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Music History

05/06/19

What are the practical reasons for still having transposing instruments?

I understand that historically there was a need for transposing instruments. e.g. Brass instruments would use lead pipes to change their key and players in brass bands would like to stick to the... more

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Music History

05/06/19

Vivaldi's "The Four Seasons", Who Chose the Title?

Did Vivaldi himself choose the title "The Four Seasons" and the titles for each of the four concerti, or they're chosen by publishers?

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Music History

05/06/19

Record Label Instrumentals?

Does anyone know if record labels keep a copy of every instrumental of every song produced by their producers? I know that there are places online that have regenerated or reproduced instrumentals... more

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Music History

05/06/19

How did "Mary had a little lamb" become popular blues?

`"Mary had a little lamb"` had long been a popular choice for blues musicians to jam and solo on stage. Ever since watching the rendition by Buddy Guy and Stevie Ray Vaughan, it also had been one... more

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Music History

05/06/19

Why did it take so long for keys with several accidentals to become common?

(I am referring mostly to the common practice period.) Before the advent of well temperament in the 1700s, moving very far from C was not done often because of the mean temperament causing out of... more

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Music History

05/05/19

How has country music evolved in the last fifty years?

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Music History

05/05/19

Chord Roles/Reputations?

Does there exist literature examining the particular psychological/emotional role/reputation of each chord in a movement? (For example, I am currently infatuated with IVmaj7, which is to say I... more

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Music History

05/04/19

Why was the Forte-Piano abbreviated as 'Piano' and not as 'Forte'?

Piano is often just short for Forte-Piano, the instrument's christened name. Why is it that the more common name did not become the Forte? Is that just a thing that fate decided or was there... more

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Music History

05/03/19

Was the pitch A given that letter because the minor key was originally the "basic" mode?

It's something that's puzzled me; The key that has no sharps and no flats, in essence the "basic" key, is C Major. Well, fine, but why C? Why not label that key and note A, if it's the foundation... more

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Music History Music Film

04/29/19

Was the song "What a Feeling" made for the movie Flashdance, or did it come out before then?

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Music History

04/28/19

How did the harmonium and violin become an integral part of Hindustani music?

The Harmonium hails from Germany and it is not an Indian instrument. Also, it is a equal tempered instrument. But the harmonium is a very common accompanying instrument in Hidustani Classical and... more

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Music History

04/28/19

Fux counterpoint: why is it in the modal system?

Assuming Fux's counterpoint was written in 1752, why are there some references to the modal system and none to tonality? I mean... 1752 is way beyond the end of modality! Composers already had the... more

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Music History

04/28/19

Succinct Definition of "Western vs. Non-Western Music"?

Does anyone have a succinct way of defining "Western Music" as opposed to "Non-Western Music"?

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Music History

04/28/19

Erhu vibrato before Western contact?

Was vibrato known as a technique in China before the introduction of Western string instruments? How common was it to use vibrato when performing the erhu?

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Music History

04/28/19

When did keyboard partitions start to use the G-clef for the upper staff ?

When you look at very old sheetmusic (for harpsichord or organ), you see that the upper staff has a C-clef, first line. The lower one is the familiar bass F-clef, fourth line.Why and when did the... more

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Music History

04/28/19

What is the history of classical music?

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Music History

04/28/19

What types of guitars are used for spanish music?

I am fascinated by Spanish guitar music, and I have started exploring it. I have heard classical music like Gypsy Kings, Taranta, Romance, etc.Does anyone here know what types of guitars are used... more

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Music History

04/27/19

Scales in modal versus tonal music?

When tonal music replaced modal music, why were 6 of the 8 scales (modes) used in modal music abandoned in favor of only two, major and minor? Superficially this would look like a reduction in the... more

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Music History

04/26/19

Was alto in the past lower in pitch than where they are today?

I wonder why alto clefs are so low that they doesn't seem to match the range of alto(female low voice). Why did J.S. Bach use alto clef so much for the middle part of his fugue? Is it because alto... more

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Music History

04/25/19

Why is Debussy's Clair de Lune not considered a nocturne?

Leaving the title of the piece aside, it sounds evocative of the night, though compared to what I've listened to from Chopin's nocturnes for example, it sounds more descriptive than... more

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Music History

04/20/19

Where did the symbols ♭ and ♯ originate from, and why those?

We're all used to flat and sharp signs, also naturals. Accidentals in some cases. But why those unusual signs? I suspect the ♭ may have something to do with the German B, but the ♯ sign? Something... more

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Music History

04/20/19

Where did the British names for different note lengths come from?

I was always taught to use a certain set of names for the length of a note, such as crotchet, minim, quaver, and so on. I'm aware though that those terms aren't used as much outside the UK, and... more

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Music History

04/20/19

Why is a 2-5-1 progression so often associated with JAZZ?

Why is a 2-5-1 progression so often associated with JAZZ?? Is there something inherent in this progression that makes it sound jazzy? Or rather, is it just that jazz people started to use it,... more

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Music History

04/20/19

What led to the historical predominance of the four-part harmony in Western Music?

Introductory music theory heavily empasizes analysis and writing of music with four-part harmony, putatively the basis for music at the beginning of the common practice. Why did four-part voice... more

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Music History

04/20/19

The origin of "Battle Ends And Down Goes Charles' Father"?

The order of the flats is given by the mnemonic "**B**attle **E**nds **A**nd **D**own **G**oes **C**harles' **F**ather", and the order of sharps by the reverse ("**F**ather **C**harles **G**oes... more

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What are the practical reasons for still having transposing instruments?

Vivaldi's "The Four Seasons", Who Chose the Title?

Record Label Instrumentals?

How did "Mary had a little lamb" become popular blues?

Why did it take so long for keys with several accidentals to become common?

How has country music evolved in the last fifty years?

Chord Roles/Reputations?

Why was the Forte-Piano abbreviated as 'Piano' and not as 'Forte'?

Was the pitch A given that letter because the minor key was originally the "basic" mode?

Was the song "What a Feeling" made for the movie Flashdance, or did it come out before then?

How did the harmonium and violin become an integral part of Hindustani music?

Fux counterpoint: why is it in the modal system?

Succinct Definition of "Western vs. Non-Western Music"?

Erhu vibrato before Western contact?

When did keyboard partitions start to use the G-clef for the upper staff ?

What is the history of classical music?

What types of guitars are used for spanish music?

Scales in modal versus tonal music?

Was alto in the past lower in pitch than where they are today?

Why is Debussy's Clair de Lune not considered a nocturne?

Where did the symbols ♭ and ♯ originate from, and why those?

Where did the British names for different note lengths come from?

Why is a 2-5-1 progression so often associated with JAZZ?

What led to the historical predominance of the four-part harmony in Western Music?

The origin of "Battle Ends And Down Goes Charles' Father"?

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