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Sheet music notation
Diminished Unison or Augmented Unison? The Interval Debate
When you think about musical intervals, you probably picture the distance between two different notes – like a C going up to an E (that's a third!). But the simplest interval is just playing the…
Why 2/2 Isn't Just 2/4: The Subtle Art of Time Signature
Cut time is 2/2, not 2/4. Both meters count two beats to a bar, but 2/2 gives the beat to the half note and 2/4 gives it to the quarter note, so a 2/2 bar holds twice as much written music.
Grace Notes in Sheet Music: What They Are and How to Play Them
Have you ever looked at a piece of sheet music and spotted those tiny little notes hovering before a regular-sized one? They look almost like musical confetti, right? Those aren't typos or notes…
What Does This 'X' Under a Music Note Mean?
An X in place of the notehead marks a sound with no definite pitch: a cymbal, a muted string, a rim click, or spoken text. An X above a string on a guitar chord box means that string is not played.
Counting 3/2 Time and Moving from 4/4 to 3/2
Time signatures are like the musical equivalent of a GPS; they guide us through the rhythmic landscape of a piece. They tell us how many beats are in a measure and what note value gets the beat…
Every Clef in Music Notation, and the 75 Possible Positions
Musical clefs are like the secret maps of music, guiding us through the maze of notes and rhythms. Each clef acts as a beacon, pinpointing the pitch of notes and anchoring them to the musical staff…
Scale Spelling: A Comprehensive Guide for Musicians
As musicians, whether we're songwriters, producers, teachers, or students, music theory is our foundation. Understanding the building blocks of music theory—like scales—is crucial for everything…
Tutorial 1 – Note Names, Placement and Major Scale
If you are willing to be a musician and want to express your own ideas and feelings, it is really essential to learn at least some basics of music theory. Especially if you are thinking about…