Articles tagged with: "altered chords"

Musical Intervals: The Building Blocks of Music

Musical Intervals: The Building Blocks of Music

Published on 15 Jul, 2025

Musical intervals are the distances in pitch between any two notes, serving as the fundamental element upon which melody, harmony, and scales are constructed. A strong understanding of intervals is...

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Understanding Musical Chords: The Building Blocks of Harmony

Understanding Musical Chords: The Building Blocks of Harmony

Published on 15 Jul, 2025

Chords are the fundamental building blocks of harmony in Western music. This comprehensive guide explores chord construction, types, functions, and applications across musical genres. From basic...

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Extended Chords: Adding Color and Sophistication to Harmony

Extended Chords: Adding Color and Sophistication to Harmony

Published on 15 Jul, 2025

Most musicians begin their journey by learning basic triads—the foundational building blocks of harmony. But to unlock the rich, complex sounds of jazz, R&B, and modern classical music, you need …

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The Ultimate Guide to the Dominant Seventh Chord

The Ultimate Guide to the Dominant Seventh Chord

Published on 15 Jul, 2025

If there's one chord that acts as the engine of Western music, it's the dominant seventh. You've heard its tense, unresolved sound countless times in everything from Bach to blues, …

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American Note Names (A-G): The Foundation of Music Theory

Published on 15 Jul, 2025

Music is a universal language, and like any language, it starts with the basics. In Western music, the foundation is built on the American note names (A-G). These seven letters …

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Unlocking the Maj7#5 Chord: A Deep Dive into its Sound and Application

Unlocking the Maj7#5 Chord: A Deep Dive into its Sound and Application

Published on 15 Jul, 2025

The Maj7#5 chord is a paradox: simultaneously floating and tense, beautiful and unsettling. This article explores its unique sonic qualities, from its theoretical construction as an augmented triad...

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Altered Chords: Adding Color and Tension to Your Music

Altered Chords: Adding Color and Tension to Your Music

Published on 15 Jul, 2025

Altered chords are a cornerstone of modern harmony, providing a rich palette of tension and release by chromatically modifying standard chord tones. This guide demystifies altered dominant chords,...

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What is a Musical Note? Understanding the Building Blocks of Music

What is a Musical Note? Understanding the Building Blocks of Music

Published on 15 Jul, 2025

A musical note is the fundamental building block of music, representing both a specific sound and a written symbol. Understanding its core properties—pitch, duration, dynamics, and timbre—is the...

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Secondary Dominants: Adding Color and Direction to Chord Progressions

Secondary Dominants: Adding Color and Direction to Chord Progressions

Published on 15 Jul, 2025

Secondary dominants are one of the most powerful tools in functional harmony, used to add color, tension, and forward momentum to chord progressions. By temporarily "tonicizing" chords other than the...

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