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Music Theory Draft

ArtsA high school course guide for families

See it for your school: its prerequisites, what it counts toward at your school, and whether it's in your plan.

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Why this course?

Music Theory explains how music is put together, so you can read, write and arrange it. College music programs test it at audition.

What you'll learn

  • Read and write notes, rhythms, scales and chords
  • Hear intervals and chords by ear
  • Analyze how songs are built
  • Compose and arrange short pieces

You'll do: Written exercises, ear training and composing.

What comes next

Which courses come before and after it, and what it counts toward, depend on each school. Your plan shows your school's.

College majors that build on it

  • Music

Careers it informs most

People in these jobs use what this course teaches the most. It's a starting point, not a track.

Sources for this guide:

Draft: written with AI help from public sources (state standards, public course frameworks and school Programs of Study); not yet reviewed by a teacher or counselor.

SCED course codes (NCES): 05113, 05114.

Careers: this page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. Nine to Next has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed or tested these modifications. Education, job growth and pay: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–2035.