Category Archives: Music Reading and Theory

The secret of really understanding modulations: the circle of fifths (part 3)

The circle of fifths

What do we mean with the term ‘circle of fifths’?
Why the tonalities are sorted in a circle?
Why do we need the enharmonic relation to create the circle of fifths?

These are some of the questions we will answer today. Then we will understand all the practical benefits of the using of circle of fifths.
At the end of the lesson we also introduce the essential concept of ‘closely related keys’ and we find a very quick method to find all the closely related keys.

In this way, after these video lessons you are ready to use modulation in a very effective way!
To get the most of this lesson I suggest you to watch before the following videos (if you haven’t already done):

The Equal Tempered System and the Enharmonic relation (part 1)

The Equal Tempered System and the Enharmonic relation (part 2)

Learning material of this lesson

6 videos	39 mins
1. Introduction to the lesson	3m 20s
2. The fifth relation and the circle of fifths	4m 53s
3. How can we obtain the circle of fifths	7m 23s
4. Closely related keys and distantly related keys	10m 53s
5. How to understand modulations through the circle of fifths	4m 50s
6. The major scale degrees and closely related keys: a very strong relation	7m 05s
+ 1 pdf files

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The secret of really understanding modulations: the circle of fifths (part 2)

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The fifth relationship

Is there an easy way to know the key signature for every tonality?
The answer of course is yes and today I will show a step by step method to do it.

This is not the only topic we approach today: in fact we will also introduce the ‘fifth relation’ which allows us to understand more in depth modulation and how all the keys are tied to one another.

Have a good lesson!

Learning material of this lesson

5 videos	30 mins
1. Introduction to the lesson	4m 07s
2. The fifth relation between major keys	7m 09s
3. The fifth relation between minor keys	3m 36s
4. Key signature and fifth relation	5m 26s
5. A very easy method to find the key signature for any tonality	10m 02s

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The secret of really understanding modulations: the circle of fifths (part 1)

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How to understand relations between keys

What does ‘to modulate’ mean?
‘Modulation’ is the switching from one key to another.

Up to now in our video lessons we have worked only in one key at a time, but when we compose we often need to switch from one key to another. In order to be able to modulate in the right way, we need to understand in depth relationships between the different tonalities which are all tied together.

For this reason today we will start learning relations between keys that will allow us to understand modulations in depth.

Learning material of this lesson

6 videos	29 mins
1. The relations between tonalities	3m 17s
2. Different keys, common notes	6m 40s
3. A typical feature of tonalities, the key signature	4m 52s
4. Flat keys	3m 55s
5. The key signature for minor keys: permanent and temporary accidentals	4m 18s
6. Relations between major and minor keys	6m 13s

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Music Reading: the tie, dotted notes and other rhythmic figures (Part 8)

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Other rhythmic figures

In today’s lesson we will end this cycle of video lessons in which you have learned many new rhythmic figures.

Today we will improve even more our skills in music reading.

In fact you will find many new music reading exercises to practice with all the different figures.

But, maybe more important, we will introduce 2 new rhythmic figures. We will learn them from a theoretical point of view and understand how to read them.
Even in this case you will be able to immediately play them, thanks to some practical video exercises.

After all these video lessons you have reached a high level in music reading!

Learning material of this lesson

7 videos	21 mins
1. Introduction to the new lesson	2m 23s
2. First figure: eight note rest and a couple of semiquavers	3m 40s
3. Practice (first figure)	1m 57s
4. Exercise to learn to play (first figure)	2m 23s
5. Second figure: dotted crotchet and a couple of semiquavers	7m 05s
6. Practice (second figure)	1m 42s
7. Exercise to learn to play (second figure)	2m 52s
+ 1 pdf file
+ 11 audio files

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Music Reading: the tie, dotted notes and other rhythmic figures (Part 7)

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Double dotted quavers

Today we will cover a very important rhythmic figure:

The double dotted quaver.

This is a very common figure but since it is quite complex to read, people often find some difficutlies with it.
For this reason today we will learn in depth how to read double dotted quavers.

In this lessons we will cover many other topics such as:

what are demisemiquavers
how to read demisemiquavers
how to read double dotted quaver plus a demisemiquaver
how to play double dotted quaver plus a demisemiquaver

To make the most of the material in this lesson, I suggest you to read the Introduction page of this cycle of lessons. (go to link).

