Hey there! Looking for fun, awesome piano lessons for kids ages 6-10? Check out this video!

Music theory is often thought of as a list of rules that govern music: Parallel 5ths are illegal; You can't double the leading tone; dominant must go to tonic. But is that really true? Are there actually any rules in music theory?

Today I want to talk about parallel major and minor keys. The example we are using today is the Spanish Christmas carol A La Nanita Nana. First we will look at how to identify the minor key by using the three half step trick. Then we can...

Many musicians are aware of Secondary Dominant chords but are unsure how to use them in a piece of music. This music composition lesson presents a passage of music in which there are no Secondary Dominants then demonstrates how to...

Today I want to talk about harmonizing a melody for a keyboard instrument. Harmonizing is just a fancy way of saying finding chords that go along with a melody (or bass line). First we will look at keyboard specific issues to keep in...

How do you use Neapolitan chords in? How does a Neapolitan sixth chord resolve? What are the best approach chords to use before a Neapolitan? This music composition lesson explains the best ways to write approach chords to Neapolitan...

This music theory lesson explains escape notes, what they are and how to use them. When it comes to inessential notes many musicians understand passing notes, understand auxiliary notes, and are happy about anticipatory notes. But what...

I get a lot of questions about how to use music theory to write music. So, today I'm taking a look at a melody I wrote a long time ago to see how I can improve it using concept we learn in Theory I and II.

Learn how to build and recognise major and minor chords. This music theory lesson teaches you how to construct major and minor chords above any given note. Two techniques are explained, one based on intervals and the other based on...

Writing bad four part harmony?! Lots of people manage part of the journey with four-part harmony then get stuck or struggle to develop an outcome that is musically satisfying. This music composition lesson starts with a piece of...

How to go about realizing more advanced figured bass, including how to read diatonic chords and seventh chords in figured bass and how to play a short passage from a figured bass. In this music theory lesson the figured bass system is...

A look at how Bach elaborates a chord progression in one of his chorale harmonizations. We examine the choice of harmony, chromatic chords, secondary dominants, borrowed chords. and modulation, the part writing, the use of inessential...

A flowchart for reading the Key Signature

Analysis of how to use the different types of Augmented Sixth Chords

How did Brahms go about composing music? Let's explore part of the opening section of the Intermezzo op118 no2 by Brahms as we try to answer that very question. We explain how Brahms handles the repetition of the opening phrase, which...

There are two main kinds of chord voicing. Open chords and close chords. We talk about how to identify each kind of chord and how to write open and close chords. This is the first video in introducing chord voicing. Thanks for watching!

How all the different types of chords can be inverted

How to build major and minor chords

Many musicians find Augmented 6th chords to be confusing, and possibly made up by their theory professor. Today on Two Minute Music Theory, we seek to dispel the confusion with Augmented 6th Chords Made Easy!

An analysis of Pp.79 no.2 G minor Rhapsody by Brahms. It takes Brahms a considerable number of bars to establish the home key and meanwhile he travels through a range of other keys. The melodic line is explored, including the growth of...

Find out how to borrow chords from the parallel key as a means of adding colour to your harmony and to understand how composers use this technique. This music composition lesson presents a short piece of harmony and demonstrates ways...

Step inside the mind of Beethoven as we explore the opening section of Beethoven’s “Waldstein” Piano Sonata, one of the most famous of his middle period works. In particular we explore how rhythm and modulation are used to create...

Hey there! Looking for fun, awesome piano lessons for kids ages 6-10? Check out this video!

Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata is one of his most famous pieces of music. Most people have heard it and many want to play it. What makes this such a popular work? Step inside the mind of Beethoven as we explore the features that make the...