Music Composition Theory

This blog is a summarized understanding of music composition theory as I have gathered from various sources over the past few years. It is meant for musicians who understand the basics of music notation, intervals, scales etc. It is not necessarily in a fixed order, it is rather a random collection of various musical subjects in varying degrees of complexity. The key sources are the works of William Lovelock, Walter Piston, Kent Kennan and several sources on the Internet.

Dec 5, 2009

An introduction to Inversions

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I spoke of intervals in the previous article. I will explain inversions in this article. A firm understanding of these concepts will help in...
2 comments:
Nov 9, 2009

Article 4: Understanding Intervals : Stepping into Harmony

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Understanding intervals is fundamental to understanding harmony. I have already touched on intervals in Articles 2 and 3 and have spoken abo...
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Nov 5, 2009

Article 3: The minor scale and a bit more

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I dropped the last article off with a plan of talking about Keeravani and how other ragas can be mapped onto the western scale. Here goes. ...
3 comments:
Aug 30, 2009

Article 2 - western music for the carnatic aficionado

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Abstract In this article, I will look at the way notes are represented in Western and how it maps into carnatic. At the end of this article,...
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Article 1: First steps into western music theory - For the carnatic aficionado

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I am hoping this is the beginning of a series of articles on the rudiments of western music theory. It assumes the reader understands carnat...
Jul 27, 2008

Two voice counterpoint - 2:1

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With the appearance of passing notes, the detection of parallel 8ves and 5ths becomes a little more complex. Guiding rules are - Open : Para...

Two voice counterpoint - basics

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The broad principles are 1) Each line must be good in itself. 2) The lines must be independent in terms of direction and rhythmic motion. - ...
Jun 16, 2008

Mediant Triad

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Complexity : Intermediate This is the III chord. Its nature is minor in the major scale and augmented in the minor scale. (and major in the ...
Jun 15, 2008

Elementary Modulation

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Modulation is passing from one key to another. There are two essentials 1) A cadence in the new key (usually some form of perfect) 2) The ap...
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Jun 13, 2008

Escape Note

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Complexity : 3/10 (Simple to Intermediate) An escape note (or echapee) is a rare example of a non-harmonic tone that resolves by leap. It is...

Accented Passing Note

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An accented passing note is one which occurs on the strong part of the bar or beat. It is more strongly accented than the note to which it p...
Jun 11, 2008

Dominant Seventh

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Complexity : 4/10 (intermediate) In C scale, this is G-B-D-F. The V7 chord is unstable and actively seeks resolution. The main motive for th...
Jun 9, 2008

Unaccented Passing Notes

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Complexity : 3/10 (simple) A passing note is termed 'unaccented' when it is on a weaker beat or part of beat than the note that prec...

Second Inversion of Triads

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Complexity : 2/10 (simple) A chord is said to be in its second inversion, when the 5th from the root is in the bass. - Two types need to be ...

Stock treatments

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Complexity : 6/10 (intermediate to high) - If the bass has the first 3 notes of the scale, I-VIIb-Ib is good. If the 2nd is unaccented, I-Vc...

First Inversion of Triads

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Complexity : 2/10 (simple) When the 3rd from the root is in the bass, the chord is said to be in its first inversion. - Doubling: Major firs...

Cadences

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Complexity : 2/10 (simple) Cadences are points of rest - musical punctuations. There are 4 types of cadences - perfect, imperfect, interrup...

Basic rules of progression

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Complexity : 1/10 (simple) Rules of melodic progression - No two parts may move in parallel 8s or 5s. These faults are called consecutive oc...
Jun 7, 2008

Suspensions

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Complexity : 4/10 (intermediate) The suspension is a tone whose natural progression has been rhythmically delayed. There are 3 factors in th...

Chromatic Passing Notes

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Complexity : 6/10 (intermediate to advanced) Chromatic notes that may be used to join up two notes that are a major 2nd apart of some greate...

Nota Cambiata

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Complexity : 3/10 (simple to intermediate) This is a four note figure. The fourth note is a 3rd below the first. In between come the diatoni...
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Changing Note

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Complexity : 3/10 (simple) The changing note figure consists of a double appoggiatura with the principal note added at the beginning. The lo...
Jun 1, 2008

Transient modulations

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Complexity : 5/10 (intermediate) Modulations is not necessarily confined to phrase-ends or sequences. A cadence will be presented (modulatio...

Anticipatory notes

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Complexity : 4 (intermediate) If two harmony notes are a step apart, the second note may be anticipated in the same part, just before the be...
May 31, 2008

Appoggiaturas

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Complexity : 5/10 (intermediate) These are simply unprepared suspensions or retardations and the rules governing suspensions and retardation...
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