Articles tagged with: "tonic"
I-IV-V-I Chord Progression: The Foundation of Western Music
Explore the I-IV-V-I chord progression, the foundational harmonic sequence that underpins countless songs across genres. Learn how this progression creates musical movement and resolution, its historical significance, and practical applications …
Major Chords: The Building Blocks of Happy Music
Major chords are fundamental building blocks of music with a bright, happy sound. This article explores their structure (root, major third, perfect fifth), inversions, extensions, and applications across genres, providing …
Major Scales: The Melodic Foundation of Western Music
Major scales constitute one of the fundamental pillars of Western music, providing the basis for melody, harmony, and composition across centuries. This article explores the structure of the major scale, …
Pentatonic Scales: Universal Simplicity and Expression
Pentatonic scales, with their five notes per octave, are part of the musical traditions of virtually all cultures. This article explores the two main variants—major and minor—analyzing their structure, sonority, …
Secondary Dominants: Adding Color and Direction to Chord Progressions
Secondary dominants are powerful harmonic tools that add color, tension, and forward momentum to chord progressions. By temporarily "tonicizing" non-tonic chords, secondary dominants create brief harmonic detours that enrich musical …
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 progressions, from the classic …
Exotic Scales: Exploring Whole Tone and Octatonic Sonorities
Exotic scales like the Whole Tone and Octatonic (Diminished) offer composers and improvisers unique sonic textures that transcend traditional Western tonality. The perfectly symmetrical Whole Tone scale, built entirely of …
The Blues Scale: The Sound of American Soul
The blues scale, with its characteristic "blue note" added to the minor pentatonic, is a fundamental musical tool that captures the expressive essence of blues and has influenced countless genres …
Diminished Scales: Symmetrical Patterns in Music
The diminished scale is an eight-note symmetrical scale that alternates between whole and half steps, creating unique harmonic and melodic possibilities. This comprehensive guide explores its structure, historical development from …