Metric Dissonance and Expression in “Iris” by the Goo Goo Dolls
“Iris” by the Goo Goo Dolls: what makes this song so good? In this post, I explore how the band uses metric dissonance techniques to create an expressive sense of yearning
music theory
Chromatic Harmony in The Legend of Zelda Main Theme (Overworld)
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 …
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How to Use a ♭VII Chord in Your Music
♭VII Chords are a type of borrowed chord (a.k.a. modal mixture) that falls under a larger umbrella of chromatic harmony. Chromatic harmony refers…
Write Better Chord Progressions 4 Different Ways
Write better chord progressions: if you feel like your chord progressions are boring or aren’t expressing exactly what you want them to, try approaching harmonies from different perspectives. Often, the most helpful creative tool is just coming at a problem from a different angle. Here are 4 different ways to help you write better chord …
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Common-Tone Modulation in “Summer of ’69” by Bryan Adams
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 …
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Secondary Dominant Chords: Don’t Know Why by Jesse Harris
How secondary dominant chords are used in “Don’t Know Why” by Jesse Harris to add color and forward momentum
Be Your Own Chord Progression Generator
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, …
How to Make Your Chord Progressions More Interesting
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 …
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How to Learn a Song by Ear
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 …
Announcements: August 2021
I’ve been a busy bee behind the scenes, which means you haven’t seen too many new posts in a while. But now, most of the behind-the-scenes work is done, and I’m excited to share the news with you! Brand New Layout Hope you enjoy the new layout of the site! It should be much easier …