The study of how music works, seeking to identify structures and patterns in music.
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584 views
What is the (Practical) theory behind applying chords for a Song?
I love playing Guitar. I can play the lead for any song by listening to it. But often in our prayer meeting people sing different songs in different keys. I can track the major they sing, but I am ...
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7answers
404 views
How to figure out what key a piece is in?
I am trying to write a guitar accompaniment to the piece "Fair and Tender Ladies".
But I have no clue what I need to do to figure out what key that piece is in.
Also, the instrument playing the ...
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5answers
349 views
When playing in a minor key, will the chords be minor as well?
I've been jumping into music theory myself and I've been stumbling on creating certain melodies and such. I've played guitar all my teenage life and not once have I ever sat down and said I'm going to ...
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4answers
401 views
What gives a piece of music its personality and feeling?
What makes a piece of music sound angry, dark, sad, happy, or otherwise?
"La Chute" by Yann Tiersen sounds so angry to me and "A Dark Knight" from "The Dark Knight" movie sounds so dark and ...
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3answers
1k views
What is the difference between a riff and a lick?
That's it. I was wondering what is the difference between a riff and a lick.
The Wikipedia page for lick is somewhat confusing-- what do you think?
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5answers
856 views
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1answer
309 views
What does it mean to play in an 'arpeggiated' style on the guitar?
I sometimes hear a guitar player described as having an 'arpeggiated' style, such as Peter Buck of R.E.M.
I know that an arpeggio is the 1st, 3rd, 5th and 8th of a scale, but exactly what does it ...
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3answers
302 views
How can I easily translate between a key and a key signature?
Is there a good mnemonic or trick for working out the key signature from a given key? I can always write out the chromatic scale, then count out the appropriate intervals from the tonic, and figure ...
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1answer
194 views
What are some good/interesting ways to exit a circle of fifths section?
Circle of 5ths is in tons of chord progressions, sounds nice and 'easy', etc. But if you keep going on it the song can sound unreasonably predictable.
What are some good ways to use a little bit of ...
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2answers
217 views
What is the name of the interval Db - D#?
I know that Db - Eb is a major second/diminished third. What is the interval Db - D# called (and why)?
EDIT: oops, Db - Eb is NOT a diminished third.
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3answers
403 views
Most common jazz theory method book
What is the most common text book for learning jazz music theory?
I have a strong background in classical music theory and would like to supplement it. I particularly am looking for something for ...
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4answers
393 views
What online resources should I use to learn harmony and musical analysis?
I had some harmony courses and I want to learn some more about it.
Ideally, I am looking for is a KhanAcademy-like website about harmony and musical analysis. If that doesn't exist, where else should ...
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4answers
2k views
Music Theory for a Beginning Drummer
I've been learning Drums for the past few months (lifelong dream, and I should have my very own kit in 36 hours or so! \o/) and my teacher has been teaching me how to sight-read. I'm doing quite well ...
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4answers
597 views
With sheet music, how do you determine whether the song is in the major key or the minor key?
For example, if the key signature on the left doesn't have any sharps or flats then it could theoretically be in either the C Major scale or the A Minor scale. How do you determine which one?
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1answer
192 views
When did keyboard partitions start to use the G-clef for the upper staff ?
When you look at very old sheetmusic (for harpsichord or organ), you see that the upper staff has a C-clef, first line. The lower one is the familiar bass F-clef, fourth line.
Why and when did the ...
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4answers
1k views
Is it possible to find the correct chords from melody notes alone?
I'm caught up in this thought. My friend gave me just the melody notes of a song. Here it is,
So, Here is the problem: "without having the chords supplied, there is no way of knowing what the chords ...
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6answers
326 views
Can a chord contain both the C and C♯ notes? (as opposed to containing C and D♭ notes)
Can a chord contain both the C and C♯ notes? Or do you always have to use D♭ rather than C♯ in a chord that already contains the note C?
I'm guessing the answer is no, both C and C♯ should not be ...
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3answers
478 views
Why Is Just Intonation Impractical?
I've read about the debate of "just intonation" vs 12-tone equal temperament. And nowhere it was clearly stated why just intonation is impractical. Here are my assumptions. Please let me know if I am ...
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5answers
2k views
What are the objective differences between the guitar and the piano?
The guitar and the piano are two of the most popular instruments which allow multiple notes to be played simultaneously.
The acoustic quality of the two instruments are, of course, different, but ...
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3answers
389 views
Why do these progressions sound good?
I have always wondered why these progressions sound so exiting. I don't really know how the I-IV-things work, so I'll just write the chords. An explanation of what's really going on would be much ...
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2answers
305 views
What is an “open tuning”?
I know that Keith Richards has been known to use open tunings on some songs, but what is an open tuning exactly and when/why would you use it?
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9answers
253 views
Musical Aids to Memorize Intervals
As the tutor for my school's music department, I spend a lot of time helping students drill intervals. However, I only have a handful of songs to recommend recognition.
P8 - Somewhere Over the ...
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8answers
1k views
What is the difference between a mode and a scale?
I can't seem to find a straight definition for both.
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2answers
201 views
How does one start learning music theory?
I know some basic stuff like scales and how to construct chords, but I don't know much about the roles notes play in melody, what kinds of melodies there are, how to do chord progressions, and so on.
...
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2answers
740 views
Can an accidental carry over to the next measure?
I have been practicing this piece (The Stars and Stripes Forever) for a while. On the first note of the second measure of the second line, there is a natural sign. I have always understood accidentals ...
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2answers
782 views
Is there any real difference between Counterpoint and Polyphony?
