Chord progression is a sequence of chords played in succession, forming the harmonic backbone of a piece of music. It creates a sense of movement and emotional direction, often following established patterns to evoke specific moods or styles.
A scale degree is a specific note within a scale, identified by its position relative to the tonic, which is the first note of the scale. Understanding scale degrees is crucial for analyzing and composing music, as they provide a framework for melody, harmony, and chord progressions.
Scales and arpeggios are fundamental musical elements that help develop technical proficiency and musical understanding, serving as building blocks for melody and harmony. Mastery of these elements enhances a musician's ability to improvise, compose, and interpret music across various styles and genres.
Diatonic function is like a team where each note in a scale has a special job to make music sound good. Just like in a game, where every player has a role, in music, each note helps to create feelings like happiness or sadness.
Pitch hierarchy is like a family of sounds where some sounds are the bosses and others follow. It helps us understand why some notes in music feel more important and why songs end in a way that feels just right.
The tonal system is a fundamental aspect of music theory that organizes pitches into a hierarchy of importance around a central note, known as the tonic, creating a sense of key. This system enables the creation of melodies and harmonies that are coherent and emotionally expressive, forming the backbone of Western music.
A deceptive cadence occurs in music when a progression seems to be leading to a tonic resolution but instead diverts to an unexpected chord, creating a sense of surprise or tension. This technique is often used to add emotional depth or to prolong the harmonic tension before resolving to the expected chord.