Starting out in music can feel overwhelming at first. The world of music seems huge, and there’s a lot to take in. But just like any language, music has its own rules and building blocks. That’s music theory: the ideas and structures underneath the songs we love. When you get comfortable with these basics, you …
If you make music, there’s almost no way to avoid the Circle of Fifths. It’s everywhere—woven into the basics of harmony, scattered through key changes, and even hiding inside the catchiest chord progressions. At first glance, it’s just a simple circle with a dozen notes around it. But don’t let that fool you. This clever …
Chords and progressions are at the heart of music composition, laying down the foundation where melodies, rhythms, and emotions find their home. These harmonies chart the course for a listener’s ear, shaping the mood and structure of everything from a simple folk tune to the sweeping arrangement of an orchestra. It’s no accident that certain …
Music is more than just notes strung together—it’s a woven tapestry of sound shaped by the forces of rhythm and meter. These two elements quietly set the stage for everything else, forming the groundwork on which melodies unfold and harmonies come alive. They decide when notes hit, how long they last, and how groups of …
Music is all about the way sounds interact and blend—a conversation, really, between melody and harmony. The melody grabs your attention first with its memorable shape and feeling, leading you through one musical event after another. But it’s harmony that turns a simple tune into something much deeper. If melody is the storyline, harmony paints …