Music Theory Cheatsheet

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Comprehensive music theory reference chart

Harmony & Chords

Building Chords

Major

1, 3, 5

1, 3, 5, 6

1, 3, 5, 7

1, 3, 5, 7, 9

1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11

1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13

Minor

1, b3, 5

1, b3, 5, 6

1, b3, 5, b7

(7)

1, b3, 5, 7

1, b3, 5, b7, 9

1, b3, 5, b7, 9, 11

Dominant

1, 3, 5, b7

1, 3, 5, b7, 9

1, 3, 5, b7, 9, 11

1, 3, 5, b7, 9, 11, 13

7 Sus 4

1, 4, 5, b7

Suspended

Sus 2

1, 2, 5

Sus 4

1, 4, 5

Dim / Aug

Diminished

1, b3, b5

Diminished 7

1, b3, b5, bb7

Half Diminished 7

1, b3, b5, b7

Augmented

1, 3, #5

Augmented 7

1, 3, #5, b7

Circle of Fifths & Key Signatures

Major

Minor

Key Signatures

Major	Relative Minor	♯ / ♭	Signature
C	Am	—	—
G	Em	1♯	#
D	Bm	2♯	##
A	F#m	3♯	###
E	C#m	4♯	####
B	G#m	5♯	#####
F#	D#m	6♯	######
C#	A#m	7♯	#######
Gb	Ebm	6♭	bbbbbb
Db	Bbm	5♭	bbbbb
Ab	Fm	4♭	bbbb
Eb	Cm	3♭	bbb
Bb	Gm	2♭	bb
F	Dm	1♭	b

How to Read

→ Clockwise = up a 5th (sharps)← Counter-clockwise = up a 4th (flats)Inner ring = relative minor keyAdjacent keys = closely related

Enharmonic Keys

B = C♭ (5♯ = 7♭)F♯ = G♭ (6♯ = 6♭)C♯ = D♭ (7♯ = 5♭)Same sound, different spelling

Major Key Chords

IMajor

iiMinor

iiiMinor

IVMajor

VMajor

viMinor

vii°Dim

	I	ii	iii	IV	V	vi	vii°
C	C	Dm	Em	F	G	Am	Bdim
C#	C#	D#m	E#m	F#	G#	A#m	B#dim
Db	Db	Ebm	Fm	Gb	Ab	Bbm	Cdim
D	D	Em	F#m	G	A	Bm	C#dim
Eb	Eb	Fm	Gm	Ab	Bb	Cm	Ddim
E	E	F#m	G#m	A	B	C#m	D#dim
F	F	Gm	Am	Bb	C	Dm	Edim
F#	F#	G#m	A#m	B	C#	D#m	E#dim
Gb	Gb	Abm	Bbm	Cb	Db	Ebm	Fdim
G	G	Am	Bm	C	D	Em	F#dim
G#	G#	A#m	B#m	C#	D#	E#m	F##dim
Ab	Ab	Bbm	Cm	Db	Eb	Fm	Gdim
A	A	Bm	C#m	D	E	F#m	G#dim
A#	A#	B#m	C##m	D#	E#	F##m	G##dim
Bb	Bb	Cm	Dm	Eb	F	Gm	Adim
B	B	C#m	D#m	E	F#	G#m	A#dim

Minor Key Chords

iMinor

ii°Dim

IIIMajor

ivMinor

vMinor

VIMajor

VIIMajor

	i	ii°	III	iv	v	VI	VII
C	Cm	Ddim	Eb	Fm	Gm	Ab	Bb
C#	C#m	D#dim	E	F#m	G#m	A	B
Db	Dbm	Ebdim	Fb	Gbm	Abm	Bbb	Cb
D	Dm	Edim	F	Gm	Am	Bb	C
Eb	Ebm	Fdim	Gb	Abm	Bbm	Cb	Db
E	Em	F#dim	G	Am	Bm	C	D
F	Fm	Gdim	Ab	Bbm	Cm	Db	Eb
F#	F#m	G#dim	A	Bm	C#m	D	E
Gb	Gbm	Abdim	Bbb	Cbm	Dbm	Ebb	Fb
G	Gm	Adim	Bb	Cm	Dm	Eb	F
G#	G#m	A#dim	B	C#m	D#m	E	F#
Ab	Abm	Bbdim	Cb	Dbm	Ebm	Fb	Gb
A	Am	Bdim	C	Dm	Em	F	G
A#	A#m	B#dim	C#	D#m	E#m	F#	G#
Bb	Bbm	Cdim	Db	Ebm	Fm	Gb	Ab
B	Bm	C#dim	D	Em	F#m	G	A