From what I understand, they both kind of refer to the same thing. Why the need for 2 terms?
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4answers
223 views
Music Cognition
I am learning to play the harmonica. As with so many people around the world, the approach I use is to take a song and its notes somewhere from the internet and practice it until I can play it well.
...
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4answers
375 views
Theory of improvisation
I am looking for improvisation theory ressources. I mainly focus on free jazz and improvised music but I am also interested in dance, drama and pictural improvisation.
I want to know if a ...
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1answer
201 views
Why is Italian the standard for expressive markings in music?
I was reading through the music for Clair de Lune by Claude Debussy a few days ago and I realized that I am often surprised when I see expressive markings (dynamics, tempo, accents and the like) that ...
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1answer
152 views
Help me understand this progression
A friend showed me this progression:
G7, F#m7b5, B7, Em7, A7, Dm7, G7, CMaj7, Cm7, Bm7, Bdim7, Am7, Ab7, Bm7, Bb7, Am7, Ab7
For the most part, I understand that at its heart it is built on a I vi ii ...
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4answers
692 views
Capitalization of key names (C Minor vs. c minor)
I was taught when I was young that minor key names should be written with the note in lowercase, as well as the word "minor". Nowadays on recordings, etc., I usually see both capitalized.
What was ...
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4answers
327 views
In what order shall I introduce traditional music theory concepts to adults using solfege?
I have 24 sessions in which to deliver basic music theory to university-age students. Although they are likely to do some singing in their future careers, they are unlikely to receive further musical ...
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2answers
136 views
Do different modes have the same cadence structure?
In major and minor keys, the perfect cadence is V to I
Will this structure remain the same in a different mode?
I.e. E Phrygian Mode in the key of C (E F G A B C D), the tonic chord is the iii of ...
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3answers
440 views
What are the practical reasons for still having transposing instruments?
I understand that historically there was a need for transposing instruments. e.g. Brass instruments would use lead pipes to change their key and players in brass bands would like to stick to the same ...
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7answers
287 views
Is it necessary to learn the names of fret notes?
I know the names of the notes up to about the fifth fret on each string. I play from sheet music occasionally, but mostly from tabs - so is it necessary to learn the names of the notes for each fret ...
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6answers
262 views
What are good resources for learning music theory?
What is a good resource for learning music theory, especially as it relates to the guitar, coming from a completely beginner's perspective? I had a musician friend try to teach me about modes such as ...
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9answers
4k views
What chord is formed by the open strings of a guitar in standard (EADGBe) tuning?
Here is something that I have been wondering about for a while:
If you strum all six strings of a guitar in standard (EADGBe) tuning what chord would you play?
I think it would be some variety of a ...
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7answers
324 views
Is looking for chord after having the melody unusual?
Most people I encounter seem to have the opinion that the definitive way is to first have the chords and then "mess around" with the harmony notes until one founds a desirable succession of notes, ...
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2answers
192 views
The differences between natural, harmonic and melodic minors
I'm studying scales and came across the natural, harmonic, and melodic minors. I understand the patterns for each scale but what other important differences exist between the three?
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2answers
2k views
Do all chords in a progression usually fit within a scale
I am wondering if when writing a chord progression, all the notes fit within a single scale.
If not, what is the logic behind chord progressions?
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2answers
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What is a “Circle of Fourths” chord progression?
Are there any examples of songs that employ a Circle of Fourths that I might be able to practice along to? How does the progression tie in with different scales?
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3answers
7k views
What do the 3/4 and 4/4 numbers mean?
In music notation, I've always been looking for a simple explanation of those numbers that appear on the far left of musical piece, such as 3 over 4 or 4 over 4.
I have a hunch they affect the ...
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4answers
450 views
What is an atonal mode?
I got an album by Ornette Coleman and Pat Methany, "X", and on the linear notes it talks about atonal experiments within the song structures. Are there scales and chord progressions that go along with ...
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2answers
489 views
What are the shared fundamental components of Baroque and Minimalist music that make them sound similar?
Baroque and minimalist music are two of my favorite genres. In particular, I like the repetitive note sequences with variations. J.-S. Bach's Goldberg Variations and Phillip Glass's Naqoyqatsi are ...
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2answers
812 views
What time signatures are used in flamenco and related styles?
Recently I've been trying to get some flamenco spirit into my playing. I've already experimented with some 'gypsy' scales and it feels good ... but I've also realized that part of the secret is in ...
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2answers
427 views
What makes african blues so distinctive?
When you listen to the music by Ali Farka Toure, Rokia Traore, Afel Bocoum and other african blues artists you can recognize it in a second.
What is it what makes the african blues so distinctive?
Is ...
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4answers
174 views
Polymeter vs Polyrhythm
What is the difference between a polymeter and a polyrhythm? Do these words mean anything different for different instruments?
PS: I'm a drummer.
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2answers
162 views
Was the pitch A given that letter because the minor key was originally the “basic” mode?
It's something that's puzzled me; The key that has no sharps and no flats, in essence the "basic" key, is C Major. Well, fine, but why C? Why not label that key and note A, if it's the foundation of ...
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1answer
213 views
Comprehensive theory book
I learned solfège as a kid long ago, and have been playing ever since without interruption, but I seem to have forgotten quite a few things that I haven't really needed all those years, and might not ...
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6answers
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What is the full list of possible chord names? Are there chords that don't have a name in chord theory?
My chord book covers 35 different chord types. When I look on the web or in other tools, all the same types of chords come up.
But I don't think this is the "full" set of possible chords. I'm not ...
