Functional harmony is a way of thinking about composing harmony with direction. Harmony Basics So lets take a real quick look at what harmony is. You can look at harmony with two lenses. The …
How Functional Harmony Works
Have you ever found yourself stuck in a rut, creating chord progressions that seem to wander aimlessly without a clear sense of direction or purpose? The secret to crafting compelling, meaningful …
Musical Periods Unleashed!
Musical Periods Like me, you have probably been frustrated composing phrases that sound "off". Maybe they feel like they ended too soon, or don't sound complete. If this has happened to you, keep …
Composing with Small Binary Form: An Introduction for Composers
Small Binary Form, or often just called Binary Form, is a musical form consisting of two main sections, labeled A and B, each of which is typically repeated. This fundamental form has been used for …
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Warning: The Composing Secret Mozart Didn’t Want You To Know
Musical Sketches - Mozart's Dirty Little Secret Mahler did it. Beethoven did it. Even... gasp... Mozart did it. What am I talking about? Sketches. I think we can all agree that these three …
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How to Compose Music, Part 3: Melody or Harmony First?
Should I Start With the Melody or the Harmony? This is a common question when learning to compose music. The answer is a simple one. You need to start with both. How Do I Start with Both Melody …
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