Scales & Modes

Scales Reference

Name	Step Sequence	Example (C)
Major	W-W-H-W-W-W	C D E F G A B
Natural minor	W-H-W-W-H-W	C D Eb F G Ab Bb
Harmonic minor	W-H-W-W-H-W+H	C D Eb F G Ab B
Melodic minor	W-H-W-W-W-W	C D Eb F G A B
Major pentatonic	W-W-W+H-W	C D E G A
Minor pentatonic	W+H-W-W-W+H	C Eb F G Bb
Blues	W+H-W-H-H-W+H	C Eb F Gb G Bb

Modes Reference

Tonic	Name	Step Sequence	Example (C)
I	Ionian	W-W-H-W-W-W	C D E F G A B
II	Dorian	W-H-W-W-W-H	C D Eb F G A Bb
III	Phrygian	H-W-W-W-H-W	C Db Eb F G Ab Bb
IV	Lydian	W-W-W-H-W-W	C D E F# G A B
V	Mixolydian	W-W-H-W-W-H	C D E F G A Bb
VI	Aeolian	W-H-W-W-H-W	C D Eb F G Ab Bb
VII	Locrian	H-W-W-H-W-W	C Db Eb F Gb Ab Bb

Rhythm & Notation

Note Values & Rhythm Tree

Note	Beats (4/4)	Dotted
Whole	4	6
Half	2	3
Quarter	1	1.5
Eighth	0.5	0.75
Sixteenth	0.25	0.375

Time Signatures

Sig.	Type	Beats	Genre / Feel
2/4	Simple	2	March, Polka
3/4	Simple	3	Waltz
4/4	Simple	4	Pop, Rock, Most music
2/2	Simple	2	Cut time, March
6/8	Compound	2 groups of 3	Jig, Ballad
9/8	Compound	3 groups of 3	Slip jig
12/8	Compound	4 groups of 3	Blues shuffle, Slow blues
5/4	Irregular	5 (3+2 or 2+3)	Take Five, Film scores
7/8	Irregular	7 (2+2+3 or 3+2+2)	Balkan, Prog rock

Strong

Medium

Weak

Sight Reading Chart

Expression & Symbols

Dynamic Markings

ppp

Pianississimo

As soft as possible

MIDI 16

Pianissimo

Very soft

MIDI 33

Piano

Soft

MIDI 49

Mezzo-piano

Moderately soft

MIDI 64

Mezzo-forte

Moderately loud

MIDI 80

Forte

Loud

MIDI 96

Fortissimo

Very loud

MIDI 112

fff

Fortississimo

As loud as possible

MIDI 127

Gradual Changes

Crescendocresc.

Gradually louder

Decrescendodecresc. / dim.

Gradually softer

Accent & Expression

sfz

Sforzando— Sudden strong accent

Forte-piano— Loud then immediately soft

rfz

Rinforzando— Reinforced accent

Forzando— Forced, accented

Tempo Markings

Grave

Largo

Adagio

Andante

Moderato

Allegro

Vivace

Presto

Prestissimo

Term	BPM	Meaning
Grave	20–40	Very slow, solemn
Largo	40–60	Slow and broad
Adagio	60–76	Slow, at ease
Andante	76–108	Walking pace
Moderato	108–120	Moderate
Allegro	120–156	Fast, lively
Vivace	156–176	Lively, brisk
Presto	176–200	Very fast
Prestissimo	200–300	As fast as possible

Musical Symbols

Clefs

𝄞

Treble Clef

𝄢

Bass Clef

𝄡

Alto Clef

Accidentals

♯

Sharp

♭

Flat

♮

Natural

Double Sharp

♭♭

Double Flat

Repeats & Navigation

‖:

Repeat Start

:‖

Repeat End

D.S.

Dal Segno

D.C.

