Beyond Music Theory

A Guide to Music Expression

Introduction:

In this short online course you will look into ways of giving meaning to your music by using the musical elements according to your intentions. 

The Elements of Music:

A step by step guide through the elements of music and how they can be applied in practice.

Case Study #1:

An example of how the management of the music elements can be used creatively to make music

Case Study #2:

A more in depth example of how the management of the music elements can be used to bring forth your ideas.

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- Alternatively, you can also follow this course using YouTube.

Today we will be looking at an example of how chromatic mediant relationships can sound by creating unexpected harmonies and also some tips on things you can do with rhythm to surprise your listeners.

Suggested links:

In this episode we will be looking at some tips that you can use to create chord progressions and start making your next song. I also did a little bit of that, as you will listen throughout the episode. It was the result of mirroring technique, diatonic and chromatic voice-leading all put together using common chord progressions and changing them a little bit so it’s not more of the same.

Hello and welcome! In today’s episode, I’ll be approaching a question that will always be open for debate as each and every one of us listens to and thinks about music differently. Nonetheless, all boils down to a musician’s ability of hearing sounds in its head. And the questions is: Where do musical ideas come from?

Supporting Links:

In this post we will be looking at some practical uses for modal interchange. First of all, what is it? This is a technique that consists in temporarily borrowing chords from a parallel tonality or mode that shares the same root without abandoning the established key. If any of these concepts sound unfamiliar to you, check out the links in the description that will take you to the appropriate blog entry:

In this episode, I will be telling you what quartal harmony is and how you can use it in your music. I will also be looking at the melody harmonization process with these chords and explore some ideas for it. As usual, below are links for supporting posts in case you are not following the approached concepts in this episode:

In this episode you will listen to you how I used mostly pentatonic materials to compose a track and I'll take you through the thought process of extracting the information I needed for chords and melodies. During the episode I talk about some concepts that if you are not familiar with them you can read all about by following the links:

In today's episode I will be approaching a technique that can be used as means to create, release, prolong tension and even preparing the harmonic transitions while you are going  from chord to chord. It is a way of creating harmonic interest and  depth. Typically, the effect can be found at the end of phrases or in  cadences, but you don't have to feel restricted by this, as you will  hear. 

Other References: