Articles tagged with: "jazz harmony"
The Major Scale: The Foundation of Western Music
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The Perfect Octave: A Fundamental Interval in Music
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The 6/9 Chord: A Comprehensive Guide to Its Construction and Usage
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The Andalusian Cadence (Am-G-F-E): A Complete Guide to This Iconic Progression
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Mastering the Locrian Mode: The Complete Guide to Music's Darkest Scale
The Locrian mode is the seventh and final mode of the major scale, known for its unstable, dissonant quality. This article explores its construction, musical applications, and practical exercises to...
The Tritone: Understanding the Devil's Interval in Music
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The Tritone: Mastering the Devil's Interval in Music
Here are practical musical examples to demonstrate the tritone interval:
Perfect Unison: The Fundamental Building Block of Music
The perfect unison is the most fundamental interval in music theory. It occurs when two notes of the same pitch are played simultaneously. This interval serves as the building block …
Mastering the Mixolydian Mode: A Comprehensive Guide for Musicians
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Perfect Unison Explained: The Fundamental Interval Every Musician Should Master
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Major Seventh Chord: The Jazz Standard of Sophistication
The major seventh chord elevates the basic major triad with a rich, colorful extension: the major seventh interval. This creates a sophisticated, dreamy sound that is foundational to jazz, bossa...
Tritone (Augmented Fourth): The Devil's Interval
The tritone, an interval spanning six semitones, is arguably the most fascinating and historically significant interval in Western music. Known for its jarring dissonance and powerful need for...
Mastering the 6/9 Chord: Theory, Application, and Musical Examples
Here are practical musical examples to demonstrate the concepts:
Common Chord Progressions: The Building Blocks of Musical Harmony
Chord progressions are the harmonic foundations that drive musical compositions across nearly all Western musical styles. This comprehensive guide explores the most common and influential chord...
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Unlocking the Dorian b2: A Deep Dive into the "Phrygian Dorian" Mode
Often called "Phrygian Dorian" or, more commonly, Dorian b2, this mode offers a captivating blend of dark tension and bright resolution. As the second mode of the Melodic Minor scale, …
Unlocking the Lydian Dominant (Lydian b7): A Comprehensive Guide
Dive deep into the Lydian Dominant scale (Lydian b7), the sound behind *The Simpsons* theme and countless jazz solos. This guide breaks down its theory, shows you how to build …
Unveiling the Diminished Octave: A Musician's Guide to Dissonance
The diminished octave is a fascinating and highly dissonant interval that, while rare, serves as a powerful tool for composers to create tension, surprise, and deep emotional color. This article...
Minor Major Seventh Chord: The Mysterious Harmony
The minor major seventh chord (mMaj7) is a unique and sophisticated four-note harmony that combines the melancholic quality of a minor triad with the bright tension of a major seventh. …
Major Scales: The Melodic Foundation of Western Music
The major scale is one of the most fundamental pillars of Western music, providing the essential framework for melody, harmony, and composition across centuries. This article explores the structure...
Musical Intervals: The Building Blocks of Music
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...
The Neapolitan Major Scale: A Comprehensive Guide for Musicians
The Neapolitan Major scale is a fascinating and somewhat exotic scale that offers a unique sound palette for composers and improvisers. This scale, also known as the Lydian Dominant scale, …
Understanding Musical Chords: The Building Blocks of Harmony
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...
Decoding Bird Changes: A Deep Dive into Charlie Parker's Harmonic Labyrinth
This article provides an expert analysis of "Bird Changes," the iconic chord progression from Charlie Parker's bebop masterpiece, "Confirmation." We will dissect its advanced harmonic structure,...
The Blues Scale: The Sound of American Soul
The blues scale is a fundamental musical tool that captures the expressive, soulful heart of the blues and has profoundly influenced countless genres, from jazz and soul to rock and …
The Ultimate Guide to the ii-V-I Progression
The ii-V-I progression (pronounced "two-five-one") is more than just a sequence of chords; it's the fundamental grammatical sentence of jazz and tonal music. Found in countless standards, from...
