Generally speaking, and in the world of art, repetition reminds and accentuates norms and values, repeating sensations and emotions such as fear, insecurity, anguish, love, happiness, etc., experiences that are lived repeatedly. Repetition has in its essence memories that may… Read More »Repetition and its Importance in Music
Each of these modes can be found by playing its one octave range, or ambitus, on the “white key” notes on a piano, or C major scale. The important thing was the pattern of half steps and whole steps within… Read More »The Medieval Church Modes
An ostinato refers to a pattern or motif that keeps repeating throughout a music passage. It is not solely associated to rhythm executed on percussive instruments but also to rhythm associated to melodic and harmonic instruments. An ostinato can be… Read More »Ostinatos
A Neapolitan chord is a major chord built on the flattened second scale degree (the super-tonic) of a major or minor scale. For example, the Neapolitan chord in the key of C major, or minor, would be a Db major chord. These chords often resolve… Read More »Neapolitan Chords
It is a harmonic or monophonic effect used for accompaniment where a note or chord is continuously sounded throughout most or all of a piece. The main differences between a drone and a pedal point is that the first is… Read More »Drone
Like a plainchant from liturgical music, a cantus firmus is a pre-existing melody that forms the basis for a polyphonic composition (one with several independent voices or parts), and it was used as a compositional tool. During the 11th and… Read More »Cantus Firmus
After the appearance of the collection of articles “The Origins of Music” (Wallin, Merker, Brown, 2000) the subject was a debated topic of human evolutionary history. There are currently many hypotheses (not necessarily conflicting) about the origins of music. Some… Read More »“Motherese” and the Origins of Music
The term Bel Canto refers to the Italian-originated vocal style that prevailed throughout most of Europe during the 18th century and early 19th centuries. This vocal style and technique was not restricted to beauty and evenness of tone, legato phrasing,… Read More »Bel Canto
Although not being the sole element present in a musical composition, pitch may be associated with melody, scales and chords. The association of pitch to a natural and distinctive human quality is the voice and thus it is with no… Read More »Relating Extra-Musical Cues to Music Theory Concepts
First off, music technology provides us with the tools to do the job. However, it is also true that solely relying on it produces less than optimal results, musically speaking. The market is flooded with composers for media and newcomers… Read More »Is Music Technology Lowering the Quality Bar for Modern Composers?
Have you ever thought about how you can explore the emotional character and characteristics of expressivity through music? All the implications aroused while trying to answer this question is the reason why I compose the way I do. I… Read More »Expressing Emotions Through Music
Do you think you are spending more time figuring out what would mechanically fit into a song rather than just let it flow? Has anyone had to deal with this kind of problem at some point? This has to be… Read More »How Music Theory is (not) Killing Your Creativity
It was a movement that took place during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries where the music composed was more focused on suggesting and conveying an atmosphere, moods and emotions by means of harmonic and melodic contrasts at… Read More »Impressionism in Music
It is a geometrical representation of the relationships among the twelve tones of the chromatic system – all the notes in the equal temperament; their corresponding key signatures and associated major and minor keys. If you start in C and… Read More »Circle of Fifths
