The study of how music works, seeking to identify structures and patterns in music.
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5answers
163 views
Resources for learning the Blues
Can anyone recommend any good resources (books or online) for learning the Blues on the guitar? Scales and theory is what I am looking for.
7
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5answers
505 views
tips for writing the drum notes to a song in a band
I play the drums in a band, and the song has already been written and everything that the vocalist, guitarist and bassist will play. The drums were left out and I have to write them to fit the song.
...
7
votes
4answers
176 views
Playing Guitar Tabs on Piano?
I was wondering if anyone could possibly explain how I could somehow translate a guitar tab into notes on piano. Is there some sort of algorithm I can apply?
ex:
...
7
votes
1answer
587 views
What is this called? Why is it allowed?
"Golden Train" by Justin Nozuka (YouTube link below) is in the key of Ab major. However he uses a Cb major chord throughout the song, which is not in the key of Ab major. It sounds good and works ...
7
votes
2answers
5k views
What chords are used often in “Funk” - Why?
"Pass The Peas";"Le Freak"; "Get up and Jump";"Shake your Pants""The Crunge"....They all use very similar chords in a Funk setting - what are some Standard Funk Chords and why (from a Music Theory ...
7
votes
4answers
995 views
Music Theory: Frequencies related to playing a note on guitar
I am studying the physics related to playing guitar. I need to understand the relationship between the fundamental frequency of a guitar string and its harmonics.
For e.g., the top string has the ...
7
votes
3answers
751 views
What defines a Tango?
Is there something about a song that can be used to classify it as "a Tango"? There's different Tango styles (Finnish Tango music, for instance, is different from Argentinian) and there seem to be ...
7
votes
3answers
380 views
What is bad about Roman Numeral Analysis?
I have studied roman numeral analysis in my theory courses and I think that it's a good way of describing and understanding classical music, especially that of the classical and early romantic ...
7
votes
3answers
432 views
What is a chromatic scale?
I notice that the blues scale usues notes that don't fit into the regular pentatonic scale, is there an entire scale that icorporates this method?
7
votes
2answers
167 views
In chord progressions, how can I refer to a chord that's out of the scale?
I'm training a music that is most on the G Major scale.. But then there's a B chord. As B is not on the G Major scale, how can I refer to it when I'm writing the chord progression?
EDIT
My guess is ...
7
votes
3answers
308 views
Voice leading confusion
I perfectly understand the theory of voice leading when explained in most theory books about moving voices between chords in the shortest possible manner to give a smooth connection between chords.
...
7
votes
1answer
89 views
Finding the “Starting point” when creating a composition or score
This is a fairly simple one, and hopefully not too wide-open to be permitted here: what approaches are available when sitting at a fresh screen or sheet of paper, or at your instrument, to create the ...
6
votes
6answers
1k views
Why is the highest frequency on a piano 4186 Hertz?
The human hearing range is between 20 Hz and 20,000 Hz. The lowest frequency on a piano is 27.5 Hz, which is almost at the start of the human hearing range. However, the highest frequency on a piano ...
6
votes
4answers
198 views
Lorem Ipsum in music
I would like to use some Lorem Ipsum like thing for synthesizer sound demonstration. To be specific, I want the following properties
Polyphonic (Some sounds like pads really needs a chord)
It should ...
6
votes
3answers
1k views
What are the actual notes of each natural harmonic?
So I know that if you play a natural harmonic at the 12th fret, this is just the same note as fretting the 12th is. Also, when I play my electric guitar and listen to lots of metal music in ...
6
votes
3answers
204 views
On a piano scale what is considered “middle C”?
I'm learning to play the piano and I'm slightly confused after reading this:
http://pianoscale.org/scales/root/c/major/
Is the 1st note in the treble clef the same as the 8th notes in the bass ...
6
votes
4answers
203 views
Does the bass note in a “slash” chord really have an associated interval?
I have a question about "slash" chords.
