Theory
Music theory
Foundations
Foundations
The circle of fifths
How twelve keys, their signatures, and their cadences fit on one diagram.
5 min read
Foundations
Key signatures
Reading sharps and flats, finding the key, and transposing fluently.
4 min read
Foundations
Intervals
Naming and hearing the distance between any two pitches.
5 min read
Harmony
Harmony
Chords and triads
Stacked thirds, four qualities, three inversions, and what they sound like.
5 min read
Harmony
Seventh chords
Five qualities, the engine of jazz harmony, and how each one resolves.
5 min read
Harmony
Cadences
How phrases end — full stops, commas, and the small surprise of a deceptive close.
5 min read
Harmony
Modulation
Moving the tonal centre — pivot chords, common tones, and the chromatic shortcut.
5 min read
Voice
Rhythm
Form
Looking for a single term — tempo marking, dynamic, ornament? See the dictionary. Looking for the interactive map of keys? Open the circle of fifths.