Music Matters
False Relation - Music Theory
Learn all about false relation and the two ways in which it commonly occurs. A false relation comes about when there are two notes of the same letter but with differing accidentals that either occur simultaneously or between one chord...
Music Matters
The Best Chords to Follow Chord VII (in Major Keys) - Music Composition
Are you struggling to get started in writing a chord progression? If you want to use chord VII what are the best options for chords to follow? This music composition lesson gives you plenty of options for chords that progress well from...
Music Matters
The Best Chords to Follow Chord IV (in Major Keys) - Music Composition
Are you struggling to get started in writing a chord progression? If you want to use chord IV what are the best options for chords to follow? This music composition lesson gives you plenty of options for chords that progress well from...
Music Matters
Romantic Waltz Style - Composing for the Piano
In this episode of composing for the piano we take the Music Matters theme and present it as a Waltz in Romantic style. The Music Matters theme was originally written in 4 time. By converting it into 3 time with some rhythmic...
Music Matters
How to Easily Move from One Key to Another Using a Pivot Chord - Music Composition
Learn how to easily modulate from one key to another using a pivot chord. Some people can write a piece of music but experience difficulty when it comes to modulation i.e. moving from one key to another. This music composition lesson...
Music Matters
Anticipation Notes (Non-Harmonic Tones) - Music Theory
Improve your melody writing and learn all about anticipation notes and non-harmonic tones. When melody notes fit the prevailing chord we refer to them as harmony notes. When they do not fit the chord they should belong to one of the...
Music Matters
Using Scalic Bass Lines - Inside the Mind of Bach
Bach loves to use scalic bass lines within his chorales as a solid foundation for building the harmonic structure. Often the bass lines interact with the other parts within the texture to create a conversational type of movement. Let's...
Music Matters
The Best Chords to Follow Chord III (in Major Keys) - Music Composition
Are you struggling to get started in writing a chord progression? If you want to use chord III what are the best options for chords to follow? This music composition lesson gives you plenty of options for chords that progress well from...
Music Matters
The Best Chords to Follow Chord VI (in Major Keys) - Music Composition
Are you struggling to get started in writing a chord progression? If you want to use chord VI what are the best options for chords to follow? This music composition lesson gives you plenty of options for chords that progress well from...
Music Matters
4 Ways to Harmonize the Same Melody - Music Composition
How to harmonize a melody in four different ways. This music composition lesson begins by using diatonic chords to present two possible alternative harmonisations. We then move on to two further harmonisations using chromatic chords and...
Music Matters
Decoding David Bowie's Harmonic Language - Composer Insights
Is There Life On Mars? A harmonic analysis of one of Bowie's best. We delve into the mind of the composer and explore what makes David Bowie’s “Life on Mars” such an original and iconic song. The main focus is on the harmonic content of...
Music Matters
How to Come Up With a Motif - Music Composition
How to come up with a motif. Motifs need a musical identity, which is created through melodic design, rhythmic character, and articulation. All the notes within the motif need to be either harmony notes or inessential notes. The process...
Music Matters
Burgmuller's Romantic Harmony - Composer Insights
This composer insights lesson explores the Romantic harmony of Burgmüller as written in his delightful character piece for piano “At the Christmas Tree”. It explains the overall Ternary structure of the piece then how the internal phrase...
Music Matters
Writing Counterpoint from a Chord Scheme - Music Composition
How to write counterpoint from a chord scheme. If you are working with a progression of chords and want to learn how to write contrapuntally around that harmonic scheme then this is the video for you. If you are analysing contrapuntal...
Music Matters
Identifying Double Major Thirds - Music Composition
What is doubling the major third? How do you know if its a major third? Can you double thirds? Why is doubling a major third bad? This music composition lesson explains one of the rules of writing four-part harmony, namely the advice to...
Music Matters
Fluid Basslines - Inside the Mind of Bach
Join us as we examine the choice of harmony, chromatic chords, secondary dominants, borrowed chords. and modulation, the part writing, the use of inessential notes and suspensions, plus other features of the Bach Chorale style. Useful...
Two Minute Music Theory
Tritone Substitution vs Augmented 6 Chords - Q&A #3
Today's question is about the difference between the Tritone Substitution and the Augmented 6 Chord. Is there a difference? Are they the same thing? Will a fight break out in the comments section? Does the Australian Augmented 6 actually...
Two Minute Music Theory
Q&A #1 - Why Do We Need Double Sharps? - TWO MINUTE MUSIC THEORY
A question that comes up a lot: Why do we need double sharps and double flats? Where would we possibly use them? Also, does E# or B# exist? Where would we use that? Find out today on the first ever Two Minute Music Theory Q&A!
Two Minute Music Theory
Major Scale vs. Ionian Mode - TWO MINUTE MUSIC THEORY #29
The Major scale and the Ionian mode share a lot. Pitch collection, home note, key signature. So, are they the same? We find out today on Two Minute Music Theory. Season 3, Episode 8
Music Matters
The Harmonic Surprises of Mozart - Composer Insights
How to write counterpoint from a chord scheme. If you are working with a progression of chords and want to learn how to write contrapuntally around that harmonic scheme then this is the video for you. If you are analysing contrapuntal...
Music Matters
The Rules of Harmony and Some Things to Avoid - Keyboard Harmony
These rules will get you writing better harmony. Avoiding these common mistakes, although not absolutely necessary, will often help your keyboard harmony flow much better than before. In this video, we work through some of the ‘rules of...
Music Matters
How to Modulate - Music Theory
Learn how to easily modulate using something known as a pivot chord. Do you struggle to modulate from one key to another? Then this is for you. Lots of people can write or improvise music but get stuck in one key. Changing key, or...
Music Matters
The Best Chords to Follow Chord II (in Major Keys) - Music Composition
Are you struggling to get started in writing a chord progression? If you want to use chord II what are the best options for chords to follow? This music composition lesson gives you plenty of options for chords that progress well from...
Music Matters
Auxiliary Notes (Non-Harmonic Tones) - Music Theory
Learn how auxiliary notes and escape tones work, a useful melodic device you can use to improve your melody writing. Melody notes usually work best when they belong to the prevailing chord. However, by only using notes that belong to the...