Dominant Ninth Chord: Adding Color to Dominant Harmony
The dominant ninth chord (9) is an extended harmony that adds sophistication and color to traditional dominant function chords. Built by adding a major ninth interval to a dominant seventh …
Mastering the Locrian Mode: The Darkest Scale in Music Theory
The Locrian mode is the seventh and final mode of the major scale, known for its dark, unstable, and dissonant sound. Often considered the "darkest" of the seven modes, it …
Extended Chords: Adding Color and Sophistication to Harmony
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 …
Major Chords: The Building Blocks of Happy Music
Major chords are the bedrock of Western music, creating the bright, resolved, and "happy" sounds that power countless songs across every genre. This definitive guide breaks down their theoretical...
Understanding the Major Third: The Building Block of Bright Harmony
This article delves into the major third, a fundamental musical interval that is the key to creating bright, happy-sounding harmony. We define the major third (an interval of four semitones), …
The Ultimate Guide to the Dominant Seventh Chord
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, …
Half-Diminished Chord: The Sophisticated Minor Seventh Flat Five
Often called the Minor Seventh Flat Five (m7b5), the half-diminished chord is a cornerstone of musical sophistication. It masterfully balances the moody tension of a diminished triad with the smooth...
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Minor Third Interval: The Heart of Minor Harmony
The minor third interval, a span of three semitones, is the essential building block of minor harmony. It provides the melancholic, introspective, and soulful character that defines minor chords,...
Mastering the Natural Minor Scale: The Complete Beginner's Guide
Here are practical musical examples to demonstrate the concepts:
Mastering the Neapolitan Minor Scale: Theory and Practice
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The Major Eleventh Chord: A Dreamy and Complex Sound
This article explores the rich and sophisticated world of the major eleventh chord (Maj11) . We'll uncover its unique theoretical construction, explain its characteristic dreamy yet dissonant sound,...
Unlocking the Augmented Fifth: Your Guide to Musical Tension and Color
This article delves into the augmented fifth, a unique and colorful interval in music theory. We will explore its definition, its distinct, dissonant sound, and its crucial role in creating …
Mastering the Classic Rock I-IV-V Chord Progression
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Minor Ninth Chord: Unlocking Dark Sophistication in Your Harmony
The minor ninth chord (m9) is a lush, five-note harmony that infuses the moody quality of a minor seventh chord with the expressive color of a major ninth. This unique …
The Minor Third: Music's Melancholy Heartbeat
A fundamental musical interval spanning three semitones, the minor third is the essential building block of minor chords and scales. Its characteristically pensive, sad, or mysterious sound makes it...
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Exploring Modal Jazz: The Genius of "So What"
This article delves into the world of modal jazz, using Miles Davis's seminal composition "So What" as a primary case study. We will explore how this innovative approach broke away …
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Unlocking the Diminished Sixth: A Guide to Its Tense Beauty
Dive into the world of the diminished sixth, a fascinating and highly expressive musical interval. This article demystifies its tense sound, explains its unique theoretical properties (including its...
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Minor Seventh Chord: The Sound of Cool
The minor seventh chord is a four-note chord built from a minor triad with an added minor seventh. Its sound is often described as smooth, melancholic, or sophisticated, creating a …
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A Guide to Dominant Modulation: Changing Keys Like a Pro
Dominant modulation is a cornerstone of Western music, providing a smooth and powerful way to change keys. This article demystifies this essential harmonic tool, exploring what it is, how it …
American Note Names (A-G): The Foundation of Music Theory
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 …
Unlocking Coltrane Changes: A Deep Dive into Jazz's Harmonic Revolution
This article explores the complex and influential harmonic concept known as "Coltrane Changes." We will deconstruct this revolutionary chord progression, examine its theoretical underpinnings, and...
The Minor Pentatonic Scale: A Comprehensive Guide for Beginners
Here are practical musical examples to demonstrate the concepts:
Unlocking the Maj7#5 Chord: A Deep Dive into its Sound and Application
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...
The Complete Musician's Guide to Altered Dominant (7alt) Chords
Here are practical musical examples to demonstrate the concepts:
Mastering the Mixolydian Mode: From Theory to Practice
The Mixolydian mode is one of the seven musical modes derived from the major scale. It is often described as a major scale with a flattened seventh (♭7), giving it …
The Chromatic Scale: The Foundational Alphabet of Western Music
The chromatic scale is the complete set of twelve pitches used in Western music, with each note separated by a semitone. This comprehensive guide explores the scale's structure, history, and...
