Tracing Through Theory

Tracing Through Theory uses simple instructions, diagrams, and tracing exercises to help young, beginner piano students understand and decipher music notation and theory.

Volume One teaches students how to recognize and identify the symbols and elements of the grand staff, which is used to read music. Without an understanding of the grand staff, the beginner music student-whether their instrument is the piano, digital keyboard, or organ-will find it difficult to adequately progress in their music studies. Topics include:

• Horizontal and vertical lines
• Treble and bass clef signs
• Time signatures
• Key signatures
• Bar lines
• Brace
• Ledger lines
• Whole note
• Line notes and space notes

Following the short (one-page) lesson, the student completes a worksheet. Each subsequent lesson and worksheet build upon previous concepts. Worksheets employ multiple-choice and true/false questions, diagrams, or tracing exercises. Extra worksheets are included to learn how to trace the treble and bass clefs and identify the black keys on the keyboard. Answer keys are included.

A combination of oral instruction, visual diagrams, and tracing over the elements of musical notation and concepts have proven to teach students as young as five-years-old the basics of music theory. By following the simple, clear lessons, the student (and teacher!) will be surprised how easy it is to learn the language of music: the key to reading music and playing their instrument well.