287 Answered Questions for the topic music theory

Music Theory Theory Practice Bass Guitar

06/03/19

Practicing triads/sevenths or both?
For eg, if we are learning the key of C, do we need to Learn all triads ie. ceg, dfa etc or can we just learn 7th chord qualities like CEGB, DFAC etc. and those will indirectly give access to the... more
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Music Theory Theory Scales Key

06/03/19

When we play the C mixolydian mode, are we still in the key of C?
Whenever we discuss the key of a piece, we usually describe it as either a major or minor key. And then, based on the intervals of the major or minor scale and the root note we define, we can... more
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Music Theory Piano Jazz Theory

06/03/19

To get to jazz do I just add a seventh?
I've been up until now just practicing triads on all major/minor keys. If I wanted to play jazz do I just add sevenths (ie dominant7, major7, minor7) to chords in my chord progressions or is it... more
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Music Theory Composition Theory

06/01/19

Tension and Tonic?
It is widely known that music "wants" to be resolved on the tonic. But does it mean that I can end with the tonic, let's say, one/two octaves higher or lower than the whole melody that is being... more
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Music Theory Jazz Theory Chords

06/01/19

Sharp 5 or flat 13? Sharp 9 or flat 10?
Let's say I'm in C major. I have a dominant altered chord built on G. This very popular voicing has the following tones (I'm including both enharmonic spellings for the accidentals): G B (D# or... more
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Music Theory Frequency Theory Octave

06/01/19

Speed of playing notes in different octaves?
Is it common for pieces to have lower notes played slower? Do instruments with lower registers typically play slower? I ask because notes in lower octaves are closer together in frequency. For... more
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Music Theory Intervals Theory Scales

05/31/19

Why do notes have multiple names?
I've seen the same note called different names for example the note F# can also be written as Gb. Why is this the case and are there times to use one name over another?
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Music Theory Guitar Theory Chord Theory

05/28/19

What are the advantages and disadvantages of an all-fourths guitar tuning?
What are the advantages and disadvantages of an all-fourths guitar tuning being E, A, D, G, C, F (the high E and B strings being raised a half-step from standard tuning). One reason to do this is... more
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Music Theory Theory

05/28/19

Notation without flats or sharps in equally tempered tuning?
Considering only equally tempered tuning, do full notes such as C, D, E, etc have any special characteristics compared to flats and sharps, so that they 'deserve' a separate letter? If no, would... more
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Music Theory Intervals Theory Harmony

05/28/19

Perfect fourth is dissonant when there's no note below it?
According to Walter Piston's Harmony book, a perfect fourth is dissonant if there's no tone below its lower tone, while it's consonant if there's a third or a perfect fifth below the interval. In... more
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Music Theory Theory Chromatic

05/28/19

Writing E♭ Chromatic Scale in E♭ Major?
For theory practice, I am being asked to write the E♭ Chromatic Scale in the key of E♭ Major. I've learned that it is generally advised to use sharps on the way up and flats on... more
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Music Theory Theory Chords Key

05/28/19

V chord becoming 7th? minor key?
Im analyzing a song that is in the key of e minor. And the chords for the song are: Em B7 Am Now, I'm no expert but from my theory I learnt a while back for a minor key the chords are: Minor-... more
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Music Theory Terminology Theory

05/28/19

Other than scale-degree 7, do other scale degrees have names for their altered forms?
In a major key, we have names for all seven scale degrees: - Tonic - Supertonic - Mediant - Subdominant - Dominant - Submediant - Leading Tone To this we can add the subtonic, scale-degree... more
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Music Theory Theory

05/27/19

Why is the whole note used as reference for "note length"?
We have a whole note, and then half note, quarter note, eighth, etc. I am wondering, why is it that way? If we think in term of beat, then the quarter note is the reference: there are 2 eighth note... more
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Music Theory Theory Chords

05/27/19

What are Secondary Mediants / Submediants?
I'm learning about secondary dominants and noticed references to secondary mediants and secondary submediants in a resource (Wikipedia). However, I haven't found any other references to them in... more
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Music Theory Composition Notation Theory

05/27/19

Understanding Time Signature: How do I identify the time signature of a song?
I have played music for years and I still don't understand what a time signature actually signifies. I understand it from a superficial sense. If given sheet music I could tell you what time... more
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Music Theory Theory Chords Harmony

05/27/19

Tonicisation of Secondary Dominant in D Minor?
Okay, so I'm basically just hoping someone can tell me if I'm on the right or wrong track here. I have to implement the technique described in the title in a piece I've written for an... more
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05/27/19

Trouble writing chord progressions in minor?
I've been composing in major for some time and decided to work in a minor key for practice. It's not going too well – I'm having trouble using common techniques in major, such as utilizing the... more
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05/27/19

Parallel chord substitutions?
Are parallel chord substitutions common in (classical) music (if so, please share some examples)? And do they have the same function as the original chords? By saying parallel chords I am... more
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Music Theory Writing Humanities

05/24/19

what are some questions I could ask regarding human culture and expression when it come to studying the song Home on the Range?
I am studying the song Home on the Range as an artifact and I need to come up with two questions regarding human culture and expression and I am stuck.
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Music Theory Theory

05/24/19

Tempo and Rhythm?
If an eighth note is half the duration of a quarter note, would the duration of an eighth note played at 60bpm be equal to the duration of a quarter note at 120bpm? If yes, why was the concept of... more
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Music Theory Guitar Theory Transposition

05/24/19

On a guitar, what keys correspond to different capo positions?
I've long had this question. I know some music theory, but I can only get a vague idea as to the progression of keys when moving the capo down a guitar's neck. I'm fairly certain that the guitar is... more
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Music Theory Theory

05/24/19

Why is the 11th often sharpened?
A book I'm reading suggests that there are two reasons that the 9#11 chord is more common than the 11th chord, and I don't understand either. > First, the natural 11th interferes with our... more
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Music Theory Theory Chords Chord Theory

05/24/19

Notes in an A13 chord?
Does an A13 chord include the 11th? Here's why I'm asking... If you google this chord for piano, sometimes the third (C#) is omitted and sometimes the 11th (D) is omitted -- but sometimes they are... more
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Music Theory Theory Chords Chord Theory

05/24/19

Why does Cdim7 contain an A instead of a Bb?
CM7 - C, E, G, B C7 - C, E, G, Bb Cm7 - C, Eb, G, Bb Caug7 - C, E, G#, Bb But... Cdim7 - C, Eb, Gb, A. Why Does Cdim7 contain an A and not a Bb?
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