101 music theory terms you should know

Music theory is like a language, so a great way to get better at music theory is to learn more vocab! Here is 101 music theory terms explained.

And, an extra special thanks goes to Douglas Lind, Vidad Flowers, Ivan Pang, Waylon Fairbanks, Jon Dye, Austin Russell, Christopher Ryan, Yu Kyung Chung, Toot & Paul Peijzel, the channel’s Patreon saints! 😇

0:00 Introduction
0:20 Conjunct
0:36 Disjunct
0:53 Scale
1:07 Tones & Semitones
1:40 Intervals
1:58 Consonance & Dissonance
2:31 Chords
3:10 Tertiary harmony
3:23 Quartal harmony
3:37 Arpeggios
3:56 Riff
4:05 Melody
4:18 Ostinato
4:42 Motif
5:01 Sequence
5:18 Diminish
6:08 Augment
6:38 Inversion
7:13 Modulation & Cadence
8:28 Tonicization
9:46 MY NEW MUSIC THEORY COURSE
10:23 Transposition
10:44 Key
11:06 Diatonic & Chromatic
11:22 Accidentals
11:50 Enharmonic
12:10 Blue note
12:31 Lick
12:42 Jazz terminology
13:47 Reharmonization
14:05 Tritone substitution
14:40 Swing, Straight & Shuffle
15:11 Tuplets
15:47 Compound time
16:12 Time signatures
17:05 Stave & Clef
17:36 Simile
17:50 Fermata
17:57 Tempo
18:32 Ritardando & Rallentando
18:56 Articulation
19:38 Grace notes
20:40 Ornamentation
21:57 Rhythmic terminology
24:01 Anacrusis
24:28 Dynamics
25:20 Timbre
25:45 Texture
26:49 Glissando & Portamento
27:41 Tremolo & Vibrato
28:14 A cappella
28:43 Outro/Patreon

[buchel]

I got an ad before the video and you already started talking, I was confused until I noticed you did an ad for YouTube xD

[rome]

Even though I knew the vast majority of these, I watched the whole video. I really admired how smoothly you put it together, and how clear and concise your explanations were. And I did end up learning a few new terms like "simile, " "anacrusis, " and "rallentando." Amazing video.

[lawrencetaylor]

A mazing. In two words.
I'm trying to build up my music knowledge especially since I started piano when I turned 65. I was the kid that the choir teachers told to move my lips and not make a sound. I joked that I had two left ears.
There is another famous music channel that talks music theory, but he has a difficult time explaining things simply, without assuming that you have intimate knowledge of advanced ideas. To talk at a basic level is a gift, and you are a gifted person.
Merci beaucoup.

[AimeeNolte]

Tons of work. So well-presented, my man!

[KreamedKARN]

I’m 2 minutes in and I’m learning so much. I thought I would have known most of the stuff in the first half and I was wrong… thanks for making me learn more!

[lxathu]

Back in the pre-internet stone age, it took me years and a couple of books and sheet music explanations to get to know most of these, and still there were a couple that I've heard of for the first time time.
It's a must see for all music lovers/amateur musicians to save valuable time.

Hats off, David, for this gem!

[philpayton]

Little kids guitar teacher here. I always stress the importance to them of learning the fundamentals of music theory, even if just to make my life easier explaining things to them as a teacher.
Most of them are probably a little bit too young to grasp everything in this video but I'm going to show it to one of my students tomorrow. This is fantastic information, very well presented. Great video. Thank you.

[embryonicsuperfemme]

The biggest thing I can see that you missed was key signature. I could also see adding some structural components (e.g. verse, chorus, bridge, coda). I know you have primarily rock and jazz audience so I wouldn't expect too many classical terms per se, but defining the tempo marks (allegro, largo, etc) could be useful. Maybe mention modes?

[chameleon-dream-band-official]

Now Rick Beato is off interviewing all the big music stars, David is becoming genuinely one of the best music educators on YouTube. Congrats on your growth, David. Well-deserved.

[GianniBosio]

Incredibly formative, as always! Little Italian tip: "Acciaccatura" should be pronounced as "ah-tchak-atoora" 😉

[Blockoumi]

Thank you so much for explaining some of the strange symbols i’ve seen in sheet music. It’s sometimes hard to google them

[macdietz]

The flow of this video is very impressive. This is a real gem.

[adelitarego]

When you talked about Dynamics, it wasn't enough developped: You only mentionned piano and forte, but there's also:
ppp: pianississimo = extremely soft
pp: pianissimo = very soft
mp: mezzopiano = moderatively soft
mf: mezzoforte = moderatively loud
ff: fortissimo = very loud
fff: fortississimo = extremely loud
cresc. ( or >): crescendo = louder and louder
dim. (or <): diminuendo = softer and softer
subito (put before a dynamic) = where you pass from the previous dynamic to the next brutally and instantly, giving a surprise and schocking effect.
The we could also mention for the Tempo some Italian words describing the speed instead of BPMs, like Largo, Adagio, Andante, Allegretto, Allegro, Vivace, Presto, Prestissimo etc.
Very interesting video by the way, very clear explainations and intuitive👍

[spacevikingcowboy]

Thank you for posting this after I failed my music theory class it really helps 😢👍

[violetchadwell]

I feel proud that i knew the majority of these, but tonicization was fascinating!

[Jimplaysdrums]

I’m a bit of a music theory geek, and I still learned stuff from this video. Thanks David

[conradsmith]

It’s really good. I feel like there was a more missing in dynamics. What about mezo piano/forte? What about pianissimo/fortissimo? What about crescendos and decrescendos? What about sforzando?

[AlexandreBriaud]

These were the best 30 minutes I have ever spent learning music theory.
That video is so informative and so well explained, but what makes it special are the transitions that are so smooth that it all feels genuinely connected and logical - so much that I have watch it all at once.
THANK YOU!

[a]

22:32 : i've been looking for this words for so long *cries in relief*

[talentmaniacreatives]

I play piano by ear, so am learning about most of these terms for the first time. Thanks for sharing 🙏