What is the Gradus method?

Gradus is a complete conservatory-style composition curriculum delivered as an online practice system. It is built on the same tradition codified by Johann Joseph Fux in 1725 — species counterpoint, figured bass, harmony, fugue, orchestration, and ear training — taught in ten progressive stages from a single melodic line through full orchestral writing.

How is Gradus different from a music theory course?

Gradus teaches composition by composing, not by analyzing. Every lesson ends with a composition challenge — real writing on a real staff, with live notation feedback. The same exercises Fux gave his students, the same cantus firmi Mozart studied, the same chorale harmonization drills Bach used to teach his sons.

Do I need to read music to start?

No. The first lesson assumes no prior knowledge — not even the ability to read notation. You learn to read music as part of the curriculum. Students who already read music move through the early lessons quickly.

How long does the full curriculum take?

The Gradus curriculum is structured as a multi-year program of study, equivalent to a conservatory composition major. Students typically work through one step per week with daily practice, completing ten stages of study from a single melodic line through full orchestration and twentieth-century technique.

What is included with a Gradus subscription?

Full access to every lesson across all ten stages, every composition studio (Beginner Sketchbook, Counterpoint Workshop, Master Sketchbook, Critique by Maestro), every practice tool (ear training, sight reading, figured bass, chorale harmonization, Boulanger’s exercises), 458 score studies with over 14,500 commentary entries, the complete reference library (orchestra, history, voice-leading patterns, fugue reference, instrument combinations, dictionary), and Maestro — your personal composition professor.

How much does Gradus cost?

$19.99 per month or $179.88 per year ($14.99 per month equivalent, saving 25%). Subscriptions can be canceled anytime through Stripe.

Maestro is your personal composition professor — available in every lesson, every composition studio, and every score study to answer questions, give structured feedback on your compositions, and run prediction exercises against the repertoire.

Is there a certificate of completion?

Yes. Gradus offers a Certificate of Composition awarded upon completion of the full ten-stage curriculum and the capstone orchestral movement.

Is Gradus suitable for children?

Yes. The Young Composers Track (ages 4 to 8) provides a dedicated curriculum with colorful note characters, real staff notation, three playable composition tools (Rhythm Playground, Melody Builder, Echo Counterpoint), and a Read-to-Me mode for pre-readers. The standard track begins at age 9 and continues through adult.

Is Gradus suitable for music teachers?

Yes. Gradus includes a Teacher Dashboard with class management, student progress tracking, Maestro critique on student compositions, and the ability to assign specific curriculum stages or orchestration exercises to individual students or whole classes.

Does Gradus replace a music theory textbook?

It supersedes the textbook approach. Theory at Gradus is taught the way it was discovered — era by era, problem by problem, through the composers who shaped each tradition. Students do not study chords in the abstract; they study Bach’s chorales, Mozart’s sonatas, Wagner’s chromatic harmony, and Debussy’s parallelism in the actual repertoire.

Can I cancel anytime?

Yes. Subscriptions are managed through Stripe and can be canceled at any time. After cancellation you keep access through the end of your current billing period.

Gradus vs. ABRSM

The headline difference

ABRSM (the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music) is the British graded music exam system — it produces examiners’ marks for performance, theory, and aural at fixed levels from Grade 1 through to the Fellowship diploma. It is a credentialing pathway. Gradus is a composition curriculum — a daily practice in writing music, organized as ten progressive stages from a single melodic line through full orchestration. They aim at different things, and they fit together well: ABRSM measures what you can do at a moment in time; Gradus is what you do every day to get better.

Side by side

What you get

Gradus

ABRSM

Primary focus

Composition. Students write music in every lesson, every stage, every studio.

Performance — practical instrument exams, paired with music theory papers and aural tests. Composition is a small element only at higher grades.

Format

Daily online practice system. Lessons, composition challenges, score study, ear training, all interactive.

Periodic graded exams (Practical Grades 1–8, Theory Grades 1–8, then ARSM/DipABRSM/LRSM/FRSM diplomas) administered by examiners.

Curriculum

Ten stages of composition study, multi-year. Single-line melody → counterpoint → harmony → fugue → orchestration → twentieth-century technique.

A syllabus of pieces, scales, sight-reading, and aural tests for each grade. Theory grades cover notation, intervals, harmony, basic composition.

Source materials

Primary sources: Fux’s Gradus ad Parnassum, Mozart-Attwood notebooks, Marpurg’s Treatise on Fugue, Boulanger-Lasser harmony, Bach-Schiorring chorales.

ABRSM-published syllabus books, theory workbooks, and graded repertoire selected each cycle.

Assessment

Maestro critique — a 32-dimension scorecard on student compositions, plus structured feedback on every submission.

Single examiner mark sheet per exam (per grade per subject). Marked pass / merit / distinction at fixed thresholds.

Credentialing

Certificate of Composition awarded on completion of the full ten-stage curriculum and capstone orchestral movement.

UK-recognized graded certificates. Higher grades (5 and up) carry UCAS points for university admission in the UK.

Pricing

$19.99/month or $179.88/year (saves 25%). All content unlocked.

Per-exam fee (varies by grade, $50–$300 typical) plus syllabus books, plus the cost of a teacher to prepare you.

Best for

Students who want to write music seriously over a multi-year arc with a personal composition professor.

Students who play an instrument and want a recognized graded performance/theory pathway, especially in the UK and Commonwealth.

Choose ABRSM if

You play an instrument and want a recognized graded pathway with examiner-marked progress.
You are in the UK or Commonwealth and want UCAS points or a credential a music school will recognize.
Your interest is primarily in performance, with theory as the supporting discipline.

Choose Gradus if

You want to write music as the central practice — daily composition, finished pieces, multi-year arc.
You want depth in counterpoint, fugue, and orchestration that ABRSM theory grades only touch lightly.
You want a personal composition professor — feedback on your work, not a single mark sheet.
You want score study at scale, with bar-by-bar commentary on real orchestral repertoire.

They work well together

Many serious music students take ABRSM grades on their instrument while pursuing composition seriously elsewhere. Gradus is built for that elsewhere — the daily writing practice that the graded performance system does not provide. Players become composers when they finally write something themselves; Gradus is the practice that turns the corner.

You write music from day one.

Begin Your Journey