The exercise to learn to play double dotted quavers

Learning material of this lesson

6 videos	27 mins
1. Introduction to the new lesson	4m 09s
2. What are demisemiquavers and how to read them	5m 36s
3. Double dotted quavers (theory)	6m 04s
4. Double dotted quavers (practice)	6m 34s
5. Music reading practice	1m 44s
6. The exercise to learn to play double dotted quavers	2m 33s
+ 1 pdf file
+ 10 audio files

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Music Reading: the tie, dotted notes and other rhythmic figures (Part 6)

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Double dotted crotchets

What is a double dotted crotchet? It is an essential and very common rhytmic figure:

Today we will focus on this new essential musical element: we will learn double dotted crotchets in depth and practice through many music reading exercises.

As usual you will also find a video to learn to play double dotted crotchets.

To make the most of the material in this lesson, I suggest you to read the Introduction page of this cycle of lessons. (go to link).

Have a good lesson!

Learning material of this lesson

4 videos	19 mins
1. Introduction to the new lesson	2m 12s
2. Double dotted crotchet (theory and practice)	12m 59s
3. Music reading practice	1m 59s
4. Exercise to learn to play double dotted crotchets	2m 24s
+ 1 pdf file
+ 9 audio files

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With a Free account you gain immediate access to 15 lessons of piano, theory, harmony, music reading and composition (36 videos).

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Music Reading: the tie, dotted notes and other rhythmic figures (Part 5)

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Double dotted notes

Up to now we have covered many different elements to prolong the sound, such as dotted notes, tie, etcetera

Today we will introduce some new essential tools in music reading, double dotted notes.

How do we read double dotted notes?

Toady we will focus on this very important topic.

As usual you will find several music reading exercises to put into practice everything you learn.

To make the most of the material in this lesson, I suggest you to read the Introduction page of this cycle of lessons. (go to link).

Learning material of this lesson

4 videos	14 mins
1. Introduction to the new lesson	2m 23s
2. Double dotted notes: how to read them	6m 40s
3. Music reading practice	1m 54s
4. Exercise to learn to play double dotted minime	2m 51s
+ 1 pdf file
+ 9 audio files

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Music Reading: the tie, dotted notes and other rhythmic figures (Part 4)

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Dotted quavers

What are the dotted quavers?

How can we read them?

Today we will focus on this new musical element and we will also introduce a very common rhythmic figure made up of a dotted quaver and a semiquaver:

We will learn in depth how to read and play this figure.

Moreover we will practice by mixing all the different musical elements that we already know with the new rhythmic figur

To make the most of the material in this lesson, I suggest you to read the Introduction page of this cycle of lessons. (go to link).

Have a good lesson!

Learning material of this lesson

5 videos	21 mins
1. Introduction to the new lesson	2m 33s
2. The dotted quaver (theory)	2m 41s
3. The dotted quaver (practice)	11m 22s
4. Music reading practice	2m 26s
5. Exercise to play the dotted quaver	2m 08s
+ 1 pdf file
+ 10 audio files

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With a Free account you gain immediate access to 15 lessons of piano, theory, harmony, music reading and composition (36 videos).

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Music Reading: the tie, dotted notes and other rhythmic figures (Part 3)

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Dottes notes

Today we introduce something fundamental in music writing:

The dotted notes.

What are dotted notes?
What effect do they have on notes?
How can we read and write dotted notes?

These are only some of the questions we will answer.

Moreover as in all lessons, you will find lots of music reading exercises with audio podcast for practice.

Have a good lesson!

Learning material of this lesson

6 videos	23 mins
1. Introduction to the new lesson	2m 45s
2. Dotted notes	3m 43s
3. The dotted crotchet	5m 56s
4. A trick to read music as best as possible with dotted notes	5m 30s
5. The practical exercise of music reading	2m 58s
6. The exercise to learn to play dotted notes	2m 08s
+ 1 pdf file
+ 11 audio files

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With a Free account you gain immediate access to 15 lessons of piano, theory, harmony, music reading and composition (36 videos).

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Music Reading: the tie, dotted notes and other rhythmic figures (Part 2)

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The group made up of a quaver and a couple of semiquavers

In the lesson today, we will introduce a new and very important rhythmic figure:

The group made up of a quaver and a couple of semiquavers:

This figure is used very much in written music and therefore it is very important to learn to read it well.

Today will learn to read music correctly and learn to do practical exercises which allow you to play the music immediately on your instrument.

To make the most of the material in this lesson, I suggest you to read the Introduction page of this cycle of lessons. (go to link).

Have a good lesson!

Learning material of this lesson

6 videos	18 mins
1. Introduction to the new lesson	3m 31s
2. The difference between the tie and the slur	3m 15s
3. The quaver group plus semiquaver couple: theoretical explanation (part 1)	6m 59s
4. The quaver group plus semiquaver couple: theoretical explanation (part 2)	6m 53s
5. Practical exercise	2m 30s
6. Exercise to learn to play the quaver group plus the semiquaver couple	2m 04s
+ 1 pdf file
+ 11 audio files