What is going on in the harmony for the Legend of Zelda main theme otherwise known as “Overworld” by Koji Kondo? There are so many chromatic chords going on, so let’s dig in! First thing’s first, to know which chords are chromatic, we have to know what key we’re in. That means identifying the tonal …
Chromatic Harmony in The Legend of Zelda Main Theme (Overworld) Read More »
Common-tone modulation is the name of a specific way of changing keys in music, and if you want to change keys in a super dramatic and abrupt way, you can use this type of common-tone modulation. What this means is that the last chord in the old key that you’re coming from and the first …
Common-Tone Modulation in “Summer of ’69” by Bryan Adams Read More »
How secondary dominant chords are used in “Don’t Know Why” by Jesse Harris to add color and forward momentum
Chord progressions describe the way the order of harmonies can influence the overall sound of a piece of music, and most people don’t know that there are different ways of looking at them. If you’re reading this, you might be aware of traditions founded in functional harmony (if you know anything about Roman numeral analysis, …
Here’s how to make your chord progressions more interesting. One of the most freeing things you can learn as a musician is how to create your own chord progressions. This knowledge allows you to compose or improvise your own music or to interpret what’s going on in an already-existing piece of music. Of course, to …
How to Make Your Chord Progressions More Interesting Read More »
How to learn a song by ear: do you find it overwhelming or just don’t know how to start? The easiest way to get started is to break the song down into smaller pieces and focus on each one at a time. I am a piano teacher who had to learn to learn music by …
If you’ve ever wanted to play Chopin on the piano or need some advice for his more difficult works, this article is for you. The first 5 points cover some of the techniques you need to master to play Chopin on the piano, and the second 5 points focus on expression, how to take your …
10 Tips to Elegantly Play Chopin on the Piano [With Free ebook] Read More »
Beethoven’s Opus 119 is a collection of shorter works for piano. The Bagatelle is the first of these and displays his knack for placing entire worlds into mere measures. I could probably write a substantial, scholarly paper on just the last ten measures or so, but this post is meant to give you a broader …
“We Wish You a Merry Christmas” is a traditional English Christmas carol whose origins are unknown. Regardless of where it came from, it is a short and familiar tune that contains an interesting use of sequences and non-diatonic harmony. Exploring form, melody, and harmony in short, familiar tunes like this one provides an excellent entrance …
Anatomy of a Christmas Carol: We Wish You a Merry Christmas Read More »
Deck the Hall is a classic Welsh Christmas carol from the 16th century. From its long-lasting popularity, we can learn how looking at the harmony, melody, and overall structure of a piece contributes to our ability as performers to control more fully how we express emotion and narrative (if there is a story) in a …
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Musescore, Music xml, Midi, and Pdf file types included.
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Musescore, Music xml, Midi, and Pdf file types included.
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Musescore, Music xml, Midi, and Pdf file types included.
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Musescore, Music xml, Midi, and Pdf file types included.
Free
Musescore, Music xml, Midi, and Pdf file types included.
