Learn how to go about composing a strict canon by inversion. This lesson explains the most useful technique for constructing a strict canon by inversion bar by bar, in such a way that the melodic line has shape and direction, while...

Learn how to go about composing a strict canon at the 5th in two parts. This lesson explains the most useful technique for constructing a strict canon bar by bar, in such a way that the melodic line has shape and direction, while...

Learn the meaning of ‘crab canon’ then proceeds to compose an example so you can see how to do it. In a crab canon, one part works forwards while a second part simultaneously works the same music in reverse. This means that one part...

Learn how to harmonise a chromatic scale. Starting with harmonising diatonic scales, the video moves on to using secondary dominants then to using chromatic chords and to using chords in a less functional way. This music theory lesson...

MIDI can be a powerful tool that you can use to import music into your music notation software like MuseScore. First we will make a MIDI file in a DAW, then import it into MuseScore. We will also look at importing a larger piece of music...

There are many different types of vocal ranges in music and sometimes music is not written in a key that fits into a vocal range very well. One thing we can do to help the vocalist is transpose the music. In this tutorial I will show you...

Today we are going to write a harmony using mostly seventh chords and we will look at a strategy to deal with non-chord notes when we are writing music. This combines a couple of our past lessons so be sure you watched those videos...

Identifying music intervals can be one of the more confusing things about learning music theory for the first time. In this video we will look at an easier way to find the names of intervals using the major scale as a reference point....

Today I want to talk about seventh chords. Seventh chords are a type of four note chord used in western music. The two types we will talk about today are the Major Seventh and the Dominant Seventh. We will go over how to build them note...

Sometimes you need to have two different music parts to be playing at the same time in the same staff. Or, you might want to save space by having two voices share a staff. One of the best ways to achieve this is to use the voices feature...

Hi everyone, today I want to talk a little about accidentals. So far we have only talked about how accidentals act when they are on one staff. But what happens when you have more than one staff of music? Maybe it’s a piece of piano music...

In this lesson we will go over three more complex versions of the seventh chord - minor, augmented, and diminished. We will go over the different scale degrees used in the chords and how to build them. We will look at examples of each...

How do we identify the different parts of a note in music?

Colour in music can mean a number of different things. Some musicians experience Synesthesia in which particular notes, keys or chords are experienced directly in relation to particular colours. We talk about the Blues or about white...

We explore the first of Bach’s 15 two part Inventions in the key of C. This composer insights lesson unbolts the imitative counterpoint, explaining the various contrapuntal ingredients and how they are used throughout the piece....

What is the difference between rhythm, tempo and pulse? This rhythm lesson looks at these three elements separately and will help you to build a steady pulse and slow, medium and fast tempi. It then moves on to counting and clapping some...

Practice clapping rhythms in compound time. Learn how to breakdown various compound time rhythms that include duplets and how to count them correctly in 6/8, 6/4, 9/8, 12/16 and 12/8 time. This rhythm lesson breaks down the rhythms...

See why every musician should become familiar with figured bass. For harpsichordists and organists needing to realise figured bass in performance realising figured bass fluently with style is essential. For others it’s a useful way of...

This music theory lesson summarises the rule of the octave and explains how it offers insight into harmonic thinking and into Baroque harmony in particular. The rule of the octave begins with the notion of harmonising an octave of the...

Learn about the most commonly used borrowed chords and chromatically altered chords. Many composers and arrangers find themselves limited to diatonic chords and lack the confidence to use borrowed and chromatically altered chords. Yet...

We explore the Pentatonic scale. As the title suggests the scale comprises 5 notes instead of the 7 notes that make up the major scale and the minor scale. This music theory lesson looks at the different ways of calculating the notes...

Learn the quickest and most efficient methods of modulating from one key to the next on the circle of 5ths. The first part of the video is devoted to movement from key to key moving left around the circle of 5ths, then the second part...

We consider the possibilities for using chord V as either a major or a minor chord. In the harmonic minor context used by most composers since 1600 chord V is always major but in the context of the descending melodic minor scale and in...

We explore how to write a free moving line over a sustained melody presented in long notes. The example here uses the first two phrases of “Happy Birthday to you” set as a cantus firmus in long notes in the left hand, while the right...