Songwriting Africa (Toto) – Analyzing the Chorus How to turn a one-note melody into a Billboard number one hit? Learn the music theory Toto used in their song Africa. We'll talk about one-note melodies, common chords and expectation vs. deception.
Questions What is the longest musical chord name? Did you ever think about the longest chord symbol you could write in music?
Songwriting How many songs should an album have? Many artists are wondering about how many songs they should put on their album — 10? 13? 21? 3? Read my advice in this article…
Reharmonize Mamma Mia (ABBA) - Reharmonized A cover of Mamma Mia using modal reharmonization techniques. Music theory can be so much fun when applied to ABBA songs :)
Songwriting Kokomo (Beach Boys) - Analysis Analyzing a harmonically rich Beach Boys song recently resurfaced through the Netflix series Space Force. Learn the use of plagal cadences and secondary dominants.
Songwriting Man in the Mirror (Michael Jackson) – Song Analysis “[…] an anthem that would spread some sunshine on the world.” – Quincy Jones (producer of Man in the Mirror)This amazing song was the fourth of five US #1 hits from
Questions Are minor and diminished chords the same thing? I don’t know where this myth stems from, but a minor chord and a diminished chord are not more similar to each other than a minor chord and a
Questions Why do sus4 chords include word sus? Why do you write Csus4 instead of just C4? The quick explanationThe sus is short for suspended. That means the fourth replaces the third and is later resolved down to
Improvise Solo Like a Pro with the Tritone Substitution Solo skills can often get stuck on a certain level. Your improvisation sounds predictable and ordinary and elevating it to the next level seems like years of practice ahead of
Songwriting Can’t Stop The Feeling (Justin Timberlake) 2/2 – Song Analysis This is part 2 of my analysis of the song "Can’t Stop The Feeling" by Justin Timberlake in terms of music theory and its harmonic content. The idea of
Songwriting Can’t Stop The Feeling (Justin Timberlake) 1/2 – Song Analysis Today I will analyze the song "Can’t Stop The Feeling" by Justin Timberlake in terms of music theory and its harmonic content. The idea is to bring the dry
Songwriting Blank Space (Taylor Swift) – Song Analysis Understand the music theory behind the hit song Blank Space. Learn tricks for your own songwriting.
Songwriting Hotline Bling (Drake) - Analysis Learn the music theory in Hotline Bling: lydian chords, harmonic rhythm, emotional subdominants, tension & resolution and more.