Look at the chord E/G:
E G♯ B G
1 3 5 ?
G is the minor 3rd interval (♭3) in the key of E.
However, I would have thought by definition chords cannot ...
6
votes
2answers
189 views
What are the major differences in a composition of metal and progressive metal?
I am a bit confused about the differences in the composition of metal and progressive metal. Are there major differences in their orientation of sound, or it is just the difference of incorporating ...
6
votes
4answers
295 views
When is it proper (if ever) to extend time signatures (8/4 vs 4/4)?
When listening to most contemporary music, in my experience, time signatures tend to be in "common time", or 4/4. But sometimes it feels like the phrase or measure extends beyond the four quarter ...
6
votes
2answers
135 views
What does it mean when progression is resolved?
I saw this text inside a very basic piano workbook in which I'm not sure what the author means by using "resolve".
Progression #1: C-F-G-F-C
NOTE: This 4 bar progression resolves back to C ...
6
votes
2answers
175 views
Why do we use thirds to construct chords?
I am (slowly) learning music theory on the guitar. I've begun learning about scales and chords, and it seems that all chords are built using some combination of thirds.
For example, a minor triad is ...
6
votes
2answers
128 views
Converting to harmonic and melodic minor
Is this correct?
In converting from major to harmonic minor of the same root (not the relative minor (with the same key signature)), flatten the 3rd and 6th.
In converting from major to ...
6
votes
3answers
335 views
How do you compose tuplets against straight notes?
I would like to know how to compose tuplets of odd numbers against even numbers on the piano (ie. 3 against 2). How would you go around composing something like this? I have been composing for some ...
6
votes
2answers
257 views
Relative Major/Minor keys question
I've got a question, I thought perhaps one of you fine human beings could help me out.
I am under the impression that you can find the relative minor key of a major key by counting down 3 steps, ...
6
votes
3answers
853 views
Most important musical concepts for writing songs on acoustic guitar
I want to be able to write catchy/"cool sounding" guitar parts for songs. I am currently studying music theory extensively. I am just wondering, are there any guitar-specific musical concepts that I ...
6
votes
1answer
61 views
6
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3answers
144 views
Dominant functioning as a Subdominant!
The D9 chord voices appropriate seems to be able to function as a subdominant chord. This is very intriguing and I've always thought and read that dominant chords function as dominant chords(except in ...
6
votes
1answer
530 views
How do you know what beat to emphasize based on the time signature?
In learning the guitar I have run across various time signatures. In each time signature it seems as if you are supposed to emphasize different beats. Is this something that you just have to intuit, ...
6
votes
3answers
608 views
How many (major and minor) keys are there? Why?
I am wondering about how many major and minor keys there are and why.
Here are some suggestions:
24 keys
One could argue that there should be one major and one relative minor key for each of the 12 ...
5
votes
5answers
1k views
How do you compose using the chromatic scale?
Writting a piece of music using the chromatic scale would be interesting, but I can't think of a way to start it? What kind of structure would a piece have? Is it all subjective and up to the composer ...
5
votes
4answers
725 views
Why does the Dorian mode on C have two flats?
I'm studying scale modes and I just found on Wikipedia that the Dorian mode on C has two flats...
Why is this? Because the Dorian mode is just the major scale (Ionian) starting from the second ...
5
votes
2answers
1k views
What are the most common ways to “decorate” a melody?
Yes, I know, there are way too many possibilities and it depends on the style of the music... I would be happy with an incomplete list for beginners (like me). Here is what I have so far:
...
5
votes
3answers
767 views
What are alternative “voicings” for Major/Minor/Dominant Chords if I can't play “Barre Chords”?
I would like some alternative Chord Voicings if I don't want to play the standard barre chords for major/minor/dominant voicings: Thanks!!
5
votes
3answers
954 views
What is a good solo to learn in the Dorian mode?
