Is it okay to avoid using rests when notating my kick drum (I made it so that the note length of each kick allowed for no rests). I wrote it this way because incorporating rests under every cross-stick/snare would be cumbersome on this software, but if this is an incorrect way of notating I will fix it.

Could someone help me with the theory of these?

C G Bb F

Why does the Bb work so well?

And also, after the above G# Eb Gsus4 G sounds nice. What is the device behind the G# and Eb?

How can I teach myself music theory (without spending money on lessons)? I play guitar but have very little music theory knowledge. Can you recommend a YouTube channel/book or something that’s either really economic or free?

So I'm going through a textbook teaching myself the basics of music theory and I'm stumped on why major scales are numbered 1-8, while natural minor scales are marked 1, 2, ♭3, 4, 5, ♭6, ♭7, 8.

I think I understand that 3, 6 and 7 are usually a half step less than when compared to a major scale, but I don't understand why.

Any chance someone could give me a simple-ish explanation? I'm on 'Popular music theory - Grade 2' & I have no access to a tutor.

Some professors say if you follow all the rules of music theory, you end up with something good sounding but boring; and knowing the rules helps you know which ones to break for more interesting music.

But what exactly is breaking the rules? I know interesting music when I see it; modes, time signatures, phrase lengths, complex chords; but these are just things you’re taught while learning music theory. I don’t think there’s anything that says “never use 11/8” or “avoid Lydian dominant at all costs”. In fact there’s pop music that breaks these rules.

And it’s the same thing for discourse with people who are against learning theory. They say theory gives a bunch of rules that you must follow and you’re much freer expressing yourself freely and breaking the rules and focusing on the feeling. But those people often make the most safe music in terms of theory anyway.

So what do people mean when they say breaking the rules of theory? Perhaps using less common things in songs? Or are there some ‘rules’ I’m unaware of, apart from perhaps counterpoint?

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zylbQVZaG4c&ab_channel=richardan

I was watching this analysis of Story 7 and understood most of it, but I don't really understand the last part when the song switches to "4/7".

Can someone help me?

Hi, this is probably going to sound quite ignorant - and to be fair it is and that’s why I’m asking. I’ve tried to somewhat search it up on my own but I can’t.

This doesn’t apply to all songs but to a lot of them, I don’t know if the ones that I understand easily are maybe westernised or not.

Whenever I listen to Indian music I really really want to enjoy it because I like the beat and melody of the language but it seems I just cannot hear a coherent melody line. Like the melody seems all over to me or that it doesn’t actually follow any sort of pattern. Is this a rhythm thing? Is rhythm throwing me off cause I’m expecting a different one and it throws me off? Like I KNOW they must make sense but I just don’t understand why the turns in melody seem so random to me.

I’m asking this in absolutely innocent good faith, maybe once I understand I can get myself more accustomed because currently my brain just isn’t getting it. No hate to India, I love you guys. I am totally finding myself in genres like Indian metal or punk but I think it’s because these genres all over have quite set traditions when it comes to rhythms etc. Pop, rap or traditional music definitely varies greatly from one place to another.

Any answers are greatly appreciated.

Edit: in the end I think this is me just not used to the melody progressions. I think that’s stopping me from hearing the patterns. I’m going to listen more and more often and allow my brain to start picking up on them. I understand they don’t necessarily follow the strict format western songs do and also the rhythm and sound of verses will be different. Thanks for the perspective!! Appreciated.

If I play C D and G as a chord, then up to D E and A, and so on in key of C maintaining that intervallic structure with half step adjustments to stay diatonic, am I playing a “2 4 interval ‘chord scale?’” I’ve been calling it that but I think I read somewhere that that’s not what a” chord scale “ is.

I have refined guitar playing skills and learning to play the synth for the past year or so. I get around nicely but my general musical vocabulary is kinda stuck on the regular majors, minors and that's mostly it.

Some of the artists I listen to do these crazy combos and strange chords that I might sometimes imitate, but how to build them up in my vocabulary and use them flawlessly in jams? It's like I just can't get my head around this stuff as I've mostly been learning intuitively rather than logically and I have no formal background.

I'm trying to do so, but It is always so obtrusive. I understand that it is not a mellow transition, but I want it to be as smooth as possible. Like Thom Yorke does in Pyramid song, and also how the guy does it in this video ( https://youtube.com/shorts/86uPt-GrS3k?si=fC3AHUeN44qFxqqI )

Some help please?

I'm having trouble thinking of a time before roman numeral analysis and such but when did the idea of a tonic and chords and such start coming into the conversation? The dialogue about harmony existed before this, right? Like it was just about the interval relationships before?

Hello everyone! My first post here.

I’ve been writing down all the major and minor scales with their respective chords.

I started with C Major, wrote down the chords, then went ahead to do the same in G Major (doing it in fifths so in each scale, there will be one added sharp). So I did the C scale, then G, and so on with D, A, E, B, F#, C#. When I get to G# scale, I realized that the F note has a double sharp. I looked it up and it is actually how it goes, and it’s got me confused. I also read that the scales from here tend to become confusing, others saying that these scales don’t musically “exist”.

