Posts Tagged ‘musical theory’

What is Music Theory and Why Should I Learn it?

Wednesday, October 15th, 2008

Aside from the academic study of music theory, which explores the theories surrounding music issues, such as whether or not a piece of music fits into one category or another, music theory is really the nuts and bolts of music. It’s the way that music is composed, and performed. Whether you are thinking about musical harmony, the way a concerto is orchestrated, and even the simple basics of how to read music, then you’re thinking about aspects of musical theory.

The first question that many people just starting out on their music journey often ask is “Do I really need to know this stuff?” The answer depends on what you want to do with your music. There are many successful recording artists who can’t read music never mind distinguish a symphony from a sonata. This implies that you don’t need to have any knowledge of music theory in order to be a successful musician. However musicians who can do this to a great level are few and far between. Even if you are pitch perfect and can compose and play a piece of music entirely from memory, you can’t easily share this music with others unless they have similar skills.

Music theory allows musicians from all backgrounds to come together on a level playing field. Each of them understand the piece of music in front them. They know what key it is to be played in - vital if they want to create harmonies. They know what time it’s in so that they can get the beat right. The composer will have noted on the music manuscript how the piece is to be played - terminology that means slowly, softly, “with gusto” and so on. Those who compose understand the common music forms and by understanding the range of each instrument are able to combine different combinations of instruments playing harmoniously together. They know the instruments to work with for the kind of music they are composing, and can compose both melody and base lines that sound right whether played independently or together.

If you have a good ear for music and know the fundamentals of how your musical instrument works, then you may have no use for music theory. On the other hand, if you want to compose music that you’d like to share with other musicians, if you want to play with other musicians in an orchestra or band, or if you want to be able to play a piece of music that someone else has composed and you haven’t heard played, then some basic understanding of music theory is required.

Imagine that you can look at any music score and instantly be able to sight-read it, which means you could sit down with your instrument and by reading and understanding the notations made by the composer you are able to play that piece of music in the way that the composer intended. With little more than a basic knowledge of music theory, such as being able to read music and understand some simple, common musical terms, you could do that. Even if that’s not a skill you would use often, as a musician, isn’t it a skill you’d like to have?

For a complete course in music theory, please click here: Music Theory Course

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The Basics of Musical Harmony

Monday, September 15th, 2008

Musical Harmony

Many different elements comprise music. The basic rhythm and time signature make up one part, while the melody and chord structure make up another. Harmony is just one more of the important elements of musical compositions. But what is it and how is it used?

Musical harmony can be described in several ways. For a basic definition, harmony is simply two or more pitches played simultaneously. This is how basic chords are built. By combining multiple pitches, usually at least three, a chord is formed. There are a thousand different types of chord, even though many of these don’t appear in Western music.

Harmony is also defined as the counterpart to melody. For example, by adding a melodic line a major or minor third above the melody, a harmony is created. Whether the third is major or minor depends entirely on the scale used in the melody and chord progression. Using the wrong kind of third results in a musical clash, or dissonance.

Different kinds of harmonic structure result from using different intervals. The fifth is a commonly used harmonic device. This results from adding a note a fifth above the melody and is very universal. Most scales tones can be separated by a fifth, so there aren’t as many odd notes using this type of harmonic theory.

More complex harmonic structures require a greater knowledge of musical theory. Using the seventh is common to give the melody more of a blues or jazz feel. Jazz harmonies can often be quite complex, spanning the octaves to add ninths, 11ths or 13ths. These intervals can be hard to keep in tune when performed by vocalists, as the span between notes is great. Great vocal groups often use harmony to create chords with their voices.

One argument about harmony versus dissonance lies in the perspective of the listener. An extremely dissonant group of notes may sound absolutely beautiful to one set of ears, while sounding completely terrible to another. A lot of non-Western and avant-garde music uses the concept of dissonance to great effect. For example, a melody that begins with the C note may have C# an octave above it added. To certain listeners, this sounds absolutely frightful, while others sing its praises. Harmony is in the eye of the beholder.

Different harmonic ideas can be presented by using inversions. Inversions involve taking the lowest tone of a chord and transposing it up an octave. For example, a C major chord consists of the notes C, E and G. Taking the lowest tone, the C, and moving it up an octave creates the same chord with the notes E, G and C. This gives a different harmonic feel to the chord, allowing different notes to stick out more than others. This technique is very useful when devising harmonic movements.

Musical harmony is a simple concept, yet it contains so many variations that it is inexhaustible. With these simple rules, anyone can learn the basics of harmonization and be on their way to composing the next great song.

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How Can I Learn To Understand Music & Piano Playing?

Tuesday, August 12th, 2008

Understanding music & pianoHow Can I Learn To Understand Music & Piano Playing?

