Free Music Theory Posters
Free music theory posters and charts for students, teachers and anyone learning: theory, rhythm and note reading, piano, guitar and bass. Each is a print-ready PDF in eight sizes, from a home-printer Letter or A4 page to a 24 × 36 in classroom poster. No email, no sign-up.
Posters
Several topics on one wall: a whole course at a glance.
Music Theory EssentialsMusic theory posterThe core references for anyone learning music.Customize
First StepsBeginner music theory posterA gentle start: reading notes and rhythm, scales and your first chords.Customize
Reading & RhythmRhythm and note reading posterCount it, clap it, read it: rhythms, time signatures and the signs on the page.Customize
Piano BasicsPiano poster for beginnersYour first steps at the keyboard: finger numbers, finding the notes, scales, chords and pedals.Customize
Guitar BasicsBeginner guitar posterYour first chords, the notes on the neck, reading tab and the first scale shape.Customize
Charts
One topic in depth: the chart itself, how to use it, and what goes with it.
Circle of Fifths ChartCircle of fifths chartEvery key at a glance: sharps and flats, relative minors, and how the keys connect.Customize
Piano Keys ChartPiano keys chartEvery key named, two octaves around middle C, and how to find any note.Customize
Guitar Chord ChartGuitar chord chartThe open chords every guitarist learns, the 7th chords, and how to read a chord box.Customize
Key Signatures ChartKey signatures chartAll 15 key signatures in treble and bass clef, and how to name the key from them.Customize
Treble and Bass Clef NotesTreble and bass clef notes chartEvery line and space in both clefs, the sayings that help, and how to read from landmarks.Customize
Guitar ScalesGuitar scales chartThe five pentatonic positions across the neck, and the scales that grow from them.Customize
Barre Chords and BeyondBarre chord chartBarre chords, 7ths, sus, add9, 9ths and progressions.Customize
Bass Guitar BasicsBass guitar chartThe notes on the neck, bass clef, root–fifth patterns, scales, arpeggios and bass tab.Customize
Chord Progression ChartChord progression chartThe chords in every major key, with Roman numerals, Nashville numbers and the progressions players use most.Customize
Circle of Fifths for GuitarCircle of fifths guitar chartEvery key's major chord and its relative minor as guitar chord boxes, around the circle of fifths.Customize
Guitar Fretboard Notes ChartGuitar fretboard notes chartEvery note on the guitar neck, open to the 12th fret: all of them, the natural notes, and the sharps and flats.Customize
CAGED System ChartCAGED system chartThe five CAGED shapes of a C chord, each with its arpeggio, pentatonic and major scale, and how they join up the neck.Customize
Piano Chord ChartPiano chord chartAll 12 major and minor chords on the keys, how to build any chord, inversions and 7th chords.Customize
Ukulele Chord ChartUkulele chord chartAll 12 major, minor and 7th chords on ukulele, and how to read a ukulele chord chart.Customize
Capo ChartCapo chartWhich chord each open shape makes with a capo on frets 1 to 7, and which capo fret suits a song's key.Customize
Music Note Frequency ChartMusic note frequency chartThe frequency of every note in hertz, octaves 0 to 8, how the numbers work, and the open strings of guitar, bass, ukulele and violin.Customize
Piano Scales ChartPiano scales chartAll 12 major scales with fingering for both hands, the fingering rules, how a major scale is built and the key signatures.Customize
Piano Minor Scales ChartPiano minor scales chartAll 12 minor scales with fingering for both hands, the natural, harmonic and melodic forms, and the key signatures.Customize
Minor Key Chord ChartMinor key chord chartThe chords in every minor key, with Roman numerals, the harmonic minor's V and vii°, and the minor progressions players use most.Customize
Free to print and share
Print as many copies as you like for your home, studio or classroom, and hand them out to students. There’s no email to give and no account to make: choose a size and download. Please don’t sell the posters or upload the files elsewhere; link to this page instead, so people always get the latest version.
Every poster is checked before it goes up: it fits its size with nothing cut off, the text is big enough to read from where it hangs, and the music theory is checked note by note. Comparing posters from different places? How to choose a music theory poster shows what to look for and how to spot common mistakes.
Music classroom posters
For a music room, start with the music theory poster and the rhythm and note reading poster; the beginner poster suits elementary classes. Music classroom posters covers what to put up for each grade, which size reads from the back row, and where to hang it.
Pair the posters with Trebly’s free music games for the classroom: students learn the note names on the poster, then practice them in the browser.
Which size to choose
Each poster comes in eight sizes. Small sizes hold fewer sections, so the text stays readable; from A2 up you get the whole poster.
| Size | Dimensions | Print it on |
|---|---|---|
| Letter | 8.5 × 11 in (216 × 279 mm) | Any US home printer |
| A4 | 210 × 297 mm (8.3 × 11.7 in) | Home printers outside the US |
| 11 × 17 in | 279 × 432 mm | A school copier or larger home printer (US Tabloid) |
| A3 | 297 × 420 mm (11.7 × 16.5 in) | A larger home printer or a copy shop |
| A2 | 420 × 594 mm (16.5 × 23.4 in) | A print shop |
| 18 × 24 in | 457 × 610 mm | A print shop or photo lab (common US size) |
| A1 | 594 × 841 mm (23.4 × 33.1 in) | A print shop |
| 24 × 36 in | 610 × 914 mm | A print shop or photo lab (common US size) |
Music words: every poster comes in US terms (measure, half step, whole note, quarter note, staff) and UK terms (bar, semitone, semibreve, crotchet, stave). Pick the one your students use. See American vs British music terms for the full list.
How to print
- At home (Letter, A4, 11 × 17 in or A3): download the size that matches your paper and print at Actual size (or 100%). Home printers leave a thin white border; that’s expected.
- At a print shop (A2 and up): send the PDF and ask for a poster print at the size you chose. Matte or satin paper keeps glare down on a classroom wall. The files are exact-size vector PDFs, so they print sharp at any size.
- Saving ink: the posters use a soft cream background. Most printers have a “draft” or “toner save” setting; the text stays readable.
Our printing guide has more: the right paper, what to ask a print shop, and frames that fit.
From the poster to playing
A poster helps you remember; practice makes it stick. Trebly’s free lessons teach reading music one step at a time, with notes you can play and hear, starting from how the staff works. Each poster page lists the lessons that go with it.
Make your own
Want a poster that matches what you teach? The Music Theory Poster Maker starts from any poster on this page: choose the sections, style and colors, add your own title, and get a print-ready PDF for $9. The ready-made posters stay free.
Looking for a present? A personalized music poster with their name and your message makes a gift for a music teacher, student or player that you can print the same day.