Questions tagged [analysis]
For questions about studying the intricacies of a piece of music. Questions should also be tagged with a more specific form of analysis if applicable.
210
questions
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58 views
How objective is the structure of a notated piece of music? [closed]
How objective can the analysis of a notated piece of music into a hierarchical structure of some "constituents" be?
Consider a given piece of music in notated form and structurally analysed by ...
2
votes
0answers
60 views
analysis of The Man Who Sold the World
So because I looked at the sheet music I assume the home key is either F or D minor. I understand the basics of using Roman numerals I'm just not sure if D minor should be i or F should be I.
It seems ...
1
vote
1answer
74 views
Analysis — what key is this segment in? [closed]
I dabble with my piano sometimes—at a beginner level, as you will see.
I just improvised this sound today, and now I was thinking what key it might be in. I wanted to say G minor, but that uses B-...
2
votes
2answers
62 views
Functional harmony analysis question
I am looking at the song “Redemption Song” by Bob Marley and trying to analyze it.
It seems to be in the key of G. The verse has the I IV ii and vi in a 4 bar loop. The third time through the 4 bar ...
0
votes
1answer
44 views
What is the chord of the second bar of KV310/1
The score of the beginning first movement of Mozart's KV310 sonate can be seen and heard here.
The first bar is the chord a minor, but what about the second bar (mi sol# si re la)?
5
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5answers
684 views
How should I analyze this passage? As vii°7, V7, or both?
So, I'm doing another Beethoven analysis, this time using the Liszt transcription of Beethoven's Fifth so that I can more easily see the harmonies and form. I am analyzing it passage by passage, first ...
2
votes
1answer
63 views
Need help analysing song
Newbie here and just stared analysing songs
I came across this tune that has the following chord progression
Dmaj7 Dmaj7 | Fmaj7 Fmaj7 | F#m F | D D
The song seems to resolve on an A but doesnt ...
1
vote
2answers
112 views
How would these chords from “Christmas Time Is Here” be analyzed?
I'm wondering how to go about analyzing some of the chords from this piece. I have a lot of tonal harmony knowledge, but am a little limited in my knowledge of jazz theory. However, I'd love to hear ...
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2answers
86 views
I need help understanding how to assign roman numerals to a key as well as how to do a melodic analysis [closed]
Here is the link to the questions:
https://scontent.fybz2-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.15752-9/s2048x2048/76767498_631590154044645_5429312693389492224_n.jpg?_nc_cat=108&_nc_ohc=...
4
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5answers
791 views
The Meaning of a Musical Idea
If there are multiple valid interpretations of a piece of music, but the composer of the music states that only one of those interpretations is what they intended, are other interpretations still ...
2
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2answers
51 views
the meaning of figure-work in the musical field perhaps with examples
Reading the book The creative development or f Johann Sebastian Bach I happen to come across the term figure-work when the author analyzes pieces by the great musician.
2
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4answers
106 views
What is this chord in Grande Valse Brilliante?
The chord circled in red is what I am asking about. I know that in the measure before, there is a diminished seventh chord. I'm certain that this is a dominant function chord(or at least, locally to ...
6
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4answers
459 views
Characteristic scale degrees
Came across an article at openMsicTheory.com about harmonic function. Below excerpt was about finding function of a chord
Each of the three harmonic functions — tonic (T), subdominant (S), and ...
4
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0answers
63 views
Sources for analysis of Bach fugues?
I've been working on Bach's Sonata #1 for Solo Violin (BWV 1001) and I have concluded that I would benefit from some sort of analysis of the Fugue. In particular, something that shows every point and ...
11
votes
5answers
1k views
Features of a Coda section
I came across a question in a music theory book, which asked about explaining why bars 30-36 in the following music extract could be considered as a Coda.
The extract is from Prelude in C minor by ...
4
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4answers
414 views
What is an altered chord?
A chord can be altered in many ways, but not all alterations make a chord an "altered" chord. Which alterations actually make a chord an altered chord? Do altered chords have special notation?
1
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2answers
74 views
Augmented triad in Pathetique Sonata? How does it function?
I analyzed the harmony of the Pathetique Sonata as you already know, but one thing about the harmony in the first movement made me curious. No, not unconfirmed modulation or anything like that. No, it ...
