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ABOUT THE CREATOR

Twelve years of research.
Five failed attempts.
One breakthrough.

Eric Fine struggled with music theory for three years — then spent twelve more fixing the problem for everyone else.

A LETTER FROM ERIC

 

I have spent years around musicians of every kind — from first-day beginners to artists signed to record labels. And I saw the same truth over and over: great music isn't tied to how much theory you know, or even how technically skilled you are. It comes from how a musician connects with and uses what they know.

That insight changed everything for me. I used my degree in education to build the course I wished I'd had: one that teaches music theory in a way that lets students connect with each concept on a deep, intuitive level — understanding the music they love while gaining the confidence to improvise and compose their own.

It took five failed structures before the sixth one worked. The breakthrough was realizing that all music — every genre, every era, every term in every theory book — can be distilled to one unifying concept. Teach that first, and everything else becomes a variation students can recognize on sight.

Whether you're just getting started, or you've taken lessons and still feel like the concepts never quite clicked, I hope you'll take advantage of the guarantee and try this course. You'll be surprised how fun, easy, and rewarding learning music can be.

 

All my best, Eric

Eric Fine · Creator, Before You Learn Music Theory · The Hat Publications
PROOF IN THE FIELD

Recognized where teaching standards are highest. 

19

Eric Fine struggled with music theory for three years — then spent twelve more fixing the problem for everyone else.

30

Public school music teachers Eric was hired to train, in a New York district serving 30,000 students.

AP

Adopted as a prerequisite pathway to AP Music Theory — the course students take before the course that counts for college.

The endorsement roster

Professors, directors, and program leaders.  

University & conservatory faculty

Mannes College of Music · Conservatori Superior de Música del Liceu · NYU Steinhardt · LIU Post · Hofstra · Molloy · St. Francis · St. John's · Nassau, Queens & Queensborough Colleges

Conservatory graduates

Including the Tchaikovsky National Music Academy

K-12 leadership

Great Neck · North Shore (AP Music Theory prerequisite) · New Hanover County · Locust Valley · Middle Country — heads of curriculum, arts directors, and music teachers

Community & enrichment programs

Two YMCA organizations · BOCES · Usdan Summer Camp for the Arts

Social & emotional learning

Recognized as a valuable resource for SEL, mindfulness, and accessible arts education

Advisory-board educators

Including advisors to the Berklee Institute for Accessible Arts Education and MEANYC

Affiliations are listed for identification purposes only and do not imply institutional endorsement.

What people say... 

"Finally, music theory has been demystified, organized, and made accessible for everyone to learn."
Anna Demis · Graduate, Tchaikovsky National Music Academy

 

 

"I wish I had this book when I taught music theory and composition at New York City's Mannes College of Music — it gives students that much-needed 'aha' moment when everything falls into place. Highly recommended."
AThomas Addison · Former Faculty, Mannes College of Music
"As an educator, I find Eric's method impressive. He taught my kids, aged 8 and 11, using simple language which allowed them to build confidence and retain the information."
Joe Bonvicino · Teacher & Chairperson, Great Neck North High School

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