344 Answered Questions for the topic Theory

03/19/19

When did the half-step/whole-step modulation in the middle of a song become popular?
Many pop songs in modern times will use a half step or a whole step modulation in the middle of a song in order to increase excitement. I would like to know when this strategy started, and if it is... more
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Theory Music Theory

03/19/19

Why diatonic chords and not always major, always minor, etc?
Why is it important to stay within the key, i.e., to use diatonic chords (minus modulation and key changes)? My intuition is that if the song is supposed to be happy, ergo if it's to use major... more
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03/19/19

What is the most convoluted standard musical form?
In musical composition, we tend to reuse sections of a piece in patterns that are referred to as "musical forms". Some basic examples of these that I know of are ABA, AABA, ABAB, and the rondo form... more
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03/19/19

Shouldn't all music intervals have five names?
Shouldn't technically all intervals have five names? (Maybe with few exceptions where it goes below zero semitones but still I can't see why it can't go below zero semitone when it can be... more
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03/19/19

Is it possible to understand and enjoy classical music just by listening, without music theory knowledge?
Pretty much every book out there which claims to teach the readers to appreciate classical music, has significant amount of theory in it. Ex: What to listen for in Music by Aaron Copland. Is it not... more
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03/19/19

Which scales have a major chord built on second note? Which scales have a minor chord built on the seventh note?
Which base scales (base scale meaning not modes) have a major chord built on the second note? (In which scales is the II chord a major? Is this the proper nomenclature?) Which scales have a minor... more
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03/19/19

Finding the "Starting point" when creating a composition or score?
This is a fairly simple one, and hopefully not too wide-open to be permitted here: what approaches are available when sitting at a fresh screen or sheet of paper, or at your instrument, to create... more
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03/18/19

Does the ability of reading and writing music on staff help with learning music fundamentals?
As I see it, notation on sheet music is a tool for translating musical ideas into something that can be read/interpreted by others and played back, given they understand the same set of rules. I... more
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03/18/19

Do capable harmony singers sing in just intonation or tempered tuning?
Given that the human voice is capable of microtonal adjustments to an infinite degree and not limited by the fixed tuning imparted upon an instrument such as a piano - I am wondering if singers who... more
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03/18/19

Term for distinguishing dim/perfect/aug intervals from dim/min/maj/aug ones?
There are two types of intervals, distinguished by their possible qualities: - Unisons, fourths, fifths, and octaves (and their compound variants) may be of perfect or (multiply)... more
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03/18/19

Why are certain scales considered unstable?
The Locrian Mode is considered unstable - my question is what in it makes it unstable? What makes a scale stable (have better relation between the keys)?
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03/18/19

Why did composers write atonally?
Can anyone tell me the best justifications for writing atonally by the composers who did so? Did anyone, including Schoenberg, explain what "freeing the dissonance" means? Does it imply that he... more
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Theory Music Theory

03/18/19

Is the Benny Hill Theme inherently comedic?
The question is in the title. I have tried to answer it for myself, using my knowledge of music theory, and have come up with nothing. I thought it might be the V & I bass pattern, the... more
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03/18/19

Do modes exist in the harmonic / melodic minor scales?
I'm trying to get my head around modes and the tonal center. In my understanding the natural minor scale is the same as the Aeolian mode. However, when considering the mix-up that happens in the... more
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03/18/19

How can you tell the chords of a piece of music if you can only hear bass and melody?
How can you tell the chords of a piece of music if you can only hear bass and melody? There are a lot of possibility that it can be more than a single chord..Also, would be better like this.. To... more
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03/18/19

What are ways to use the palindromic property of a palindromic scale?
A palindromic scale, as I've seen it described on a number of music theory websites, is defined as one whose sequence of intervals is the same when ascending and descending. For instance: D Dorian... more
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03/18/19

Is it possible to write a song without a key?
"This song is in F Major", "That song is in A Minor", "This song is in D Minor, but modulates to F Major in the middle", etc. Can we say "This song has no key"? Are there songs that have/follow no... more
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03/16/19

Do piano composers often start out with C major?
I'm wondering if composers write their pieces starting with C major since it's just the white keys, and then later transpose the finished song to the key of their choice? Or will starting with... more
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03/16/19

What exactly should I have to learn to understand why certain combination of chords are harmonic when played in a sequence?
I'm pretty sure that there's a lot of theory in finding combinations that are melodical/harmonical. There must be a way to say that 3 different chords are likely to form music. That given 2 chords,... more
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03/16/19

The meaning of Coda?
What does "Coda" mean in music? I don't understand, and it appears in many articles about "sonata form" but I still don't know.
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03/15/19

Is the secondary dominant the same if my target chord is a major or minor of the same root?
Say my **target chord** is D major or D minor in two separate keys. For example let's say D major is in the key of G major (the V chord) and let's say the D minor is in the key of F major (the vi... more
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03/15/19

Do modes exist in the harmonic / melodic minor scales?
I'm trying to get my head around modes and the tonal center. In my understanding the natural minor scale is the same as the Aeolian mode. However, when considering the mix-up that happens in the... more
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Expert Answers •3

03/15/19

Which guitar chord sounds like A# note on the keyboard?
I am composing a tune using Ableton. The basic composition contains the note 'A#', and I want to add some acoustic strumming to it. However, I am new to guitar playing as well and can't seem to... more
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03/15/19

Does it really make difference to play a song in a different key?
I hear sometimes players and composers say that this song won't sound good in F Major for example, and you should play it or write it in G Major. In other words, it seems that they assign aesthetic... more
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03/14/19

Relationship between 3/4 and 4/4?
I understand the meaning of music notations such as 3/4, 4/4 and so on. The first number is the number of beats per measure, while the second number is the note-duration (quarter, half, one-eighth)... more
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