I understand that Dorian is a commonly used mode in rock. I am starting to play / improvise in the mode and would like to learn some guitar solos that are good examples of this scale so that I see how ...
5
votes
2answers
183 views
Why play out of scale notes as part of a chord?
So, I'm learning 'Stray Cat Strut' right now and came across something I'm not sure I understood. I have to say, I've only just begun to learn theory, so maybe that's why.
Anyway, as far as I can ...
5
votes
3answers
290 views
“slash” chords, e.g. B/F♯ - are these only for inversions, or can any note be the bass note?
I'm trying to work out whether it is technically correct to have a "slash" chord where the bass note is not one of the notes in the chord.
I thought the main reason for slash chords is to show which ...
5
votes
1answer
169 views
What are the names of these scales? [closed]
I noticed recently that quite a few Jewish songs (e.g. Havah Nagila) tended to use certain scales. I thought they were normal minor scales, but then I played them on the piano and noticed that the ...
5
votes
3answers
215 views
Recommend reading why we have 12 pitches and another metrics in microtonal music?
I know there are many books which describe why we have 12 pitches (for example this book: R.H.M Bosanquet - An elementary treatise on musical intervals and temperament, 1876 in the public domain).
...
5
votes
4answers
288 views
I need help understanding the concept of chord inversions.
This article from wikipedia, states:
In the first inversion of a C major triad the bass is E—the 3rd of the
triad—with the 5th and the root
stacked above it (the root now shifted
an octave ...
5
votes
3answers
260 views
Composition of music suitable for concentration
What are the parameters of music to consider so that the resulting composition is suitable as a background music when reading, studying or doing some mental work?
I'm interested in parameters like ...
5
votes
2answers
98 views
Links and tips for Learning and using scales
Tips and links on learning and using different types of scales will be helpful.
If possible List of scales with songs in which they are used and (artists/types of bands) who uses certain scales to a ...
5
votes
4answers
1k views
What is a good guitar solo to learn in the minor scale?
I am starting to play and improvise in the minor scale, and I would like to learn some guitar solos that are good examples of this scale so that I see how other people use it. What are some famous ...
5
votes
3answers
198 views
What makes augmented fourths and the diminished fifths so hard to sing/remember?
I've always wondered what makes these particular intervals so difficult.
5
votes
3answers
156 views
Is solfege systems octave-agnostic?
I'm writing a somewhat comprehensive music theory programming library - Both to have the ability to make "intelligent" theory programs, and to refresh all the theory to myself.
I've however just met ...
5
votes
1answer
147 views
Non-fixed-frequency instruments playing by themselves versus with fixed-frequency instruments
[I don't know a better term than "non-fixed frequency instruments" but I mean things like string instruments, voice, trombone as opposed to things like a piano which has a fixed (typically 12-et) ...
5
votes
2answers
159 views
The relationship between music theory and physical phenomena
The first unique overtones of a simple vibrating string form a major chord. Are there other simple physical structures that would generate other chord types?
5
votes
2answers
799 views
What are the characteristics of Negro Spiritual vocal arrangements?
I've tried several times to write vocal arragnements that are in the style of Negro Spiritual music.
Here's an example of the style I'm referring to.
Typically, I use simple SATB style arrangements, ...
5
votes
1answer
757 views
An effective method for counting and identifying time signatures.
When I listen to some odd time signature songs I have some serious trouble dissecting the time signatures at times. Songs with 6/8 or 3/4 are easy enough to identify, but some progressive rock/metal ...
5
votes
1answer
164 views
“Andalusian cadences”: How are they commonly heard?
The "Andalusian cadence" I-bVII-bVI-V is commonly heard as a repeated figure in Flamenco music as well as many pop songs, e.g. "Hit the Road, Jack":
...
5
votes
1answer
171 views
Alternative Numerical Representation of Pitch
I'm aware of a number of different ways of representing pitch as numbers (including one I developed for use in my own software) but am interested if there are others.
The most widespread is probably ...
