Do you know how to identify the value of the notated silences known as ‘rests’ when reading sheet music? While listening to a song, it’s common to overlook the pauses and silences, as your ear naturally gravitates towards active elements like lyrics, catchy melodies, or rhythms. Rests contribute significantly to music’s structure and expression. Understanding …
Musical rests: types, symbols & duration Read More »
When you start learning the piano, one of the first things you’ll hear about is rhythm. But what does that really mean? Rhythm is simply the timing of the notes you play — it’s what makes music move and feel alive. It’s the steady beat you tap your foot to and the pattern of long …
Understaning rhythm in music: simple guide for beginners Read More »
Music is a language, like all languages it uses characters and symbols to communicate meaning. Musicians use different note symbols to communicate the duration of notes in music. In this article, we will learn about whole notes, half notes and quarter notes. These note values are the basic units of time in music, almost like …
Understanding basic note values: quarter, half, and whole notes Read More »
Middle C is often the first note the beginners learn to identify on the piano. It is a solid foundation to begin any piano study. How to find middle C on the piano Middle C is quite easy to find on the piano. Take a minute to look at the keyboard. Do you notice any …
Middle C on the piano: how to find it & why it matters Read More »
A melody is the sequence of notes that create a musical phrase, often the most memorable part of a song. Whether you’re listening to a pop song or a classical piece, the melody is what often sticks with you. Melody doesn’t exist in isolation—it’s closely linked with other musical elements like rhythm and harmony. While …
Melody in music: Understanding the core of music Read More »
If you want to start playing jazz, learning a few key scales is one of the fastest and most effective ways to get there. Scales are sets of notes that help you understand melodies and get to grips with jazz. Jazz scales are groups of notes that can help give jazz its unique and colorful …
Mastering jazz scales: a beginner’s guide to getting started Read More »
Have you ever wondered what a seventh chord on piano is? 7th chords are commonly found in genres like jazz and blues and are synonymous with the sounds of the genres. These interesting piano chords add a bit more flavour than standard chords and are great tools for composers and performers to learn. In this …
Mastering 7th chords on piano: a complete guide Read More »
Music theory often feels like a treasure hunt, uncovering new gems that can transform your playing and composing. Today’s focus is quartal, quintal and secundal harmonies. Let’s explore these three fascinating ways to build chords that break away from western traditional norms. Whether you’re a seasoned pianist or just starting out, understanding these harmonies can …
What are quartal, quintal and secundal harmonies? Read More »
Have you ever heard a song and been captivated by its smooth transitions or groovy bassline? You’ve already experienced the magic of slash chords. These versatile musical tools are the secret behind many iconic pieces. Slash chords add depth and emotion that elevates simple chord progressions to breathtaking compositions. What exactly are slash chords and …
Slash chords: what are they and how to use them? Read More »
Have you ever wondered how musicians effortlessly create melodies and harmonies, or what is a scale degree? Scale degrees are fundamental to grasping music theory, helping you understand the structure of music more efficiently. A scale in music theory is a sequence of notes played in ascending or descending order with a specific interval structure. …
Scale degrees explained: know your musical notes Read More »
Music theory is the toolbox every musician uses and whatever level you’re at you can always learn something new and exciting to add to it. Theory is an essential aspect of music that provides a foundation for understanding the mechanics and structure of music. One of the most useful concepts in music theory is the …
Circle of fifths: how It works and why it matters Read More »
Have you ever looked at a piece of piano music and noticed that it is split into two parts? These two parts show the treble clef and bass clef. Together these clefs describe which notes to play in which hands. Most beginners learn to read the treble clef first. This means that much less time …
Mastering bass clef: a guide to notes & reading Read More »
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