Are two chords really enough?
If you search for songs with just two chords you'll be provided with lists of songs for beginners. But are two-chord songs necessarily simplistic? History proves otherwise.
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Walking with Pythagoras
Pythagoras is often thought of as the 'father of harmony.' He believed that mathematics could explain everything, including music. On the basis that playing with notes is just playing with audible numbers, I had a go at walking with Pythagoras.
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The Chorale is OK by me
Music written in chorale form differs in that the chords change with nearly every note of the melody. This creates a dramatic, anthemic feel that is still relevant today.
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Amanecer – a Phrygian dawn
This duet for violin and cello evokes a new dawn. It also has quite a Spanish feel. So why is that?
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Playing with time
In the 2020s you hardly ever hear a piece of music that does not have four beats in the bar. But varying the time signature can put all sorts of ideas into play.
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In search of the lost chord
The search for that lost perfect chord which will melt us on the spot has been going on some time. So, what have people come up with?
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Suspended delights
One of the great sources of beauty in melody is when a note is held over to the following chord, creating a brief dissonance until the harmony resolves. We're talking suspensions.
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Amazing descents – the enduring beauty of the lament bass
From Bach to the Beatles, some of the most beautiful music of all time has employed a descending bass line. Here's how it works.
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One progression, two very different melodies
A chord progression does not dictate how a composition ends up. I tried creating two very different pieces of music from the same chords. Here's how that ended up.
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Quartal harmony – a chance to throw away the rule book
Quartal harmony is based on 4th intervals rather than 3rds. Want to know what that sounds like in practice? Step right in.
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