Da Capo

⊕

Coda

𝕊

Segno

Articulation

•

Staccato

–

Tenuto

Accent

Marcato

◠

Fermata

Ornaments

Trill

Mordent

∽

Turn

♪

Grace Note

Major

Relative Minor

♯ / ♭

Signature

—

1♯

2♯

F#m

3♯

###

C#m

4♯

####

G#m

5♯

#####

D#m

6♯

######

A#m

7♯

#######

Ebm

6♭

bbbbbb

Bbm

5♭

bbbbb

4♭

bbbb

3♭

bbb

2♭

1♭

iii

vii°

Bdim

D#m

E#m

A#m

B#dim

Ebm

Bbm

Cdim

F#m

C#dim

Ddim

F#m

G#m

C#m

D#dim

Edim

G#m

A#m

D#m

E#dim

Abm

Bbm

Ebm

Fdim

F#dim

A#m

B#m

E#m

F##dim

Bbm

Gdim

C#m

F#m

G#dim

B#m

C##m

F##m

G##dim

Adim

C#m

D#m

G#m

A#dim

ii°

III

VII

Ddim

C#m

D#dim

F#m

G#m

Dbm

Ebdim

Gbm

Abm

Bbb

Edim

Ebm

Fdim

Abm

Bbm

F#dim

Gdim

Bbm

F#m

G#dim

C#m

Gbm

Abdim

Bbb

Cbm

Dbm

Ebb

Adim

G#m

A#dim

C#m

D#m

Abm

Bbdim

Dbm

Ebm

Bdim

A#m

B#dim

D#m

E#m

Bbm

Cdim

Ebm

C#dim

F#m

Name

Step Sequence

Example (C)

Major

W-W-H-W-W-W

C D E F G A B

Natural minor

W-H-W-W-H-W

C D Eb F G Ab Bb

Harmonic minor

W-H-W-W-H-W+H

C D Eb F G Ab B

Melodic minor

W-H-W-W-W-W

C D Eb F G A B

Major pentatonic

W-W-W+H-W

C D E G A

Minor pentatonic

W+H-W-W-W+H

C Eb F G Bb

Blues

W+H-W-H-H-W+H

C Eb F Gb G Bb

Tonic

Name

Step Sequence

Example (C)

Ionian

W-W-H-W-W-W

C D E F G A B

Dorian

W-H-W-W-W-H

C D Eb F G A Bb

III

Phrygian

H-W-W-W-H-W

C Db Eb F G Ab Bb

Lydian

W-W-W-H-W-W

C D E F# G A B

Mixolydian

W-W-H-W-W-H

C D E F G A Bb

Aeolian

W-H-W-W-H-W

C D Eb F G Ab Bb

VII

Locrian

H-W-W-H-W-W

C Db Eb F Gb Ab Bb

Note

Symbol

Rest

Beats (4/4)

Dotted

Whole

Half

Quarter

1.5

Eighth

0.5

0.75

Sixteenth

0.25

0.375

Sig.

Type

Beats

Beat Pattern

Genre / Feel

2/4

Simple

March, Polka

3/4

Simple

Waltz

4/4

Simple

Pop, Rock, Most music

2/2

Simple

Cut time, March

6/8

Compound

2 groups of 3

Jig, Ballad

9/8

Compound

3 groups of 3

Slip jig

12/8

Compound

4 groups of 3

Blues shuffle, Slow blues

5/4

Irregular

5 (3+2 or 2+3)

Take Five, Film scores

7/8

Irregular

7 (2+2+3 or 3+2+2)

Balkan, Prog rock

Term

BPM

Meaning

Grave

20–40

Very slow, solemn

Largo

40–60

Slow and broad

Adagio

60–76

Slow, at ease

Andante

76–108

Walking pace

Moderato

108–120

Moderate

Allegro

120–156

Fast, lively

Vivace

156–176

Lively, brisk

Presto

176–200

Very fast

Prestissimo

200–300

As fast as possible

ledutu

Music Theory Cheatsheet

Building Chords

Circle of Fifths & Key Signatures

Major Key Chords

Minor Key Chords

Scales Reference

Modes Reference

Note Values & Rhythm Tree

Time Signatures

Sight Reading Chart

Dynamic Markings

Tempo Markings

Musical Symbols

ledutu

ledutu

ledutu

Music Theory Cheatsheet

Building Chords

Circle of Fifths & Key Signatures

Major Key Chords

Minor Key Chords

Scales Reference

Modes Reference

Note Values & Rhythm Tree

Time Signatures

Sight Reading Chart

Dynamic Markings

Tempo Markings

Musical Symbols

ledutu