In this post I will show you some ways of being creative with pentatonic scales. In the end you can hear the music track I composed by taking the most from intervals and chord relationships that you can derive while… Read More »Composing with Pentatonic Material
A chord is a group of three or more notes played simultaneously that form the basis for harmony. Such notes come from the scale material we are using, or to which the chord notes relate to. In order to form… Read More »Chords
In Western music, a diatonic scale is a heptatonic scale where each tone is a degree of the scale. Each degree refers to the relative position of a particular note to the tonic, the first and main note of the… Read More »Scale Degrees and Leading Tone
A musical scale is basically a collection of notes that divide the octave in a certain number of scale steps. The reason why the pitches are organized within one octave is so we can proceed with the same notes or… Read More »Scales and the Overtone Series
In music, an interval is the relative distance between two notes that can be measured in tones or steps and, in the equal temperament system that uses twelve notes, the smallest measurable unit is a half-step or a half-tone. The… Read More »Intervals
Getting to know the musical elements Conveying emotions and experiencing emotions largely depends on social and cultural aspects, and that said, you should be aware of the emotional qualities you perceive when you listen to certain sounds, chords, rhythms, melodies,… Read More »Using the Musical Elements for Music Expression
The harmonic series is probably the most fundamental aspect upon which music can be understood. As we will see, it is the basis for an effective chord voicing, to understand chord tones and tensions, scale construction and also rhythm. Briefly,… Read More »The Harmonic Series
We make sounds to speak and when used properly in a coherent and intelligible way we are using a form of language. Music, as an art form and in its own unique way, also uses sounds and organizing them… Read More »Music as Language
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
