Chromatone School

Music theory, worked out by hand.

Video courses built on Chromatone, where each of the twelve notes has its own color. Watch a lesson, then take a pen and a notepad and draw what you heard.

Created by Denis Starov and the Chromatone community.

We are filming now. The first course opens soon.

Preface

Most theory is taught as a list of facts to memorize. This course teaches it as a map you learn to walk. It begins with color and sound, moves through intervals, chords, scales and rhythm, then joins them in harmony, melody and composition.

By the middle you stop only listening and start navigating: you recognize patterns by ear, see how notes relate, and improvise on purpose instead of guessing. By the end you have a personal toolkit for exploring alone, jamming with others and answering what is happening in the room.

What you will be able to do:

  • Compose from the relationship between sounds and colors.
  • Read and write music, and understand the physical nature of sound and color.
  • Work out chords by ear and write your own music.

Course 1: Visual Music Theory

Twelve modules, twelve keys: one octave, from C to B. Every module is in production. Take them all, or one at a time.

    How to buy

    Two ways in. Nothing is on sale yet; the price will be announced at launch.

    Full course access

    • All 12 modules of Visual Music Theory
    • The whole path, start to finish
    • The best value for one course
    Price at launch

    Module by module

    • Buy the one module you need now
    • Add the next when you are ready
    • Modules you own count toward the full course
    Prices at launch

    What to bring

    A pen and a notepad. Lessons are meant to be paused and copied out by hand: circles, interval tables, chord shapes, rhythms. If you have an instrument or a keyboard, keep it within reach.

    Later courses

    • Collaborative Jam PerformancePlay and lead music with other people in real time.
    • Live Multimedia ProductionTurn musical exploration into live visuals and sound.
    • Creative Web DevelopmentBuild open-source tools for music explorers.

    Waitlist

    Leave your email and we will write once, when the first modules are ready. Early students hear about launch prices first.