The naming of the modes can seem pretty confusing. Which note name do you use? What do you do with the key signature? Does the order of the modes matter? Today, I've got a four step flowchart for you to help you name any mode.

Can you name the key this piece of music is in? This music theory lesson explains how to look at a short extract of music and figure out the key without hearing it. This types of exercises are often met in theory exams, where you are...

How To Find The Key In Three EASY Steps

How to go about realizing more advanced figured bass, including how to read diatonic chords and seventh chords in figured bass and how to play a short passage from a figured bass. In this music theory lesson the figured bass system is...

We often see accidentals in music but they have different significance depending on the context. Accidentals might be flagging up a key change, or they might be decorative chromatic notes, or they might be signifying a minor key, or they...

When you look at a melody how do you know in which key it is composed? This music theory lesson presents a short piece and explains how to determine the key of a given melody. It also talks about modulation to a different key. How good...

A flowchart for reading the Key Signature

Accidentals in music can be very confusing. Today we will answer the questions you had from the last accidentals video about how sharps, flats, and natural signs work in music. First we will look at some simple examples. Then we will...

Find out how to borrow chords from the parallel key as a means of adding colour to your harmony and to understand how composers use this technique. This music composition lesson presents a short piece of harmony and demonstrates ways...

Today we look at one of music's most useful resources - the circle of fifths, and how we can build it.

Introduction to the Circle of Fifths

Just by looking at a melody can you work out which key it is in? How can you tell just by looking at the notes which key a melody is in, especially when there is no key signature? Even if you can work it out how do you know if it’s in a...

Today we take a look at how accidentals work and what they look like on sheet music. There are three main types of accidentals in music; the flat, the natural, and the sharp sign. But did you know there are other kinds of accidentals?

Introduction to sharps, flats, and naturals

Music scores are used by composers, conductors, and music students. Being able to read a music score can come in handy if you're studying a piece of music and it's easy IF you know how the music score is organized. In this video we will...

Accidentals in music can be very confusing. Today we will answer the questions you had from the last accidentals video about how sharps, flats, and natural signs work in music. First we will look at some simple examples. Then we will...

Learn how to work out the key of a piece of sheet music. In this music theory lesson we take a look at four extracts of music and practice working out their keys. You'll learn how to make sure you get the correct key by looking at the...

The basics of western notation