Music Matters
Harmonizing a Chromatic Scale is Not Impossible - Music Theory
Learn how to harmonise a chromatic scale. Starting with harmonising diatonic scales, the video moves on to using secondary dominants then to using chromatic chords and to using chords in a less functional way. This music theory lesson...
Music Matters
Harmonic Surprises in All I Want for Christmas is You - Composer Insights
Discover three harmonic surprises that occur in Mariah Carey’s famous Christmas hit, “All I want for Christmas is you”. Many song composers find themselves using familiar and predictable chord patterns, and they would love to discover...
Music Matters
Elaborating an Upper Voice When Using an Ascending Bass Scale - Music Composition
An idea for elaborating an upper melodic line over an ascending scale in the bass line. Ascending scales in the bass can be awkward to harmonise satisfactorily without generating parallels. This pattern illustrates one way of handling...
Music Matters
Alternating Inversion Chords when Harmonizing a Descending Bass - Music Composition
We explore one idea for harmonising a descending scale in the bass line. Many people find it easier to harmonise an ascending scale than a descending scale and most people find it easier to harmonise a scale at the top of the texture...
Music Matters
How to Harmonize a Fast Moving Melody - Music Composition
Discover how to harmonise a fast moving melody with chords. The temptation is to harmonise every note, resulting in a harmonic rhythm that moves too quickly. We explore how to determine which notes are harmony notes / chord tones and...
Music Matters
How to Write a Crab Canon - Writing Canon
Learn the meaning of ‘crab canon’ then proceeds to compose an example so you can see how to do it. In a crab canon, one part works forwards while a second part simultaneously works the same music in reverse. This means that one part has...
Odd Quartet
How To Build Seventh Chords
Today I want to talk about seventh chords. Seventh chords are a type of four note chord used in western music. The two types we will talk about today are the Major Seventh and the Dominant Seventh. We will go over how to build them note...
Music Matters
Why is White Christmas So Popular? - Composer Insights
We explore what makes the harmony of this iconic Christmas song so iconic and durable. Irving Berlin’s song from 1940 includes a rich blend of diatonic, extended and chromatic chords, which skilfully add distinctive character to the song...
Music Matters
Using a Slow Moving Theme with Cantus Firmus - Music Composition
We explore how to write a free moving line over a sustained melody presented in long notes. The example here uses the first two phrases of “Happy Birthday to you” set as a cantus firmus in long notes in the left hand, while the right...
Music Matters
Hallmarks of Chopin's Poetic Style - Composer Insights
Chopin’s E minor Prelude is one of his most popular and most beautiful Preludes. What makes the impact of this piece so poetic? This composer insights lesson begins by examining the melodic line in the right hand. Through much of the...
Music Matters
How to Vary the Harmony for Repeated Notes - Music Theory
Many composers and students of harmony worry about harmonising repeated notes in a melody. Repeated notes can make for melodic stagnation and the remedy is often to create harmonic interest but how is this achieved? This music theory...
Music Matters
Creating a Moving Bass Line - Music Composition
Discover how to transform a piece of music that is using block chords into a much more engaging presentation with a moving bass line. Taking the opening of the British National Anthem this music composition lesson demonstrates how to...
Music Matters
Bach Goes Wacky - Inside the Mind Bach
The key movement is fast and chords do not always resolve as expected. In particular, we discover how Bach uses a number of unresolved dominant 7ths back to back, making this a radical approach for Baroque times. Discover what Bach is...
Music Matters
Using Minor 5 Chords - Music Composition
We consider the possibilities for using chord V as either a major or a minor chord. In the harmonic minor context used by most composers since 1600 chord V is always major but in the context of the descending melodic minor scale and in...
Music Matters
Identifying Non-Chord Tones - Music Theory
This music theory lesson works through a short passage of music identifying all the non-chord tones or inessential notes. The video explores the harmonic outline of the piece before covering an explanation of passing tones, passing notes...
Music Matters
Augmentation and Diminution Techniques - Music Composition
How to incorporate augmentation and diminution into a piece of music. This music composition lesson begins with a melodic line supported by a moving bass and goes on to demonstrate how the melodic line can be presented using augmentation...
Learn French With Alexa
Practise your French Apporter VS Emporter
In this episode of Alexa's 'Practise Your French' series, Alexa helps you practise Apporter VS Emporter.
Curated Video
What is NATO?
NATO, or the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, is a coalition of democratic capitalist countries from Europe and North America. It remains perhaps the single biggest deterrent against nuclear war today.
Curated Video
Balancing Act Part 1: Finding Harmony in a Busy Life
Welcome to "Balancing Act," a series designed to help you navigate the complexities of life and find harmony amidst the many responsibilities and challenges you face. In this first episode, we explore the concept of balance and its...
Religion for Breakfast
Understanding Wuwei: The Daoist Art of Going With the Flow
Wuwei is a core concept in Daoist philosophy that involves letting go of control and letting things happen naturally. It's often translated as "non-action," but it's not about being inactive or passive. Instead, it's about aligning with...
Mediacorp
The Harmony of Religions and Cultures in Malaysia
This video investigates the integration of Buddhism into Malaysian culture and the success of having religious harmony. The Heart of ASEAN: episode 4, part 4/11
Two Minute Music Theory
Intro To The Harmonic Series - TWO MINUTE MUSIC THEORY #31
Music is made by sound waves. The objects that make those waves make complex waves. Which create what we call Harmonics. Today we look at some Music Physics and get an intro to the Harmonic Series.
Two Minute Music Theory
Music and Mythology, Education, and Theory (Greece, Part 2) - Music In History
It's hard to separate the study of Greek music into different categories since they were all so interconnected...but we're going to try! Today's Episode features research and commentary from Dr. Emily Williams Burch, who joins me to talk...