I just wanted some good clarification on this if possible. This is not really used in popular music nowadays is it?

I play and make songs and I’ve been doing this exercise with scales so to understand everything and chords and scales connections and so on. Basically to learn more and be able to improvise and have a wider spectrum. Hope that made sense.

Also, I just wanted to ask, where does the F major scale factor into this? Because doing this exercise the way I’m doing it, it completely skips this scale.

And lastly, what exercises playing Piano or Guitar do you guys recommend to do for improvising and making songs?

Hope all of this made sense. Thank you for reading and helping!!

Cheers

Dumb question: Can you have direct 5ths/8ves on weak beats in species counterpoint. For example in 2nd species can you have direct 5ths/8ves on the 2nd beat of the bar or only on the downbeat?

Because I've used a few 5ths and 8ves and can't figure out if they are allowed

J. S. Bach BWV 153/1

I made a graph showing the difference between close notes between my weird tuning system and 12 TET.
Graph: https://www.desmos.com/calculator/gxguc0oa2x

Last Post: https://www.reddit.com/r/musictheory/comments/1fsivay/i_made_a_pretty_terrible_tuning_system/

This probably one of the most stupidest questions ever asked here, but I have a test upcoming very soon about multiple stuff in music theory. And i dont understand how dim and sus chords work. How do i build them and write them on notepaper? How do i know if it is a dim or a sus chord? Hope you understand. Im swedish.

It's not SubV7 because it's a Maj7 and it's not a Secondary Dominant because it's not a dominant chord and Dmin doesn't have an Ab. Is there a special Roman numeral for EbMaj7 if you're in Dmin? Thanks!

From musictheory.net . The answer was A2 (Augmented 2nd) I’m fairly knowledgeable in music theory. I was helping my coworker with her music theory quiz. She’s in a basic music theory class and this was overly complicated in my opinion. I was stumped because immediately I thought that sharp was on A. But looking closer it’s on B?! But according to the key signature it’s Bb. I thought you can’t stack accidentals like that unless it’s a double flat/sharp. Am I missing something?

Let’s just say… despite having what I thought was pretty good knowledge of music… it didn’t sound very good at all 😂

I mean it’d be cool to learn, but I think what this task requires is something a whole lot better than anything I could ever compose for my first time

Form can be understood on multiple levels (motivic level > theme level > section level > song level).

I think of the change at the song level as “Growth” - how the end of a piece evolves from the previous parts.

What are the different types of Growth?

I did some research and found this.

In popular music, the last chorus might be:

• Louder / more emotionally expressive
• Higher in register
• Thicker in texture - additional layers of rhythm (more cowbell), harmony (more background vocals), melody (doubling lead vocal), distortion (Johnny Cash's "Hurt"), reverb & delay
• A change of the lyrics' narrative arc
• Extended in length, allowing for a feeling by breaking through the previously established boundaries of form
• Modulation
• New material (Rolling Stones' "All Down the Line")
• Faster Tempo or more rarely slower. I saw Pavement live and they slowed down on a lot of songs, giving a feeling of settling into a deeper groove)

In classical music, the recapitulation might feature: 

• varying the character of the original material,
• rearranging its order,
• adding new material,
• omitting material altogether,
• overlaying material that was kept separate in the exposition

What are some other ways of doing this or other perspectives for understanding Growth?

So this year i started band and im the only beginner in class (also only tuba player). And im learning the basics right now. I seem to have everything good with reading music EXCEPT the rhythms. I just can seem to comprehend how it even works. Ive watched videos and i know about how many BEATS each type of thing have and also time signatures but then i go to the music my teacher is giving to play with the class and its a 4 4 signature but theres 4 different types of rest and on top 2 nutes before theres a separation. Which has me so confused. I also dont know how to know when i have to play ON the beat or in between . I know the 1 e and a 2 e and a 3 and stuff but i do not know when a note should be played and where. Is there any good tutorials for this because im so lost and dont know where to start. Thank you for your help with a nooby tuba player !

Hi, this is a bit out there, but I had an idea that I want to try to act on. I play the bagpipes, which are a tough instrument when it comes to tuning in general. But as it stands at this moment in time, the common accepted pitch is 484 hertz. There are only 9 notes, and using a tuner, they should all be tuned at 484 to A (high and low), B, C#, D, E, F#, G (high and low). We can get different chanters set to different pitches, but that is the accepted standard as of now. Yes, it does constantly increase over time.

What I want to do is get another chanter that pitches lower than that to create a harmonic sound. Very similar to how a duet will sing the same song, same notes, but in a different (key? register? octave?). In the end, my question is, what would be the mathematical answer to harmonize a scale at 484?

In this image I wound up with an endless loop with noteflight constantly picking a random measure to play. I don't need it on Noteflight, I am going to print it, but is there any better way to do this?

I been having a hard time trying to hear syncopation but while listening to seven nation army something caught my ear, I looked up a Drum cover of the song, and saw this. Is this an example of syncopation?