How to take a plain bass line and turn it into something much more interesting. By using quavers and eighth notes this music composition lesson works through how to use extra chord tones, harmony notes and non-chord tones, inessential...

This music theory lesson works through a short passage of music identifying all the non-chord tones or inessential notes. The video explores the harmonic outline of the piece before covering an explanation of passing tones, passing...

How to undertake a roman numeral chord analysis of a piece of music. Using a short movement by Schumann this music theory lesson explains how to read the keys then how to discover each of the chords, including designating extension...

Many people are happy harmonising a melodic line but often are less happy harmonising starting with a bass line. This music composition lesson begins with a bass line and considers the best way to select chords to fit it. He then...

How to approach constructing a note row that also incorporates a sense of tonality. The music composition lesson explores how to build in some implication of a key within a twelve-tone serial piece and explains how to achieve a...

Triplets are explained, sextuplets are related to them, then how to play 2’s against 3’s. The “3 for the price of 2” is defined with examples given of triplets using different rhythmic units, as well as examples of triplets using fewer...

Many composers and students of harmony worry about harmonising repeated notes in a melody. Repeated notes can make for melodic stagnation and the remedy is often to create harmonic interest but how is this achieved? This music theory...

Discover how to transform a piece of music that is using block chords into a much more engaging presentation with a moving bass line. Taking the opening of the British National Anthem this music composition lesson demonstrates how to...

How to write a piece of music with only five notes. This music composition lesson takes a set of five notes and considers ideas for composing or improvising a piece based on those notes. We then explore how the Australian composer, Peter...

How using traditional elements of music theory is useful to think about when writing a twelve-tone serial piece of music. Examples of using tonal elements and rhythm that isn't too complex are explored in order to demonstrate that...

The key movement is fast and chords do not always resolve as expected. In particular, we discover how Bach uses a number of unresolved dominant 7ths back to back, making this a radical approach for Baroque times. Discover what Bach is...

In which Hank sings the oldest song we know of...the Seikilos Epitaph. Most songs from this period were written with only the lyrics, but the Seikilos Epitaph, buried as part of a funeral, contained an unmistakable chord chart. And so,...

Music is made by sound waves. The objects that make those waves make complex waves. Which create what we call Harmonics. Today we look at some Music Physics and get an intro to the Harmonic Series.

Students learning music often think of music theory as a waste of time, they think it’s boring, and something they’ll never actually need. We explain why you should learn music theory in order to become a better musician. Plenty of...

An introduction to the field of music theory

It's hard to separate the study of Greek music into different categories since they were all so interconnected...but we're going to try! Today's Episode features research and commentary from Dr. Emily Williams Burch, who joins me to talk...

Find out how to draw the Circle of Fifths and why it's so incredibly useful! Learn how to use the circle of fifths to work out all the major keys, all the minor keys and all their key signatures. Useful for understanding keys and key...

In this music theory lesson we look at the circle of fifths. It can seem complicated at first, but the circle of fifths can be a really useful tool when learning music theory. It organizes key signatures, and it can tell you what kinds...

Classical melody writing tricks and music composition techniques. We begin with an exploration of how melody notes must either belong to the harmony or be identified as inessential notes. We then move on to consider how conjunct and...

How to use the circle of fifths to modulate and change keys. If we are writing or improvising a piece of music and we want to modulate to other keys, how do we decide which keys to move to? The Circle of 5ths not only explains the whole...

How well do you know the circle of fifths? Test your knowledge with this short quiz. The Circle of Fifths tells you everything you need to know about major keys, minor keys, and key signatures. This music theory lesson presents a...

Is older music better? Is current music worse? Are we as composers and songwriters devolving? I discuss these topics on my first ever music theory vlog.

Harmonizing a melody using chromatic chords and advanced harmonic techniques to effect modulation to extreme keys. The melody to be harmonized includes an extreme modulation from Eb to B major before travelling back to Eb major. This...

Learn how to create tension and release in music. This music composition lesson explores five particular ways in which tension and release can be achieved in music. While this will be of particular interest to composers it will also...