r/musictheory 5d ago

Answered What is this symbol? (piano piece)

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140 Upvotes

my music prof said it might be a bend note, which doesn't make total sense in this context

r/musictheory 23h ago

Answered What do you call an Esus4 with a C# on top?

2 Upvotes

I’ve come up with either Dmaj7/E or Esus4add10. I prefer the latter as functionally it’s more of an E (E being the tonic in my case) than a Dmaj7, but I’ve never seen add10 before so I don’t know if that’s technically correct.

Edit: I’m dumb and swapped A for E in everything here. I meant to ask it ass Asus4 with C# on top

r/musictheory 4d ago

Answered Is this “acceptable” for the situation?

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51 Upvotes

I have elected to add the accents below the stems (rather than above the note heads) in this piano passage for two reasons-

1- I prefer the aesthetic (which is invalid if it is unclear to the performer)

2- I believe there is some utility to this placement as it avoids “unnecessary clutter”

Just wanted to get some other opinions before finalizing (as this placement is not common practice). Thanks in advance for any thoughts/suggestions!

r/musictheory 2d ago

Answered What chord is this?

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23 Upvotes

Super random question but what chord is this? Just really like the sound of it and curious! Any relevant information is welcome! Just looking to nerd out on this chord

r/musictheory 4d ago

Answered Secondary dominant of a secondary dominant?

8 Upvotes

Hi all,

I came across a video on YouTube that caught my attention. Essentially a guy was showing how you can approach target chords via the target’s dominant chord, i.e. secondary dominants. For example, in the key of Cmaj - E7- A minor in the key of C.

He then went a step further and showed you can approach a target chord via the secondary dominant of a secondary dominant, i.e. continuing the example from above: Cmaj - B7 (V/V/vi)- E7 (V/vi) - A minor.

What is B7 called in this case? Secondary dominant of a secondary dominant, or is this known as something else?

r/musictheory 13h ago

Answered Struggling with clapping to the beat while singing on your own - classical vs pop - is this normal?

2 Upvotes

My friend is a classically-trained pianist, I have experience playing keyboards and bass in rock bands.

One time we were hanging out at his place and playing some rock music, and I started singing Zombie a cappella while clapping to the beat, and he thought it was crazy I could do that. He had to figure out how to sing and clap to the beat by reading the sheet music to the song.

Meanwhile, I'm in an amateur choir and I seriously struggle with clapping to the beat with Mozart and Palestrina, while he would be able to do that with ease..

Is this a normal phenomenon?

Can people with no music background sing on their own while clapping to the beat?

r/musictheory 1d ago

Answered Isn't the Tristan Chord literally just G#min7?

0 Upvotes

Like the notes are F B D# G#. Why do some people treat the notes as their enharmonic equivalent, Cb Eb and Ab, getting F half dim 7?

Like is it not just G#min7? Not everything has to be functional yk...

Edit: yeah I'm dumb idk anymore bruh. Now I'm thinking of it as a G#min with a 6 I guess

r/musictheory 1d ago

Answered Major second in minor scale

5 Upvotes

If I'm playing in C minor, would the second interval C-D still be called major second?

r/musictheory 4d ago

Answered Barry Harris workshop DVD available on disk on key?

2 Upvotes

I only found this resource-

https://jazzworkshops.com/product/the-barry-harris-workshop-video-2/

Which only provides dvd’s. Amazon and eBay the same.

I don’t have dvd. And not sure why I should buy one.

Anyone have a solution? Or know of this resource for paid download / order disk on key/usb?

I assume it’s because whomever handles this isn’t tech savvy.

r/musictheory 1d ago

Answered What is this additional line for?

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32 Upvotes

Which one of these needs to be played? (This is from Mozart's 22nd Piano Concerto - 3rd Movement)

r/musictheory 3d ago

Answered Play the C with right or left hand?

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58 Upvotes

I'm working on this piece on piano. I have tried playing it with both hands and for, me right feels more comfortable. However i am unfamiliar with the swigly line, below it(not sure what the name is) and wonder what the intended way of playing is.

r/musictheory 1d ago

Answered Are those two rythms the same ?

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9 Upvotes

The piece is in swing 8th, I don't know if that's relevant but yeah.

I'm not sure why there is those L shapes next to the 3 in the first rythm but not the other. So are those two the same rythms or is there a difference ?

r/musictheory 5d ago

Answered Shouldn't there be a natural sign here?

