327 Answered Questions for the topic music theory

06/21/19

How to modulate from minor to parallel major?
I'm trying to find a good modulation from Dm to D. I know that I could use Dm-A7-D but it feels a bit to unsophisticated. I thought that I maybe could do something like Dm-X-C-X-Em-X-D where X is... more
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Music Theory Theory Harmony

06/20/19

Is the diminished chord of the minor scale not used as much as the others?
I'm wondering if the diminished diatonic chord (ii-dim) in the minor scale functions like the major scale, where it's not used as often as the other six diatonic chords?
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Music Theory Theory Scales Modes

06/20/19

Do all modes make another mode when inverted?
I may just being going crazy but I was writing some music theory and noticed that if you reverse the whole steps and half steps of a mode it becomes another mode. (W= whole tones H= half... more
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Music Theory Terminology Theory Chords

06/20/19

Are there any cases that a minor triad can be a dominant chord?
Okay so that is quite a weird question, but are there any possibilities? And in a natural minor key does a minor v count as a dominant?
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Music Theory Theory Chords

06/20/19

Is the basis of classical music triads while the basis of jazz is sevenths?
I'm just wondering if this sounds right. It seems like the basis of jazz harmony makes use of seventh chord and classical music the basis is triads?
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Music Theory Composition Theory

06/19/19

Harmony or Melody First in Composition?
I'm wondering if when composing one would start with an idea for harmony such as a chord progression, or does one start on the melody side maybe developing a melodic motif. What comes first, or... more
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Music Theory Intervals Theory

06/19/19

How does one measure the interval between two pitches?
What is the procedure for measuring the interval between two pitches? How do I know if something is a fifth, sixth, or something else? Why, for instance, is C to D a second even though we only go... more
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06/18/19

How do I use the Omnibus Progression to Modulate from I to iv?
I am composing a piece in which there is a modulation between the keys of Db major and F# minor. Is it possible to use the omnibus progression to smoothly execute this modulation? If it is... more
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Music Theory Theory Chords

06/18/19

Do seventh chords and extended chords create more dissonance?
I'm wondering if seventh and extended chords are used to create dissonance/tension where the more you get to the basic triad the more consonant the sound. So C major > C major 7 > C major 9... more
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Music Theory Notation Theory Scales

06/17/19

Do the notes in a scale have to be played in order?
Beginner here, it seems like a scale just defines a particular set of notes that don't have to be played in any order to me. But if you look at A minor pentatonic scale you have A, C, D, E, G, yet... more
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Music Theory Composition Theory

06/13/19

Does a cadence cover all "punctuation marks" in a musical phrase?
Does a cadence cover all "punctuation marks" in a musical phrase?
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Music Theory Composition Theory Chords

06/13/19

How to compose a Shout Chorus?
How do you compose a [Shout Chorus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Refrain#Shout_chorus)? I don´t know how to start and I need to compose one for Wine and Roses.
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Music Theory Intervals Theory Scales

06/13/19

Harmonic/Melodic Minor in Keys?
How does one find the key to a scale like harmonic minor, or is out of key?
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Music Theory Terminology Theory

06/13/19

Does a walking bass line usually consist of chord tones?
Do we define a walking bass by it consisting of mainly chord tones? So it's just a skeleton of a chord progression? What if it wasn't just chord tones, would it still be considered a walking bass... more
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Music Theory Theory Meter Rhythm

06/12/19

4/4 vs 3/4 time signatures?
I'm new to music theory so I'm sorry if my question is trivial. Is it correct to say that, in practice, the only difference between 4/4 vs. 3/4 time signatures is where the accents are located? To... more
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Music Theory Jazz Theory

06/12/19

How can I pick a minor II - V on a Real Book standard?
I'm having trouble understanding when to play minor7♭5 and dominant7♭9 chords. This is definitely because I didn't pay enough attention during my lessons (sorry teachers). I'm... more
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06/12/19

Can chord substitutions take place unrestrictedly without invalidating a progression?
Can chord substitutions take place unrestrictedly without invalidating a progression?
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06/11/19

Formalizing "surprising, yet inevitable"?
My music teacher told me that one property of great music is that it is both surprising and inevitable - you don't expect something, but looking back you see that it has been carefully prepared... more
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Music Theory Theory Arpeggios

06/11/19

Is it possible to accomplish a Shepard tone effect with arpeggios instead of scales?
Is it possible to accomplish a Shepard tone effect with arpeggios instead of scales?
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Music Theory Theory

06/11/19

How are Dorian and Aeolian different?
In, e.g. the Drunken Sailor, we start the melody on a Dm chord then go down to a Cmajor chord. Well, it ends the melody on the D note but...we seem to rest a bit on C as well. It's like C is not... more
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Music Theory Theory Scales Accidentals

06/11/19

Correct Notes for C## in Harmonic Minor Scale?
Is the following scale correct for C## Harmonic Minor? C##, D##, E#, F##, G##, A#, B# I read on a good music theory page and they had B## as 7th note in the key, so I was wondering, but I'm... more
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06/10/19

Are chord progressions used in classical music?
Apart from Pachelbel's Canon which uses (I V vi iii IV I IV V) I didn't see any other classical music that uses chord progressions (?) Think Bach, Beethoven, Mozart kind of classical. Would it be... more
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Music Theory Theory

06/10/19

Can songs in a major key be sad?
Can songs in a major key be sad?
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Music Theory Theory Transcription Rhythm

06/10/19

How to tell the time signature of a song by listening?
Every song has some kind of time signature; even if different parts of the song have different time signatures, there is always a time signature. When learning a song by ear and no score, knowing... more
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Music Theory Notation Theory Tempo

06/10/19

4/4 corresponds to 12/8 but 4/4 =/= 12/8?
How is it possible that a 4/4 signature corresponds to a 12/8 signature ? 4/4 is equal to 1 and 12/8 is more than 1 . If i try to divide a 1/4 in 3 notes i get 1/12, not 1/8 as the 12/8 should be.
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