The 30 Best Free Online Music Courses

With the ton of free online courses available on the web right now, we’ve decided to put together a list of best Music Courses you can sign up for today.

1. Suitable for all

For enthusiasts, who want to know what’s behind the music rather than scales and rhythms

2. Beginners

For the newbies, who want to take their first steps into music theory, composition, and performance

3. Intermediates

For those learning an instrument, and simply want to hone their skills

4. Professionals

For those who’ve been there and done that, there still may be some stuff you don’t know

The Free Online Music Courses

Note that all the courses listed below may not be in session currently, but you can easily add them to your watchlist on the course pages to get notified when it is being offered again.

Suitable for all

Exploring Beethoven’s Piano Sonatas This is your chance to immerse yourself in the depth and paradox of Beethoven’s music under the tutelage of an engaging and passionate painist. (Read reviews)	Listening to World Music From Pygmy Pop to Aboriginal Rock, this course from UPenn will teach you the meaning of music and its cultural impact in the farthest corners of this earth.
History of Rock, Part One The first part of this University of Rochester course will take you from the genesis of ‘rowdy rock’ to the psychedelia of the late 1960s.(Read reviews)	History of Rock, Part Two Picking up from it’s first part, this course shows you how rock splintered into a variety of styles and became commercially streamlined by the late 1990s.
Jazz Appreciation Take this course from UT Austin, to find out what makes America’s great original art form revered the world over for it’s innovation and creativity.	The Music of the Beatles This course from Rochester will tell you all there is to know about the four lads from Liverpool who grew up to become ‘more popular than Jesus’.(Read reviews)
From the Repertoire: Western Music History through Performance Taking you through the evolution of Western music through a series of works, the insights and performances of the Curtis School’s faculty make this course special.	Music’s Big Bang: The Genesis of Rock ‘n’ Roll This is your chance to uncover the recipe of the metling pot that is the journey of American Rock ‘n’ Roll from the turn of the 20th century to the late 60’s.
Introduction to the Music Business Learn the fundamental principles of the developing new music business, for now and into the future. From John Kellogg – educator, entertainment lawyer, performer, and television personality.

For Beginners

Introduction to Classical Music Passionate about Classical Music and eager to learn more? This course from the University of Michigan is what you have been waiting for.	MUSI112 Listening to Music This Yale course will make you realise that “listening to music” is not simply a passive activity one can use to relax, but rather, an active and rewarding process.
Fundamentals of Music Theory Whether you are starting out on your musical journey, or are practicing professionals looking for a refresher in Music Theory this course will fill in the gap.	Songwriting According to Professor Pat Pattinson, this course is an invitation to let your inner songwriter step into the sunlight.
Learn Guitar in 21 Days Want to learn the basics of Guitar without going through all that boring theory? All you need is 21 days and 20 mins each day for practice!	Introduction to Guitar For students who have long thought about picking up the acoustic or electric guitar, this course will provide a quick intro that will get you playing. (Read reviews)
Free Beginner Electric Guitar Lessons (JamPlay.com) Whoever said too many choices was a bad thing? Here’s another Guitar intro course that you can sink your teeth into right this second!	Write Like Mozart: An Introduction to Classical Music Composition With the assumption of a background in basic harmony and music theory, this course help you get into the minds of Classical and Romantic-era composers.

For Intermediates

Developing Your Musicianship This Berklee course teaches you to train your ears to recognise nuances within the musical structure.	Jazz Improvisation Although improvization can’t really be taught, Prof. Gary Burton, a mainstay at Berklee, will help you develop the skills to help you accomplish this.
Fundamentals of Rehearsing Music Ensembles Leading a musical ensemble as a conductor is an art and craft that requires skills beyond being an excellent musician. This course gives you a window to these skills.	Songwriting – From Idea to Finished Song What’s better than learning Songwriting from a full-time songwriter based in the Mecca of American Music – Nashville, Tennesse.
Study in B Minor For the Classical Guitar practitioners, this course will teach you how to play the famous Study in B-minor by Fernando Sor.

For Professionals

Band as Business, Musician as Entrepreneur Take this highly rated course to help you earn a career as a professional musician by composing, performing and recording the songs you love to share.	Composing for Jazz Orchestra (Fall 2008) This class explores composition and arrangement for the large jazz ensemble from 1920s foundations to current postmodern practice.
Introduction to Music Production Today there are endless possiblities and tech tools for music creators – this course from Berklee gives you a primer on all that and more.	Survey of Music Technology How can we use computers to create expressive, compelling music and organize sounds in new ways? This course provides a hands-on introduction.

Other Free Stuff

If you are on the lookout for other resources however, here are some suggestions:

1. Music Theory for Musicians and Normal People: A series of visually appealing free pdfs on Music Theory which cover all the essentials. If you’re interested, you can even purchase them as T-shirts or posters!

2. Justin Guitar: This guy has been around for a while (2003) and is arguably the most popular guitar teacher on the internet today. If you are starting out with the guitar, you would do well to check out some of his videos which have collectively clocked up over 150 million views on Youtube.

3. Mutopia: A great site that offers scores of classical music. Resources include works by such composers as Bach, Beethoven, Chopin, Handel, Mozart, and many others. All sheet music on this site is in the public domain and free to download, print, perform, and distribute.

4. Music Theory and History Online: Created by the England-based Dolmetsch Foundation, this is another great site on music theory. A repository for the basics of notation, meter, rhythm, chord structures, and more.

5. Dave Conservatoire: The best way to describe this site would be a “Khan Academy” for Music Theory. Lessons are split into crisp short nuggets to help you find your own pace and track your progress by signing up as a user.

And if you have taken any of the courses we’ve mentioned above, do go ahead and give it a review on Springboard!