8
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3answers
185 views
Unintentional plagiarism while composing
I have recently started composing using some knowledge that I got after a few months of studying counterpoint and harmony (well it is more like trying to compose). And I have mentioned that quite ...
4
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4answers
105 views
Is Counterpoint always possible?
I've searched for this question online many times, but never found anything close to an answer:
Given a cantus firmus, is it always possible to do counterpoint with it?
The rules don't appear to ...
5
votes
1answer
179 views
Intro of A Whiter Shade of Pale: is my analysis of chords correct?
I wonder about 2 points in this intro (I can ask them in to different questions if desired)
I'm not sure whether I hear this progression correct ...
The beginning ...
5
votes
2answers
70 views
Ballades (Chopin) Harmony Question
I don't listen to much classical; however, I recently found this beautiful work by Chopin. I am wondering if you could help me explain a particularly amazing moment in the piece. Please refer to ...
2
votes
2answers
44 views
Determining roman numeral notation
I am just starting to learn music theory so if I'm making an obvious mistake, forgive me.
Given the chord progression D major B♭ major F major C major, I have assumed that it is in the key of F major ...
3
votes
2answers
99 views
Rootless chords in Beethoven sonata?
Okay, I came across a bit of a wrinkle in the paper as I analyzed the third movement of Beethoven's Sonata Pathetique. It has to do with this passage in the C section(which is in Ab major):
For those ...
2
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2answers
57 views
Analyzed editions of classic piano sheet music? [closed]
I wonder if there exists such kind of editions: with the chords written down together with their function in roman numerals, the structure of the piece, the analysis, etc.
More precisely, I'm looking ...
2
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1answer
39 views
Development section in a fugue
How to distinguish between the 'subject' and 'answer' in the development (modulatory) section of a fugue?
3
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1answer
70 views
Difference between iii/IV and vi in analysis?
I am trying to follow along this music theory video. The song analyzed is Merry Christmas Mr.Lawrence by Ryuichi Sakamoto.
The main chord progression is IV - iii/IV - iii - vi - V7
My question is ...
7
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3answers
342 views
Is this really better analyzed in G minor than in Bb?
So I have been analysing Rondo a Capriccio by Beethoven and I reached a point where a so called "expert's" opinion and mine differ drastically. It starts at bar 57 and continues to bar 68. After the ...
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2answers
75 views
Rules for naming borrowed chords in roman numeral analysis
I don't seem to find an extensive resource on how to name out of scale chords in roman numeral analysis.
E.g. let's look at this piece from "All imperfect things" of Michael Nyman:
I'm stuck on M5 ...
1
vote
1answer
55 views
Do “Thriller” and “I do like to be beside the seaside” share thematic material?
Rod Temperton was born in Cleethorpes, a seaside town on the east coast of the UK.
He also wrote the song Thriller for Michael Jackson.
Bearing these two facts in mind, it struck me there was a ...
0
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3answers
226 views
How should background music be used in documentary video? [closed]
I wonder how background music should be used during a video on a complicate topic and requires some analysis. I think that:
If it's about giving information, then having background music can increase ...
1
vote
1answer
73 views
Analysing harmony in music [closed]
I've read books like Theory of Harmony, Tonal Harmony, The Complete Musician, and just started reading structural functions of harmony. But I still find myself confused on those weird out-of-key ...
2
votes
3answers
126 views
Are there objective, unambiguous ways that the level of similarity of two bits of music can be measured?
I am not sure if this kind of question is on-topic or not.
I just heard the soundtrack used in Scott Manley's recent video SpaceX Radarsat Launch Highlights (fairly quiet sound level) with the notes
...
8
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1answer
116 views
What is the utility of Schenkerian analysis?
I have seen that Schenkerian analysis is a method of analyzing tonal music distinct from the usual one which employs roman numerals for the degrees, specifies the inversions, the functions, etc.
...
0
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1answer
93 views
What is my voice classification from D2-A4 [closed]
I’m 21, been singing since I was around 16 or 17. I use to struggle up to E4 above middle C. As the years went by , I’ve mastered singing from C4-F#4 around 20. Just recently I’ve found it easier to ...
2
votes
1answer
84 views
Bar number featuring this tone row by Schoenberg in the sheet music [closed]
Given is an image of the tone row used by Schoenberg in his Variations for Orchestra op. 31. This is what was given in a music theory workbook.