The graceful flourishes of a well-played piano masterpiece are sounds that many people would love to create. From trained professionals to child prodigies, a brilliantly

played piano can steal the show. But great lessons are costly and involve scheduling time away from your busy life. So how do you learn how to play the piano or deepen your

knowledge of the instrument?

Piano workbooks can provide a solid foundation in theory, an effective practice routine, and piano classics in one package. If you don’t have the time or money for lessons,

consider buying a few piano workbooks.

The obvious advantages of piano workbooks are the ability to set your own pace and practice at your convenience. Just sit down at the bench after dinner, crack open the

book, and hear your playing improve.

The only downside is that you must develop self-motivation to flourish when studying from piano workbooks. Like any great discipline, you must develop some kind of regimen

to progress. With a teacher, you’ll always have someone keeping track of how well you’re doing. By studying from a workbook, you’ll have to keep an eye on your own

progress.

Piano workbooks range from those that focus on the basics to those that provide a comprehensive explanation of musical theory. The best offer a good amount of theory,

exercise and musical notation. Whatever type of study you are seeking, there are certainly several piano workbooks available that suit your needs.

Some piano workbooks may be a look and listen experience. They may come with CDs that let you hear the examples listed in the book. This is great for the unsure learner who

may need more than just text to explain a concept. It’s also wonderful for hearing how an exercise is supposed to be played or how a particular piece is intended to sound.

Many books give examples of practice methods. Be sure to follow their instructions so that you don’t overexert your hand muscles, especially if you are a beginner or trying

advanced techniques. Warm-up your hands with simple and light playing for a little while before going into an extended run across the keyboard.

Workbooks also contain essential piano pieces that combine theory and technique into music. The pieces provided range from simple pop songs to classical standards that will

put your skills to the test. Piano workbooks often include biographical information on the composers of each piece so that you can learn the history of the instrument.

Besides simply playing, a deep understanding of the piano and pieces composed for it provides an appreciation for musical history.

Piano workbooks can offer an extensive training course to anyone willing to invest the time. Since they’re often compiled by a company, they contain more information than

any one person can offer. Though a book can’t make you practice, they can be a benefit to dedicated students. So when you decide to fancy yourself a pianist and set out to

master the works of Franz Liszt, consider the tutelage that piano workbooks can offer.

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Mastering Blues Keyboard Riffs

Tuesday, July 22nd, 2008

Playing blues keyboard riffs

In popular music, blues keyboard riffs are universal. From Billy Preston jamming with the Rolling Stones to Ray Charles kicking into “What I’d Say,” blues progressions and scales serve as the basis for legendary songs and amazing keyboard solos. One of the greatest aspects of blues keyboard riffs is the musical theory behind them, which is simple enough for beginners, yet still challenges virtuosos.

An important musical tool to understand when playing blues keyboard riffs is the pentatonic scale. The minor pentatonic scale is the basis for most blues solos. Its cousin, the blues scale, adds a flatted fifth in between the fourth and fifth of the minor pentatonic. The major pentatonic is also used in blues keyboard riffs.

If you’re not familiar with these scales, here are some examples. We’ll use the key of E. The minor pentatonic consists of the tones 1, b3, 4, 5 and 7. So in the key of E we would have E, G, A, B and D. To change this to the blues scale, add the flatted fifth, which is bB. This gives you the notes E, G, A, Bb, B and D. The major pentatonic consists of the 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6. In the key of E, this gives us E, F#, G#, B and C#. By learning these scales up and down the keyboard, you will have a base on which to build some awesome blues keyboard riffs.

So how do you make these scales mourn and wail like only the blues can? By knowing them inside and out, you can make musical theory sing. Running up and down scales will just make your blues keyboard riffs sound like finger exercises, but knowing how to blend major and minor pentatonic together will leave your listeners astounded. The key is to understand how blues keyboard riffs incorporate each scale over different chords.

For a basic twelve-bar blues progression, the choice of scale is open, with a few basic rules thrown in for good measure. One of the basic rules to keep in mind is that there are two easy scales to use over any one chord. If you’re playing over an E or E7 chord, you can choose to use the E minor pentatonic or the E major pentatonic. By alternating between the notes of these two scales, you’ll find a variety of notes from which to choose when playing blues keyboard riffs.

You can change any of the minor pentatonic to the blues scale for some added flavor. To do this in the major pentatonic, it may be easier to visualize the scale differently. Take the root of the chord and drop it a minor third. For example, if A is the root, then you would go down to F#. Now play a minor pentatonic in this key. You’re using the same notes as the A major pentatonic, just starting on a different root. Change it to a blues scale and you’ll have the notes F#, A, B, C, C# and E. Now you’ve got another blues scale to play over an A chord! It’s that simple, and it works for any key.

By mastering the use of these scales, you can play any blues keyboard riffs that come your way. The trick is to practice them until you no longer have to think about the notes; you just feel them under your fingertips. Then you’ll wail and mourn like only the greatest blues players can.

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