Practice doesn’t stop when the lesson ends. Between lessons is where students actually get better, and that’s also when questions come up: What notes are in this scale? Which chords go with this key? How do I play this shape on guitar?
So we built a set of free music tools to help you practice between lessons. They run right in your browser on a phone, tablet or computer. There’s nothing to download and no sign-up. Here’s a quick tour of everything that’s new, plus some ideas for where to start.
Our new interactive music tools
Guitar Chord Finder
See the chords in any key, anywhere on the fretboard, with a suggested fingering for every shape. Pick a key and the tool shows you which chords belong to it and how to play them.
Great for: beginning guitarists learning their first chords, and anyone who wants to move past open-position shapes.
Major Scale Trainer
Spell all 15 major scales, find them on the piano, and take a quick daily test. A 30-day tracker shows your progress, so a few minutes a day adds up fast.
Great for: piano and theory students who want to know their major scales by heart.
Interactive Circle of Fifths
Key signatures, the chords in every key, progressions to try, and a key signature quiz, all built around the circle of fifths. Click any key to see how it connects to its neighbors.
Great for: students learning to read key signatures, and songwriters looking for chord progressions.
Scale Spelling Calculator
Get the correct notes, formula and chords for 22 different scales in any key, shown on both piano and guitar. No more guessing whether it’s an F♯ or a G♭.
Great for: theory homework, exam prep, and anyone working out a scale in an unfamiliar key.
Melodic Minor Explorer
Compare melodic minor with the major scale, find the pentatonic scale hiding inside it, and hear its modes and chords.
Great for: intermediate and advanced players, especially those getting into jazz.
Scale Harmony Explorer
Our deepest tool: all 462 seven-note scales, each compared with the major scale. See which familiar chords survive and which brand-new ones appear.
Great for: composers, improvisers, and the curious who want to go well beyond major and minor.
Spooky Music Generator
Just in time for Halloween! Generate creepy tunes built from diminished chords, tritones and eerie scales, then print the sheet music. It’s a fun way to learn why some sounds give us chills.
Great for: students of all ages, and anyone who needs a spooky piece for a Halloween party.
Free printable PDFs
Sometimes paper is better, especially on a music stand. These are free to download and print:
- Guitar Scale PDFs: all 15 major and 15 minor scales in treble staff and guitar tab.
- Music Scale Spelling PDF: every major, harmonic minor and melodic minor scale, plus all 21 modes, spelled in every key.
Not sure where to start?
- Just starting out: begin with the Guitar Chord Finder or the Major Scale Trainer, and print the Guitar Scale PDFs.
- Building your theory: explore the Circle of Fifths and the Scale Spelling Calculator.
- Going deeper: try the Melodic Minor Explorer, the Scale Harmony Explorer and the Spooky Music Generator.
You’ll find every tool in one place on our Free Music Tools page, along with more free tools from our sister academies in New Hudson and Grosse Pointe.
Tools are a great start. A teacher takes you further.
These tools are a great way to explore on your own, but nothing replaces a teacher who can hear you play and show you how to put theory to work in real music. Our teachers are happy to build these tools into lessons, too. If you or your child is ready to start, book a first lesson at our Brighton studio. We teach kids, teens and adults.