About Plain Music Theory

Plain Music Theory is a free reference for anyone learning to read and understand music: students, adult beginners, self-taught players, choir and band members, and the teachers who help them. It is free to use, with no account and no sign-up.

How the pages are made

Scales, chords, key signatures and intervals on this site are worked out by a small music theory engine and drawn as notation, so every note is spelled by rule: the F♯ major scale has an E♯, the B augmented chord has an F𝄪. Guitar chord shapes are checked note by note against the chord. The explanations are written for this site and checked against standard music theory references.

If you find a mistake, please tell us at hello@plainmusictheory.com. Corrections are made quickly.

Notation and sound

Music is drawn with Bravura, a music font by Steinberg Media Technologies released under the SIL Open Font License. The sound you hear is made in your browser by a small synthesizer; nothing is recorded or sent anywhere.

Who runs the site

Plain Music Theory is published by Netspark OÜ (registry code 17056772), Kassisilma 14, Räni alevik, 61708 Tartu maakond, Estonia. The same publisher runs Plain Grammar and Plain Dictionary.