If you’ve had piano lessons before, there’s a good chance your teacher taught you to read music with “Every Good Boy Does Fine” for line notes, and “F-A-C-E” for space notes. I used these … [Read More...] about Not Every Good Boy Does Fine
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Online Music Theory Lessons
TURN SOUND INTO SKILL
Breaking Barlines is a new music theory program that will offer over a hundred video lessons. Whether you're a composer, arranger, music theory student, or a beginner, these lessons have something for everyone.
Join us as we launch this remarkable opportunity.
Free Videos (Click Here)Your Instructor, Aron Bernstein
About Aron
When adult students ask me if it’s too late to learn music, I love using myself as an example.
I did not play or read a note of music until I was nineteen. All through high school, I would watch musicians play, and think they lived in some tangent reality that was closed to me. Then, in April 1993, I did something on a whim. I decided I was going to learn.
*Background sheet music images are from Symphony in A Flat by Aron Bernstein.
Watch Aron Teach!
Aron has been a music teacher for 25 years and holds a Masters Degree in Theory and Composition from Western Oregon University and a Bachelor of Music from San Francisco State University.
Clips from classes taught by Aron Bernstein.
What My Students Say
My electronic keyboard sat, covered and ignored, for years. Then I took a piano course from Aron and started practicing and began to read music. I took two piano courses and a rhythm-in-world-music course from him. Those sessions were the best thing about Saturdays. He made the classes fun. The breadth and depth of his knowledge of music are remarkable, but what makes Aron a top-line teacher is his love of music and his ability to convey that to each student as an individual. I was one of the few who came with no music experience but I never felt lost or ignored.
Chris Langlois Piano and Music Theory Student
I am a recent retiree, and one of my goals was to relearn the piano after 2 years of grade school lessons. I had the good fortune to enroll in Aron's college classes. He has a remarkable ability to create a safe environment for learning and trying out new skills, and he makes it fun to challenge yourself! Aron provides guidance on how to maximize your practice time, and the solfege makes it easy. I also appreciate how Aron incorporates music theory into each lesson, giving you a deeper understanding of what is happening and increasing your independence. I plan on continuing lessons with Aron — it is fun, challenging, and rewarding!
Mary Denise Smith Retired and Learning to Play Music
Aron Bernstein is an excellent teacher. His teaching is unusually clear. He goes the extra mile to make music theory accessible to all levels of musicianship. He has that rare quality of patience and enthusiasm in his teaching. If you want to study music theory, don’t hesitate to enjoy learning with Aron.
Joe and Christine Toscano Music Theory Students
Aron is an incredible music teacher. I loved escaping to his class each week. He creates a balanced curriculum of theory and improvisation, studying different pieces and creating your own work. He is easygoing and encouraging, and always answered any random questions I had. There were a lot of gaps in my musical education, and he helped me fill in the blanks and get a firm grasp of the concepts. I would recommend him to anyone looking to work on their musical talent!
Bethany Amsler Music Student
I am an interdisciplinary humanities professor and a lifelong student, always searching for high-quality courses on subjects that interest me, such as music. I studied a little piano before, put my studies on hold for a long while, and thought I could never get to play it but Aron Bernstein’s approach and teaching revived my interest and quickly activated my incipient knowledge. Aron’s courses really work! Somehow he has figured the “magic combination” that all teachers seek: how to blend content, pedagogy, and enthusiasm to generate clarity, motivation, and solid learning. He makes both theory and practice accessible and enjoyable in a pressure-free environment that makes students feel encouraged and confident, allowing them to make progress from day one. As an educator myself, I deeply appreciate his well-thought-out, carefully constructed, practical, and elegant methodology. In addition to being a superb teacher with ample and robust experience, he is an extremely kind and empathetic person, he’s always available to his students, answers questions efficiently, with a smile on his face, and has a great sense of humor.
Dr. Isabel Jaén Portillo, Portland State University
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Get Social
Breaking Barlines offers several ways to get your questions answered by the instructor or connect with other students.
Here are some options:
- Class forums on the Breaking Barlines website.
- Breaking Barlines Facebook Page
- Breaking Barlines Instagram Feed
- Our YouTube Channel — Breaking Barlines
- Our Reddit Forum at Music Theory Lover.
Class Forums
Coming Soon
This will show links to the Breaking Barlines forums and include login information, rules of etiquite, etc.
