Category Archives: 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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Strong beat and weak beat, downbeat and upbeat: let’s define these concepts clearly

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Strong beat and weak beat

Rhythm is an essential element of music.
For this reason it is necessary to understand how it is really structured and how it gives music the feature of movement.

Today we will go more in-depth into this concept and introduce some fundamental concepts including:

what are downbeat and upbeat
what are rhythmic accents
what distinguishes strong beat from weak beat
why strong beat is so important in melody and harmony

Learning material of this lesson

5 videos	20 mins
1. Why music is motion	2m 54s
2. What are downbeat and upbeat	1m 51s
3. Binary, ternary and quaternary rhythmn	3m 21s
4. Rhythmic accents: strong beat and weak beat	4m 28s
5. Two considerations about the importance of strong beat	7m 27s

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What is the enharmonic relation and which are the advantages that it offers?

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The enharmonic equivalents

In the previous lessons we took an in-depth look at the tempered system. We are now able to understand why its introduction is necessary in music practice.

Today, other than this subject, we will look at the most important consequences linked to the use of the tempered system and learn about what is known as ‘enharmonic relation’.

As you will see, we will learn the huge potential of using enharmonic sounds in the development of harmony. Since 1700, all great composers have used in their composition the resource of enharmonic relation.

From today, you can learn how it is possible to use this.

Enjoy the lesson!

Learning material of this lesson

5 videos	18 mins
1. Equal tempered scale and harmonic relation	2m 15s
2. What are enharmonic equivalents	3m 20s
3. The first consequence of using of enharmonic relation	4m 15s
4. The second consequence of using of enharmonic relation	3m 17s
5. The third consequence of using enharmonic relation	5m 15s

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Why D sharp and E flat are two different notes with the same pitch

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The equal tempered system

In starting to study music theory, many people try to apply it to the keyboard or a piano but find themselves faced with difficulties.
It is important to understand that the same black keys have different names, for example G sharp and A flat.

You may have even wondered the reason of this, especially in studying the theory of intervals. Perhaps you have also asked yourself if the C – D shrp interval is the same as C – E flat interval.

In the lesson today, we will try to give an explanation to this and find where this ambiguity comes from.
In this way we will explore the world of music systems that have been used throughout the history of music.

Most importantly, we will introduce a new and very important concept:

The Equal Tempered scale

Learning material of this lesson

4 videos	17 mins
1. The problem of black keys and how to determine the pitch of notes	4m 23s
2. The first two musical systems	4m 03s
3. How can G sharp and E flat have a different pitch?	5m 20s
4. The equal tempered system and the main consequence of its introduction	4m 03s

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What consonances and dissonances are and how to recognize them at any time.

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What are consonances and dissonances?

Music is made of continuous alternating between moments of tension and rest.
We have already mentioned how in the scale some notes have a dynamic role (dominant and leadin tone), while others have a function of rest (tonic). When overlapping sounds, we can create either a sensation of stability or of tension and thus create a harmonic interval.
Depending on the possible combinations, we are able to obtain very different sensations of hearing.

Today’s lesson includes various things:

We will see in depth consonances and dissonances
We will introduce an important concept, the resolution of a dissonance.
We will learn to classify different intervals and when an interval is consonance or a dissonance

At the end of the videos you will find a pdf table classifying the consonance and dissonance intervals.

Learning material of this lesson

4 videos	22 mins
1. What consonances and dissonances are	3m 46s
2. The way to classify intervals in consonances and dissonances	4m 56s
3. Practical examples of consonances and dissonances	6m 04s
4. What is ‘resolution’ and its important consequences in studying harmony	6m 50s
+ 1 pdf files

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Musical intervals, how to properly name them (third part)

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Minor, augmented and diminished intervals

In the last lesson we learned to recognize the perfect and major intervals. You will surely have heard of many other interval types: minor, augmented and diminished intervals…

In what way can we recognize these types of intervals?

Today we will look at this topic not only in an in depth way but also in a simple one so that you will be able to learn the method of recognizing in any moment all the possible intervals. This will be crucial not only in the study of musical theory but also and mainly in understanding chords and harmony in general.

If you have followed these lessons you will be sure to enter totally (highfive) in the world of harmony! I suggest that to get the most from this lesson , to print the pdf file which you can find attached at the end of the video.

Learning material of this lesson

5 videos	42 mins
Intro	1m 26s
1. Above and below major intervals	13m 17s
2. Above and below perfect intervals	11m 00s
3. Practice	10m 58s
4. How to find the specific name for intervals wider than one octave	5m 47s
+ 3 pdf files

Intro

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Musical intervals, how to properly name them (second part)

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Major and perfect intervals

In today’s lesson we will start to learn the specific name of intervals.
In fact it is not enough to know that an inteval is fourth or seventh but we have to add other information in order to have a complete name.

All this is really important to be able to enter the world of chords and harmony. We will speak of diminished seventh chords, augmented sixth, dominant seventh and diminished fifth.
It is crucial for you to be able to recognize the intervals which are part of the chords so you will have to know how to identify both the general and specific name.

In this lesson, I will teach a very simple method which allows you to identify quickly on the piano any type of interval, even the most complexed ones.
Furthermore you will find a printable pdf table which will help you follow these lessons and in the future be able to identify the specific name of an interval.

To understand as much as possible in these lessons, I suggest you first attend the following lessons:

Learning material of this lesson

4 videos	26 mins
Intro	2m 24s
1. The specific name of an interval	5m 33s
2. Major intervals	7m 55s
3. Perfect intervals	9m 42s

Intro

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Why are there three types of minor scales and how to find all the notes (Part 2)

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How to find all the notes of the minor scales

Today I will show you a sure method which will enable you to find instantly the notes of all three types of minor scales.
As you will see, this will be very useful in all cases, not only in harmony and composition but also in playing scales at the piano or on other instruments … It will no longer be necessary to memorize the notes or find them on the music piece. In each moment you will be able to find them on your own.

The relations between musical scales

However I think this lesson is fundamental also for another reason: The introduction of three minor scales will open the door to another universe. Thanks to these minor scales, everything from harmony to composition will appear differently. The simple introduction of minor scales offers many new opportunities. So let’s start exploring this new universe…

Preview of this lesson

Learning material of this lesson

6 videos	48 mins
Intro	1m 15s
1. How to find all the notes of minor scales pt.1	8m 12s
2. How to find all the notes of minor scales pt.2	7m 30s
3. Two examples of applying this method	11m 22s
4. The minor keys	9m 00s
5. The relations between major and minor scales	12m 07s

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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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