The Dominant Eleventh Chord: A Guide to Its Sound, Soul, and Function
This article demystifies the dominant eleventh chord (V11), a sophisticated harmony that defines the sound of modern jazz, funk, and gospel. We explore its theoretical construction, the crucial...
Sus4 Chord: The Classic Suspended Harmony
The sus4 chord (suspended fourth) is a triad where the third is replaced by a perfect fourth above the root. This creates a distinctive, open-sounding harmony with a strong tendency …
Decoding the Augmented Seventh: Music Theory's Curious Interval
This article demystifies the augmented seventh, a fascinating and rare musical interval. We will explore its unique characteristic of being enharmonically equivalent to a perfect octave, meaning it...
The Perfect Fifth: Music's Strongest Interval
The perfect fifth is arguably the most important musical interval after the octave. Spanning seven semitones, its pure, stable sound makes it the bedrock of harmony in Western music and …
The Sonic Shapeshifter: Mastering Diminished Modulation
Discover the power of diminished modulation, a sophisticated harmonic technique that uses the unique, symmetrical nature of diminished seventh chords to create dramatic and seamless key changes. This...
Unlocking Harmonic Journeys: A Guide to the Extended II-V Progression
This article offers a comprehensive guide to the Extended II-V progression, a cornerstone of jazz and modern harmony. We'll break down how this chain of related chords creates powerful forward...
Read moreMastering the Perfect Eleventh: The Ultimate Interval Guide for Musicians
Here are practical musical examples to demonstrate the concepts:
The Essential Guide to the vi-IV-I-V Chord Progression in Alternative Rock
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Altered Chords: Adding Color and Tension to Your Music
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,...
Unlocking the Secrets of the Minor 13th Chord
The minor 13th chord is a lush, sophisticated harmony that often functions as a point of resolution in jazz and contemporary music. This article demystifies its theoretical structure, explains the...
Minor Sixth Interval: The Melancholic Beauty
In the rich tapestry of musical intervals, the minor sixth holds a special place. It possesses a powerful emotional duality: a sound of profound sadness and longing, yet one that …
Understanding the Major Thirteenth Interval
The major thirteenth is a compound interval that adds a sophisticated, airy, and often dreamy quality to music. Extending beyond a single octave, it is a cornerstone of advanced harmony, …
Minor Chords: The Emotional Core of Music
Minor chords are fundamental components of music, renowned for their melancholic, introspective, and emotionally complex character. This comprehensive guide delves into their theoretical structure,...
Perfect Fifth Interval: The Pillar of Musical Harmony
The perfect fifth interval, spanning seven semitones, is arguably the most important harmonic interval in Western music after the octave. Its pure, stable sound comes from a simple acoustic ratio...
Unlocking Symmetrical Sounds: A Deep Dive into the Whole-Half Diminished Scale (Synthetic Scale 1)
This article provides a comprehensive guide to the octatonic scale, also known as the diminished scale or Synthetic Scale 1. We deconstruct its two primary forms—the Whole-Half and...
What is a Musical Note? Understanding the Building Blocks of Music
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...
The Composer's Secret Weapon: A Deep Dive into Chromatic Modulation
This article explores the powerful and expressive technique of chromatic modulation. We'll demystify how composers use chromatically altered chords, enharmonic respellings, and clever voice leading...
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Secondary Dominants: Adding Color and Direction to Chord Progressions
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...
Bossa Nova Chord Progressions: A Guide to the Brazilian Sound
Bossa nova chord progressions are the heart of the genre, blending the harmonic complexity of American cool jazz with the subtle, syncopated rhythms of Brazilian samba. This guide explores the...
12-Bar Blues Progression: The Foundation of American Popular Music
The 12-bar blues is the most important and influential chord progression in the history of American popular music. This foundational harmonic cycle, built on the I, IV, and V chords, …
Unlocking the Augmented Third: A Rare and Expressive Interval
Dive into the augmented third, a rare but powerful interval in music theory. This article demystifies its structure, its enharmonic relationship with the perfect fourth, and its crucial role in...
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Decoding Giant Steps: The Pinnacle of Modern Jazz Harmony
This article delves into John Coltrane's seminal composition, "Giant Steps," a cornerstone of modern jazz. We will dissect its revolutionary chord progression, known as "Coltrane Changes," exploring...