In More Than a Feeling, the chorus, a simple I IV iv V (G C e D), finished off with an Eb chord - totally not in the key - and then transitioning to em7. What is this transition to Eb, which is not at all part of the key of G, called?
posted by plinth on Jan 8, 2013 - 11 answers

Could anyone break this song down for me from a music theory perspective? [more inside]
posted by mermily on Dec 27, 2012 - 6 answers

Hello MeFi. I'm curious as to the correlation between software development Design Patterns for and Jazz Standards. Usual loot from Google: Some dude who thought of it first (and used it as a nice allegoric explanation in Programmers Stackexchange and a somewhat geeky ironic coding-related mention ("Jazz supports interaction through event listeners"). These are all nice examples of the basic similarity between the two, I'm looking for more, though. Are you aware of any materials that somehow approach this idea?
posted by lipsum on Jan 25, 2012 - 2 answers

Through "Girl From Ipanema" found This phrase in particular: "Romantic music continues with this progression, naturalizing the upper relatives, too" leaves me baffled. Lendvai's Axis System: http://www.mi.sanu.ac.rs/vismath/lends/ch1.htm. Music theorists, help me with simple examples!
posted by gregglind on Jun 1, 2011 - 5 answers

Help me get my head around chords in music. I think I understand the basics, but then get confused when thinking about progressions, inversions, root movements etc. [more inside]
posted by jasondigitized on May 31, 2010 - 12 answers

What is the best way to master scales, chords, and chord progressions on the piano / keyboard. More specifically, help me create harmony and melody. My husband and I are starting to create music on our computer. I think I have a pretty good ear for what sounds good, but I feel like a complete hack on the keyboard. I would like to become proficient at hitting keys that sound well together or next to each other. I am studying basic theory, but where does the rubber meet the road? Is it simply muscle memory? I am not really interested in playing a piece of sheet music, but if that will help, I will learn. I just want to create my own music. I know I have to practice, but practice doing what? I would be rather proud of myself if someone told me drop and play I V vi IV in F Major and I could do it without thinking.
posted by trinigirl on Mar 10, 2010 - 14 answers

I just bought an ukulele, and I want to learn how to play it. Thing is, I know nothing about music in general. What should I learn? [more inside]
posted by TheyCallItPeace on Jul 23, 2009 - 32 answers

I listen to a lot of 'contemporary' music (not classical), but how do I better understand music reviews and explain what I hear to my friends and peers ? [more inside]
posted by fizzix on Jan 23, 2009 - 11 answers

Given a set of guitar chords, I want to know how I can determine what key a song is in. [more inside]
posted by crapples on Sep 10, 2008 - 13 answers

Where did Bob Dylan's use of the fourth scale degree originate? [more inside]
posted by dfan on Jun 24, 2008 - 13 answers

What books or websites do you recommend that look at popular music (I really mean 70s and 80s) from a music theory perspective. For example, [more inside]
posted by wittgenstein on Aug 29, 2007 - 13 answers

So I've become pretty obsessed with 'I Want You Back' - the Jackson 5 song. How do I play and write that kind of music? [more inside]
posted by tmcw on Jul 3, 2007 - 18 answers

Guitar tuning through harmonics: Could you fine fine folks explain the physical/mathematical principles behind the increased "distortion" as two guitar strings being tuned through harmonics approach being tuned? [more inside]
posted by poweredbybeard on May 19, 2007 - 24 answers

Help me learn/improve on vocal melody writing techniques. [more inside]
posted by sindas on Nov 6, 2006 - 9 answers

What's the relationship between the melody of a song and its chord structure? [more inside]
posted by signal on Nov 4, 2006 - 32 answers

How does software which tries to detect the key of a piece of music work (and how reliable is it)? [more inside]
posted by rongorongo on Sep 4, 2006 - 4 answers

I'm trying to remember a theory about the arts in which the progression of a genre moves through various well-defined stages... [more inside]
posted by dydecker on Aug 18, 2006 - 4 answers

Why are C and F the notes without corresponding flat keys on the piano? [more inside]
posted by billtron on Feb 24, 2006 - 67 answers

In Bob Dylan's book Chronicles, Vol. 1 he describes an esoteric numerological scheme for playing guitar, saying most melodies are based on the number 2, but that he's taken it to the next level by choosing what to play based on the number 3. Can anyone explain what he is talking about? [more inside]
posted by johngoren on Dec 29, 2005 - 23 answers

I want to do ear-training while driving to and from work. Several $20+ books come with CD's but I am just positive there is a free CD image somewhere I can make my own with. Anyone? [more inside]
posted by jester69 on Dec 9, 2005 - 10 answers

I need help identifying the notes in a snippet of Indian music. [more inside]
posted by pealco on Nov 14, 2005 - 7 answers

Is there a technical name for a song in no particular key? [more inside]
posted by StephenE on Feb 18, 2005 - 21 answers

[MusicTheoryFilter] I listen to techno music quite a bit and a little while back I realized that every techno song had some sort of change every 32 beats (or some multiple of 32 beats) [MI] [more inside]
posted by freshgroundpepper on Jun 3, 2004 - 14 answers

Beat the Profs: I asked all my music professors this one, and none have an answer. Why is Western music based around C major rather than A major? (More inside) [more inside]
posted by Phatty Lumpkin on May 18, 2004 - 14 answers