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Open Music Theory
What it is
Open Music Theory is a free, open-source interactive online textbook for college-level music theory courses. Its subjects include fundamentals, voice-leading, harmony, form, post-tonal music, pop and rock music, and text and music. Pages are designed as quick references alongside musical activity, using minimal graphical and audio examples. Interactive notation modules built with technology supported by Trinket add notation and exercises to the web textbook, while harmony tools support the listed study areas. The teaching approach emphasizes active student engagement, and the original authors use the material in flipped courses. Trinket supports only a limited set of musical features, and one applied-chords page notes a limit of one lyrics or harmonic-analysis layer. The CC BY-SA 4.0 license permits use, modification, distribution, and sale with attribution and identical licensing terms for derivatives. Users can fork the GitHub project, change text, graphics, videos, or the HTML and CSS theme, and download individual files for classroom handouts. Hybrid Pedagogy Publishing publishes the book under editors Robin Wharton and Kris Shaffer.
For and against
For
- Free, open-source textbook
- Covers broad music theory topics
- Interactive notation and exercises
- CC BY-SA 4.0 licensing
- Forkable and customizable GitHub project
Against
- Graphical and audio examples are minimal
- Trinket supports limited notation features
- Only one lyrics or analysis layer
- No free trial is listed
The verdict
Open Music Theory offers a structured, adaptable web reference for college-level theory study. Its open license and editable source support classroom customization, while notation limits remain relevant.
Who it suits
It is intended for college-level music theory courses and learners using online reference material alongside musical activity. Teachers can adapt the project or download individual files for handouts.
Plans and prices
Open Music Theory
No pricing or usage limits stated on the pages opened
Read 9 Oct 2026 · openmusictheory.github.io
On the record
- Analysis layer limit
- A page on applied chords states that Trinket supports only one layer of lyrics or harmonic analysis.openmusictheory.github.io · read 9 Oct 2026
- Audience
- The site describes the textbook as intended for college-level music theory courses.openmusictheory.github.io · read 9 Oct 2026
- Customization
- The about page says users can fork the GitHub project and edit, add, or remove text, graphics, videos, and the HTML and CSS theme.openmusictheory.github.io · read 9 Oct 2026
- Download option
- The about page says individual files can be downloaded for conversion into classroom handouts.openmusictheory.github.io · read 9 Oct 2026
- Interactive notation
- The book includes interactive music notation modules built with technology supported by Trinket.openmusictheory.github.io · read 9 Oct 2026
- Notation limits
- The Trinket guide says the tool supports a limited set of musical features to keep notation simple.openmusictheory.github.io · read 9 Oct 2026
- Open license
- The textbook is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, which permits use, modification, distribution, and sale with attribution and the same licensing terms for derivatives.openmusictheory.github.io · read 9 Oct 2026
- Publisher and editors
- The textbook is published by Hybrid Pedagogy Publishing under editors Robin Wharton and Kris Shaffer.openmusictheory.github.io · read 9 Oct 2026
- Reference style
- The pages are intended as a quick reference alongside musical activity, with minimal graphical and audio examples.openmusictheory.github.io · read 9 Oct 2026
- Teaching approach
- The textbook is designed to support active student engagement and is used by its original authors in flipped courses.openmusictheory.github.io · read 9 Oct 2026
- Topics
- The table of contents includes fundamentals, voice-leading, harmony, form, post-tonal music, pop and rock music, and text and music.openmusictheory.github.io · read 9 Oct 2026
- Trinket embedding
- The site says Trinkets can be added to websites that support iFrames and that several are embedded in Open Music Theory.openmusictheory.github.io · read 9 Oct 2026
- What it is
- Open Music Theory is an open-source, interactive online textbook for college-level music theory courses.openmusictheory.github.io · read 9 Oct 2026
