear-training cue: sing, clap, or play one example after recalling the definition. |
| Minor scale | A scale often associated with a darker sound; natural minor pattern is W-H-W-W-H-W-W. | Ear-training cue: sing, clap, or play one example after recalling the definition. |
| Interval | The distance between two pitches. | Ear-training cue: sing, clap, or play one example after recalling the definition. |
| Octave | The interval between one pitch and another with double its frequency. | Ear-training cue: sing, clap, or play one example after recalling the definition. |
| Triad | A three-note chord built from stacked thirds. | Ear-training cue: sing, clap, or play one example after recalling the definition. |
| Chord | Three or more notes sounded together. | Ear-training cue: sing, clap, or play one example after recalling the definition. |
| Key signature | Sharps or flats at the start of a staff that indicate the key. | Ear-training cue: sing, clap, or play one example after recalling the definition. |
| Accidental | A sharp, flat, or natural that changes a note’s pitch. | Ear-training cue: sing, clap, or play one example after recalling the definition. |
| Dynamics | Symbols or words that describe loudness and softness. | Ear-training cue: sing, clap, or play one example after recalling the definition. |
| Clef | A symbol that sets which pitches the lines and spaces represent. | Ear-training cue: sing, clap, or play one example after recalling the definition. |
| Staff | Five horizontal lines and four spaces used to notate pitch. | The clef determines which pitch each line and space represents. |
| Note | A symbol representing a musical sound and its duration. | The notehead position shows pitch; its shape and stem help show duration. |
| Rest | A symbol representing a measured silence. | Each common note value has a corresponding rest. |
| Whole note | A note value lasting four quarter-note beats in 4/4 time. | Also called a semibreve. |
| Half note | A note value lasting two quarter-note beats in 4/4 time. | Also called a minim. |
| Quarter note | A note value lasting one beat in common 4/4 time. | Also called a crotchet; the actual beat unit depends on the meter. |
| Eighth note | A note value lasting half of a quarter note. | Also called a quaver; two eighth notes equal one quarter note. |
| Dotted note | A dot adds half of the note’s original duration. | A dotted half note lasts three quarter-note beats. |
| Tie | A curved line joining the same pitch so durations combine. | Unlike a slur, a tie connects notes of the same pitch. |
| Slur | A curved line grouping different notes into one smooth phrase. | On many instruments it signals legato articulation. |
| Meter | The recurring organization of strong and weak beats. | Examples include duple, triple, and quadruple meter. |
| Syncopation | Accent or emphasis placed away from the expected strong beat. | Clap a steady pulse while accenting the offbeats to hear it. |
| Tonic | The home pitch or chord of a key. | Scale degree 1; music often feels resolved when it returns here. |
| Dominant | Scale degree 5 or the chord built on it. | It often creates tension that resolves to the tonic. |
| Chromatic scale | All twelve pitches within an octave, moving by semitone. | On a piano it uses every adjacent key. |
| Pentatonic scale | A five-note scale. | Major pentatonic uses scale degrees 1, 2, 3, 5, and 6. |
| Major triad | Root, major third, and perfect fifth. | Example: C–E–G. |
| Minor triad | Root, minor third, and perfect fifth. | Example: A–C–E. |
| Diminished triad | Root, minor third, and diminished fifth. | Example: B–D–F in C major. |
| Chord inversion | A chord voicing with a note other than the root in the bass. | First inversion puts the third in the bass; second inversion puts the fifth there. |
| Cadence | A harmonic or melodic pattern that closes or pauses a phrase. | Authentic, half, plagal, and deceptive are common cadence types. |
| Arpeggio | The notes of a chord played one after another. | Practice a triad both blocked and arpeggiated. |
| Transposition | Moving music to a different pitch level while preserving relationships. | Every note moves by the same interval. |
| Circle of fifths | Diagram arranging keys by ascending or descending perfect fifths. | It helps visualize key signatures, related keys, and common harmonic motion. |
Frequently asked questions
Do I need an instrument for this deck?
No, but a keyboard or other instrument makes scale, interval, chord, and cadence cards much more useful.
Does it include rhythm and notation?
Yes. It covers the staff, note and rest values, meter, syncopation, dots, ties, slurs, and dynamics.
Does it teach advanced harmony?
No. It introduces triads, inversions, tonic and dominant, cadences, and the circle of fifths as a foundation.
Is the Music Theory Basics flashcard deck free?
Yes. You can study it free in your browser on MazoCards. Create a free account to save progress, track streaks, and sync across devices.
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