Howcast -Learn how to play major versus minor keys on harmonica from music teacher Marcus Milius in this Howcast video.

Which are the most common approach chords? Learn how to form a diminished 7th chord, how to key reference a diminished 7th, and how to locate inversions of diminished 7ths. This music composition lesson then explores the most commonly...

How to extend basic triads into chords using added 7ths, 9ths, 11ths and 13ths. Having considered how to construct these chords we explore how to use extended chords in four part harmony, discovering which notes we can omit from each...

This lesson begins by working through each of the chords in major and minor keys explaining which are major, which are minor and which are augmented or diminished. The video moves on to explore how to hear the difference between major...

There are many different types of vocal ranges in music and sometimes music is not written in a key that fits into a vocal range very well. One thing we can do to help the vocalist is transpose the music. In this tutorial I will show you...

Learn about the most commonly used borrowed chords and chromatically altered chords. Many composers and arrangers find themselves limited to diatonic chords and lack the confidence to use borrowed and chromatically altered chords. Yet...

Many people struggle to know how to harmonize repeated notes. This music composition explores three strategies for dealing with such situations by harmonising the same note repeated six times. The first strategy is to consider the...

Find out how to draw the Circle of Fifths and why it's so incredibly useful! Learn how to use the circle of fifths to work out all the major keys, all the minor keys and all their key signatures. Useful for understanding keys and key...

How well do you know the circle of fifths? Test your knowledge with this short quiz. The Circle of Fifths tells you everything you need to know about major keys, minor keys, and key signatures. This music theory lesson presents a...

Harmonizing a melody using chromatic chords and advanced harmonic techniques to effect modulation to extreme keys. The melody to be harmonized includes an extreme modulation from Eb to B major before travelling back to Eb major. This...

Can you answer all the questions in this Circle of Fifths quiz? The Circle of Fifths tells you everything you need to know about major keys, minor keys, and key signatures. This music theory lesson presents a light-hearted quiz that is...

Minor key harmony can be very complicated. Many people are reasonably happy about choosing chords to harmonize a melody in a major key but minor keys present particular challenges, especially when trying to figure out your way around the...

Now that we've built the circle, how do we use it? What all can we do with the Circle of Fifths?

Learn about the two systems for labelling chords in the Roman Numeral system, namely Basic Roman and Extended Roman. In this music theory lesson the construction of diatonic chords is explained, followed by the labelling of those chords....

Composing music in different styles using the same chord progression. Have you ever experienced the frustration of finding a sequence of chords you really like the sound of but have been unsure about how to compose a melody to fit those...

Are you struggling to get started in writing a chord progression? If you want to use chord V what are the best options for chords to follow? This music composition lesson gives you plenty of options for chords that progress well from...

This music composition lesson takes an opening bar and demonstrates how to modulate into three different closely related keys. The opening bar is used as a departure point for modulations to the dominant, the subdominant and the relative...

Are you struggling to get started in writing a chord progression? If you want to use chord VII what are the best options for chords to follow? This music composition lesson gives you plenty of options for chords that progress well from...

What is doubling the major third? How do you know if its a major third? Can you double thirds? Why is doubling a major third bad? This music composition lesson explains one of the rules of writing four-part harmony, namely the advice to...

Basic overview of musical modes

What is the Difference between the Ionian Mode and the Major Scale

I've gotten a lot of questions over the last 5 years. Some of them more than others, so today I'm starting an FAQ series. The note names in Western Music seem to be a little off? Why is the key with no sharps or flats C major and not A...

How to transpose a melody from one key to another. Suitable for students preparing for Grade 5 theory exams. Are you confused about transposition? Do you need to transpose some music by playing or writing out music in a different key? Do...

What is the difference between 3/4 and 6/8 time signatures? Mathematically it appears that 3/4 and 6/8 are two versions of the same thing. On the face of it, there may appear to be little difference between music in 3/4 time or music in...