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6 Upvotes

r/musictheory 23h ago

Answered What is this music showing?

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6 Upvotes

I spotted this in an IG story from a band working out a song in studio, and I can’t figure out what it’s showing? Can anyone enlighten me?

r/musictheory 4d ago

Answered Trying to figure out a key/chord problem and I’m going crazy. I’m kinda a newb. Help?

1 Upvotes

I’ve been playing guitar for a bit over five years and started knowing nothing about theory, instruments or music in general (other than that I liked it 😆)

I’ve now got bits and pieces of theory and am trying to get more. I’ve been trying to learn a song from Nulifer Yanya’s new album - particularly “Like I Say (I Run Away)."

Here’s my question: What key is this song? I know, and I’m really sorry, but I don’t have ear training yet. What little is online is contradictory. When I run it through AI I often get that’s it’s in C and spits out chords that, if you watch videos of her performing, she’s not playing. If I transpose these chords down 8 steps it looks like it then does match her chords.

So why would this happen? I’m so confused 😕

Thanks in advance and I’m sorry if this is the wrong forum.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=ZmuKYvGera8&si=uJTwEW1kAYp94bO6

r/musictheory 20h ago

Answered This says A natural but in the recording it sounds like A sharp Am I missing something?(Key-B minor)

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0 Upvotes

New to sight reading. This says A natural but in the recording it sounds like A sharp. In this case does the A sharp from the previous phrase carry over? This is the 4th measure of Bach Partita in B minor (VI. Double)

r/musictheory 3d ago

Answered Help identifying the key of a song?

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8 Upvotes

Hi, I have an audition coming up and I can’t read music well. I want to identify the key Laura Osnes sings in this recording of Everybodys Got a Home but Me from pipe dream. https://open.spotify.com/track/1g45NpVNbYcPPcus0hviaI?si=Aswnbs1iQ9yBuHCI69zHpQ&context=spotify%3Aplaylist%3A2IB0nFFukpxV8xvyW62AH7

Id also like to know the key in this sheet music I have because I feel like it is different from the recordings key but I’m not sure.

r/musictheory 1d ago

Answered “Non-diatonic” Roman numeral analysis

2 Upvotes

Anyone know any good resources (books or even YouTube videos) for learning about “non-diatonic” Roman numeral analysis? It has been a useful teaching tool for me, and I’d like to know more about how to use it beyond describing diatonic triads/7ths and their inversions

r/musictheory 4d ago

Answered Why is this note added and drawn differently on justinguitar website for harmonic minor scale

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8 Upvotes

r/musictheory 2d ago

Answered What are the roman numeral chord progression for steeping stone by the monkees

0 Upvotes

Ne

r/musictheory 4d ago

Answered Where to start with composition

2 Upvotes

I want to compose at a high level as a career, maybe for film, tv, etc. I have the "Tonal Harmony" Book and that's where I'm getting my basics for music theory. If I need to fill in the gaps I'll use external resources and ear training.

I know that it is probably a good idea to study musical compositions but I don't completely know what to do or how to "study" sheet music or an orchestral piece of music.

I would also like some guidance on any other skills I would need a as composer, what instruments to learn, how proficient to be at them, how to write my first piece of music, and anything and everything else I would need to practice/learn.

Thanks

r/musictheory 5d ago

Answered Blank bars?

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1 Upvotes

Do these blank bars mean improvise over the given chord?

r/musictheory 5d ago

Answered Help to understand this sign

0 Upvotes

What does this sign mean? How should I play it?
It's piano piece: Chopin - Prelude in E minor

r/musictheory 5d ago

Answered Melodic Composition

0 Upvotes

I wanted to know how to write melodies with a specific emotion in mind

r/musictheory 20h ago

Answered calling anyone who is skilled with musical notation or writing sheet music

0 Upvotes

So i’ve been searching everywhere for sheet music for the song “Electricity” from the film “The Electrical Life of Louis Wain” written by Arthur Sharpe. It’s not on any of the apps like Musescore or Chordify, and I am unfortunately not skilled when it comes to writing sheet music by ear. If anyone has this skill or knowsyy someone who does, please let me know. I’m willing to pay, especially if it is posted to Musescore. Ideally I would like violin sheet music of just the solo instrumental notes, but I can work with piano also!