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Music theory

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Outline of basic music theory - www.oscarvandillen.com. Professional music theory: an outline of basic music theory. Preface and Chapter 1 of the Outline of basic music theory – by Oscar van Dillen ©2011-2014 The beginner’s learning book can be found at Basic elements of music theory. Overview of chapters: Chapter 1: Introduction Chapter 2: Sound and hearing Chapter 3: Musical notation Chapter 4: Basic building blocks of melody and harmony Chapter 5: Consonance and dissonance Chapter 6: Circle of fifths and transposition Chapter 7: Concerning rhythm, melody, harmony and form Chapter 8: Further study Preface This outline offers a concise and complete overview of basic music theory. In order to speed up consulting this online book, its chapters can as of now be found on separate pages; unfortunately the original one-page version exceeded acceptable download times, because of the length of the total materials presented.

. © Oscar van Dillen 2011-2014 Chapter 1: Introduction integrating hearing-reading-singing-writing. Random Song Form Structure Generator | Learn How to Write Songs. Learn How to Write Songs Random Song Form Structure Generator Use this online tool to generate song structures. This will provide you with ideas for creating good song frameworks. To create a new song form just click on the refresh button. Song Structure Parts Defined Here are some basic definition of each song structure part The verse is the part of the song that builds the story line. The The bridge or middle eight brings in a different element to the story line. The rap is a segment of the song where a vocalist raps the verse The solo is where there is an instrumental break in the song. The pre-chorus or lift will normally precede the chorus. An intro can be an instrumental riff or motif that sets the mood of the song. The outro is where you leave the song with improvisational vamping of the chorus or even a new musical ideas that concludes the song.

More Useful tool for Songwriters To download the free Song Writers checklist, please provide your email in form below. Enter Your Email Address: Jazz Progressions. Jazz Progressions are simply common chord progressions in jazz music. One of the most common progressions is the ii-V-I progression. The ii-V-I sounds at its best when you use seventh chords and their expanded voicings. As you already know from past lessons, the ii chord is a minor chord, the V chord is a dominant chord, and the I chord is a major chord. So the most basic Jazz progression is the ii minor 7 - V dominant 7 - I major 7.

In the key of C, this progression is Dm7-G7-Cmaj7. Below, you will find a few examples to experiment with in addition to a set of chord diagrams showing various ii-V-I progressions. Ethan Hein's Blog & Scales and emotions. See also a post about making chords from scales. So maybe you want to write a song or an instrumental in a particular mood or style, and you’re feeling overwhelmed by all the scales. Here’s a handy guide to the commonly used scales in Western pop, rock, jazz, blues and so on. Click each image to play the scale right in your browser with the aQWERTYon.

These scales have a major third (E in the key of C), which makes them feel happy or bright. Major scale Happy; can be majestic or sentimental when slow. Mixolydian mode Bluesy, rock; can also be exotic/modal. Lydian mode Ethereal, dreamy, futuristic. Lydian dominant mode Also known as the overtone scale or acoustic scale, because it is close to the first seven pitches in the natural overtone series. Phrygian dominant mode Exotic, Middle Eastern, Jewish. Harmonic major scale Majestic, mysterious. These scales have a flat third (E-flat in the key of C), which gives them a darker and more tragic feel. Natural minor scale (Aeolian mode) Dorian mode. AFFECTIVE KEY CHARACTERISTICS. Affective Musical Key Characteristics The association of musical keys with specific emotional or qualitative characteristic was fairly common prior to the 20th century.

It was part of the shared cultural experience of those who made, performed and listened to music. When Mozart or Beethoven or Schubert wrote a piece in a Ab major, for example, they were well aware of this was the 'key of the grave' and knew that many in their audiences were as well. We lose a part of the meaning of their music if we are ignorant of their affective choices.

Although these characteristics were, of course, subjective, it was possible to conceive of each key as unique because each key actually sounded distinct within unequal temperaments. C Major Completely Pure. C Minor Declaration of love and at the same time the lament of unhappy love. D♭ Major A leering key, degenerating into grief and rapture. D Major The key of triumph, of Hallejuahs, of war-cries, of victory-rejoicing. A♭ Major Key of the grave. The Chord Guide: Pt I - Chord Progressions. Chord progressions are the canvas on which musicians paint their masterpieces, and it’s a canvas which is a piece of art in itself. A chord progression can be subtle and in the background or it can be blatant and up front; it can be simple and catchy, or it can be technical and complex, it can stay in one key or it can change like the seasons. In any of these cases a chord progression is what drives the song as it literally shapes the music that accompanies it.

Chord progressions are like a cozy home where melody and rhythm can kick their feet up. All the songwriting giants, like John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Bob Dylan, to name a few, have/had a tremendous knowledge of the art of the chord progression. I’m not going to promise you tremendous knowledge, but I will offer you a good head start in the way of making your own music – in an easily digestible chunk to boot. Chord Progression Guide Major Chord Chart Above is a chord chart for the 7 most used keys.

Chord Theory. Harmony Explained: Progress Towards A Scientific Theory of Music. The Major Scale, The Standard Chord Dictionary, and The Difference of Feeling Between The Major and Minor Triads Explained from the First Principles of Physics and Computation; The Theory of Helmholtz Shown To Be Incomplete and The Theory of Terhardt and Some Others Considered Daniel Shawcross Wilkerson Begun 23 September 2006; this version 19 February 2012. Abstract and Introduction Most music theory books are like medieval medical textbooks: they contain unjustified superstition, non-reasoning, and funny symbols glorified by Latin phrases. How does music, in particular harmony, actually work, presented as a real, scientific theory of music?

In particular we derive from first principles of Physics and Computation the following three fundamental phenomena of music: the Major Scale, the Standard Chord Dictionary, and the difference in feeling between the Major and Minor Triads. Table of Contents People push different keys on a piano; some combinations and patterns sound good; others do not.