I found the sheet music for the Schoenberg piece. But ...
2
votes
2answers
156 views
Rationalizing this chord progression (I7-iii-IV)
Trying to expand my harmonic palette here, and came across this song.
Chorus of Stevie Wonder's "Don't You Worry 'Bout a Thing" (in E♭ minor, but temporary shift to ...
3
votes
2answers
90 views
Are these upper voices in this final passage from Handel a bona fide F7 chord or some kind of non-chord tones?
Handel. Preludes, Air, and Lesson...
http://hz.imslp.info/files/imglnks/usimg/e/e8/IMSLP12246-Handel_-_Preludes,Air%26_Lesson.pdf
EDIT
I was complete off the mark with this. The only excuse I can ...
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6answers
636 views
Analysis of the progression: Dm, G, C, F, Bb, E, Am, A
I've been trying to analyze the progression: Dm, G, C, F, Bb, E, Am, A.
The best I could come up with is ii, V, I, IV, bVII, V/vi, vi, V/ii in C major.
I considered the Bb to be the VII from the ...
1
vote
1answer
69 views
Is Nirvana's 'Aero Zeppelin' intro in Locrian mode?
The song 'Aero Zeppelin' by Nirvana (see here for Youtube video link) begins with a calmer introduction that has a 'creepy' feeling, due to the occurrence of the tritone. I have tried to analyse the ...
11
votes
5answers
3k views
How would this chord from “Rocket Man” be analyzed?
[Chorus:]
Bb Eb
And I think it's gonna be a long, long time
Bb
'Till touch down brings me roung again to find
...
3
votes
3answers
399 views
How is this chord from Liebestraum No. 3 analyzed?
I'm trying to analyze the ending chord progressions to Liszt's Liebestraum No. 3. The piece is in Ab-major.
The chord in the second half of measure 73 is a D diminished triad. This would appear to ...
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votes
1answer
335 views
Jaws vs. Dvorak [closed]
There is a worldwide-viral debate involving the Jaws theme as if it is a "rip-off" of the finale of Dvorak's Ninth Symphony. Some say if the theme is sampled from Dvorak. Did John Williams really ...
3
votes
1answer
80 views
How can this triad from the song “Believe” be analyzed?
I heard this song "Believe" recently, and the Eb major chord stood out to me. The song is in E major, so I'm wondering how that Eb triad can be looked at. Even if it was spelt as a D# major triad, it ...
1
vote
2answers
162 views
How can the intro to the song “If I Fell” be analyzed?
The introduction to this song by The Beatles starts off in the key of Eb minor. I'm trying to figure out how to analyze these chords.
The first chord would be i, the D major chord I'm unsure about, ...
0
votes
1answer
173 views
Why is the vi chord so popular? [closed]
In a major scale, I understand why the I IV V are the most popular chords mainly due to their diatonic functions and they also harmonize the entirety of the scale as they are the primary triads.
I ...
0
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1answer
76 views
Chord progression analysis in Blur's 'Sing' from the film Trainspotting [closed]
I like this progression by Blur that was in Trainspotting and I tried to figure out what the relationship between the chords are and what key they are in:
G-B-E-G
A-C#-F#
B-D-F#
I tried a reverse ...
0
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0answers
56 views
Analysis questions about a transcription I made (Jade's Desert - Mortal Kombat Trilogy OST)
I transcribed this song recently and I wanted some insight for analyzing it. It seems to me that it is a diminished riff, using some tritones and chromatic stuff and major seconds. However, beyond ...
2
votes
1answer
44 views
I could use some help analyzing a transcription I made of the disciples 2 menu theme
I've been transcribing some songs recently, however I feel that I am somewhat limited in actually approaching the analysis of the songs after I have transcribed them.
I have attached a photo of my ...
1
vote
1answer
203 views
How can one analyze this chord progression from “Vienna” by Billy Joel?
I'm wondering how to best go about analyzing this chord progression from the Billy Joel classic, "Vienna".
The song is in Bb-Major.
The first chord is an augmented I chord (I+), which seems strange. ...
2
votes
3answers
266 views
Analysis: How to determine what scale/mode a score uses
I'm learning music theory with the hopes of being able to analyze sheet music.
My question is -- What if the piece I am analyzing is in some other mode than major or minor? Or even stranger, like ...
