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...

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 examine the Development section of the first movement of Mozart’s Piano Sonata in D major, K284. In the space of 20 bars Mozart packs in a mobile and clever series of modulations while he explores a small number of musical ideas to...

Discover how Josquin des Prez developed compositional style during the High Renaissance period. Josquin des Prez followed composers like Du Fay and Ockeghem, and prepared the ground for Palestrina and his contemporaries. As a singer,...

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...

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...

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...

This music composition lesson demonstrates how to take a succession of block chords and turn them into melodic lines with arpeggiated accompaniment. The chord sequence is analysed then organised as a melodic line at the top of the...

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...

Some examples of chords that would work well approaching a Neapolitan flat two chord. This music composition lesson begins with a reminder of how to form a major chord on the flattened supertonic, otherwise known as a Neapolitan chord....

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...

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.

How to recognize written chords in sheet music. This music theory lesson will help you understand how to look at a chord and know what chord is written. By the end of this lesson, you will have a good understanding of how to identify...

Improve your music writing and harmony with these three chromatic chord alteration tricks. Many composers, arrangers, and improvisers get fed up with being stuck using the same basic chords all the time. This music composition lesson...

Learn about the two systems for labelling chords in the Roman Numeral system, namely Basic Roman and Extended Roman. In this music theory lesson the construction of diatonic chords is explained, followed by the labelling of those chords....

Music analysis and exploration of the simple structure of the first movement of Schumann’s kinderszenen. Having explained how the external structure works, the internal phrase structure is unpacked. We then go on to examine how the...

What is a Tritone Substitution? How do you work out a tritone substitution? How do you use one?The tritone is defined and it’s use within a Dominant 7th chord is explored. The inversion of the tritone is demonstrated as a means of...

A look at a Bach chorale where the embellishments work in conjunction to create rhythmic movement within the piece. We examine the choice of harmony, the part writing, dealing with harmonic and melodic minor, plus other features of the...

Learn how to create melodies from chord progressions. We start with a set of chords in four-part harmony and find notes which fit the progression before going on to add melodic variation and input some non-harmonic tones. This music...

How does Bach create stability when writing harmony? Let's find out as we take a deeper look into a fantastic chorale harmonization and examine the choice of harmony, chromatic chords, secondary dominants, borrowed chords. and...

How Sergei Rachmaninoff makes use of motifs when composing music. This composer insights lesson explores the opening of Rachmaninoff’s “Vocalise”. The melodic design is explained alongside the rich harmony, which features extended and...

Chord identification on the piano and how to tell the difference between major, minor, augmented, and diminished chords. In this music theory lesson all is explained. Within any major key there is found a mixture of major, minor, and...